Sustainability’s next generation of leaders is ready — but still need us

At a time when sustainability careers are more visible — and more structured and challenging — than ever before, it’s easy to assume the path forward for young professionals is clearer than it was for those of us who stumbled into the field decades ago. In a recent episode of Two Steps Forward, my co-host Solitaire Townsend and I put that assumption to the test, speaking with three early-career practitioners about how they’re navigating the moment.

Their perspectives were equal parts inspiring and sobering.

On one hand, today’s entrants benefit from something my generation largely lacked: defined roles, formal training programs and a shared language around sustainability. As Soli noted, many of us came of age when “sustainability” wasn’t even a common term — let alone a viable career path. We improvised, translating environmental passion into business relevance as we went.

Today’s professionals don’t have to invent the field. They have to operationalize it — and, in some ways, reinvent it.

And that’s where the challenge lies. This is no longer the exploratory phase, i.e., the “figure it out as you go along” era. It’s the delivery phase. Young practitioners are being asked to embed sustainability into complex organizations, balance ambition with pragmatism and navigate internal politics — all while the external pressure to perform continues to mount.

Hopeful, but not naïve

What struck me most in our conversation — with Ava Medina, senior program manager for sustainability and impact at Blue Cross NC; Trane Technologies Sustainability Manager Callum Krause; and Tyler Cobian, senior engineer at Amgen — wasn’t just their commitment, but their clarity. They understand both the urgency of the work and the constraints of the systems they’re trying to change. They’re not naïve, but they are hopeful.

That combination deserves more than admiration. It demands engagement.

If there’s a takeaway for those of us further along in our careers, it’s this: Mentorship in sustainability can’t be passive. It’s not enough to be available. We need to be proactive — asking questions, offering context and helping translate the unwritten rules of navigating organizations and influence.

Equally important, we need to listen.

As I’ve learned from mentoring younger professionals, the exchange is often bidirectional. Over time, as I’ve worked with them, they begin to mentor me back, offering insights into emerging norms, technologies and cultural shifts I might otherwise miss. It’s an intergenerational exchange that strengthens both sides.

The sustainability movement has always been about systems change. Increasingly, that includes how knowledge, power and opportunity flow between generations.

After this conversation, I’m convinced of one thing: The next generation is ready. The real question is whether we elders are ready to support them — and learn from them — in equal measure.