From Edtech to ESG: Courtney’s climate journey
Who: Courtney
What: ESG consultant and entrepreneur-in-residence
Where: Memphis, TN
The spark
Courtney is an independent advisor and consultant who helps early-stage companies add environmental and social governance (ESG) into their practices. She began her career focused on educational technology, thinking that “education was the way to make the greatest impact in one lifetime.” She enjoyed her time working in the field and deeply admires educators. But starting in 2017, she became more interested in climate and wondered if there was another way she could use her skills for good. (Does this sound like you?)
In the process of exploring new opportunities, Courtney started to notice that climate technology was “taking up more air” in startup and VC discussions, so she looked for ways to break in. She started consulting work with what was then 500 Startups (now 500 Global), a venture capital firm with a focus on investing internationally. Asking, “What does it look like to integrate ESG practices at venture funds across geographies?”, she found that in ”high-margin, low-emission” companies, like most tech companies, there’s often a major focus on reputational capital, which can lend itself to ESG as an important framework for building that reputation.
It’s never too early
Working with early-stage companies at 500 Startups showed Courtney the importance of starting early: “With ESG, the sooner you get started, the better you’re going to be in the long run and, usually, the lower the cost.” She recommends companies get started early even if it’s getting started small, so they have something to build on as they grow instead of starting over later, something that can be particularly costly and difficult with supply chain work. Being on the same page with founders from the start is also important. Some companies may be more ambitious than others when it comes to their ESG goals, and that can be okay – as long as everyone is aligned. Pushing for more doesn’t hurt, but may not always yield results.
“With ESG, the sooner you get started, the better you’re going to be in the long run and, usually, the lower the cost.”
- Courtney
When it comes to mistakes that companies make on climate, Courtney says, “The biggest mistake is thinking you’ll just do this [ESG] later.” Given the size of the climate crisis and the difficulty of changing established systems later on, even starting small can get companies ahead of the curve. No matter the scope of the commitment, it’s important to “develop the [ESG] mindset early on and start to build it into the values and principles of the company.” A survival-first, sustainability later approach won’t work out well, particularly as investors are becoming more interested in climate approaches. As mature companies like Salesforce and Microsoft roll out ambitious net-zero strategies, and regulatory pressure increases due to factors such as SEC climate and human capital disclosure requirements, even small companies have to put the pieces in place to follow suit as they grow.
Start with your strengths
As an entrepreneur-in-residence at Eion, a company removing carbon from the atmosphere through advanced rock weathering, Courtney advises anyone considering a career in climate to combine their core strengths with flexibility, saying, “It’s important for people who want to work with early-stage companies to understand how to add value on a team while being flexible enough to fulfill their needs. Meet [companies] where they are, where your skill set can drive impact.”
In carbon markets, where Courtney’s currently working with Eion, things are changing fast. The perspective of the customer is evolving quickly, which can bring risks of getting distracted by new announcements left and right. She advises “paying attention to what is really news and paying attention to the market, then asking, ‘What can I be doing to add value for this company right now?’” What adds value could change daily, ranging from supporting commercial teams with business development to advising scientific researchers on product development, so it’s important to stay flexible and acquire new skills while honing existing ones.
Don’t be afraid to evolve
Courtney’s formal background is in the educational technology space, but she thinks “the window of opportunity within climate has been thrown wide open and there’s lots of people moving in” who can “add a lot of value” even without a background in science or economics. Because the space is “so new and still being figured out, it’s a good time for people from all backgrounds to make a move.” She adds, “Building a new economy requires people from all perspectives – a diversity of backgrounds is a huge strength and we don’t want all the same type of person figuring out what the new economy looks like.”
“Be ready to put on your learning hat and go back to school… create your own education.”
- Courtney
She advises those looking to work in climate to “be ready to put on your learning hat and go back to school in a way, create your own education” – something that can be particularly hard for executives, who are accustomed to being the experts. While it takes a long time to become a master and many people have invested lots of time in developing technical and finance expertise, “It’s an all-hands effort to go through this climate transition together and many skill sets are required.” Courtney derives inspiration from seeing how many smart people are working on climate and how close we’re getting in important areas like carbon capture at scale.
She says it helps her to put things in perspective: “We’re just a dot on the timeline.” Disciplines like agriculture “have been an evolving practice for millennia, and there’s a lot of indigenous knowledge that we can tap into as we make important shifts.” We’re starting to get on the right track if we can remember what went before even as we build what comes next.
Insights from Courtney
Don’t be afraid to change your path – if you see an opportunity to have more impact, go for it.
Start now! Like companies and ESG, anything you do today can help your climate career move forward.
Keep learning. Climate is a rapidly growing space and everyone is learning what works.