Skip to main content

Entering the US Sustainability Sector from India

 

1. Define Your Role & Value Proposition

Clarify how you want to contribute:

  • Are you a technical expert (e.g., engineer, data analyst, ESG consultant)?

  • A creative (e.g., communications, content, design)?

  • A strategist (e.g., research, business development, supply chain)?

Sustainability is broad, covering:

  • Renewable energy

  • Carbon accounting

  • ESG reporting

  • Circular economy

  • Sustainable agriculture

  • Green finance

🎯 Action: Identify 1–2 niche areas where your background, skills, or passion align with the sector.


🌐 2. Start Freelancing or Volunteering Remotely

Many U.S.-based startups or nonprofits need remote, international talent—especially in sustainability.

Where to find them:

🎯 Action: Apply for part-time or volunteer roles to gain credibility and U.S.-relevant experience.


🧠 3. Build Knowledge + Authority in Sustainability

Even without formal experience, you can show passion and understanding.

How:

  • Earn certifications (e.g., Sustainability & Climate Risk by GARP, GHG Protocol, or ESG Investing by CFA).

  • Join global sustainability communities like:

    • Work on Climate (Slack group)

    • ClimateAction.tech

    • Yale Open Climate Courses

  • Start a LinkedIn or Medium blog sharing your learnings, thoughts on climate tech, or India's sustainability journey.

🎯 Action: Post weekly on sustainability topics to build visibility among U.S.-based professionals.


🤝 4. Network with U.S. Sustainability Professionals

Use social platforms to build relationships and find mentors or collaborators.

Tactics:

  • Connect on LinkedIn with people working in U.S. climate tech or ESG.

  • Attend free virtual events/webinars from:

    • GreenBiz

    • Verge Conferences

    • Columbia Earth Institute

    • MIT Energy Initiative

  • Comment meaningfully on sustainability posts by founders, investors, and professionals.

🎯 Action: Reach out with a message like:

“Hi [Name], I’m based in India and deeply interested in sustainability. I admire your work with [Company]. I’d love to stay in touch and learn from your journey.”


🏗️ 5. Build a Small Project or Portfolio

  • Analyze the carbon footprint of a local business.

  • Write a case study comparing Indian and U.S. ESG regulations.

  • Build a tool, dashboard, or resource and share it online.

🎯 Action: Treat your first project as your portfolio anchor to show U.S. companies what you can do.


📄 6. Target Remote-Friendly U.S. Companies

Focus on:

  • Climate tech startups

  • ESG data platforms (e.g., Persefoni, Watershed)

  • Remote-first consultancies (e.g., South Pole, Baringa)

  • Nonprofits/NGOs working globally (e.g., WRI, CDP)

🎯 Action: Customize your resume and pitch highlighting:

  • International collaboration

  • Self-initiative

  • Relevant sustainability impact


🧭 Bonus: Top Skills U.S. Sustainability Firms Value in Remote Workers

  • Carbon accounting (GHG Protocol, ISO 14064)

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

  • Data analysis (Excel, Python, Power BI)

  • Project management (Asana, Trello)

  • Storytelling & writing (for ESG reports, impact narratives)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

4 technologies that are accelerating the green hydrogen revolution

Green Hydrogen through Electrolysis: Fuelling the Future | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org) Anuraag Nallapaneni  and  Krishnaveni Malladi  -  August 25, 2021   This is the second in a series of blogs on hydrogen, which will involve discussions around range of electrolysis technologies currently available at commercial and laboratory levels. Given the rising global consensus towards the transition towards a green hydrogen economy in coming decades, availability of commercially operable electrolysis technologies will act as a backbone of hydrogen deployment across sectors. Maturity of electrolysis technologies would also be critical in facilitating India’s 450 GW RE target, given electrolysis’s ability to manage duck curve challenges through its power to gas (P2G) applicability, further banking on hydrogen’s ability to act as a long-term energy storage medium. Read the first blog  here . Splitting water molecules, or the process of electrolysis, is one of the most p...

Solar Cell Manufacturers review

There are essentially 3 types of Solar Cell Companies .The tier 1 comprising top 2% do core R&d and are integrated end-to-end.The experience is more than 10 years. The second line about 8% do not indulge in R&d but use partial robotics etc for manufacturing. They have experience of 2-5 years .The rest 90% are assemblers and use human production lines for manual soldering.The projects however have a good capital output ratio .  Here's a good link to review the top Solar Companies  http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/12/03/guess-who-are-the-top-10-solar-panel-makers-in-the-world/#2e34708f2812 Solar equipment makers are gearing up to expand production again after many of them had to idle production lines or close factories. So who are the top 10 solar panel makers these days? IHS   released its ranking today that put Trina Solar as the top shipper of solar panels in 2014, followed by Yingli Green  Energy . Both companies are based in ...

Green Hydrogen through Electrolysis: Fuelling the Future

Green Hydrogen through Electrolysis: Fuelling the Future | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org) Anuraag Nallapaneni  and  Krishnaveni Malladi  -  August 25, 2021   This is the second in a series of blogs on hydrogen, which will involve discussions around range of electrolysis technologies currently available at commercial and laboratory levels. Given the rising global consensus towards the transition towards a green hydrogen economy in coming decades, availability of commercially operable electrolysis technologies will act as a backbone of hydrogen deployment across sectors. Maturity of electrolysis technologies would also be critical in facilitating India’s 450 GW RE target, given electrolysis’s ability to manage duck curve challenges through its power to gas (P2G) applicability, further banking on hydrogen’s ability to act as a long-term energy storage medium. Read the first blog  here . Splitting water molecules, or the process of electrolysis, is one of the most p...