Overview

IWG has been at the forefront of hybrid working for over 30 years. We make it possible for organisations and individuals everywhere to take a new approach to the traditional working day.

IWG offers a platform for work that supports companies however their employees choose to work, whether remotely, at home, or at a main office location. We have an unparalleled network of 3,700 office, co-working, and meeting spaces for people to use in virtually every town and city in the world, together with a range of services that help them when they are working.

Our growth ambitions are significant, with strong revenue growth and a growing pipeline of 1,500 new locations to open in the next 18 months.

Leading Employer Award
IWG is proud to be the recipient of a Leading Employer Award in both 2022 and 2023. Awarded exclusively to the top 1% of employers, the accolade is testament to our diverse global workforce and the role everyone plays in bringing our purpose, culture and values to life, every single day.

Join us at www.iwgplc.com

The Opportunity

Now individuals and companies have moved to a fully digital way of working, we see an enormous opportunity to dramatically accelerate the growth of our physical network, which we will achieve largely through partnerships with franchisees and property owners.

At the same time, we need to do so sustainably. We are currently carbon neutral, having made significant investments in reforestation efforts in the Amazon and switching to green electricity. Our efforts have been recognised through an industry-leading AA ESG rating from MSCI. We are committed to becoming net zero by 2040.

As such, we have a strategic priority to continue our sustainability progress and drive real change throughout our organisation.

Role Purpose

The Head of Sustainability will spearhead a transformative initiative, creating innovative solutions to embed sustainable outcomes throughout our business.

Areas of focus

The Head of Sustainability will be responsible for:

  • Driving the sustainability strategy: Ensure our sustainability approach aligns with organisational goals and industry best practices.
  • Enhancing environmental performance: Initiate projects to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency, and minimise waste, achieving certifications like LEED and BREEAM.
  • Boosting social impact: Develop programmes to improve social impact, focusing on diversity, inclusion, community engagement, and philanthropy.
  • Ensuring ethical governance: Establish and monitor frameworks that promote ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability across the organisation.
  • Integrating sustainability into business planning: Collaborate with senior leadership to weave sustainability considerations into overall business decision-making processes.
  • Managing sustainability risks and opportunities: Regularly evaluate sustainability risks and opportunities, providing actionable recommendations.
  • Managing sustainability data: Oversee the collection, analysis, and reporting of sustainability data for internal use and external stakeholders like investors, regulators, and customers.
  • Communicating sustainability progress: Deliver key updates on sustainability performance, including progress against targets, to regulatory bodies and investors.
  • Engaging stakeholders: Lead efforts to engage employees, customers, suppliers, and communities to understand their sustainability concerns and expectations.
  • Staying ahead of sustainability trends: Keep the organisation informed on evolving sustainability trends, regulations, and best practices, advising on emerging issues.
  • Delivering a fantastic service to our franchise and landlord partners: we are providing a service to franchisees and landlords, and our supply chain is a critical part of this. The supply chain must work perfectly without our partners involvement.
  • Building a world-class team: we need to build on our existing supply chain team by hiring new people into the group to build an exceptional function that delivers world-class supply chain performance.

Candidate Profile

This broad leadership position operates at the heart of our business. We are seeking:

  • An ambitious, execution-focused leader.
  • Experience leading the sustainability in a multi-national fast-moving company, can demonstrate world-class delivery and performance, and motivated about taking us to the next level.
  • A background in strategic consulting at a top-tier firm or similar, with a demonstrable track record of innovation and strategy development.
  • Well-versed in technology solutions that can be utilised to deliver our sustainability goals.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as environmental science, business administration, sustainability, or related field. Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MSc) preferred.
  • 7+ years of experience in ESG, sustainability, corporate responsibility, or related fields, with a proven track record of leadership and impact.
  • Strong understanding of ESG frameworks, standards (e.g. TCFD), and reporting guidelines.
  • Experience with sustainable building certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).
  • Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and trends, and make data-driven recommendations.
  • Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to effectively engage with internal and external audiences.
  • Strategic thinker who can translate ESG issues into business opportunities and drive organisational change.
  • Demonstrated project management skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver results on time and within budget.
  • Passion for sustainability and corporate responsibility, committed to driving positive social and environmental impact.