Deadline for application: 11 July 2022

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies.

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing combined revenues of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. WBCSD is uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.

Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: with a vision of a world where more than nine billion people are all living well and within the boundaries of our planet, by 2050.

Guided by WBCSD’s Vision 2050, the Energy Pathway’s vision is a sustainable energy system providing reliable and affordable, net-zero carbon energy for all. The energy system transformation is undoubtedly underway, but the current rate of change and scale of change not rapid and large enough to limit warming to 1.5°C. The energy team is dedicated to addressing this climate emergency as well as the challenges posed by loss of nature and mounting inequality.

Job Overview

As Intern, you will join the Policy, Advocacy and Member Mobilization team (PAMM) within WBCSD. PAMM is a service project which supports the voice of business, helps shape the global policy agenda, and mobilizes companies around the sustainability imperatives of climate, nature and equity, in alignment with WBCSD’s Vision 2050.

PAMM drives positive change through the collective power of business and leads the development of ambitious policy asks and recommendations to global and multilateral decision-makers, trickling down to national policymaking. The PAMM team elevates our member-led projects across WBCSD and positions our work in the global sustainability agenda through key international events.

The key priorities and milestones for PAMM in 2022 including elevating our collective business work and creating opportunities for our members at key milestone global policy events such as Stockholm +50, the CBD COP15 and UNFCCC COP27. PAMM provides members with relevant insights into policy developments as it publishes regular business summaries and briefings on relevant global reports, positions collective business actions at key international events, and drives policy asks with thematic policy working groups.

Your role within this team would be to support PAMM on climate policy across two key areas: a corporate climate accountability dialogues series and preparations for the UNFCCC COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Responsibilities and duties

• Support our efforts to mobilize the business community ahead of the UNFCCC COP27. You will become part of a small team that is responsible for organizing panels, briefings for CEOs and relevant stakeholders, and briefing the WBCSD membership on key information.
• Support the climate policy working group, which meets on a monthly basis, to provide WBCSD’s membership with relevant updates and an opportunity to workshop key policy priorities. This will include creating a detailed agenda, inviting external speakers, and supporting on the creation of slide-decks and other pre-read materials.
• Support a dialogues series on corporate climate accountability, including developing preparatory materials, synthesising the outputs of the dialogues, background research and writing.
• Support the development of business leadership examples, such as the collecting and writing of case studies for our website that demonstrate business action.
• Conduct research, analyzing and summarizing key publications, articles and other materials that we can either share on our website or with our member companies.
• Work with the Manager for Policy, Advocacy and Member Mobilization, and the rest of the team, in day-to-day activities where needed.

Qualifications

• University education (a minimum of an Upper-Second Class Bachelor’s degree), ideally in a discipline linked to public policy or sustainability.
• Previous experience working with NGOs and/or the private sector is an asset.
• Basic understanding of the sustainability challenge of climate change
• Knowledge of the UN system and/or the UNFCCC COPs is an asset.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and through written work.
• Ability to conduct extensive background research in a time efficient manner.
• Excellent writing skills and Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Flexible, willing to learn, conscientious and not afraid to take action.

 The position is full-time for the duration of six months (with a possibility of an extension) and based in London, United Kingdom.

WBCSD is a purpose driven, forward-thinking and action-oriented organization, characterised by diversity of gender, nationalities and work experiences.

The work environment

WBCSD offers a competitive, modern, and flexible working arrangement:

• Geneva-based organization with offices in Amsterdam, London, New Delhi, Singapore and New York City
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• State-of-the-art facilities and ICT-enabled working tools
• Flex-time and part-time possibilities
• Dynamic working atmosphere
• Open culture encouraging interaction and sharing of ideas and opinions

Please also note that WBCSD will only respond to candidates selected for the interview process.