Executive Search and Recruitment
Acre has an unrivalled track record of placing sustainability and corporate responsibility leaders who can drive strategy and change. Our global networks and unparalleled expertise are a go-to resource for world-leading organisations.
Contract and Interim
We provide rapid access to highly experienced sustainability professionals for contract and interim roles. Whether you need to drive a specific project or cover an extended absence, we’ll help you quickly engage the right specialist.
Leadership Development
We empower companies to develop leadership capabilities within their organisations through behavioural assessment and data-driven development solutions such as coaching and training. Our Acre Frameworks methodology supports sustainability teams to perform better and with purpose.
"Acre were very supportive throughout the entire recruitment process, making the candidate feel comfortable and excited about the opportunity. They were also very transparent and responsive, always received emails/follow-ups within 24 hours. Most importantly, they supported to inform me as much as possible about the position as well as the employer, which prepared me well for the interview rounds."
"As trawlermen the world over will attest, you're going to get a better catch if someone knows where the fish are to be found. When it comes to recruitment, Acre appear to know not just where the fish are, but the specific type of fish you are searching for in particular. We were delighted with the recruitment process and the high-calibre candidates it produced. Great service as well."
"Acre worked very effectively on the recruitment of sustainability and environment professionals for European and UK operations. Acre got a good grasp of our needs, and played an important role in the selection and appointment of a number of key individuals in to our organisation."
"I have worked with Acre, for several years, to secure sustainability experts. I have found their capacity to understand the assignments, rapidly identify and match potential candidates - and then smooth the way to successful appointments - to be outstanding."
"Very receptive and understanding staff. Professional approach to work. They tailor the job match to your background in the short-to-long term."
"Amazing support throughout the selection process. Tanith and Caitlin went above and beyond to help me assess the position, prepare for the interviews and negotiate the offer. Thanks a lot!"
"Tanith was efficient and trustworthy throughout the process, and kept me informed at all stages. She listened carefully to my concerns and needs regarding the role in question, and faithfully represented me to her client. She was also a helpful sounding board throughout."
"Tanith and her team were wonderful — they provided resources to prepare for interviews, kept me up-to-date throughout the process, and ultimately helped me land my dream job. Thanks Acre!"
"I worked with Acre on two opportunities, one of which has turned into an accepted job offer. Working with Tanith has been the best experience I've had with a recruiter so far. She understood my profile very well, always kept me informed about the recruitment steps, helped me prepare for interviews, and generally was just lovely to work with!"
"We had been looking to fill a difficult role for 2 years and had been through several rounds of interviewing without success. With their networking and specialist knowledge of the area, Acre were able to find a number of talented candidates which led to a successful appointment."
"Thank you Acre for your initiative and innovation. This is my second placement with Acre and I'm getting more and more impressed with your work."
"When it came to recruit a Sustainable Development Manager, we looked for an organisation that specialised in this discipline and could work to a high standard. Acre did not disappoint - and the level of service provided was first class. Despite a very focused and defined job role, they were efficient in providing a shortlist of qualified candidates from which we were able to select an applicant of quality."
"Acre was the only specialist search firm able to assist with our CSR search requirement. They were professional and extremely knowledgeable and we would not have been able to hire the talent we did without their expert assistance."
"Acre has risen rapidly to become the most specialised CR recruiter in the UK. I have always been impressed with the quality of candidates sent to me and I would have no hesitation to recommend Acre to anyone looking to find new people in the sustainability field."
"Acre has been a great partner in helping us fulfill our resourcing requirements. The service we have received from the team is truly that of a partner who understands our business and we are always guaranteed an exceptional personal service which is a rarity in this day and age."
"We consider Acre to be a really valuable partner when it comes to finding the specialist people that we need to deliver for our clients. They know the market better than most, and really understand our business – making the recruitment process much smoother as a result. Plus they’re a great, committed and fun bunch to work with, which also helps!"
"The Acre team have supported us with business intelligence services through an important period of planning and restructuring. They have provided insightful information and guidance to help us make important decisions with efficiency and confidence. They are always at the end of the phone, are extremely supportive and have been generally marvellous throughout."
"There’s no doubt that Acre are the best when it comes to recruiting sustainability professionals. This is partly down to the high-calibre of candidates they find - but also because they take the time to understand the role, the requirements, and the business to find the perfect match."
"Catherine was excellent! She found great candidates and always responded promptly to our calls or emails. Plus she found us a great candidate whom we are very pleased with."
"Acre's service has been outstanding. I have worked with them on both sides (recruiter and recruited) and on both sides they have always been professional, helpful and effective."
"I find that Acre listen well, understand your requirements and the sustainability space, and are customer responsive.
I am very happy with using them, and three of my new staff have come to us via Acre."
"Acre have provided two high quality senior interim hires to our FTSE250 Sustainability Team in the past nine months.
Faced with a fast turnaround request from us, our consultant Tanith understood the brief swiftly and accurately, and supplied us with a pool of well qualified, and well matched, candidates. Both hires have been excellent in post, so I could comfortably recommend Acre's services and in particular Tanith's support."
Acre operate globally from our offices in London, New York and Amsterdam, to fill a comprehensive range of jobs across Sustainability, Corporate Affairs, ESG, Impact Investing, EHS and Energy. We work to fill senior, influential positions, as well as a range of high impact mid-level roles.
For many company boards, tackling the unmet needs of society is an aspiration that can be delegated to Corporate Social Responsibility teams. They see government as primarily responsible for addressing challenges such as climate change and mental illness, leaving boards to focus on shareholder value. The main argument in this paper is that the relationship between business and society has reached a point where the voice of society needs to be introduced explicitly as a stakeholder in the boardroom.
Louise Kjellerup Roper sits down with Acre to discuss the impact and challenges of her first six months in her role as Non-Executive Director at Volans, which she found with the help of Catherine Harris, Principal Consultant.
Ambitious sustainable materials and renewable energy targets triggered the expansion of Lego’s Social Responsibility and Engagement Team, and in turn, created the need for an individual who would define Lego’s social and environmental responsibility approach.
Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Service Overview
Acre has operated in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility Recruitment for over 16 years.
Over this period, we have seen the job function evolve dramatically, moving from being primarily a philanthropic and marketing-led discipline, to one which is integrated commercially into the heart of businesses and used as a lever to generate revenue, mitigate risk and create efficiencies.
Skills and competencies
We have seen the competencies required for corporate social responsibility professionals develop over time. The modern senior sustainability practitioner is likely to be a change manager, a visionary thinker and a highly inclusive operator. They tend to have capabilities to plan and develop strategy and to measure and report impact.
Acre surveys the corporate social responsibility and sustainability marketplace every two years in its CR/S Salary Survey which has helped to unravel its evolution for the past 10 years. This includes salary data but much more.
Who we work with
We work with clients across all industry sectors, with a strong focus on partnering with companies with complex supply chains (for instance retailers and consumer goods companies) and clients with particular risks (for instance manufacturing and extractives). We also undertake a good deal of work with the financial industry particularly in relation to responsible investment and ESG projects.
Issues of sustainability span international borders and we operate globally supporting our clients in countries in which they manufacture (for instance Bangladesh, Turkey and China) as well as at corporate HQs often in Europe, North America and Asia. We have built up unrivalled access to candidates around the globe.
Services
We work on permanent recruitment assignments as well as contract and interim assignments. We can also support our clients with consultancy assignments by introducing you to a group of best-in-class sustainability interim consultants and freelancers. Acre also has expertise in delivering executive search projects globally.
Emperor rewards staff with a stake in the company
How to future-proof a career in sustainability
Co-op launches new products and service to ‘GRO’ success
Ball Corporation Sustainability and Engagement Project
Volans Impact Story
Comerica Inc's dedication to social and environmental issues pays off