FY26 ESG, Environment
& Sustainability Remuneration Report
FY26 ESG, Environment & Sustainability Remuneration Report
Since its establishment in 2012, Talent Nation has distinguished itself as the leading provider of executive search and recruitment services within Australia and New Zealand for ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), Environment, Sustainability, Sustainable Finance and Responsible Investment, as well as Climate and Energy sectors.
By focusing exclusively on these areas, Talent Nation has helped organisations throughout the region meet their strategic objectives, adapt to regulatory developments, and respond to the growing demand for expertise in sustainability and responsible investment.
The past year has marked a period of rapid change for the ESG, environment, and sustainability sector, both in Australia and globally. Regulatory change has been at the forefront, with the introduction of mandatory climate-related financial disclosures in Australia and the global alignment of reporting standards such as the EU’s CSRD, US SEC climate rules, and ISSB standards. These developments have driven a significant uplift in climate scenario analysis, emissions measurement, and governance focus across organisations of all sizes. Economic pressures, workforce shortages, and competing business priorities have presented ongoing challenges, with many organisations citing limited headcount and internal capacity as barriers to progress. Despite these hurdles, demand for mid-career ESG and sustainability professionals has remained high, leading to rapid promotions, increased burnout, and a continued focus on attracting and retaining top talent.
The ESG, Environment & Sustainability Remuneration Report was launched in 2019 to address the lack of robust employment data in the sector. This year marks the 6th edition of the report and reflects the growing importance of ESG across organisations of all sizes. More than 1,500 professionals have contributed their data to enable Talent Nation to generate this report which, for a small donation to our charity One Girl, is now available to the public.
FY26 Key Findings
- Salaries across the profession have increased, especially at mid-career levels, reflecting rapid promotions and a higher proportion of senior practitioners.
- Males are paid approximately 8.5% more than females on average across all roles in the ESG, environment, and sustainability sector.
- 37% of organisations have executive KPIs linked to ESG and sustainability, down from 43% in FY25.
- 34% of respondents grew their teams in the past 12 months, compared with 66% who expected growth last year.
- 60% of respondents in FY26 reported that they either like or love their job, compared to 56% in FY25.
- The highest turnover rate remains the 25 - 30-year age bracket, with 40% having changed roles in the past 12 months, and 69% changing roles in the past 2 years.
- Top priorities for the coming year are climate change and net zero strategy, reporting & disclosures, and environmental compliance.
- Key challenges include competing business priorities, reduced budgets, and the available headcount to complete the volume of work.
- The most valued non-financial benefits are hybrid work, flexibility, and employee wellbeing programmes.
- 54% report being stretched to the point of impact or burnout.
Valuable insights to support informed decisions
With contributions from over 1,500 Sustainability, Environment, ESG, and Sustainable Finance professionals, the FY26 Talent Nation ESG, Environment & Sustainability Remuneration Report equips organisations with the data they need to make strategic hiring and retention choices, while empowering individuals to understand their market value and ensure fair compensation.
Over 1,500 individuals across Australia contributed to this year’s report. They represented 16 different role types spread across Sustainability, ESG/ Sustainable Finance, environment and consulting. Each position is analysed in detail exploring the differences in salaries by gender, industry, region and organisational structure, as well as additional insights around experience, tenure, job satisfaction and stress.
Download the FY26 ESG, Environment & Sustainability remuneration trends and insights today!
Historic Reports
We are dedicated to supporting the growth and success of ESG, environment and sustainability professionals. We aim to foster a community of learning and collaboration so previous years reports can be downloaded below for free.
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