Executive Summary
- Pure Strategies’ structured internship and mentorship programs strengthen early-career talent pipelines in corporate sustainability
- The programs support the career development of those looking to enter the field of sustainability
- Both programs provide a pathway to welcome diverse perspectives which serve to strengthen analysis, strategy, and client outcomes
As demand for sustainability expertise accelerates, building a strong and inclusive talent pipeline is increasingly urgent. This case study highlights how one firm created structured pathways into the field without overextending its capacity.
Pure Strategies, a sustainability consulting firm with a fully remote team working from locations across the United States, built structured internship and mentorship programs to strengthen early-career talent pipelines in corporate sustainability. Designed to support career development of those looking to enter the field while remaining feasible for a small firm, the programs support emerging professionals from all backgrounds and intentionally encourage participation from individuals underrepresented in sustainability. The programs also strengthen internal leadership and coaching skills, reinforce the firm’s long-term talent strategy, and enhance its visibility as a purpose-driven consulting partner.
Context and Catalyst
Pure Strategies is a consulting firm and Certified B Corporation (B Corp) focused on supporting companies to advance its corporate sustainability and impact programs. Its mission-driven orientation shapes how the firm views its role not only with clients, but also in supporting the future of the field.
Corporate sustainability is rapidly evolving, which can make it challenging for early-career professionals and those from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the field. More than a decade ago, Pure Strategies launched an internship program to help bridge that gap. As a small, specialized consulting business, Pure Strategies has limited job openings and few roles suited to early-career talent. The internship program provides a meaningful way to support the development of future professionals and contribute to strengthening the talent pipeline for the field.
As interest in the program grew, Pure Strategies could not meet demand through internships alone. In response, and with a growing desire to support equal opportunity in the sustainability profession, Pure Strategies created the Future Leaders in Corporate Sustainability Mentoring Program, which welcomed its first cohort in 2022.
Making the Case
As a B Corp and a member of the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), Pure Strategies’ investment in future talent reflects its broader commitment to values-aligned business practice. In corporate sustainability — where practitioners must navigate complex environmental, social, and economic challenges — diverse perspectives strengthen analysis, strategy, and client outcomes. A profession that draws on varied backgrounds and lived experiences is better equipped to identify blind spots, avoid groupthink, and generate innovative solutions. Pure Strategies developed its internship and mentorship programs to support the development of future professionals in the field as an investment in values alignment and performance.
These programs also strengthen the firm’s visibility and credibility in a competitive consulting market. By investing in future leaders and building relationships with universities and talent networks, the firm has reinforced its identity as a purpose-driven business.
Design and Implementation Plan
Pure Strategies values continuous improvement and learning. When the VP of sustainability consulting identified the opportunity to build structured internship and mentorship programs and committed to leading the effort, the company moved quickly from concept to implementation. Today, the programs remain a core part of its impact strategy.
The firm’s paid internship program provides hands-on experience, while its unpaid mentorship program focuses on career coaching and relationship-building, together creating complementary pathways for students, recent graduates, and early-stage professionals. To ensure they support equal opportunity, both programs are open to all, and Pure Strategies encourages individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
Internship Program
The firm’s internship program runs for approximately two months. Pure Strategies sets clear expectations for supervision, compensation, and workload.
Interns work independently while building skills through hands-on research, analysis, and presentation experience. Supervisors provide structured guidance throughout the program, conducting daily check-ins during the first week and twice-weekly meetings thereafter. Interns also engage regularly with additional team members who support their projects, ensuring exposure to multiple perspectives within the firm. The program integrates professional development throughout the experience via ongoing coaching, networking opportunities, and exposure to sustainability consulting projects.
Each internship project includes defined milestones along with clear objectives and deadlines, culminating in a final presentation. Recent interns have benchmarked corporate sustainability programs, researched nature-risk tools and datasets, and analyzed market research data on the business benefits of sustainability programs.
Mentorship Program
As demand for early-career guidance outpaced the capacity of its internship program, Pure Strategies established the Future Leaders in Corporate Sustainability Mentoring Program, which focuses on providing individualized professional development for students and early career professionals.
The mentorship program runs for four months with monthly meetings to set goals, explore career pathways, and reflect on the mentee’s next steps. Mentors tailor the experience to each participant’s interests and aspirations by facilitating informational interviews with sustainability professionals, connecting them to peer learning opportunities, and recommending readings, webinars, and other field-relevant resources.
The firm matches each mentor and mentee intentionally. Staff review each applicant’s strengths, prior experience, industries of interest, and long-term career goals, then align them with mentors whose expertise and focus areas best support those aspirations. This structured matching process ensures that each pairing reflects both the mentee’s development priorities and the organization’s areas of practice.
Recruitment and Outreach
Pure Strategies recruits participants for both programs through a mix of university relationships and professional networks, with a deliberate emphasis on reaching underrepresented young professionals. Since launching the mentorship program, the firm has expanded outreach to include community colleges, state universities, and institutions across the country, with particular emphasis on schools that serve first-generation and underrepresented scholars.
Internal Capacity and Staff Development
Initiated and championed by the VP of Sustainability Consulting, the programs have evolved into a team-supported effort. A consultant serves as the primary coordinator at a fractional level. Additional staff support the program with outreach and other administrative needs. Members of the broader consulting team serve as mentors. Mentors must have at least one year of tenure at the company, participate in orientation training, and receive clear guidelines on expectations and program aims.
Results
Through its mentorship and internship programs, Pure Strategies has hosted more than twenty young professionals with a range of corporate sustainability interests. Their focus areas span topics such as the health impacts of chemicals, food system sustainability, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data analytics, and life cycle assessments (LCAs). Eight professionals have graduated from the mentorship program, and many are working in the sustainability field today.
Mentee Reflection
“My mentor customized this program to meet my needs, thoughtfully structuring each meeting as a learning opportunity on a growth-area subject and facilitating networking with professionals who could shed light on my specific career questions. This experience inspired me to merge my wildlife conservation background with my business sustainability education, leading me to pursue a career that integrates nature and climate strategies.”
Beyond participant outcomes, the internship and mentorship programs have also strengthened the firm. Including the current cohort, 75% of eligible staff have served as mentors. Staff mentors continue to build and practice coaching, leadership, and career-development skills, reinforcing a culture of learning and support. Team members report that these programs help them see the company “walk the talk” by investing in future sustainability leaders. Additionally, the firm has deepened relationships with universities and talent networks and expanded opportunities for staff to increase their professional visibility, including through guest lectures. These efforts have also strengthened Pure Strategies’ visibility as a values-driven leader.
Mentee Reflection
“Through the Future Leaders Program, I had the opportunity to meet 1:1 with a wide range of corporate sustainability professionals. Those meetings and these leaders’ insights helped inform my choice of graduate program, additional certificate, and elective classes — ensuring I maximize my degree!”
Lessons Learned
Plan for High Demand
Strong early-career programs attract significant interest. Managing applicants requires clear systems, criteria, and communications. Along with creating clear candidate evaluation criteria, be prepared to decline applicants while maintaining dignity and transparency in the process.
Build a Durable Outreach Network and Expect Iteration
Where and how an opportunity is shared directly shapes who applies, and it can take multiple cycles to identify the most effective recruitment channels. Building relationships with professors, professionals, and trusted networks is not a one-time effort; it requires sustained attention, and it delivers lasting results.
Be Honest About Staff Time and Define a Clear Niche
Begin by evaluating whether staff have adequate time to deliver the program well. Rather than trying to meet every need, be specific about the gaps the program is designed to fill, so the experience remains high quality and sustainable for all involved.
Learn more about Pure Strategies Internship and Future Leaders Mentorship programs here.
Read the full case study developed by PolicyLink, in partnership with FSG and the American Sustainable Business Network here.
