Building the recruitment of tomorrow

What is Birdeo?

Created in 2010, Birdeo is the pioneering and leading recruitment firm specializing in positive impact and CSR jobs for various actors (companies, associations, consulting firms, etc.).

We offer our clients three complementary services dedicated to sustainable development:

1. Recruitment of strategic and operational executives
2. Executive Search: recruitment of leaders
3. People4Impact: missions for independent experts and interim managers

We analyze the latest trends and prescribe new market jobs. In 2022, we published our first white paper, “Creating a Sustainable Business Model for More Impact: How to Attract New Talent and Develop the Skills Needed to Lead the #ESG Strategy?”. This white paper aims to help organizations understand positive impact in its entirety by presenting the new jobs that will drive change within companies.

Birdeo has become a mission-driven company, what does this imply?

Certified BCorp since 2015, Birdeo is an active member of this movement of companies acting for the world. Thus, even though it seemed “logical and obvious” for the firm to achieve the status of a Mission-Driven Company, our structure has a duty of exemplarity that requires taking the time to successfully complete this project. This project allowed us to include all stakeholders: we involved candidates, associations, clients, schools, partners, and of course, all company employees in the process. To define the company’s purpose, we revisited Birdeo’s history and worked as a team to outline our commitments. Our purpose: “To illuminate and accelerate the transformation of jobs, by mobilizing the best talents and decision-makers, to collectively contribute to the sustainable, inclusive, and committed dynamic of organizations.”

From the companies’ perspective, what types of skills are now sought after for these positions?

The new expectations for CSR Directors, Biodiversity or Stakeholder Managers, or Engagement Directors are strong and increasing each year in terms of experience, skills – including technical ones, personality, and potential. Today, we seek “multi-dimensional” talents who can master technical subjects, show boldness and leadership while remaining humble in the face of challenges, and engage with scientific experts and other stakeholders. Candidates must be visionary, influential leaders, and strategists to support executives in transforming business models and meeting the expectations of board members and investors.

Sustainable transformation is often compared to digital transformation, but it goes even further! It involves redefining the company’s utility, accounting, and valuation methods. Talents will enable companies to successfully navigate this upheaval and must be sought with great care and supported within the company. The company has no choice: the short-term shareholder vision we know today will soon become obsolete, and the company must reinvent itself to last. Climate issues must be addressed at the highest levels of organizations and reflected in all professions.

Is there a “match” or, on the contrary, a difficulty in matching job offers and candidates?

We are currently experiencing a shortage of candidates; there is a real skills shortage. The reason for this skills shortage is the delay in recognizing these professions related to the sustainable transformation of companies as strategic. It has only been two years since higher education programs began to include these topics in the mandatory core curricula for all students. Companies now seek to value these professions and consider these talents and expertise as essential.

What are the main challenges around these new professions?

Every day, we support new companies in this transformation. Our recommendation is clear: invest in your internal resources by mobilizing around these issues and recruit people with dual skills, all under the guidance of a conductor: the CSO, Chief Sustainability Officer. Impact must be seen in its entirety: the offer, the results, and the resources.