Clean50
Honourees
Projects
Nominate
About
The Summit
Articles
Contact
Home
General
Green Professionals Salary Survey 2023
Green Professionals Salary Survey 2023
Published: August 4, 2023
By: Gavin Pitchford
2024 Climate Focused Careers Salary Survey
Salary Survey
Compensation Survey for Canadian "Green Professionals"
if your role has climate impacts, we’d love to know how well you get paid. We’re searching for as much data as we can get, so if your role includes ESG, clean tech, the environment, corporate responsibility, whether you work for an ENGO or an oil company, for a green building consultant, a university or as a policy analyst for a government entity – if it touches climate somehow, some way, we want your numbers! *** NONE OF YOUR ANSWERS WILL EVER BE SHARED ATTACHED TO YOUR NAME or ORGANIZATION.*** Once our research and analysis are completed, we will share back to you where you sit relative to your peers within your industry / sector, and relative to others with similar titles. Please be sure to provide us with a valid email or we will neither include your results nor be able to share your report back to you.
Name
(Required)
Prefix
Dr.
Miss
Mr.
Mrs.
Ms.
Mx.
Prof.
Rev.
First
Last
Email
(Required)
Your location (City, Province)
Your title
(Required)
Please spell out in full (i.e. Vice-President – not VP)
Your Organization
(Required)
please spell out in full (i.e. no acronyms not usually part of the organization’s legal name)
Type of Employment
(Required)
Full time, permanent
Full time, fixed term or contract
Part time
Other
Your total years of full time work experience
(Required)
Do not include summer jobs unless as Co-Op work terms as part of your education
Please enter a number from
0
to
60
.
Your total years of full time work experience applicable to your current role
(Required)
Do not include summer jobs unless as Co-Op work terms as part of your education. If you switched career paths, while past experience might have peripheral value, do not include experience really not relevant to your present role.
Please enter a number from
0
to
60
.
Your Direct Reports (hire/ fire / performance review)
(Required)
Include only people who appear below you on an org chart
Please enter a number from
0
to
1000
.
Your INDIRECT Reports (people who report to your direct reports)
(Required)
Include only people who appear below your direct reports on an org chart
Please enter a number from
0
to
10000
.
Your maximum number of OCCASIONAL Reports at any one time in the past 12 months (i.e. project reports, contractors, coop students etc)
(Required)
If you have people whose work you specifically direct from time to time, ie summer interns, contractors or people assigned to a project that you lead. Share the maximum number at any given time in the last 12 months. Do not include volunteers or people over whom you have no supervisory role.
Please enter a number from
0
to
1000
.
The TITLE (not the name) of the person to whom you report
(Required)
please spell out in full, unless the CEO.
Organization Information
This information is really helpful as it allows us to compare and identify compensation trends within certain industries, and based on organization size. While we’d appreciate the exact right answer, if you’re struggling to find the exact answer use your best guess – getting your information on compensation is our top priority.
TYPE of organization
(Required)
please pick the closest answer and use “other” only when absolutely necessary
PUBLIC company (i.e. listed on a stock exchange)
Canadian subsidiary of a FOREIGN PUBLIC company
PRIVATE for profit corporation
Canadian subsidiary of a FOREIGN PRIVATE company
Private NOT FOR PROFIT corporation
“B” Corporation
Fully Canadian Registered Charity / ENGO
Canadian division of international registered Charity / ENGO
Municipal government or Municipal corporation
Provincial government or crown corporation
Federal Government or crown corporation
Regulated Energy producer / distributor (i.e. LDCs)
Other
Industry
(Required)
Please review ALL options and pick the closest match to what your organization does (not what you do, or the industry they serve. For example, a consultant to the mining industry is a CONSULTANT – not a miner.
Financial Services
Professional Services – Consulting
Professional Services – IT / IS consulting
Professional Services – Other
Real Property – management / ownership / development
Real Property – related services
Building / Construction
Manufacturing – Clean Tech
Manufacturing – Information Technology (hardware)
Manufacturing – building products / HVAC / control systems
Manufacturing – other
Information Technology distribution / resale
Information Systems – software / SAAS
Municipal Government
Provincial Government
Federal Government
Educational Institution
Hospitality / Tourism
Transportation
Primary Resources – Extraction (mining)
Primary Resources – Fisheries
Primary Resources – Agriculture
Primary Resources – Waste / waste recovery
Advocacy – Environment
Advocacy – Industry Association
Other
Your organization's annual revenue (not profit) from all sources
(Required)
under $1 Million
$1-5 million
$5-10 million
$10-50 million
$50-200 million
$200 million to $1 billion
over $1 billion
I’m not sure
How many people are employed by your organization in Canada
(Required)
Please include all full-time-equivalents
fewer than 5
6-10
10-25
26-50
51-100
101-200
201-500
501-1,000
1,001-5,000
over 5,001
I’m not sure
How many people are employed by your organization WORLD WIDE
(Required)
Please include all full-time-equivalents – best estimate – including Canadian employees
Same as above – no additional employees outside of Canada
fewer than 5
6-10
10-25
26-50
51-100
101-200
201-500
501-1,000
1,001-5,000
5,001 – 10,000
10,001-50,000
over 50,000
I’m not sure
Where does overall control of the sustainability strategy reside
(Required)
We’re trying to assess the impact the Canadian sustainability team can / does have. Choose the closest answer.
100% in Canada – we have no international organization
The Canadian strategy is 100% baked in Canada
The Canadian strategy is 100% controlled from outside of Canada – we modify for local conditions and implement as
It’s a partnership: We implement international strategies but also create our own unique programs
It’s a partnership: We contribute to international strategies in a significant way, and also implement others mandated by head office
I’m not sure
Other
About YOU
Is there a specific degree or education level mandated for the role you fill?
(Required)
If two different levels of degree are considered choose the LOWER of the two, i.e. if the role requires either an MBA or a B.Comm choose the lower “Bachelor'” option
No specific education required
Special certificate / training (i.e. LEED B/C)
Community College
Bachelor’s 3-4 year generic degree
Specific Bachelors level degree or better (i.e. B. Comm)
A Masters level degree or better (i.e. MBA, MES)
A doctoral level degree
Do you hold at least that specific degree or certification?
(Required)
Not applicable (no specific education required)
Yes
No – either no degree, or education unrelated to required education
I have a similar level alternative (i.e. a degree in Economics instead of Business)
I have a lower level version of the required degree
Your level of education / industry certifications
(Required)
Only reference the industry certifications if specifically relevant to (and impacted the salary you earn at) your present job.
No post secondary education
Special certificate / training (i.e. LEED B/C)
Community College
Bachelor’s 3-4 year generic degree
Specific Bachelors level degree relevant to the job (i.e. BES)
Bachelors degree PLUS industry designation (i.e. Mech Eng PLUS LEED)
A Masters level degree
A Masters level degree plus industry desgination
A doctoral level degree
A doctoral level degree plus industry designation
What is the specific highest level formal degree / diploma level education you have obtained
i.e. “Masters Environmental Science” if more than one degree at the given level, please list just the one most aligned with your present role.
Within which area of the organization do you sit
(Required)
Sustainability focused (over 50% towards improving corporate ESG performance)
ESG measurement / Carbon accounting / Analysis focused
Sales / Business Development / customer facing
Marketing
Finance
Procurement
Business / Innovation strategy
Communications
Research & Development
Education
Senior executive
About Your Compensation
Your ANNUAL base salary as paid regularly
(Required)
Please enter a number from
0
to
2000000
.
Are you eligible to be paid commissions based on financial impacts you drive for your organization?
(Required)
Commissions might be a percentage of sales made, revenue derived or a flat amount per transaction. The quantum is usually objective – meaning prescribed in a formal or informal commission plan, vs a BONUS plan (see below), where amounts are usually subjective – i.e. tied to your boss’s opinion of your performance and / or corporate performance where you have little control
No (skip to next type of compensation)
Yes
if you are eligible to be paid any commissions, what did you actually earn *in commissions only* last year – or how much do you expect to earn this year if different circumstances
(Required)
This is the variable amount you earned as aa result of specific performance on top of your base salary.
Please enter a number from
0
to
2000000
.
if you are eligible to be paid any commissions, what is the amount (commissions only) which is considered "expected" or "target" for your position
(Required)
Please enter a number less than or equal to
2000000
.
Are you eligible for / do you usually receive a bonus?
(Required)
Bonuses are usually discretionary and subjective – meaning your boss can determine to what degree you met or possibly exceeded the KPIs / OKRs you were assigned at the beginning of the year, and often as well, all bonuses in the organization might be tied to the organization achieving specific revenue objectives. Bonus targets can often be under or overachieved if you over-deliver on your KPIs and the organization exceeds revenue or performance goals. Commissions vary in that they are usually tied to very specific and easily measured criterial. as described above.
No (skip to next question)
Yes – based on my performance
Yes – based exclusively on company performance
Yes – based on both company results and my performance
if you are paid a Bonus what *bonus amount* did you actually earn last year – or how much do you expect to earn this year if different circumstances
(Required)
if you are eligible for a Bonus, what is the *bonus amount* which is considered "expected" or "target" for your position
(Required)
This is the DOLLAR amount (not the percentage) if you perform as expected and the organization meets its goals. So if, for example, your base is $150,000, your bonus at top performance (but not overachieving) is 10-15% but the usual payout is 12.5 then enter .125×150,000=18,750.
Please enter a number from
0
to
2000000
.
RRSP Contribution: How much in cash is the maximum your employer could contribute to your RRSP this year, if anything
(Required)
i.e. if your Employer matches your contributions, to a maximum of 4% of base salary, this will be 4% of your base salary above. If they match 4% but only to a maximum of $5,500, then this answer will be the lower of 4% of your base – or $5,500.
If any RRSP Contribution is based on a percentage of your salary , what is that percentage ? (enter 0 if no contribution is made)
(Required)
Please enter a number from
0
to
20
.
Does your employer provide you with additional benefits?
(Required)
No – skip to next question
Yes – a pre-defined set of benefits over which I have no control (except family / single coverage)
Yes – I have a basket of options from which I can choose benefits most useful to me
Health Benefits Breakdown
Answer these questions only for the benefits you personally are eligible to receive. IF you have made a custom selection of benefits answer only for those benefits you have selected – not for options you have not chosen.
Dental Care
(Required)
0. No Dental Care
1. Bare bones plan (i.e preventative care, some restorative, with a maximum pay out <2,500 and 20% co-pay)
2. Middle of the Road (all of 1, 0-10% copay, most restorative with some maximums, no cosmetic)
3. Generous plan (all of 2 plus full restorative, cosmetic work to a lifetime maximum)
Drug Care
(Required)
0. No Drug Plan
1. Bare bones plan (i.e. 10-20% or >$5 copay, limited drugs , annual maximum under 10K.
2. Middle of the Road (all of 1, $2. copay, most drugs (i.e. no Viagra) if there’s an annual maximum of some sort it’s ~$10,000.+
3. Generous plan (all of 2, all drugs (i.e. Viagra, Ozempic etc.) no maximum
Extended Health Care
(Required)
0. No Extended Health Care
1. Bare bones plan (i.e. up to $500 for each of chiro, physio)
2. Middle of the Road (all of 1, $1,000 max, plus semi-private hospital room, ambulance, limited coverage medical appliances etc)
3. Generous plan (all of 2, no max, plus annual or bi-annual full work up / CT scans etc. no or high maximum on medical appliances)
Other Misc Benefits
(Required)
check all for which you are eligible. When two options for specific care are provided, please pick only one of them (i.e. Health club, eye care, life insurance)
Transit pass
Health club benefit >$201 / year
Health club $200 / year or less
Bike Allowance
Car Allowance
Parking Allowance / free parking
Life Insurance 1x salary
Life Insurance 2 or more times salary company paid
ADD (accidental death and dismemberment)
Eye care: exams and glasses <$300 / two years
Eye care: exams and glasses >$301 / two years
Meaningful stock purchase plan (savings at least 15%)
Staff discount on useful merchandise / services worth >$1,000 / year
Staff discount on useful merchandise / services worth <$1,000 / year
Add Family care – not subsidized
Add family care – subsidized
What percentage of the costs of the benefits plan do you pay via payroll deductions?
(Required)
It is customary for employees to pay 100% of the cost of their long term disability and life insurance so that any benefits paid will not be taxable. Of the remaining benefits, what percentage is paid by you versus your employer
I pay 10% or less (plus Family add on if applicable)
I pay 11-20% (plus Family add on if applicable)
I pay 25-40% (plus Family add on if applicable)
I pay 45-60% (plus Family add on if applicable)
I pay over 60%
Other
Any other thing about BENEFITS that are important to you / meaningful to your compensation we missed?
If so, please also try to provide some sense of the benefit’s cost savings / advantage to you so we can quantify it.
On a scale of 0-5, Overall, how important to your decision to work for a particular employer is your benefits plan?
(Required)
0 = not important – 5 = super important
0. not important at all – I never use benefits (other than maybe dental cleanings)
1. not very – I use only a couple but would rather have the cash
2. a little – I use several but would not pick an employer based on benefits
3. kind of – so long as there’s basic drug / dental I’m good
4. fairly important – I rely upon several benefits and their cash value to me is important
5. absolutely critical: I would not accept a role without comparable benefits to those I have now, or better,
5.++ I would move to a comparable job for the same or lower salary and better benefits
VACATION & PERSONAL TIME
How many days per year can you BOOK OFF IN ADVANCE for personal time (i.e. vacation)
(Required)
Do not include a sick day allowance if you cannot book the time in advance as part of a full week, if you want to.
Please enter a number from
1
to
60
.
How many additional days per year can take for sick or personal days but NOT book in advance as vacation?
(Required)
Do not include a sick day allowance if you cannot book the time in advance as part of a full week, if you want to.
Please enter a number from
1
to
60
.
How many complete years have you worked for your present employer (in any position) – we're using this for vacation time considerations
(Required)
Please enter a number from
1
to
50
.
Does your organization offer sabbaticals ((fully or partially paid extended vacation after a period of service)
(Required)
No
Yes – after 3 years
Yes – after 5 years
Yes – after 10 years
Other
Does your organization allow you to take additional vacation without pay?
(Required)
For example – if you are only entitled to 15 days can you book a fourth week and not be paid for that week?
No
Yes – up to an additional 5-10 days
Yes – more than 10 days
Yes – as many days as I want
By what percentage has your total compensation increased over the past year?
(Required)
Dividing your total compensation NOW versus exactly a year ago, and subtract 1 will determine your percentage increase. i.e if you are making 210,000 now, and 200,000 a year ago, dividing 210000/200000=1.05 = 5%. If no increase enter 0 (or negative if your compensation has gone down)
Please enter a number from
-50
to
200
.
How many days a week – on average – are you REQUIRED to be in the office?
(Required)
None
1
2
3
4
Every Day
Entirely my option – space is available
I go in for occasional in person meetings only – varies from 0 – 5 times / month
Other compensation: Equity / Stock Options / RSUs etc
Only provide details if you are eligible for – and have received these in the past. Please do your best to describe both the amount of equity, and the period over which it vests, as well as the nominal value of the shares provided., and your acquisition price. Enter N/A if not applicable. Examples might be “5000 new shares awarded at estimated present value of $10.00 each, my cost $1.00 vest over 3 years on top of existing 20,000 shares of which 5,000 vested this year, valued at 10 cents each. We could then calculate this for example as having a value of 6,666 shares vesting at $10 – $ 66,666. minus whatever you would be required to pay for the shares.
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to fill this in! Do you have anything you'd like to add?
