Sustainability Internship

About the Program:

The Sustainability Initiative at WRI seeks to align the Institution’s operations with its mission. Using research and expertise from various WRI programs and centers, we are committed to continually improving WRI's sustainability performance. As part of this effort, the Initiative maintains a portfolio of major collaboration projects, internal pilot projects that support research development, and a rotation of staff engagement campaigns. These projects cover topics such as zero waste, sustainable commute and mobility, circular economy, sustainable procurement, food security, green buildings, energy conservation and renewable energy purchasing. To learn more about the Sustainability Initiative and its projects, visit the www.wri.org/sustainability-wri.

This position is fully remote.

What you will do:

• You will support the carbon price expansion pilot and help prepare for the second phase of international office launches.
• You will create guidance materials to support WRI international offices and partner organizations to track GHG emissions and set science-based targets.
• You will lead Plastic Free July campaign and various virtual and global components of the campaign.
• You will be supported by the Sustainability Core Team, consisting of staff located in WRI’s US, Europe, and Indonesia offices.
• You will also coordinate with a network of Sustainability Champions from all of WRI’s global offices, including WRI Africa, WRI Brasil, WRI Mexico, WRI India, and WRI China. You will report to the Global Sustainability Initiative Lead.

Internship Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to evaluate a pilot project and use the data to continuously improve an ongoing roll-out of internal carbon pricing.
• Collaborate with staff from various departments and WRI offices to understand and interpret survey data.
• Support staff in design and development of carbon price incentive materials and sustainable procurement resources.
• Learn about WRI’s Sustainability Initiative and how other nonprofit organizations approach climate action in their operations.
• Research existing resources from WRI’s GHG Protocol, Science-Based Targets Initiative, as well as Science-Based Targets Network and EPA sources.
• Design and develop web-based guidance that help to bring together existing resources for international and small organization audiences to adopt GHG and SBT.
• Research and coordinate with other organizational Plastic Free July approaches and resources, as well as data tracking platforms.
• Collaborate with the sustainability team on how to promote and engage WRI staff on the topic of reducing single use plastics and analyze participation data to summarize outcomes from the campaign.
• Attend weekly global sustainability core team meetings, typically early in the morning (EDT) to accommodate various time zones.

What you will need:

• Working towards or completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Architecture, Graphic Design, Communication, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or other similar degrees.
• Visual and graphic skills
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Interest in environmental sustainability
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, or equivalent spreadsheet tools
• Comfortable interning remotely

Compensation

The pay for this internship opportunity is $20 for undergrads and $22 for graduates

Length of Contract:

This is a full-time, 3-month internship with a flexible start and end date.

Location:

• This is a remote-based internship with the option to work out of the Washington D.C. office once it reopens.
• WRI will provide a laptop for the duration of your internship.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

About Us: Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, and other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.

WRI is committed to advancing gender, racial, and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.