Why Join Acre?
LONDON | AMSTERDAM | NEW YORK | SIngapore
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BEFORE WE GET STARTED...
From time to time, people hear that and say “That sounds like a nice ambition.” But what we do and what we stand for isn’t nice; it’s urgent and it’s important After all, sustainability and climate change are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Greta Thunberg and Sir David Attenborough are amplifying the message to the masses: The planet urgently needs us to change our ways. How are we going to fix it without the right people finding the right solutions? Heightened governmental and consumer pressure means that businesses need to make big changes. So, more and more, organisations are requiring sustainability-minded employees, for every role, in each department and skill set. We live our ambitions by specialising in finding those people - those who will go on to empower their organisations to meet net zero, cut carbon emissions, finance essential projects and build a brighter future for us all. So, what about you - what are your ambitions? If you’re ambitious to be both commercially successful, but also to create an inspiring legacy; you’re in the right place. Perhaps that’s not a place you thought a career in recruitment could take you - to a place where you can prosper and drive real, meaningful change - but at Acre, that’s our purpose. We are the only consultancy globally who can fill world-changing, business-critical positions. We are a trusted partner with over 19 years’ experience and an expansive global network, and can give you and your ambitions a platform to succeed. So, do our ambitions align? Let’s create change, together.
acre.com/join-us
What are your ambitions?
We don’t mind going first... We’re commercially minded, but we want to make an impact. We want brighter futures for all; our clients, our candidates, society and the environment. We want a world that’s safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable.
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How does Acre actually work?
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS Incorporates roles in: Corporate Responsibility Sustainability ESG Health & Safety Environmental Ethical Trade SUSTAINABLE FINANCE Incorporates roles in: Impact Investing Fund Management Responsible Investment Private Equity & VC Stewardship ENERGY & RENEWABLES Incorporates roles in: Renewable Energy Clean Technology Electric Vehicles Grid Technologies Decarbonisation
We work with organisations such as:
To effectively serve our markets, our teams are focussed on 3 core specialisms:
Building a better world requires an army of people with a variety of skill sets. The positions we work on vary from Corporate Affairs Directors to Carbon Analysts, and can be based anywhere from Vietnam to Vancouver.
The teams working on those specialisms operate globally, from our offices in London, New York, Amsterdam & Singapore.
YOU’RE A VALUED PARTNER HERE As the only search firm in the world with the depth of experience to tackle some of the planet’s biggest issues, we operate as a trusted advisor to our clients, not just a recruiter. The value you’ll add to our clients runs much deeper than getting a person in a seat. You’ll be supporting real, meaningful change being made in the world by asking your clients ‘What impact do you need us to support you with making?’ Our team is built on passion and integrity, not KPIs, and the value you’ll add goes far beyond numbers. YOU’LL GROW WITH US There’s never been a more exciting time to be here. We’re seeing exponential growth, which means new offices across the globe, and rapid headcount and commercial expansion year on year. This means that the potential to be successful at Acre is significant. We need great people to be part of the business and offer share options to those who can help us succeed – in fact, 20% of Acre’s equity is in the hands of our team. YOU’LL BE SET UP FOR SUCCESS We set you up for success and invest in mechanisms, be those in-house support functions or technology solutions, which have the same goal: To support you to be more efficient, leaving you more time to do what you do best. Some of the ways we’ll support you: Virtual Assistant Access Our trusted VAs relieve the admin burden of the recruitment process and streamline everyday tasks like booking interviews, scheduling pre and post-interview calls, and coordinating diaries with your clients and candidates. Extensive Marketing Support Our marketing team are on hand to support you to produce best-in-class proposals, credible and eye-catching search documents and partner with you to build your brand. Our investments in marketing and brand building also take the pain out of business development, making sure our clients know who you are and how to find you when they need you. Operations, Technology & Finance We have a strong and ever-growing focus on technological and operational excellence, and continually invest in solutions that will help alleviate administrative tasks from your to-do list so that you can give your clients and candidates your undivided attention. Research Support Our experienced team of global research consultants take the stress out of tricky searches, armed with the tools, knowledge and expertise to find the candidates you need. A GOOD REPUTATION You’ll benefit from 19 years’ and counting spent in our marketplace doing a good job, which helps our business to thrive and our clients to keep coming back. We’ve always understood the importance of delivering an excellent service, which we do by placing integrity, innovation, collaboration and courage at the core of everything we do; this gives us a 4.8/5 star rating on Feefo to utilise too. YOU WILL DEVELOP We know that as people, we’re better when we’re constantly learning and developing, so we make sure that there’s an in-house team of committed performance coaches on hand to support you. That applies to whatever team you’re on, or function you’re in. We don’t just train people to be good at recruitment, nor do we believe that there’s a cookie-cutter approach to success. We’ll meet you where you’re at, as a human, offering you a holistic approach to reaching your goals. YOU’LL BE A PERSON, NOT A NUMBER We take a long-term approach to supporting our teams’ future career paths at Acre and beyond. We’ll also invest heavily in your wellbeing; whether that’s initiatives to support physical health, providing access to an Employee Assistance Scheme, or our pro-active approach to de-stigmatising issues surrounding mental and emotional health. YOU’LL BE TRUSTED How you work and where you work from is flexible. We trust you to know where you’ll be most productive - whether that’s in the office or at home - and to work out your own arrangements with your manager. YOU’LL DO SOME GOOD A common thing to hear from those who join Acre is, ‘I just didn’t know that I could put my skills to good use, have a real impact, and be commercially successful at the same time.’ Bring your purpose to work, and help us to build a sustainable future, together.
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How do we enable you to perform?
Why choose Acre?
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WHY CHOOSE ACRE? We encourage you to pursue your passions, at work
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READ MORE ABOUT HOW JACK IS PROTECTING OUR OCEANS >
PUTTING THIS INTO ACTION Jack, a Principal Consultant in our Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing team, has had a passion for marine conservation since childhood, and has done incredible work to contribute to the protection of our oceans. The question was asked: ‘How can Jack’s role at Acre align with that?’ The solution: Jack now works pro-bono as a Business Developer for the marine conservation charity Sea Shepherd, as part of his working day at Acre. We asked Jack, how does your work with Sea Shepherd align with the work you do at Acre? “Firstly, both Sea Shepherd and Acre are very mission driven. Plus, Acre’s Founder, Andy, has a passion for biodiversity. That’s what clicked in my first interview, so it resonates that I’m doing work that ties into part of what the business was set up to preserve and to try and ultimately protect. Secondly, the work that we do via Acre’s charity arm, the Acre Foundation, and as a business aligns because we are focused on giving back and putting time into causes that we care about. Both Andy and Richard, Acre’s CEO, have been extremely supportive of the work I am doing with Sea Shepherd, which really emphasises how much our business values are making an impact. It’s also great to be able to use the knowledge that I’ve built up becoming an experienced consultant in our spaces for good. We really have a huge amount of intellectual capital because of the conversations we have day-to-day. If we can harness that alongside our existing skills and put them to use in a non-profit sense, then there is no better way to give back. I am lucky that Acre enable me to use my skill set to make a difference.”
Our Purpose
Acre exists to:
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Create systemic change for our planet and society by activating people’s potential
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We transform the world through the power of people and organisations. Our products and services are rooted in their potential for impact, shaped by our collective intelligence and data. The crisis we address is global; our local presence powers our response. We continuously strengthen our foundations, enabling us to scale urgently and efficiently. Our people thrive personally and professionally, with space to realise their passion and potential. We aim to set the example for what a socially and environmentally conscious business is.
“Before being approached about working at Acre, I’d never considered that I could combine my experience as a recruiter with my interests in sustainability. It’s great that I can spend my working day making the world a better place.” RICHARD, US TEAM
Our Vision for Acre in 2027
DRIVE IMPACT Our aspirations for change are only surpassed by our actions. We take responsibility and get things done. We’re here to make a difference, so we bring fresh thinking and explore bold new ways forward.
Do Our Values Match?
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SHOW YOU CARE Caring is our core. We genuinely care about each other, our work and the impact we make. We’re kind, thoughtful and honest. We commit to quality, fairness and building trust with our words and actions.
ACHIEVE MORE TOGETHER We do more for our clients and our planet when we unite around our common goals and collective desire to change our world for the better. We enjoy the challenge and the way we work with each other.
STAND UP We take a stand for what we believe in, practicing radical candor and not sitting on the sidelines. We know this demands courage and conviction, but we’re here for it.
OUR IMPACT: ENABLING A HUGE REDUCTION IN global cO2 emissions Placing the new Head of Sustainability at ArcelorMittal
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CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DUAL BRANDED ACRE & ARCELORMITTAL CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK >
Did you know that steel accounts for just under 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions? ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer, recently committed to net zero by 2050; a commitment with the potential to make a real, meaningful change for the planet. But without the right Head of Sustainability in place to oversee that transition, ArcelorMittal knew that they were unlikely to create the changes needed. This is where Dan in our Sustainable Business team came in. Partnering an incredible search with our marketing team’s creation of a global dual-branded advertising campaign to find the right candidate, the new Head of Sustainability is set to have one of the biggest impacts on global carbon emissions in the world. Furthermore, the client underwent coaching from our internal talent development business and will continue to do so in future, crediting Josh, our in-house performance coach, as having a massive impact on her ability to make the right decisions, with confidence and haste.
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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
HOW WE’RE EVOLVING:
Diversity drives innovation and accelerates businesses and enterprises towards their missions. We are wholly committed to partnering with our team, our clients and our candidates alike to foster a more inclusive, sustainable future for generations to come. We’re acutely aware that we, as a business, do not reflect the communities and the change that we’re advocating for; but we recognise that we have the opportunity to change this and to foster meaningful social change at an individual, organisational and societal level.
An EDI steering committee is in place Quarterly training workshops launched across the business on topics such as Trans & Non-Binary 101 in Recruitment’ Social mobility monitoring in place A minimum living wage commitment for all, including apprentices & interns Annual evaluation of our charitable partners to maximise our philanthropic impact Founding partners of the Diversity in Sustainability Movement & annual survey Ensuring our content reflects everybody, everywhere Annual leave policies updated to be inclusive of all religious holidays Independent inclusivity review to be conducted in 2021-22 to highlight areas for growth, and introduce positive changes for Acre & our policies
READ MORE ABOUT HOW EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IS INCORPORATED INTO OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESSES HERE >
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“As a human being, I find it hard not to bring my whole self to anything. It’s exhausting to try and fit into a template which doesn’t fit me, ultimately. That’s why as a business we work hard to foster a culture which allows people to bring their whole selves to work; we know that it creates a kinder, fun, and more engaging place to be. We should all be in an environment where we can express ourselves and celebrate who we are. If we were to create an environment where we wanted everybody to fit into a template, then we would miss out on everything that fell outside of that template, and we wouldn’t learn more about the great qualities, experiences, and lives that people lead. I’m proud that Acre has a highly transparent environment, really emphasising psychological safety and allowing people to speak up and speak out, give constructive feedback to the business, and be bold about celebrating and sharing ideas. We will succeed in being innovative, one of our core values, only with diversity of thought. We also hope that encouraging you to be yourself will contribute to good wellbeing; there should be no reason for anxiety caused by pretending to be someone else or hide parts of yourself at work. As someone who suffered anxiety when I was about 15 through to my 30s, I know how hard it is to be productive if your wellbeing is suffering. I want to role model that it’s beneficial to talk about how you are feeling, and you can be comfortable to do so here.”
READ THOUGHTS FROM MORE OF OUR TEAM ON BRINGING YOUR WHOLE SELF TO WORK >
WE ASK THAT YOU BRING YOUR WHOLE SELF TO WORK A few words from Andy Cartland, our Founder & Director
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READ MORE >
OUR IMPACT: IMPROVING GARMENT WORKER SAFETY IN BANGLADESH Helping both ‘The Accord’ and ‘Nirapon’ to find their Chief Safety Officers
The world was shocked when, in 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed, killing more than 1,100 workers. The disaster struck when the eight-storey building in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, causing the deadliest accident in the history of the country’s Ready Made Garment industry. In the immediate aftermath of the fatal building collapse, which left more than 2,500 workers injured, two organisations were set up to oversee the improvement and future safety of workers and the factories: The Accord on Fire & Building Safety, and The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. Acre helped both organisations to find their Chief Safety Officers, who were tasked with assessing and remediating all factories that supply the member brands to ensure a minimum acceptable standard of safety and working conditions. By 2018, both The Accord and The Alliance had managed to successfully rectify some of the major safety and human rights issues that were faced by the industry and effectively implemented corrective measures across around 2,000 factories between them, alongside training 1.6 million workers in fire and building safety. The baton has since been passed on from The Alliance to Nirapon, as the focus has shifted to not only maintain the standards that have been implemented to date, but also to build competence in the wider industry with local talent to enable a cultural transformation around the safety and working conditions in RMG factories. We were, of course, more than happy to assist in finding Nirapon’s new CSO when the time came.
It’s not always all about work
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ACRE FOUNDATION EVENTS Our yearly hikes have taken our team all over the globe, from Albania to Morocco. Our trips, which are subsidised by Acre, enable our team to get their hiking boots on and rally up their sponsors in aid of the charities we support through our . It’s not all gruelling work though. If the Welsh 3000’s doesn’t appeal you, raising money for the Foundation through sustainable drinks events, cinema nights, pub quizzes and auctions has all been done before, too! OUR COMMITTEES Our Acre Foundation Committee gives a group of employees the chance to govern, guide and grow our charitable arm for a term each year. Our global EDI Committee members lead on our quarterly guest speaker events, and are EDI champions in their business areas. CULTURE We celebrate multiculturalism; so describing one culture is a challenge! For a feel of the day to day life at Acre, we like to think that our culture is best described by our values, and the fact that those values are shared and embodied by all of us, wherever you are. SOCIALS & ATMOSPHERE The world of socialising after work, whether that’s heading out for a drink, playing a round of golf or heading to a company rounders team game, has of course vastly changed with the world around us over the past year or so. We do, however, hope that all of those things will return in due course. “Something that makes Acre a special place to be is that I would always be up for grabbing a coffee and catch up with absolutely anyone in the business. It doesn’t matter that we’re spread across different corners of the globe and have tripled in size since I’ve been here; that still remains. There’s something about sharing the same values as your colleagues, new or old, that keeps that magical quality alive at Acre.” RACHEL, UK TEAM
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR ACRE FOUNDATION HIKE THROUGH THE ACCURSED MOUNTAINS
Ready to put your purpose to work?
GET IN TOUCH JOINUS@acre.com