Find the perfect Sustainability Consultants in Germany in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.
Support for ESG strategy, carbon footprinting, CSRD readiness, and supplier sustainability programs. Find vetted sustainability consultants in Germany fast, matched to the exact scope and available when you need them.
About the role
What they do
A sustainability consultant helps companies turn environmental and social goals into practical work. That can mean building an ESG roadmap, preparing CSRD reporting inputs, mapping Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, or improving supplier data. In Germany, they are often brought into manufacturing, logistics, energy, retail, and industrial firms that need clear action, not just policy language.
- ESG strategy, double materiality, and material topic mapping
- Carbon accounting, decarbonization plans, and reduction measures
- CSRD, ESRS, and sustainability reporting support
- Supplier assessments, code of conduct updates, and data collection
Skills and tools
Strong sustainability consultants combine business sense with technical detail. They know how to work with finance, operations, procurement, and compliance teams, and they can explain complex topics in plain language. Many also work as ESG consultants or sustainability advisors, depending on the project focus.
- Familiarity with CSRD, ESRS, GHG Protocol, and lifecycle thinking
- Experience with Excel models, reporting templates, and data validation
- Knowledge of carbon footprints, KPI design, and target setting
- Ability to align stakeholders across departments and suppliers
When companies hire freelance
Companies usually bring in a freelance sustainability consultant when the work is project-based or time-sensitive. That includes reporting deadlines, an ESG gap assessment, a decarbonization initiative, a product footprint study, or a supplier program that needs outside structure. A freelancer is also useful when the internal team needs extra capacity without building a full permanent function.
For Germany-based teams, remote work is common for analysis and reporting, while workshops, site visits, and management meetings may happen on-site. German and English are often both relevant, especially when working with group reporting, suppliers, or international leadership.
What good looks like
A strong consultant does not stop at recommendations. They define the baseline, collect the right data, spot gaps, and turn findings into a plan that can be executed. They know where assumptions are acceptable and where evidence is needed.
- Clear deliverables, owners, and timelines
- Practical recommendations tied to business decisions
- Clean documentation that stands up to internal review
- Confidence with cross-functional workshops and senior stakeholders
Meet FRATCH Sustainability Consultants
Christian Florschütz
Interim Manager Customer Service, AI, ESG | Expert for Customer Satisfaction, Revenue and Sustainability
Last position:
Freelance Interim Manager, Head of Operations & Service at DK Household Brands
- Stabilization of customer service, logistics and order processing during a transformation phase
- Management of the international warehouse relocation from Switzerland to Germany
- Optimization of processes and reduction of manual steps in day-to-day operations
- Coordination of international stakeholders to ensure on-time delivery of strategic projects
Oliver Schulz
Project Lead
Last position:
SAP Sub-Project Lead (SCM, MM, EWM) at Brunata Wärmemesser Hagen GmbH & Co KG
- Responsibility for time, budget and quality targets of the sub-project
- Creation and maintenance of the sub-project plan including dependencies to FI, CO, PP, SD
- Definition of work packages, resource planning and progress monitoring
- Risk and change management within module scope
- Analysis of as-is processes in procurement, logistics and warehouse management
- Design of to-be processes according to SAP standard (EWM warehouse processes such as goods receipt, put-away, picking, goods issue)
- Coordination with key users and specialist departments
- Support for interface development with external warehouse systems and supplier portals
- Organization of test data, error tracking and test documentation
- Support for deployment preparation and key user training
- Participation in the cutover plan (data migration, go-live preparation)
- Support of the department during the hypercare phase after go-live
- Assistance in mapping EWM core processes
- Management of external service providers
- Use of Jira, Confluence, Signavio, MS Teams, Aqua ALM
Mark Wieczorrek
Senior Project Manager & Management Consultant
Last position:
Manager & Product Owner Sustainability (ESG) at EGC Eurogroup Consulting AG
- Designing, consulting, and managing strategic transformation projects for banks, insurers, and financial associations with a focus on efficiency, digitalization, and ESG
- Owning market positioning in sustainability through professional publications, whitepapers, and presentations at the top management level
- Developing and executing targeted acquisition strategies for ESG transformation projects and the insurance market, including identifying market opportunities and creating proposals in collaboration with executive management
Markus Böhm
Manager / Senior Consultant - Sustainability Consulting & Transformation
Last position:
Manager / Senior Consultant - Sustainability Consulting & Transformation at XQT5 GmbH
- Lead strategic consulting projects focusing on Market Entry, Business Change, Digital Transformation, Process Mining, and Optimization and Growth
- Conducting board-level training to implement AI-strategies and process optimization practice
- Driving Sales Pipeline through direct sales activities as well as through partner ecosystem for actively winning new projects for Process Optimisation and Sustainability Strategy practice
- Developing and Implementing AI-strategies
Niklas Witte
Sustainability Manager and Consultant
Last position:
Freelance Consultant / CEO at NEVERMINDTHEGAP
- Offered ESG strategy development and implementation
- Performed ESG reporting
- Implemented EMAS, ISO 14001 & 50001
- Commercialised ESG products and services
- Conducted employee ESG training
- Managed internal and external communication (B2B & B2C)
- Provided subject matter expertise for sustainability assurance to auditors
- Executed ESG reporting according to CSRD / ESRS, GRI, VSME and DNK
- Completed materiality analysis and stakeholder consultation
- Defined ESG strategy, vision, targets and actions
- Developed decarbonisation roadmaps
- Initiated sustainable procurement initiatives
- Devised sales strategy for sustainable products and services
- Delivered sustainability assurance services
- Provided employee and leadership ESG awareness training
- Served clients including Tchibo GmbH, Zooplus SE, Basler AG and Schryver Logistics
Denis Schäfer
Interim & Sustainability Manager
Last position:
Consultant Sustainability Management at BNWD Consulting GmbH
The aspects listed here outline the different roles and activities that I have taken on or am currently taking on in my work in sustainability management for companies across a wide range of industries:
- External sustainability manager role
- Training and workshops for (international) teams on sustainability topics
- Responsibility for building CSRD reporting structures
- Responsibility for building CBAM reporting structures
- Responsibility for implementing a LkSG risk management system
- Responsibility for implementing an EUTR/EUDR risk management system
- Implementation and operation of compliance reporting systems
- Preparation of greenhouse gas inventories according to international standards
- Monitoring political and regulatory sustainability-related developments
- Support with funding controlling and grant applications
Through my work, I have gained experience in companies from a wide range of industries. My clients include, for example:
- international corporate group in the clothing industry
- securing funding and implementing international projects
- group company in the automotive sector
- family-run group of companies in the tobacco goods sector
- owner-managed company in the food sector
- internationally active laboratory group
- family-run group of companies in the special items sector
- family-run company in the food sector
- group of companies in the retail sector
- IT services with a focus on the public sector
Expertise in sustainability reporting (especially CSRD):
- main focus of work since the end of 2023
- identification of the regulatory sustainability-related requirements for sustainability reporting
- development of a concept / project roadmap for setting up and implementing compliant sustainability reporting
- coordination and implementation of the materiality analysis in line with ESRS
- coordination and implementation of the stakeholder dialogue incl. development of a materiality questionnaire
- identification of material ESRS topic areas and derivation of the relevant reportable data points
- coordination of data collection and preparation
- ensuring compliant documentation of all relevant process steps
- coordination with audit firms
- management of cross-departmental teams for data collection and management
Expertise in sustainability ratings (especially Ecovadis):
- assessment of the status quo
- derivation of improvement areas to achieve the desired rating result
- identification of company-specific thematic rating priorities
- development of a concept for preparing and carrying out the sustainability rating
- preparation of new documents to meet the rating requirements, e.g. in the areas of policies and reporting
- coordination of data collection and preparation as well as measures in the defined improvement areas
- management of cross-departmental teams to implement the requirements
- carrying out the questionnaire-based rating
Expertise in deforestation-free supply chains (EUTR and EUDR):
- identification of the company-specific regulatory sustainability-related requirements of EUTR & EUDR
- development of a concept / project roadmap for setting up and implementing compliant risk management structures
- coordination and implementation of supplier data requests
- development of supplier templates for data collection
- development of the due diligence regulation
- support in carrying out official notifications
- coordination of the risk management system
- preparation and support for an official audit
- management of cross-departmental teams to implement the requirements
- early identification of further regulatory requirements under EUDR
- handling official communication (e.g. to clarify regulatory uncertainties)
Expertise in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):
- identification of the company-specific regulatory sustainability-related requirements of CBAM
- development of a concept / project roadmap for setting up and implementing compliant reporting structures
- coordination and implementation of supplier data requests
- development of supplier templates for data collection
- development of data collection and preparation structures to determine GHG emissions
- registration in the CBAM register and takeover of CBAM reporting
- early identification of further regulatory requirements of CBAM
Expertise in the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act:
- identification of the regulatory sustainability-related requirements of the LkSG
- development of a concept / project roadmap for implementing compliant risk management structures
- coordination and implementation of the risk analysis
- development of prioritization mechanisms to derive risk mitigation and remedial measures
- monitoring of initiated measures with risk suppliers
- development of a Supplier Code of Conduct and a rollout process
- development of a policy statement on human rights and a human rights strategy statement
- implementation and operation of LkSG whistleblowing procedures
- interface and coordination of internal departments and external contacts in operating the LkSG risk management system
Further expertise in sustainability management:
- carrying out opportunity and risk analyses
- defining sustainability strategies
- defining climate targets in line with the SBTi
- answering sustainability-related customer requests
- support in the sustainability-related optimization of existing processes (e.g. operation of the EnMS according to ISO 50001, carrying out audits)
- support in expanding renewable energy in the photovoltaic area
- setup and operation of compliance reporting systems
- preparation of greenhouse gas inventories for Scope 1, 2 and 3 according to the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, GHG Protocol Product Carbon Footprint and ISO 14064 as well as product-specific CO2 inventories
- management of cross-departmental teams to implement sustainability-related requirements
Markus Eulenkamp
Decarbonization Manager, M.A. in Communication Studies, Senior Consultant
- Development of a climate protection concept with a decarbonization roadmap for a municipal administration, focusing on energy-efficient building renovation and energy supply.
Marcel Maurer
Quality Management Expert / Regulatory Affairs
Last position:
Quality Management Expert / Regulatory Affairs at Bereich Zahntechnik
Sheila Herrmann
Recruiting Team Support (Consumer Goods Company)
Last position:
Recruiting Team Support (Consumer Goods Company)
- Part-time freelance support for the recruiting team of a consumer goods company, 100% remote
- Operational support in filling open positions
- Strategic cooperation in the further development of recruiting activities
You Wu
Senior Consultant, Sustainability Equity Finance
Last position:
Senior Consultant, Sustainability Equity Finance at Siemens Financial Services
- Conducting sustainability due diligence for infrastructure investment in energy transition area
- Supporting fund origination
- Building and training AI tools to increase team’s work efficiency
- Conducting investment industry research as thought leadership
Björn Sauermilch
Senior Consultant Digitalization, Sustainability & Change
Last position:
Senior Consultant Digitalization, Sustainability & Change at Multiversum GmbH
- Consulting product development and sales: AI Core Beliefs
- Consulting product development and sales: AI Governance
- Client assignment at CARIAD, NVL/Lürssen, FHH Finanzbehörde
Christian Finck
Sustainability & AI
Last position:
Sustainability & AI at Freelancer
- Project management
- Sustainability consulting
- Engineering
- Software development
- Innovation Management
- Team Development
Christoph Diener
Auditing & Advisory (last 16 months)
Last position:
Lecturer & Technical Author at AUDfIT Deutschland GmbH
- Training auditors with a focus on the German Commercial Code (HGB) and financial statement audits (JAP)
- Professional training on auditing and preparing financial statements
- Author of technical content and articles on sustainability reporting (CSRD, ESRS, VSME)
- Linking traditional audits with current ESG topics
Lars Stühlen
Lecturer in Integrated Communication and Sustainability
Last position:
Lecturer in Integrated Communication and Sustainability at International School of Management
Daniela Kölsch
Sustainability Consultant & Advisor | Passionate On Sustainability & Its Quantification
Last position:
Guest Speaker within lecture "Digitalization and sustainability in procurement" at Hochschule Niederrhein
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Sustainability Consultants statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
20 years
Position duration
3.4 years
Positions per freelancer
10
Top business areas
Sustainability Management, Strategy, Operations
Top industries
Professional Services, Manufacturing, Automotive
Certification focus areas
Project Management, Human Resources, Strategy
Bachelor's degree or higher
93%
Master's degree or higher
71%
Doctorate
7%
Certifications per freelancer
5
Most common languages
German, English, Spanish
Speak two or more languages
93%
Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Sustainability Consultants & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for clear information? Everything important about FRATCH is here
A Sustainability Consultant helps translate ESG goals into concrete work. That can include materiality assessments, carbon footprint calculations, CSRD preparation, supplier questionnaires, and decarbonization plans. The best consultants focus on actions the business can actually implement, not just on reporting language.
Look for solid knowledge of ESG frameworks, carbon accounting, and reporting logic, plus strong analytical skills. A good sustainability consultant should be able to handle data gaps, work with different departments, and explain trade-offs clearly. Experience with procurement, operations, finance, or product teams is often a strong signal.
The terms often overlap, but they are not always identical. An ESG consultant may focus more on reporting, governance, and investor-facing content, while a sustainability advisor may spend more time on operational change, supplier work, or decarbonization. In practice, many freelance professionals cover both areas.
Freelance support makes sense when the need is tied to a specific project, deadline, or gap in expertise. For example, a company may need help with a CSRD preparation phase, a Scope 3 exercise, or an ESG baseline review without adding a full-time role. It is also useful when the internal team needs immediate support and a fresh outside view.
Most work can be done remotely, especially research, analysis, reporting, and documentation. On-site presence becomes useful for workshops, plant visits, supplier meetings, or leadership sessions. For companies in Germany, a hybrid setup is common when the project touches operations or needs close stakeholder alignment.
Ask for clear outputs such as an ESG gap analysis, a reporting outline, a carbon baseline, a decarbonization roadmap, or supplier assessment templates. A good sustainability advisor should also define assumptions, data sources, and responsibilities. This makes the work easier to review and hand over.
Judge the quality by the clarity of the method, the relevance of the recommendations, and the practicality of the final plan. Strong sustainability consultants show how they reached their conclusions and what the company should do next. You should also look for clean communication, structured documents, and a clear understanding of business priorities.
Freelancers should expect cross-functional work, shifting data quality, and a need to balance ambition with what the company can execute. A good ESG consultant can work with limited information, ask the right questions, and keep the project moving. In Germany, being comfortable with both English and German business contexts can be helpful on many assignments.
The average hourly rate for Sustainability Consultants in Germany is 142 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,136 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Sustainability Consultants in Germany, 93% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 71% hold at least a Master's degree, and 7% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Sustainability Consultants in Germany have 20 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.4 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Sustainability Consultants in Germany are German (100%), English (87%), and Spanish (13%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Sustainability Consultants in Germany are Professional Services (87%), Manufacturing (47%), and Automotive (40%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Sustainability Consultants in Germany are Sustainability Management (87%), Strategy (80%), and Operations (60%).
FRATCH Sustainability Consultants main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg Request a Free Demo
Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.
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We always have the time for a call or email!
Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
