Pros
Depending on the team you are on, you will gain exposure to some of the hottest sustainability topics in a pretty quick manner (this is the reality for any new hire joining a standards focused role). This means, despite your educational background, you can build some pretty foundational knowledge when it comes to impact (which is very valuable if you want to continue a career in this field). Additionally, you get the opportunity to work with some of the biggest players in the sustainability realm, and really have the opportunity to level up when it comes to the size and influence of companies if that is the path you want to take. Overall, working here is an incredible resume booster.
Cons
Salaries sit pretty low for the amount of hours, the level of detailed work, and the amount of pressure that comes with roles. In fact, salary has been deemed non-negotiable by HR / management, so there isn't an opportunity for workers to even advocate for an amount that feels appropriate. Salary really is a topic that seems taboo at B Lab, and brings up tension when discussed. The teams are also fairly resource constrained. There are some clear efficiencies that can be adopted, but because people have so much on their plates it seems like correcting or improving processes doesn't happen the way it should. When improvements are introduced, these often feel like quick wins that slightly miss the mark rather than very thought out ideas for long-term change. When solutions do miss the mark, or KPI's are not achieved, there is little to no accountability for leadership on this front. Finally, there is a long history of wellness related issues. People have a really hard time finding work/life balance and often feel like after 1+ years compensation doesn't align with the actual workload. Engagement survey's rarely highlight improvements on this front, but never has there been serious change in this regard despite the abysmal results. It's hard to feel like the employee experience is central to the organization without anyone taking accountability for these poor results or making a strong / radical effort to improve engagement.