For over a decade, Rebecca Villalobos worked behind the scenes helping some of the world’s most impactful organisations navigate the complex terrain of corporate responsibility. She led sustainability programs, advised on critical mineral supply chains, and partnered with brands to build climate strategies. Yet despite her expertise and success, she kept encountering the same frustrating gap: brilliant technical knowledge often failed to translate into actionable business strategy. The content experts knew the science, but they couldn’t always help clients build a compelling business case or communicate effectively with stakeholders. This persistent disconnect ultimately led Villalobos to a pivotal decision—one that would transform her career and potentially reshape how companies approach sustainability. In October 2024, she announced the launch of Earthly Strategies, a sustainability advisory firm built from her years of first-hand experience as a sustainability leader and client .
The Career Journey Behind Earthly Strategies
Rebecca Villalobos brings more than twelve years of experience working with social entrepreneurs and sustainability programs to her new venture. Her professional trajectory has been anything but linear. She spent years leading sustainability initiatives across organisations of varying sizes, gaining a comprehensive view of what works and what fails in corporate responsibility efforts. This hands-on experience gave her a unique perspective on the disconnect between sustainability ambition and practical implementation. Her work has consistently focused on helping organisations navigate the people, resources, and systemic changes required to make sustainability programs succeed. This background has proven invaluable as she transitioned from advisor to founder, bringing a practitioner’s understanding of the challenges clients face daily.
The Vision Behind Earthly Strategies
Earthly Strategies emerged from a clear recognition of market failure in the sustainability advisory space. Villalobos observed that while there is no shortage of brilliant technical experts who understand the latest developments in climate action, biodiversity, and labour issues, there is a significant shortage of professionals who can help clients build the business case for sustainability and communicate that case effectively . This gap between technical knowledge and strategic implementation has long frustrated sustainability leaders who struggle to translate environmental and social goals into operational realities. Earthly Strategies directly addresses this challenge by positioning itself as a bridge between sustainability ambition and practical execution. The firm helps organisations define strategy, set goals, and create programs that align with both stakeholder expectations and real-world business constraints.
A Strategic Approach to Sustainability Advisory
The firm operates with a methodology that prioritises simplification over complexity. Instead of overwhelming clients with technical jargon and unmanageable frameworks, Earthly Strategies focuses on identifying gaps and refining sustainability focus areas. This approach recognises that companies at different stages of their sustainability journey require different types of support. For some organisations, the priority may be establishing foundational governance structures. For others, it may involve developing science-based climate targets or navigating complex supply chain issues. Earthly Strategies adapts its approach accordingly, working with clients to simplify complex sustainability challenges and develop realistic implementation plans. This flexibility has allowed the firm to work across sectors, from consumer brands to extractive industries.
Notable Client Partnerships and Achievements
Since its founding, Earthly Strategies has already secured partnerships with several prominent organisations, demonstrating immediate market validation. One notable project involved working with Mejuri, a contemporary jewellery brand, to launch its 2030 sustainability goals strategy. Villalobos and her team helped Mejuri achieve Positive Luxury certification, a significant milestone in the luxury sector, and build out a roadmap to achieve a science-based climate target . This partnership reflects the firm’s ability to work with consumer-facing brands navigating increasingly sophisticated sustainability expectations. The collaboration also highlights Earthly Strategies’ capacity to guide clients through the technical requirements of certification programs while maintaining a focus on business value.
Critical Minerals and Supply Chain Sustainability
Beyond consumer brands, Earthly Strategies has also engaged in critical minerals and supply chain sustainability work, particularly on energy transition projects. These projects address the needs of government, the private sector, and civil society, reflecting the growing recognition that sustainability challenges cannot be solved by any single sector alone. Villalobos has served as a Strategic Advisor to RESOLVE, a non-profit organisation that works on environmental and social issues in the extractive sector. In this capacity, she has contributed to envisioning the next phase of the Public-Private Alliance for the Responsible Minerals Trade . This work has involved coordinating with multiple stakeholders to address the complex governance challenges associated with mineral supply chains, from labour rights to environmental protection.
Supporting Public Sector Engagement
The firm has also extended its reach into public sector support, working with USAID on private sector engagement initiatives . This work demonstrates the growing convergence between development objectives and corporate sustainability priorities. As governments and international development agencies increasingly look to the private sector as a partner in achieving development goals, firms like Earthly Strategies play an increasingly important role in bridging these worlds. Villalobos’ experience navigating both private sector expectations and public sector requirements positions her firm uniquely to facilitate these partnerships. The USAID project likely involves helping the agency understand how to effectively partner with businesses to achieve development outcomes, a complex area requiring deep expertise in both private sector operations and development priorities.
Building a Community of Sustainability Experts
Central to Villalobos’ vision for Earthly Strategies is the creation of a collaborative community of sustainability professionals. Rather than building a large internal team, the firm maintains a roster of experts who can be engaged as needed for specific projects . This approach allows Earthly Strategies to remain agile while accessing deep expertise across multiple sustainability domains. Villalobos actively invites bright, purpose-driven people to join this roster, creating a network of practitioners who can collaborate on projects aligned with their expertise. This model reflects a broader trend in professional services toward flexible, project-based talent deployment. It also aligns with the collaborative ethos that Villalobos has cultivated throughout her career.
The Market Context for Sustainability Advisory Services
The launch of Earthly Strategies comes at a time of rapidly evolving expectations for corporate sustainability. Regulatory requirements are increasing in jurisdictions worldwide, with the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive representing a significant shift in disclosure obligations. Investors are demanding more robust sustainability data and strategies. Consumers are increasingly factoring sustainability into purchasing decisions. Yet many companies remain ill-equipped to respond effectively to these pressures. This creates a substantial market opportunity for advisory firms that can help clients navigate this complexity. Villalobos’ emphasis on building the business case for sustainability reflects a mature understanding of what motivates corporate action on sustainability. Rather than appealing primarily to altruism, she focuses on demonstrating how sustainability contributes to business resilience, innovation, and competitive advantage.
A Vision for the Future of Corporate Responsibility
Looking ahead, Earthly Strategies appears well-positioned to capitalise on growing demand for practical sustainability guidance. The firm’s focus on implementation rather than theoretical frameworks distinguishes it from competitors who may offer similar capabilities on paper but lack Villalobos’ practical experience. As companies move from setting sustainability targets to actually achieving them, demand for implementation expertise will likely increase. The energy transition, in particular, represents a significant growth opportunity, with companies across sectors needing guidance on navigating the shift to low-carbon operations. Villalobos’ experience in critical minerals and supply chains positions her firm to support clients in this transition. Her work with the Public-Private Alliance for the Responsible Minerals Trade provides valuable credibility in this complex area.
The Personal Journey of Becoming a Founder
Villalobos has described the journey to founding Earthly Strategies as a full-circle moment. She began her career working with social entrepreneurs, never expecting to eventually occupy the founder’s seat herself . This reflection highlights the sometimes unexpected paths that sustainability careers can take. Her decision to launch her own firm also reflects a broader trend of experienced professionals choosing to create their own ventures rather than continuing within larger organisations. This trend is particularly pronounced in sustainability, where practitioners often seek greater autonomy and alignment with their values. Villalobos’ experience building Earthly Strategies over the past year and a half demonstrates the patience and commitment required to launch a successful advisory firm in today’s competitive market.
Implications for Sustainability Leadership
Villalobos’ career trajectory offers lessons for other sustainability professionals considering similar paths. Her success suggests that deep technical expertise alone is insufficient for sustainability leadership. Equally important is the ability to build business cases, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and navigate the practical challenges of implementation. These skills, often described as “translational” capabilities, are increasingly valued in sustainability roles. They represent the capacity to bridge the gap between sustainability ambition and business reality—the very gap that Earthly Strategies exists to address. As sustainability becomes more embedded in core business functions, professionals who can translate between technical sustainability requirements and business strategy will be increasingly valuable.
Key Takeaways
- Rebecca Villalobos launched Earthly Strategies after over a decade of experience leading sustainability programs and identifying a critical gap between technical expertise and practical business application.
- Earthly Strategies focuses on building the business case for sustainability, simplifying complex challenges, and helping clients navigate implementation hurdles .
- The firm has secured partnerships with notable clients including Mejuri, RESOLVE, and USAID, demonstrating market validation across sectors.
- Villalobos emphasises collaboration, maintaining a roster of expert practitioners who can be engaged for specific projects rather than building a large internal team.
- The growing regulatory and market pressures on corporate sustainability create significant opportunities for advisory firms that can deliver practical implementation support.
- Success in sustainability leadership increasingly requires what might be called “translational” capabilities—the ability to connect technical sustainability requirements with business strategy and stakeholder communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rebecca Villalobos?
Rebecca Villalobos is a sustainability leader with over twelve years of experience working with social entrepreneurs and sustainability programs. She founded Earthly Strategies, a sustainability advisory firm launched in October 2024 that helps organisations integrate sustainability and responsible practices effectively.
What is Earthly Strategies?
Earthly Strategies is a sustainability advisory firm founded by Villalobos that helps clients build the business case for sustainability, define strategy and goals, and navigate implementation challenges. The firm works across sectors including consumer brands, extractive industries, and public sector organisations .
What type of work does Earthly Strategies do?
The firm provides strategic advisory services including sustainability goal setting, program development, certification guidance, and supply chain sustainability support. Recent projects include helping Mejuri launch its 2030 sustainability strategy and achieve Positive Luxury certification .
Who has Earthly Strategies worked with?
The firm has partnered with consumer brand Mejuri, served as a Strategic Advisor to RESOLVE, and supported USAID on private sector engagement initiatives . This diverse client base reflects the firm’s ability to work across sectors.
How is Earthly Strategies different from other sustainability advisory firms?
Earthly Strategies emphasises building the business case for sustainability and translating complex sustainability challenges into actionable plans. Villalobos created the firm based on her experience that technical expertise alone is insufficient without practical implementation support .
How can someone get involved with Earthly Strategies?
The firm maintains a roster of sustainability experts and invites purpose-driven professionals to join. Potential collaborators can contact Villalobos through LinkedIn or directly via email at rebecca.villalobos@earthlystrategies.com .
Conclusion
Rebecca Villalobos represents a new generation of sustainability leaders who are increasingly moving from advisory roles into entrepreneurship. Her decision to launch Earthly Strategies reflects a pragmatic understanding of what companies actually need to advance their sustainability agendas. The firm’s early success securing partnerships with prominent organisations validates Villalobos’ thesis that there is substantial demand for sustainability advisory that bridges technical expertise and practical business implementation. As regulatory requirements increase and stakeholder expectations evolve, firms like Earthly Strategies will likely play an increasingly important role in helping organisations navigate the sustainability transition. Villalobos’ journey from sustainability professional to founder offers a compelling model for others considering similar paths. Her emphasis on building the business case for sustainability, rather than appealing to altruism alone, represents a mature and pragmatic approach that aligns with how businesses actually make decisions. For sustainability professionals looking to make a meaningful impact, following Villalobos’ career trajectory and the development of Earthly Strategies provides valuable insights into the future of corporate sustainability advisory. Whether you are a business leader seeking sustainability guidance or a professional considering a similar entrepreneurial path, the story of Earthly Strategies offers practical lessons about what it takes to succeed in this increasingly important field.
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