ESG People

What ESG People does

ESG People is a Norwegian specialist recruitment agency focused exclusively on sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), and impact positions. Founded in 2021 by Fredrik Torp and now co-led with Managing Partner Henriette Salvesen, the firm serves Norwegian enterprises and corporate boards that need to recruit sustainability leaders, CSRD specialists, supply chain and policy experts, and board members with ESG competence. The firm describes itself as Norway's only recruitment agency dedicated to sustainability, with named clients including Multiconsult (Group Director of Sustainability), Rainforest Foundation Norway, and Sopra Steria/Footprint.

The firm's core offerings are threefold: Executive Search & Rekruttering for permanent ESG placements, Styrerekruttering for board-level sustainability recruitment, and Innleie, an interim/consultant placement service for 1–12 month engagements. The underlying technology is a curated candidate database of 1,500+ sustainability professionals (expanded materially through the February 2025 acquisition of Sustainable People from Hartmark Executive Search), combined with DNV-certified personality and logic analysis tests used during candidate assessment. ESG Connect breakfast seminars, run with partners such as AIDER, function as a community and pipeline channel.

Revenue is generated via professional services placement fees for permanent search and board recruitment, plus managed services/interim consulting fees with flexible pricing (fixed price, hourly, or monthly). GTM is enterprise field sales driven directly by the founding partners and managing partners, supplemented by event-driven acquisition and partnership referrals (Ung i Bærekraft, Nordic Circular Hotspot, ZERO, S-HUB). In September 2024, ESG People was integrated into Pedersen & Partners as the firm's Global ESG Practice, with the founders leading sustainability recruitment across 50 countries with initial Nordic/European focus; the entity operates as a wholly owned subsidiary within that international executive search group. The company is privately held, headquartered at Fjordalléen 16, Aker Brygge, Oslo, with ~6 employees and reported 73% revenue growth in 2024 vs 2023, attributed to CSRD-driven demand.

Name

ESG People

Legal name

ESG People AS

Website

https://esgpeople.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ESG People is Norway's specialist recruitment agency for sustainability and ESG talent, placing permanent leaders, board members, and interim specialists for Norwegian enterprises. Founded in 2021, it now operates as Pedersen & Partners' Global ESG Practice across 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Rekruttering: Core recruitment service for placing ESG, bærekraft and impact positions from C-suite to specialist levels. Revenue generated through placement fees.
2. Innleie (Interim/Consultant Placement): Interim staffing solutions placing ESG specialists for 1-12 month engagements. Offers fixed price, hourly rate, or monthly billing models. Revenue from consulting fees.
3. Styrerekruttering (Board Recruitment): Specialized board member recruitment focused on sustainability competence for corporate boards

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ESG People is Norway's leading specialist recruitment agency focused exclusively on ESG and sustainability competencies. The firm delivers three core recruitment services: Executive Search & Rekruttering for permanent placement of ESG leaders and specialists, Styrerekruttering for board-level recruitment with sustainability expertise, and Innleie for interim staffing of sustainability professionals on 1-12 month engagements. Operating as the Global ESG Practice of Pedersen & Partners since September 2024, the firm serves Norwegian and Nordic enterprises seeking to fill competence gaps driven by CSRD and ESG regulatory requirements.

Product overview

ESG People is Norway's leading specialist recruitment agency focused exclusively on sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) competencies. The company operates as a single unified service offering with three core recruitment services: Executive Search & Rekruttering for permanent placement of ESG professionals, Styrerekruttering for board member recruitment with sustainability expertise, and Innleie for interim staffing solutions. In February 2025, ESG People expanded its portfolio through the acquisition of Sustainable People from Hartmark Executive Search, establishing Norway's largest candidate base for sustainability talent. The firm organizes ESG Connect breakfast seminars as a knowledge-sharing platform with partners. In September 2024, ESG People was integrated into Pedersen & Partners as the Global ESG Practice, enabling international expansion while maintaining Norwegian operations. The company leverages DNV-certified testing tools and extensive partner networks including Ung i Bærekraft, Nordic Circular Hotspot, ZERO, and S-HUB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search & Rekruttering Specialist permanent-placement recruitment services for ESG, sustainability, and impact positions from C-suite to specialist level. The firm draws on its unique insight into national and international candidate markets and applies DNV-certified tests for personality and logic analyses. Target customers are Norwegian companies needing to fill sustainability leadership and specialist roles driven by CSRD and ESG regulatory requirements.
• Styrerekruttering (Board Recruitment) Recruitment of board members with sustainability and corporate responsibility expertise to meet new regulatory requirements (board composition, gender balance) and the increasing demand for ESG competence in boardrooms. Target customers are Norwegian corporate boards and nomination committees needing C-suite-level candidates with both sustainability credentials and governance experience.
• Innleie (Interim/Consultant Staffing) Flexible interim staffing solution placing ESG specialists for 1-12 month engagements while companies await permanent hires. Covers project work, analysis, consequence analysis, climate strategy, reporting, and sustainable supply chain projects. Available with fixed price per project, hourly rate, or monthly rate billing. Target customers are Norwegian companies needing immediate ESG expertise during recruitment or transformation periods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% revenue growth in 2024 compared to 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AIDERminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2025Collaboration partner for ESG Connect breakfast seminar series. Sven Østebø from AIDER spoke about CSRD implementation and VSME reporting standards. Partnership provides knowledge sharing platform across industries.
• Sustainable PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2025Acquired by ESG People from Hartmark Executive Search. This acquisition established ESG People's position as Norway's largest recruitment agency for sustainability competence with unique and comprehensive candidate database of sustainability specialists.
• Pedersen & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024ESG People integrated into Pedersen & Partners Global ESG Practice from September 2024. Founders Fredrik Torp and Henriette Salvesen lead the global sustainability recruitment initiative across 50 countries. Norwegian team uniquely positioned to help companies with sustainability competence needs using their experience combined with Pedersen & Partners' global reach.
• Sustainability Hub Norway (S-HUB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2022Partnership for State of Sustainability 2022 report launch, in collaboration with Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). Provides understanding of challenges and opportunities companies face, enabling ESG People to find right competencies for customers.
• Ung i Bærekraft (UiBK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation with vision to be the preferred sustainability arena for future decision-makers. Provides networking and knowledge sharing platform. UiBK arranges quarterly gatherings with knowledgeable speakers, offering professional updates on sustainability trends. ESG People leverages this network for candidate sourcing.
• Nordic Circular Hotspot (NCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner-driven collaboration programme accelerating circular transition in Nordics. Facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing, and adoption of circular economy solutions. Welcomed ESG People to network of companies working to accelerate circular transition, noting alignment with NCH's sustainability goals.
• ZEROminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent non-profit organization established in 2002, working across sectors to fight climate change. Over 20 years of driving zero emission solutions with analytical and knowledge-based approach. ESG People partners for shared sustainability mission.
• Hartmark Executive SearchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeller of Sustainable People to ESG People. Managing Partner Frode Bjørnæs noted satisfaction with the acquisition and potential synergies, especially as ESG People co-locates with Hartmark Executive Search team.
• Skift - Næringslivets klimaledereminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESG People signed Grønnvaskingsplakaten (anti-greenwashing charter) and Strakstiltak for klimatilpassning (immediate climate adaptation measures) under Skift's 8-point initiative. Commits to learning from others and sharing ideas for better and faster sustainability work.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global executive search and organizational consulting giant with an active Sustainability & ESG Practice; comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping executive search, board and leadership advisory services, though not ESG-exclusive.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm; comparable as a broad incumbent with executive search, board and CEO pipeline practices that increasingly target sustainability leadership mandates similar to ESG People's offering.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm; comparable as a broad incumbent with a sustainability and ESG leadership practice that overlaps ESG People's executive search and board mandates across Europe.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with an active ESG and sustainability officer practice; comparable as a broad incumbent offering executive search and board services in the same sustainability leadership segment.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search and board advisory firm; comparable as a broad incumbent with deep board and CEO practice that competes for the same sustainability board recruitment work ESG People targets via Styrerekruttering.
• Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm with strong Nordic presence and an emerging sustainability practice; comparable as a broad incumbent competing for similar C-suite and board ESG mandates in the Nordic and European markets.

Direct peers

• Pedersen & Partners: Global executive search and talent management firm that acquired ESG People in September 2024 to anchor its Global ESG Practice; directly comparable as a generalist executive search peer now operating the same ESG leadership recruitment offering at scale.
• Hartmark Executive Search: Norwegian executive search firm that sold its Sustainable People unit to ESG People in February 2025; directly comparable as a Norway-based executive search competitor with overlap in senior leadership and board mandates.
• Boyden: Global executive search firm where ESG People founder Fredrik Torp previously served as Partner; comparable as a global generalist executive search peer with overlapping C-suite and board recruitment services and similar delivery model.

Emerging players

• Acre Resources: Specialist sustainability and ESG recruitment firm operating across Europe and the US; comparable as a niche ESG executive search and interim staffing peer with a similar sustainability-only positioning and cross-border footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esg-people

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESG People