Sustainable business practices are becoming increasingly common as companies commit to specific goals such as net zero carbon emissions. Of course, these outcomes don’t happen in a vacuum; it takes a committed leadership team and skilled employees to accomplish these goals. In the face of climate change, however, a lot needs to happen to prevent the most severe outcomes. In the face of these demands, is the workforce prepared to help organizations meet their sustainability goals—and address the challenges that will come up along the way?
LinkedIn has started tracking “green skills” in the workforce—skills that help workers make a positive impact in the fight against climate change. In its 2023 Global Green Skills Report, researchers found that in the last 12 months, the amount of “green talent” grew by 12.3 percent. But the demand for green skills actually is outpacing what the talent pool can provide, with jobs requesting at least one green skill growing by 22.4 percent in the same time period.
Employers and employees alike now face the same question: Where are people gaining professional experience and education to support the growing sustainability sector? Once a specialized segment of the workforce, more workers are becoming exposed to the breadth of skills that support sustainability initiatives. By understanding the current state of sustainability jobs and where they’re heading next, businesses can prepare to upskill current workers and find talent for future roles.
What Roles Make Up the Green Talent Pool?
When you think of someone who works in sustainability, your mind might go to climate scientists, policy advisors, or solar panel developers. In fact, because of increasing awareness and initiatives across nearly all sectors over the past decade and beyond, many of today’s jobs in most fields have a sustainability component, although it may not be readily apparent.
Think of a privately held Fortune 500 retail company, where employees either work out of the corporate office or in one of more than 100 stores. Key investors want their funding to go toward carbon emission reductions because they support global initiatives such as reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The manufacturing side starts exploring green materials. Supply chain management researches reducing delivery fleet emissions. In-store workers measure the floor’s lighting and HVAC usage. The marketing team develops campaigns to share new corporate sustainability goals. Finance starts developing reports to measure emission reductions and their effects on spending/revenue. The C-suite oversees these initiatives, as customers are eager to support companies that share their sustainable practices.
Every worker involved in these projects—from the investor side to leadership to on-the-ground workers—is developing green skills. All are involved in making their company more sustainable, and these skills are transferable. Their roles are evolving such that they’re gaining experience in lowering, recording, and/or reporting emissions. While sustainability may have once been a niche responsibility, more workers are taking on at least one task toward their company’s mission.
How Can Employers Increase Employees’ Green Skills?
Right now, employers can encourage and discover green talent by building organizational awareness, fostering upskilling, and sourcing talent through the trades. In the above example, many of these employees would gain their green skills through upskilling. The marketing team might not have a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) background, but they learn what techniques educate customers to shop sustainably with this company. By learning how to talk about climate change, carbon emissions, and sustainably sourced materials, they can transfer these skills to internal messaging or investor communications.
Education and the trades each also play a unique role in this scenario. The finance team will need a finer understanding of scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions to ensure their reporting matches regulatory standards. Hiring people with backgrounds in this area can help with the initial onboarding of this responsibility and, as time goes on, upskill the rest of the team. Employers also can sponsor educational courses or certifications to develop staff knowledge. In addition, hiring workers with a background in the trades—for example, solar panel installation, plumbing, HVAC, and more—provides valuable expertise in energy reductions at the company’s retail, manufacturing, and corporate job sites.
What’s Next For Green Skills and Jobs in Sustainability?
We predict that for now, the demand for green skills will only grow, with a need for candidates who have some background in sustainable business practices. However, society as a whole needs to invest in advocating for additional training. In particular, decarbonization is putting pressure on three fields required, i.e., electricians and construction and factory workers. These fields are already facing shortages—policymakers must invest in retraining and education programs.
For companies that are getting started on their sustainability journeys, it’s all hands on deck to meet the initial challenges and accomplish their first set of goals over the next decade or so. As time goes on, demand will shift again. Workers at all levels will make the initial strides, and then the hurdles will get more difficult and require specialized knowledge, such as how to eliminate emissions from the supply chain. Companies should anticipate that in 10 to 20 years, their hiring will need to, once again, focus on filling specialist roles in sustainability.
Thankfully, today’s workforce is already getting ready for that shift. The skills employees develop today will help many of them sustain the progress they’re making for their organizations. Specialists will emerge, whether from upskilling opportunities, self-propelled learning, or traditional education paths. By fostering these skills in employees and inspiring them to continue committing to sustainable practices, companies will see sustainability goals realized—getting us all closer to a better, greener future.
