Deloitte develops toolkit for firms to ‘build green skills’
Deloitte and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) have launched a report which aims to provide a blueprint for organisations to develop green skills in their workforce
The report, published by the Big Four firm and the professional body for environment and sustainability specialists, provides practical steps, case studies, and a toolkit that will inform professional companies on how they can create green jobs within their business as the UK transitions to a green economy.
The blueprints highlight that business leaders need to take courageous and calculated risks when being an early adapter in the transition and that they also need to make an ‘intentional enterprise-level transformation which involves superficial changes that embed environmental sustainability within the organisation so it becomes the norm’.
Training for employees is significant so they are able to have a base level of understanding of sustainability.
Deloitte states that companies cannot rely on their sustainability departments to meet their needs and that it needs to be spread across all areas of the business.
The firm also states that investment in a diverse and inclusive workforce is important as often environmentally conscious workforces attract younger generations that want a purpose driven career, and engagement with strategic partners to de-carbonise their practices will also accelerate the transition.
According to a Deloitte survey of 92 UK CFOs, two-thirds expect a ‘significant or wholesale change’ in their own businesses model over the next 10 years as a result of the move to net zero emissions with research by the firm revealing that 75% of senior sustainability professionals think that all jobs will require ‘green’ or sustainability skills by 2050.
It also reveals that 90% believe that sustainability professionals will be a high priority in the decision-making regarding climate change and decarbonisation.
Deloitte’s 2021 Millennial survey also highlighted that climate change is the leading concern among millennials and Gen Zs in the UK.
Despite this, the report states that the understanding of green jobs and skills is currently low among the public, with a YouGov survey showing that 56% of consumers say they have never heard of the term green job while 64% do not understand the term green skills. Meanwhile, only 35% have access to green skills training through their employer.
The firm states that awareness of green jobs is likely to ‘grow sharply’ in the coming years as the government has outlined its plans to create 2m green jobs by 2030.
Matt Guest, lead partner for Deloitte’s net zero consulting practice, said: ‘Every worker, team and organisation has a part to play in mitigating climate change, repairing environmental damage and ensuring that the UK’s net zero ambitions are met.
‘Leaders must act now to understand the green skills that will be needed across their entire organisation, build a strategy for how to upskill their teams in sustainability and ensure they have investment lined-up to deliver change.
‘With sustainability professionals in high demand, organisations that take steps today to invest in green skills across their workforce will be the first to transition to the green economy, creating new business opportunities and jobs in the process.’
The report highlighted that currently, the top five industries for professionals with ‘green skills’ are environmental services, construction, higher education, renewables and environment, and government administration.
Deloitte reports that the industries which showed the highest growth in green skills specialists between 2020-21 were luxury goods and jewellery, the internet, biotechnology, apparel and fashion and investment management.
Anne-Marie Malley, managing partner for consulting at Deloitte, said: ‘Sustainability can be an intimidating subject to get to grips with and so I have been so impressed by the number of our people who have volunteered for green skills training.
‘It’s clear that across organisations, employees are ready and willing to take time out of their working day to learn about all aspects of sustainability.
‘It’s now up to business leaders to ensure they have a plan in place to identify the green skills gaps within their organisations and that they have a roadmap to train a diverse team of sustainability professionals that will pioneer the UK’s transition to a green economy.’
Story wrote by Ruby Flanagan.