A significant gap is forming between supply and demand in the sustainable jobs/green jobs sector, according to a new survey.
The research – by online recruitment giant Indeed – shows so-called ‘Green Job’ postings have increased by a whopping 93% since 2019, but searches for sustainable jobs by jobseekers have fallen by 7% over the same time period.
According to Indeed, the majority of workers – 65% to be precise – would be willing to upskill for a green job, but challenges remain for green employers; such as perceptions of lower pay, recruitment barriers and skills gaps.
Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed said: “Sustainability is now one of the key considerations at the top of everyone’s agenda. The need for professionals in this area continues to grow across a variety of industries as ESG considerations become a standard part of doing business.”
“The EU has recently mandated non-financial ESG reporting for businesses with over 500 employees starting from January 1, 2024. Additionally, in 2023, the European Commission introduced the first European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), requiring companies with specified EU activity levels to submit annual sustainability reports alongside their financial statements. Integration of ESG requirements in business reporting like this means ESG and sustainability roles will soon become as integral to businesses as finance or marketing.
“However, there is a mismatch between demand and supply. People are not fully aware of job opportunities and tend to consider themselves unprepared in this area. The positive news is that the majority of workers are open to retraining in the area of sustainability. Together with policy and training initiatives, companies will play a key role in the development of talent pipelines in this area.
“In addition to investing in new generations and those who are about to enter the workforce, it will also be essential to focus on upskilling the current workforce to meet demand.
“Ultimately, this will be necessary not only to meet the needs of the growing job market but also strengthen Ireland’s green transition efforts.”
It underscores a growing awareness of the importance of sustainability roles in preserving the planet for future generations and in ensuring business success, but shows challenges such as perceptions of lower pay, recruitment barriers and skills gaps need to be addressed to fully harness the potential of the sustainability sector.
The survey found that 89% of both employers and employees agree that effective sustainability practices and policies are important to the future success of the country. A total of 72% of employers surveyed said they currently have a department or manager dedicated to sustainability or ESG (Environmental Social Governance) in their organisation, with 68% of those having sizable teams between 6-15 members. Those in architecture, building and engineering were most likely to have the biggest ESG departments.
However, employers also cited a number of barriers and challenges in finding the right people. These included a lack of candidates with the right skills (33%) and not being sure of where to find them (28%). Others cited issues such as “not enough budget” (37%), a fear of being perceived to be ‘greenwashing’ (30%) and a lack of understanding within their organisation of how such jobs would improve their business (38%).
When examining worker perceptions of the sector, the survey found that the majority (63%) thought these types of roles were only found within certain industries. Some 40% of employees think that sustainability jobs are not well-paid, however 59% believe that jobs in the sector are interesting and varied.
