The global transition to a more sustainable economy is accelerating, and sustainability and corporate social responsibility are becoming increasingly important. According to the ManpowerGroup Global Insights Green Jobs Report 2023, global green business transformation is set to create up to 30 million new jobs in clean energy, efficiency and low-emissions technologies by 2030.
“Organisations are setting Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals to demonstrate their responsibility, consumers are demanding more sustainable practices from the companies they support, and employees are increasingly seeking out opportunities at organisations dedicated to responsible social and environmental behaviour,” says Lyndy van den Baarselaar, Managing Director at ManpowerGroup SA.
Getting Serious about ESG
ESG has rapidly evolved from a corporate social responsibility and community value-add to a global standard of doing business. Growing regulation is also making ESG-focused workforce strategy increasingly important.
While more than one-third (34%) of the world’s largest companies are now committed to net zero, nearly all (93%) will fail to achieve their goals if they don’t at least double the pace of emissions reduction by 2030.
Van den Baarselaar says that the challenge is that, globally, only 6% of employers with ESG targets have the talent they need to achieve them. “Since ESG performance gaps can negatively impact bottom-line results by as much as 21%, there are many motivating factors for organisations to get ESG right, fast.”
Good for the Planet, Good for Business
A majority of consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainability and sustainable brand leadership is also shown to have a positive impact on employee recruiting and retention efforts, creating further opportunities for competitive differentiation. In a recent survey of U.S. consumers, 75% of Gen Z respondents said sustainability was more important than brand when making a purchasing decision, and during a five-year period, average sales of products marketed with sustainability claims grew by 28%. In the same period, sales of comparable products with no sustainability claims grew by only 20%.
67% of candidates of all ages are more willing to apply for and 68% are willing to accept jobs with organisations they perceive as environmentally sustainable. “This underscores the importance of roles across functions related to green products and solutions and that sustainability leadership can be a differentiator in recruitment marketing,” says van den Baarselaar.
Blue Collar, White Collar – Green Collar
Global weather events are clearly demonstrating the impact climate change is having on the planet as sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent. While ESG strategies are a response to climate change and responsible operations, organisations can also clearly see the business opportunity, as the transition toward a more circular economy offers opportunities to increase business differentiation, reduce costs, improve brand reputation and drive job creation in their local communities.
In a recent global survey of employers, 55% said investments in their green business transformation and 54% say that the application of ESG standardsill be job creators for their organisation. Respondents chose from a list of current global megatrends and green business transformation and ESG were identified as the top two key drivers of job creation in the next five years
“To achieve this goal, employers need to fully optimise their strategic workforce planning to attract, hire and retain workers amid persistent talent scarcity and growing green jobs demand,” says van den Baarselaar. “Global upskilling and reskilling efforts must be scaled up to close green skills gaps.”
The global green business transformation is one of the most exciting periods of innovation for the workforce since the industrial revolution. It will also be driven by growing demand from governments, investors, employees and consumers seeking bolder action and transparency to address climate change.
Van den Baarselaar says that organisations which can fully optimise the way they hire, train, retain and deploy talent will be the leaders in the green economy of the future.
About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organisations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organisations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis and Talent Solutions – creates substantial value for candidates and clients across more than 75 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. We are recognised consistently for our diversity - as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality and Disability and in 2023 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the fourteenth year - all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent.
Website: https://www.manpower.co.za/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manpower-sa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManpowerSAJobs/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ManpowerSAJobs
Press Contact
Lesley O’Connor
Indigo Blue Communications
+27 (0)82 455 6839