What skills are needed to build a workforce for sustainability?

Over 95% of participants of IEEE Technology Center for Climate’s recent webinar agree that they need to acquire new skills for sustainability. The webinar highlighted some of the most important skills and profiles required to build a technical workforce for a sustainable future. These are:

• strong networking skills to build partnerships; 

• knowledge and skills that encompass the entire supply chain;

• open communication to find areas of improvement; and

• high levels of adaptability to adjust to how sustainability and the skills required in a workforce are constantly evolving.

The importance of using a systems approach towards sustainability in organisations was showcased and reiterated throughout the webinar. This approach considers an entire organisation as one whole, linked together system. Cordelia Thielitz, vice president of strategy operations in Europe for Schneider Electric said adopting a systems approach requires the creation of an ecosystem where all stakeholders are involved in sustainability.

John P. Verboncoeur, vice president of IEEE technical activities and research dean at Michigan State University highlighted the importance of strong networking in the workforce for a net zero future. Networking can guide a systems approach and covers not only networking within the supply chain of an organisation, but also with members of the same industry as well as with academia and members of the public.

Keeping it real

Verboncoeur said this allows organisations to stay open and connected to real-life customer issues rather than theoretical issues, and provides far greater opportunities to upscale and achieve a larger impact. Partnerships and collaborations created through networking can be used as a point for inspiration, Thielitz said, adding that often these collaborations result in unexpected outcomes which can lead to new insights. 

Oriol Margó, sustainability transformation lead EMEA at Kimberly-Clark said ensuring that all the workforce is aligned with sustainability goals is a challenge facing many organisations attempting to build a technical workforce for a sustainable future and requires accountability and disruptive innovation. He added that one of the most in-demand profiles for the green transformation is highly skilled project managers who can coordinate and deliver the very large external and internal partnerships created through networking and open communication. 

Verboncoeur emphasised the importance of strong communication skills, which are needed to understand what adjacent areas in the value chain are doing. He added that organisations are responsible for providing channels that allow employees to grasp information from multiple sources and combine it. Knowledge and skills encompassing the entire supply chain will drive more holistic solutions to sustainability issues. Thielitz suggested that one way organisations can develop employees with skills that encompass the wider supply chain, is to adopt job rotations, especially for graduates.

Verboncoeur highlighted that adaptability is a crucial skill because sustainability is evolving so rapidly there is a disparity between skills people graduate with and skills demanded by organisations. Mattias Larsen, industrial development expert at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido), said that to bridge this gap organisations should use skilled mentors to support new employees and share their talent needs with trusted partners.

Webinar attendees indicated that fewer than half are using an approach involving multi-disciplinary teams with a mix of skills to address workforce needs for the green transition, so it appears a significant change is required in many organisations to ensure a successful green transformation.

Further reading

Survey results and webinar recording can be found here.