Unlocking Your Sustainability Career: The Future of Work is Green

Share This
Category

The global economy is undergoing an undeniable transformation, positioning sustainability at the very heart of business strategy, financial markets, and public policy. In a recent Office Hour session, we explored ‘Unlocking Sustainability Careers: Opportunities and Insights,’ examining how this fundamental shift is creating unprecedented opportunities for professionals and redefining the future of work. It’s no longer a matter of whether businesses will adopt sustainability, but rather how swiftly and authentically they will do so to gain a competitive edge and attract top talent. The strategic importance of sustainability cannot be overstated, and professionals must understand and embrace this shift.

Let’s unpack the key insights from our discussion and explore what this means for your career.

The Exploding Demand for Green Careers

The job market for sustainability professionals is experiencing rapid and sustained growth. London alone saw a staggering 231% increase in ESG-related positions by January 2025. 1 This isn’t a fleeting trend; projections indicate that by 2030, over 97 million new roles will emerge in industries adapting to sustainability transitions. 2 As I often highlight, “Green jobs are growing year on year”, consistently outpacing the available talent pool. LinkedIn’s research repeatedly shows that the demand for sustainability and green skills is always higher than the number of professionals who possess them. 3

What I’m seeing in real companies: Many organisations are desperate for talent in this space, but face a paradox: they are often only looking for seasoned experts, making it challenging for newcomers to get their first break.4 This creates a significant “green skills gap” where companies are forced to hire for transferable skills and invest in training to fill critical roles. 4,5

Beyond Pay checks: The Search for Purpose in Sustainable Work

In today’s evolving workforce, compensation alone is no longer the sole driver of career satisfaction. Employees are increasingly seeking jobs that provide meaning and purpose. The ‘great exit’ phenomenon, as I’ve observed, suggests that many professionals are leaving their roles not due to a lack of financial compensation, but instead due to a deeper search for meaning. As I put it, ‘Employees want jobs that matter’. Sustainability and green jobs uniquely offer this blend of financial reward and profound purpose, inspiring a new generation of professionals to make a meaningful impact.

What I’m seeing in real companies: There’s a constant “battle between conscience and capital” within leadership regarding sustainability, where some decision-makers still perceive sustainability solely as an ethical obligation rather than a strategic imperative. This can create confusion for employees about a company’s commitment and purpose.

My guidance helps individuals “understand what gives you the meaning so you know which sectors of sustainability you want to go into”, ensuring they align their values with their professional path to avoid feeling “trapped or lied to” by companies.

For instance, 72% of Gen Z employees consider a potential employer’s environmental policies necessary, and nearly 70% of all employees are unwilling to work for a company lacking a strong, defined purpose. 5

AI as Your Ally: Augmenting, Not Replacing, Green Jobs

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has sparked discussions about job displacement. Still, in the sustainability sector, its role is primarily one of augmentation. My conviction is that “AI will augment human capabilities”, much like the internet did in the 1990s by enhancing access to information rather than replacing it. AI is poised to revolutionise how companies manage data, make decisions, and drive impact within ESG. 6

What I’m seeing in real companies: Businesses, huge manufacturing companies, are exploring how the augmentation of AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data can significantly reduce their energy consumption and operational costs. A powerful niche is emerging for professionals who can operate at the intersection of sustainability, data science, and technology.7 AI can automate vast data collection for ESG reporting, identify emissions hotspots, simulate decarbonisation strategies, and conduct dynamic materiality assessments by analysing stakeholder sentiment in real-time. This shifts the ESG professional’s work towards higher-value strategic analysis, making a baseline understanding of AI’s capabilities an essential differentiator. 8,9

Retaining Top Talent: Sustainability as a Strategic Imperative

Companies are making substantial investments in retaining their top talent, and increasingly, this is directly linked to their sustainability efforts. The evidence is clear: companies with positive sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) metrics are more effective in attracting and retaining talent. ESG metrics are a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments. Recruiting new talent can cost an estimated £10,000 to £30,000 per employee (especially when factoring in all direct, indirect, and opportunity expenses),10 yet many new hires leave within 6 to 18 months, employee turnover rates in the UK currently range from 16.8% to 35% annually, making turnover a costly process. 11

While companies are ‘so keen on sustainability’ for retention, there’s a pervasive challenge with ‘greenwashing’. Greenwashing is the practice of making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or company. Many forward-looking organisations are conducting due diligence to deliver authentic and transparent marketing and recruitment. The ability to genuinely deliver on sustainability promises enhances resilience against regulatory risk and strengthens brand reputation.

Essential Skills to Thrive in the New Green Economy

The rapid growth in sustainability demands a fresh set of skills. While foundational knowledge is crucial, practical, real-world application is key. Some of the fastest-growing sustainability skills include: 1-3

  • Sustainable Procurement: Companies are prioritising this approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate risks associated with their supply chains, driven by regulations and the need to offset premium costs for high-carbon imports. Procurement professionals who understand how to embed sustainability principles gain a significant advantage.
  • Environmental Stewardship & Circular Economy: Focusing on reducing resource consumption (materials, water, and energy) through recycling and circular economy principles in manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and technology.
  • Renewable Energy Engineering: Continued demand for solar, wind, and exploring new sources like geothermal energy, especially with the projected doubling or tripling of AI’s energy needs by 2030.
  • Data Science for Climate Risk: Climate change impacts agriculture and manufacturing, passing costs to consumers. Insurance companies now rank climate risk among their top concerns, creating a huge demand for data scientists to model and price these risks.
  • Decarbonisation Project Management: As companies set ambitious net-zero targets, project managers with an appreciation for decarbonisation initiatives gain a distinct edge in overseeing complex projects aimed at reducing emissions.
  • Authentic Green Marketing: Marketing departments are “grappling with how to ensure they are not being fined” for greenwashing, highlighting the critical need for marketers who can deliver authentic and substantiated sustainability messaging.

What I’m seeing in real companies: The need for these skills means that sustainability is no longer confined to a single department; it’s integrating across all functions, from finance and accounting (carbon accounting, ESG reporting) to human resources (employee engagement) and sales. The ability to connect sustainability metrics with financial data and drive authentic, impactful change is becoming non-negotiable for forward-looking organisations.

The future of work is undeniably sustainable, offering a unique opportunity to combine personal values with professional success. If you’re ready to navigate this dynamic landscape and accelerate your impact, the time to act is now.


Close the Sustainability Capability Gap—With Action, Not Intention

True sustainability transformation demands more than good intentions. It requires measurable capabilities, strategic integration, and leadership alignment.

Ready to turn sustainability into your greatest competitive advantage?

🔹 Explore corporate training for your teams
🔹 Book 1:1 coaching to sharpen your strategy and impact
🔹 Or start with a free discovery call to build your roadmap

Your next move starts here—because capability builds credibility.

Sources

[1] Careers in Sustainability: ESG Roles and other Functional Pathways, accessed July 17 2025, https://enable.green/esg-roles/

[2] What kind of jobs can you get with a qualification in ESG? accessed July 17 2025, https://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/guides/what-kind-of-jobs-can-you-get-with-a-qualification-in-esg/

[3] Growing demand for green skills, accessed July 17 2025, https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/growing-demand-for-green-skills-6426801/

[4] Solving the sustainability careers and connection crisis | Trellis, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/04/solving-the-sustainability-careers-and-connection-crisis-eb4e55dc52/

[5] Embracing Employee-Driven Sustainability – Center for Human …, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://centerforhci.org/embracing-employee-driven-sustainability/

[6] Key ESG Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond – Cse-net.org, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://cse-net.org/the-future-of-corporate-sustainability-7-key-esg-trends-to-watch-in-2025-and-beyond/

[7] Digital Transformation vs Sustainability Transformation, What’s the …, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://2030.builders/understanding-the-difference-between-digital-transformation-and-sustainability-transformation/

[8] Powering Sustainability with AI: Exploring the Models Behind Smarter ESG Platforms, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://rimm.io/blog/powering-sustainability-with-ai-exploring-the-models-behind-smarter-esg-platforms/

[9] 7 Key ESG Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond – Cse-net.org, accessed on July 17, 2025, https://cse-net.org/the-future-of-corporate-sustainability-7-key-esg-trends-to-watch-in-2025-and-beyond/

[10] How much does recruitment cost? accessed on July 17, 2025,  https://www.paulharpersearch.co.uk/faqs/how-a-search-works/,

[11] Employee Turnover Statistics You Need to Know in 2025, accessed on July 17, 2025,  https://folksrh.com/en/blog/employee-turnover-statistics-you-need-to-know-in-2025/

Share This

Meet The Author

Dr. Enock Ebbah (EngD) is the founder of SustainabilityTransformations.com, a platform helping business leaders embed sustainability into culture, capability, and operations through evidence-based learning and development strategies. With 10+ years of experience bridging sustainability, engineering, and innovation, he helps organisations turn sustainability ambition into accountable action — faster and with measurable results.

Dr. Ebbah also leads the Ebbah Sustainability Academy, a global training hub trusted by over 3,000 professionals worldwide.

You can book a free discovery session to explore how your organisation can build internal sustainability champions, unlock workforce potential, and drive transformation at scale.

Book A Free Call

Checklist for Establishing Sustainability Business Case

To drive sustainability initiatives that secure executive support and funding, you need more than good intentions — you need a compelling business case.

This step-by-step checklist helps you turn sustainability ideas into financially sound, strategically aligned proposals that decision-makers can’t ignore.

Get This Checklist!