Key Takeaways
- Rising gap in green skills demand versus supply: The demand for professionals with green skills is growing rapidly due to stricter environmental policies and shifting consumer preferences, but the supply of qualified candidates is not keeping pace.
- Talent strategies for bridging the gap: Companies can mitigate this talent shortage by forming educational partnerships, looking outside traditional backgrounds during recruiting, and setting up internal training programs to develop the necessary green skills within their existing workforce.
- Adapting for ESG maturity: As companies progress in their sustainability journey, they need to evolve their talent engagement strategies from relying on external consultants to developing in-house expertise, tailored to their level of ESG maturity.
- Building effective sustainability teams: Effective sustainability teams are diverse, blend various skills and backgrounds, and are integrated across the entire business. Inclusive hiring practices, cross-functional working groups, and job rotation can boost company-side sustainability knowledge, skills, and impact.
Listen: How to build high-impact sustainability teams in 2025.
As 2025 unfolds, the need for corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) action is more urgent than ever. Governments worldwide are setting stricter climate policies. At the same time, consumers increasingly prefer eco-friendly products and responsible brands. A recent IBM survey of 20,000 consumers across 26 countries underscores this trend. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said sustainability is key when choosing a brand. Moreover, 73% of those who care about sustainability would pay more for eco-friendly products. As a result, companies that want to stay ahead need to embed sustainability throughout their operations. This includes having strong ESG teams. These teams help companies comply with new rules and reach broader goals around resilience, innovation, and market leadership. In this article, we will look at trends in green skills and ways to build an effective Sustainability Team.
No matter where a corporation is on its sustainability journey, [its] ability and willingness to become more sustainable depends on its workforce—its people, from board and executives to employees in functional roles.
Work on Climate
Sustainable workforce trends
LinkedIn data reveals a significant trend: the demand for ESG skills is growing twice as fast as the supply of qualified professionals. By 2050, half of all green jobs are expected to lack the talent to fill them. The greatest demand is for skills in areas that have been the focus of government climate policies. These include renewable energy, supply chain decarbonization, and sustainable construction. This growth is not showing any signs of slowing as policymakers continue to ramp up their goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Gap between perceived employer needs and jobseeker green skills
Despite the rising demand, there is a worrying disconnect between what companies want and what job seekers offer. Employers are looking for candidates with green skills AND industry knowledge, but many job seekers have only the latter. Candidates feel stuck in a job market where, “to get green skills, you need a climate job, but to get a climate job, you need green skills.” This mismatch leaves companies struggling to find the right talent, while job seekers with the right technical experience can't find jobs in sustainability. The growing gap is also making it difficult for organizations to build robust Sustainability Teams.
Across 30+ industry expert interviews and 200+ survey results, we found critical misalignments between the green skills organizations hire for and the skills actually needed for the job. Organizations are over-prioritizing broad climate knowledge, while recently hired professionals cite specialized technical skills [as being] more important to succeed in their roles.
OnePointFive
Opportunities to bridge the gap
On the bright side, the green skills gap also represents an opportunity. Companies don't need to find perfect candidates who tick all the boxes. Instead, they can focus on finding individuals with relevant industry experience. For example, someone with strong financial skills might be a good fit for a carbon accounting job with some additional education. Companies can also discover new talent by offering training programs, working with universities, and providing internships. Some large companies are even setting up “green academies” to teach current employees new skills. These approaches help create a steady flow of skilled workers and deepen the internal focus on sustainability. Cross-sector collaboration—private, public, and nonprofit—can also accelerate workforce development.
Siemens Energy has launched in-house training programs, co-op programs, and apprenticeship programs and has external partnerships with universities and technical schools. Developing cross-training programs or contributing to the development of these programs, is essential for the workforce to stay ahead of technology developments and to adopt rapidly evolving best practices.
OnePointFive
Tailoring talent strategies to align with ESG maturity
Organizations at various levels of ESG maturity often use different approaches to talent engagement. In the early stages, hiring external consultants is a cost-effective method. These consultants can provide specialized knowledge without the need for a full-time team. They can assess product life cycles, measure carbon emissions, and create plans for meeting new regulations.
Shifting from external consultants to in-house talent
However, organizations often bring those skills in-house as they advance in their ESG journey. Once sustainability is a key part of decision-making, relying only on outside consultants can slow progress and limit learning. By building an internal team with green skills such as carbon accounting and sustainable procurement, businesses can embed sustainability into day-to-day operations. This also helps them keep valuable knowledge within the company for ongoing improvement.
In 2022, 35% of companies had hired more consultants because of increased investor pressure related to ESG disclosures, and 50% had added one or more staff. Two years later, the trend has shifted—only 14% of companies hired consultants, while 67% added one or more full-time staff.
GreenBiz/Trellis
4 stages of ESG maturity and talent engagement
Work on Climate identifies four key stages in the development of ESG maturity as it relates to engaging talent:
- Pre-sustainability: The focus is on building internal motivation and making the business case for sustainability. There is no dedicated sustainability staff, although there may be staff in ESG adjacent areas such as environmental health and safety (EHS), supply chain management, etc.
- Compliance: A senior-level person is designated to “own” sustainability, and the company may hire its first ESG staff. External consultants are engaged, and software is purchased to support compliance activities. The company publishes its first sustainability report with baseline GHG emissions.
- Implementation: A full-time Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is on board, and they have established a dedicated Sustainability Team—typically between one and ten people. Corporate reports outline specific strategies and progress, and the company has launched sustainability training programs. Some functional areas, such as supply chain and communications, have sustainability elements and budgets.
- Expansion: The focus has shifted to embedding sustainability across the entire business through company-wide culture-building and upskilling. Sustainability initiatives are mainly implemented by employees in functional roles, and companies may engage partners or customers to become involved with sustainability efforts.
Practical steps for building a strong Sustainability Team
As a company’s ESG maturity grows, it must answer several questions: Which skills should we hire and when? How can we align sustainability with business goals and embed it across the company? And how can we expand ESG efforts over time? Here are seven steps to create a strong sustainability team that drives real impact:
1. Assess your skill needs and gaps
Begin by gauging your current ESG maturity. Then, conduct a materiality assessment. This will show you which green skills you need. For example, a manufacturer may need supply chain experts, while a financial firm might focus on ESG risk analysis. Compare these needs to your existing talent and note any gaps.
2. Develop a diverse talent strategy
Determine which roles you need to meet your ESG goals. The most effective Sustainability Teams bring together varied skill sets and backgrounds. Create a roadmap for building capabilities over time. This might include training current employees or hiring new specialists. It could also include collaboration with universities to develop new talent pipelines. Look beyond traditional backgrounds and use inclusive hiring to attract diverse talent.
3. Integrate sustainability across the business
Avoid siloed Sustainability Teams. Integrate ESG practices into all business functions and decision-making processes. Embed sustainability roles across departments like Operations, Finance, and Marketing. Form cross-functional groups and let employees rotate jobs to boost sustainability knowledge. As one CSO said, “A good sustainability team is invisible; it is about building the skills across the whole organization.”
4. Establish clear governance and performance incentives
Define roles, reporting lines, and decision-making processes. Get executives involved through steering committees or some other means. Ensure that senior leaders help drive the sustainability agenda. Tie sustainability goals to performance reviews, bonuses, and other rewards to foster accountability. Conduct periodic reviews of governance and incentives to align with changing priorities.
5. Embrace technology and continuous learning
Equip your teams with the right sustainability software to manage ESG data. Train staff and allow employees to attend relevant conferences and workshops. Explore resources such as free or low-cost classes, including those from universities, ESG reporting standards, and sustainability protocols. Stay informed of new learning options by subscribing to sustainability newsletters.
Case study: Boeing partnered with a university to launch a sustainability boot camp for its staff. Sheila Remes, Boeing's Vice President of Environmental Sustainability, said that the program provided an opportunity to integrate the principles of sustainability into all functions of the business, and turn the principles into action.
6. Promote a culture of innovation
Encourage creative problem-solving and provide resources for sustainability-focused initiatives. Use hackathons, pilot projects, and other ways to test new ideas for solving sustainability challenges. Celebrate wins to keep teams motivated. Fostering a culture of innovation like this can uncover breakthroughs in sustainable materials, processes, and beyond.
7. Cultivate strategic partnerships
Recognize that you can’t do everything in-house. Collaborate with outside experts, universities, NGOs, and industry peers. They can help strengthen your sustainability efforts. Also, connect with sustainability-focused startups or accelerators to stay ahead of the curve.
Case study: SSE, a top UK energy company at the forefront of the energy transition, has followed many of these steps. Since 2022, it has hired a new senior sustainability leader, formed steering committees, and completed a double materiality assessment. SSE also collaborates with various partners on ESG initiatives and trains / upskills its staff. In 2023 / 2024, 40% of its direct workforce came from high-carbon roles. This shows how tapping into overlapping skills can be an effective way to find green talent.
Start building your ESG Team today with Aquent
Building a future-ready sustainability workforce demands a strategic approach. High-impact ESG teams are essential for complying with rigorous regulations, addressing evolving consumer expectations, and maintaining a competitive advantage. The current green skills gap is a challenge. However, it offers an opportunity for organizations to shape the next generation of talent. Whether through academic partnerships, training programs, or internal upskilling, businesses can nurture the sustainability skills they need for today and tomorrow.
Ultimately, sustainability must be part of the entire organization—not just one department. Leaders who champion sustainability, invest in people, and promote a culture of accountability and innovation will pave the way for success in a carbon constrained world. For businesses ready to take the next step, partnering with talent experts like Aquent can accelerate recruitment, training, and development of the right ESG skills. Aquent’s deep understanding of the evolving green skills landscape and diverse talent pool can help organizations build the high-impact Sustainability Teams they need to thrive in the years ahead.
Looking to bolster your sustainability efforts? Aquent Sustainability is here to help. Whether you're building an in-house Sustainability Team or need an expert to advise on best practices, our sustainability recruitment and consulting services help companies grow their impact. Get in touch.
About the authors
Jody Mousseau is currently VP of Sustainability Development and Co-Chair of the DEIB Council at Aquent. She has over twenty-five years of combined management consulting, client relationship management, and sales leadership experience and a strong passion for sustainable living and social justice. Jody joined Aquent in 2015 in a business development role and subsequently also worked on the recruiting side of the business. Her goals include creating meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues, creating safe and inclusive spaces for all, and normalizing diversity and sustainability in life every day.
Julie Yamamoto is a sustainability, Climate & Tech Content Strategist. She has over 20 years of global experience creating ESG, B2B tech, and environmental communications for multiple sectors. Her work has been featured in leading platforms, including Forbes, TechTarget, GreenBiz, and American Forests, as well as in numerous enterprise and nonprofit digital channels. In previous roles, she led content marketing for Cloverly, OneTrust’s ESG & Sustainability Cloud, and the IBM Center for Applied Insights. A trained Climate Reality leader, Julie has driven sustainability initiatives such as IBM AI for Social Good (Environment), Watson Green Advisor, Forests for the Earth, and data science for conservation efforts. She holds a Master of Science in Marketing Management from Nanzan University and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Oglethorpe University.
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