The need for green initiatives in the workplace is increasing

In Spain, initiatives and regulations aimed at promoting environmental sustainability are gradually increasing. These actions are creating new job opportunities, especially in a labour market that is becoming more conscious of environmental issues and is in need of professionals skilled in energy and resource management.

A recent study called “VET in front of the challenge of environmental sustainability in Spain” made by Observatorio de la FP from Caixa Bank Dualiza y Orkestra – Insistuto Vasco de la Competitividad analysed 502 occupations and found that 23.3%, in other words 117, are categorized as “green sectors”. These professions come from areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, research and development, as well as administration and services that contribute significantly to the preservation and restoration of the environment.

Although the study focuses on the need for workers sensitive to environmental initiatives, as we have seen, the concept of green jobs is broad and spans many different professional fields. Therefore, it is essential to provide training for professionals in office-based sectors as well. The green initiatives must be introduced from the base and extend across the entire business structure. For this reason, not only vocational training programs need to adapt their programs to address these issues, but higher education programs should do so as well. An example of this is our MSc in Sustainable Financial Management and Data Analytics, which not only equips students with the competencies needed to address financial challenges and data analysis techniques, but also provides a solid foundation in the socio-environmental context for decision-making and control with a sustainable perspective.

Directors and workers need to be part of the change, regardless of their age. The mentioned study shows that professionals trained in these initiatives are mostly over 50 years old, highlighting the need to involve younger generations in this process. As mentioned, it is not necessary to abandon the professional sector that the students want to work. Today, there are many programs that naturally integrate these sustainability initiatives into their programs, like the one we cited earlier.

As the famous phrase goes, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The smallest contribution from each individual can make a difference.