In 2022, 774 job advertisements were published in Italy regarding positions related to the world of sustainability. A figure that places Italy in fourth place in the European ranking, preceded by Germany with 3,824 ads, France with 2,489 and the United Kingdom with 2,096; Spain closes the ranking with 427 job offers. Our country therefore has ample room for growth in the search for profiles capable of supporting the sustainable transition of companies, but it is also the country that has experienced the fastest growth in terms of job supply in the field of sustainability: the number of advertisements is 22 times higher than in 2019.
IN EUROPE
These are some of the main findings of the research carried out by Sustainability Makers , which analyses the key skills most in demand by companies for sustainability-related roles in Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The study is based on the analysis of data from job advertisements published in 2022 on the major online supply and demand platforms, provided by Lightcast, an international company specializing in the collection and analysis of data on the labor market.
New skills
There is also a lot of variation across countries in the key skills required by companies for sustainability-related roles. Not surprisingly, in all countries, the most common keywords in ads are sustainability, ESG and sustainability reporting; however, it is interesting that the demand for skills in the area of environmental sustainability is emerging, especially in France and the United Kingdom, where the term net-zero is often mentioned.
"This figure indicates the growing emphasis placed by some countries around the fight against climate change," comments Matteo Pedrini, Scientific Director of Sustainability Makers and Director of ALTIS. In fact, the analysis highlights a specific element common to all countries: competence in communication is now recognized as fundamental for roles related to sustainability In the United Kingdom, the term communication appears in 43.8% of ads, followed by France (38.7%), Italy (28.4%), Germany (25.8%) and Spain (21.5%). "This figure underlines the importance of effectively communicating sustainability initiatives both inside and outside the organization, so as to foster recognition of commitment by stakeholders, promote a positive orientation around companies and contribute to the dissemination of good practices in the various sectors," continues Pedrini.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Finally, consulting skills and abilities are in high demand, particularly in Italy where these requests more than doubled between 2019 and 2022. In the company, this may mean that the sustainability manager is required to be an internal consultant to the various company functions to align strategies with ESG criteria and make them consistent with the sustainable path initiated by the organization; just as in consulting firms it can involve working closely with clients, entering deeply into their type of business, to understand the needs and propose solutions capable of improving the environmental and social impact.
"Sustainability skills have become an essential passport to entering both companies and consulting firms: developing these skills is a strategic move of vital importance for anyone wishing to take on the challenges of this millennium," adds Pedrini. Within the research, the demand for sustainability skills in job advertisements for non-sustainability-related roles, such as HR, Finance and others, was also analyzed, revealing that these skills are only minimally required; In particular, the demand for expertise in environmental impact mitigation strategies is what emerges in some announcements.
NECESSARY KNOW-HOW
"The strategic definition and implementation of social and environmental sustainability pathways in European companies remains firmly in the hands of sustainability professionals. However, an even more significant contribution to sustainable development can be made when even those who are not directly involved in the sustainability function acquire skills in this area," concludes Pedrini. The results of the research were included in an English-language publication published by Giappichelli entitled "The quest for sustainability: which competencies are sought by companies? ", with free download from the Sustainability Makers website .