Building skills for a greener world
The transition to net-zero offers significant economic opportunities, driving innovation and job creation through the development of new products, technologies, and services. However, to create a fairer and more equitable society, we must ensure that everyone can participate in this emerging green economy. Therefore, ensuring underrepresented communities have equal access to the skills and training needed to secure quality green jobs is crucial.
To help address this challenge, Deloitte has partnered with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) to develop and deliver a green skills training course, 'Green skills for a green economy: An introduction to environmental sustainability'. This course is specifically designed to equip people, including underrepresented groups, with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a future driven by sustainability and gain access to fulfilling green career pathways.
The programme launched this spring, after a successful pilot in the UK and Middle East. Almost 400 people have taken part, ranging from university students and lecturers to those out of work. We also offered the training to prisoners with the aim of making them aware of the evolving economy, particularly the growth of the green sector. This knowledge can help them explore potential job opportunities, identify relevant skills, and consider future career paths upon their release. Taught online or in-person, it offers an introduction to environmental sustainability, an overview of how the economy is changing, and an outline of what this means for jobs and skills.
IEMA and Deloitte UK collaborated on a 2022 report, ‘A blueprint for green skills workforce transformation’, designed to help business leaders prepare to roll-out crucial green competences where they are needed throughout an organisation. The report found that individuals and roles within an organisation, regardless of seniority or specialism, will require a tailored combination of skills and behaviours to improve the performance of their team and organisation in the ‘green economy’. By bringing together two of our key ambitions – WorldClass which aims to empower 100 million people through skills, education and employment and WorldClimate, which supports the acceleration to a low-carbon economy – we believe we can make a significant impact.
“It’s exciting to be part of something that’s a real collaboration between multiple teams across different countries. There’s so much enthusiasm around this training, which is great. People are getting a lot from it and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.”
Charlotte Boyle, Deloitte NSE People and Purpose team
A foundation for future careers
The four-hour interactive course is led by a Deloitte facilitator. It’s packed with engaging videos, quizzes, case studies, jargon-busting and group discussion. At the end, participants receive an IEMA certificate, demonstrating their grounding in green skills.
“Our collaboration with IEMA came about because we want to see a fair and just transition to a green economy,” explains Deloitte NSE social impact manager, Charlotte Boyle. “We want to support people, including those in education and underrepresented groups, so they can make the most of opportunities the transition will offer. In the UK, the Ministry of Justice was keen to be involved and the pilot we ran in two prisons went really well.”
Charlotte adds, "We also want the training to be relevant and beneficial for people already in the workforce. We encourage participants to consider the implications of the net-zero transition for their current roles, teams, and organisations, and to explore how they can contribute to a more sustainable future."
Most of our 20 facilitators are Deloitte NSE Climate Champions in the UK and Middle East. Our Champions are enthusiastic about sustainability and encourage our people to embrace greener practices, at work and at home. Through this training, they volunteer their time to make a positive impact.
“Environmental education and youth empowerment are key pillars of Deloitte Middle East’s purpose and climate strategies. We feel privileged to work with our communities, especially university professors and students, to contribute to the region's sustainable development goals, and foster a resilient, innovative economy that can thrive in the face of environmental challenges, while also raising eco-conscious generations and instilling a strong sense of environmental responsibility in the region’s future leaders," explains Rana Ghandour Salhab, people and purpose partner, Deloitte Middle East.
Laila Takeh, strategy and innovation director, is one of the initiative’s leads and a course facilitator. “It’s been a brilliant experience, I was really inspired by the passion and knowledge of the participants. Watching this initiative grow from its origins as a report to delivering the training and making an impact in our community has been really inspiring.”
It’s also a valuable opportunity for facilitators to develop their own skills and hear fresh perspectives on the climate emergency. “One of the UK facilitators who delivered the course to prisoners said it was the best thing he’d done at Deloitte, which I think says it all,” adds Charlotte.
Scaling the impact
The course has engaged participants from 22 nationalities across three countries. Feedback has been extremely positive, with 89% believing it has helped them to develop knowledge or skills that will support their education or career goals, and 89% saying it has helped them to understand what actions they can take to make a difference for the environment.
“This training represents a pivotal advancement in harmonising our academic practices with both international sustainability benchmarks and the UAE's ambitious sustainability agenda. By empowering our students and faculty with this knowledge, we are not merely educating; we are cultivating a generation of sustainability advocates who are equipped to actively contribute to sustainable practices in their professional and personal spheres. Canadian University Dubai is dedicated to nurturing an academic environment that champions enduring environmental stewardship, aligning with the UAE's core values of innovation and sustainable development," explains Dr. Dima Jamali, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Canadian University Dubai.
Looking ahead, there are plans to grow the programme to have an even greater impact. This includes recruiting more facilitators in the UK and Deloitte Middle East and setting up the programme in more countries.
“We need to look after our planet and this requires changes across all sectors, including adaptations to existing work practices," shares Rybale Al Hage, corporate responsibility and sustainability leader. “But it relies on people understanding what environmental sustainability is.
“We’ve set out to provide this understanding through our training. The participants leave feeling empowered to contribute, through their careers, to addressing this significant global challenge.”
