Global Insights White Paper

Building Competitive Advantage with

A People-First
Green Business
Transformation

© ManpowerGroup 2024
 01
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
– Building a People-First Green Business Transformation

02
Where Is the Green Future of Work?
– A Global Green Rush for Talent
– Green Jobs of the Future
– Green Skills in Demand

03
Bringing Workers Along for the
Green Transition
– Mind the Green Sentiment Gaps
– What Workers Want
– How Workers Feel

04
Key Drivers of the Green Transition
– Growing Green Government Action
– Increased Consumer & Investor Demand
for Sustainability

05
Building Green Competitive Advantage
– The Key Pillars of Green Strategic Workforce Planning
– It’s Not Easy Being Green: Client Success Stories
– Global Workforce Solutions to Accelerate Green
Business Transformation

People-First Green Business Transformation | 2

 01 Executive Summary 02 03 04 05

Executive Building a People-First Green

Business Transformation
Summary
As the global transition to a greener economy evolves,
sustainability goals alone are no longer enough. Growing
demand for action to address climate change from
consumers, investors and government policymakers will
accelerate the need for green business transformation. As a
result, opportunities for a larger portion of the workforce to
participate in the green economy around the world will grow.
By 2030, the green transition is expected to create up to
30 million new jobs.1

However, this green transition is happening during a time of

growing talent scarcity. Three-quarters of employers globally
(75%) say they are struggling to find the skilled talent they
need.2 An even larger majority (94%) say they do not have
the skilled talent to achieve their Environmental, Social and
Governance (ESG) goals.3

In addition, the process of reaching the goal of net zero

emissions cannot happen in a vacuum. The promise of a
net zero future across energy, transportation, agriculture,
housing and infrastructure will be unmet if the societal
impact on jobs, access and affordability is not considered.
Business leaders must close the gap by helping workers
develop the skills they need for the green jobs of the future.

Even though it is still relatively early days of the global

green transition at scale, our research has already
identified hundreds of unique green jobs and skills. This
ManpowerGroup Global Insights study explores the impact
of the green transition on the future of work for employers
and workers.

1
IEA study 2
ManpowerGroup Global Talent Shortage study

3
The Search for ESG Talent

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 3

01 Executive Summary 02 03 04 05

Five Key Takeaways for Employers

Bring Workers Along: Many green industries are still new. Our research
shows some workers are concerned by the accelerating pace of change
and may not understand how their current skills could translate into
more lucrative careers in emerging growth industries. Employers need to
clearly communicate this to current and prospective workers.

Share Your Green Story: Many organizations have compelling

sustainability stories, but they will not support their employer value
proposition (EVP) if candidates never see them. In recent workforce
sentiment research, a significant portion of candidates said
environmental leadership made a positive impact on their consideration
of job opportunities.

Build a Skills Foundation: The World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates

60% of the global workforce will need upskilling and reskilling before
2027.4 A skilled and innovative workforce is critical to accelerate the
adoption and commercialization of green technology. Consequently,
upskilling and reskilling at scale in a time of increasing talent scarcity will
ultimately drive differentiation and boost your business’ bottom line.

Leverage the Power of Data: There are more sources of workforce data,
machine learning support and artificial intelligence (AI) tools than ever
before. Organizations risk a missed opportunity if they do not apply
them to their green strategic workforce planning.

The Time Is Now:5 The green transition will create up to 30 million

new jobs at the same time talent scarcity is increasing, due to the
demographic reality of slowing population growth and an aging
workforce in most advanced economies.

4
World Economic Forum 2023 Future of Jobs Report 5
IEA study

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 01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Where Is the Green Future of Work?

Business leaders and policymakers know the global
transition to a greener and more sustainable economy
is accelerating. However, they may not know where the
green transition is accelerating the most rapidly around the
world. What are the green jobs of the future? What are the
green skills of the future? To build a global green workforce
strategy, this is an essential starting point for HR and
business leaders.

A Global Green Rush for Talent

With the green transition gaining momentum, recruiters
and hiring managers around the world are beginning to
accelerate their green talent acquisition and upskilling
efforts. To measure the magnitude of green hiring
intentions, ManpowerGroup surveyed nearly 39,000
employers in 41 countries to learn how actively they were
recruiting for green jobs and skills.

Across industries, the green consensus from hiring managers

was strong. The majority of employers (70%) said they
are currently or actively planning to recruit green talent.
The strongest recruiting intentions (81%) were found in the
Energy & Utilities sector, given the strong global growth of
renewable energy production. Hiring managers said they
were most actively seeking green talent for Manufacturing
& Production (36%), Operations & Logistics (31%) and
Information Technology (30%) roles.6

70%
of employers said they are
planning to recruit green talent

6
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey

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01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Percentage of employers Green jobs:

currently or planning to Demand by industry vertical8
recruit for green jobs & skills7
Energy & Utilities 81%
Argentina 61%
Australia 59% Information Technology 77%
Austria 64%
Belgium 63% Financials & Real Estate 75%
Brazil 74%
Industrials & Materials 74%
Canada 67%
China 94% Transport, Logistics
Colomiba 78% 73%
& Automotive
Costa Rica 79%
Czech Republic 64% Communication Services 68%
Finland 74%
France 65% Consumer Goods 65%
Germany 66%
Greece Healthcare & Life Sciences 64%
68%
Guatemala 63%
Global Average 70%
Hong Kong 83%
Hungary 67%
India 84%
Ireland 64%
Israel 67% Green jobs:
Italy 70% Demand by job function9
Japan 43%
Mexico 72%
The Netherlands Manufacturing & Production 36%
65%
Norway 77% Operations & Logistics 31%
Panama 73%
Peru 74% IT & Data 30%
Poland 63%
Portugal 65% Sales & Marketing 27%
Puerto Rico 73%
Romania Engineering 26%
74%
Singapore 77% Administrative &
Slovakia 66% 25%
Office Support
South Africa 68%
Spain 68% Human Resources 25%
Sweden 69%
Switzerland 67%
Taiwan 75%
Turkey 81%
United Kingdom 71%
United States 75%
Global Average 70% 7, 8, 9
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey

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01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Green Jobs of the Future

The World Economic Forum expects The Different Shades of
global green business transformation Green Jobs
to become the largest driver of job
creation in the coming years.10 As the
green transition expands, it is important Green jobs are current roles
to consider the future of green jobs will that contribute to environmental
expand much further than the typical green sustainability but do not require
jobs we think of today eventually becoming new skills.
a significant part of every industry globally.

Greening jobs are existing roles

Today, the green world of work is changing
that are becoming more impactful
as many new direct and adjacent jobs
to environmental sustainability and
needed for the transition are created.
require some new skills.
It is helpful to examine the green jobs
landscape through the lens of changing
skills. There are established green jobs, Green+ jobs are new roles being
such as wind turbine technicians or created to accelerate environmental
solar panel installers. They contribute to sustainability and will require many
environmental sustainability and require new skills.
green skills, but those skills are not rapidly
changing.
Green skills are the knowledge, soft
and technical abilities, values and
Greening jobs are existing roles where
attitudes needed to live in, develop
there are more significant skills changes
and support a sustainable and
to increase environmental impact.
resource-efficient society.
Examples include automotive technicians
or engineers due to ongoing vehicle
electrification. Finally, Green+ jobs are new Non-green jobs are roles that do not
roles which require a significant number contribute to an employer’s overall
of new skills. For example, emerging environmental sustainability.
technologies such as direct carbon capture
or hydrogen technology will create Green+
jobs which do not exist today.

10
World Economic Forum 2023 Future of Jobs Report

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01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Green Skills in Demand

Only 1 in 8
workers has more
Across industries, green skills are in short supply. Three-
quarters (75%) of employers around the world say they
are struggling to find skilled talent.11 For employers seeking
than one green skill skilled green talent specifically, they say their greatest
challenges are finding qualified workers (44%), creating
relevant upskilling programs (39%) and identifying applicable
existing skills (36%).12

The global green skills gap is substantial. Today, only 1 in 8

workers has more than one green skill.13 This creates both a
challenge for employers and substantial missed opportunity
for workers, as the median hiring rate for workers with
at least one green skill is 29% higher than the workforce
average. In addition, the number of job postings requiring at
least one green skill grew 15% YOY in early 2023.14

Green skills gaps are particularly acute within highly

technical industries, such as renewable energy and
automotive. The European Institute of Technology (EIT)
recently studied green jobs and skills needs within the
battery supply chain. In the battery value chain alone, they
identified 100 unique green jobs and 75 highly technical
skills needed.15 It is worth considering this is still an industry
in its relative infancy, since only 14% of new cars sold in
2022 were electric.16 The number of roles and skills needed
in this industry will continue to grow, as global battery
production scales up to meet growing demand.

11
ManpowerGroup Global Talent Shortage Survey 12
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey

13, 14
LinkedIn Global Green Skills Report 15
EIT InnoEnergy Skills Institute Study 16
IEA Research

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 8

01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Required jobs Raw Materials and Cell and Battery Pack

in the battery value Processing Manufacturing

chain17
Advanced purchasing analyst Battery design engineer

Battery material engineer Battery software engineer

Battery material technician Calibration technician

Business controller Compliance manager

Calibration technician Data scientist

Cleanroom engineer Engineering manager

Data scientist Health and safety manager

Environmental analyst Logistics manager

Equipment engineer Maintenance technician

Equipment technician Manufacturing engineer

Inventory technician Manufacturing operator

Laboratory technician Operations manager

Material handler Plant shift leader

Mining engineer Process engineer

Quality control engineer Production technician

Raw materials sourcing analyst Purchasing analyst/specialist

R&D engineer Quality engineer

Safety manager R&D engineer

Supply chain analyst Systems design engineer

Technical manager Test engineer

Stationary Storage Battery Recycling &

Electromobility
Applications Second-Life Batteries
Automotive engineer Application engineer Battery materials technician
Automotive safety performance Battery analytics data scientist Battery recycling specialist
engineer
Battery algorithms engineer Battery algorithms engineer Chemical engineer

Battery maintenance technician Battery system engineer Compliance specialist

Battery management systems BESS service technician End of warranty manager
engineer
Battery system engineer Commissioning engineer Environmental engineer

Compliance manager Compliance manager Health & safety specialist

Design engineer Controls engineer Inventory technician

Electric vehicles service technician Data engineer Machine operator

Engineering technician Electrical engineer (BESS) Metallurgist

Equipment technician Embedded systems engineer Process operator

EV Sales manager Environmental analyst R&D scientist

Functional safety engineer Innovation manager R&D technician

Lab engineer Installation technician Recycling collector

Production assembly operator Maintenance manager Recycling process engineer

R&D engineer Mechanical design engineer Recycling technician

Safety engineering technician Operations manager Second-life battery project engineer

System controls engineer Quality technician Service technician

Test technician Software engineer Technical lead recycling

Vehicle testing & operations manager System design engineer Warehouse operations supervisor

17
EIT InnoEnergy Skills Institute Study A People-First Green Business Transformation | 9
01 02 Where Is the Green Future of Work? 03 04 05

Required skills Raw Materials and Cell and Battery Pack

in the battery value Processing Manufacturing

chain18
Anode & cathode materials Battery chemistries & technologies

Automation in mining Battery design

Battery materials Battery handling & electrical safety

Characterisation techniques Battery manufacturing process

Chemical engineering Battery testing & quality control

Chemical safety Cell design

Data analysis Clean & dry room processes

Environmental management Data science

Machine handling Electrochemistry

Material refinement Failure analysis

Materials science Preventive & predictive maintenance

Measurement & control Quality control & inspection

Raw material extraction Root cause analysis

Sourcing Software engineering

Supply chain management Troubleshooting

Stationary Storage Battery Recycling /

Electromobility
Applications Second Life
Automotive engineering Battery components Battery design & components

Battery management systems Battery management systems Battery dismantling

Data analysis Battery system design & integration Battery materials

Diagnosis of defects in EVs BESS installation Chemical engineering

Drivetrain components Data analysis Data analysis

Electrical safety Diagnostics Environmental management

EV battery design & chemistries Electrical safety Hazardous waste handling

EV battery maintenance & servicing Equipment & tools handling Inventory control

EV homologation & testing Failure analysis Material recovery

Failure analysis Grid & off-grid applications Material science

LV & HV battery systems Performance prediction Process engineering

Performance prediction Power electronics Quality control

Safety standards Monitoring & control Recycling equipment handling

Software engineering Safety standards Reuse & repurposing of batteries

Troubleshooting & repair Troubleshooting & repair Safety standards & regulations

Partnering to Close Skills Gaps in Battery Manufacturing

ManpowerGroup is partnering with the InnoEnergy Skills Institute to help train
and upskill up to 800,000 workers throughout the European battery supply chain
by 2025.19

18
EIT InnoEnergy Skills Institute Study 19
ManpowerGroup

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 10

 01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

Bringing Workers Along for the

Green Transition
Nearly all employers in every industry (94%) said they
don’t have the talent they need to achieve their ESG
goals.20 Bringing workers along is critical, as organizations
transition their business to greener and cleaner technology.
We recently examined workforce opinions about the green
transition in seven countries and identified opportunities
for employers.

The following research is based on an online survey of 5,029

workers, who were either in full- or part-time employment or
actively looking for work, conducted in October 2023. The
data is weighted equally between the following markets:
United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain,
The Netherlands and Switzerland.21

94% of employers
say they don’t have the
talent they need to achieve
their ESG goals

Mind the Green Sentiment Gaps

Our recent research shows the growing sophistication of
the green transition. On the one hand, it identifies key
differences among groups of workers, industries and
countries. At the same time, it illustrates shared optimism
about the future. Employers should avoid the temptation to
find a one-size-fits-all message for sustainability and the
green transition.

20
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey

21
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

Blue- and Industry Gaps

White-Collar Workers
There are noticeable differences in green
More than half of all workers (66%) say enthusiasm between industries. Workers
they are ready to embrace the green in the Information Technology and
transition; however, there is a gap between Financials & Real Estate industries are the
blue- and white-collar workers. While 70% most likely to express readiness for the
of white-collar workers say they are ready green transition within their organization.
to embrace the green transition, only 57% At the same time, workers in the Energy
of their blue-collar peers say the same. & Utilities and Transport, Logistics &
In addition, a significant portion of both Automotive sectors are less optimistic.
groups of workers (23%) say they
are unsure. These varying levels of excitement are
particularly interesting when you consider
that, around the world, substantial
Most Workers Are Ready — Many Still investments are currently being made in
Have Questions green energy and vehicle electrification.
Do you think you are ready to embrace Given the lower sentiment is found in
the green transition of your company and industries with a higher number of blue-
the economy? collar workers, this is likely another
illustration of the perception gap.
Yes (White-Collar: 70% , Blue-Collar: 57%) 66%

Unsure 23% Percentage of Workers Ready

to Embrace Green Transition
No 11% by Industry

Information Technology 75%

Workers who are ready to embrance
the green transition:22 Financials & Real Estate 74%

70%
Consumer Goods & Services 68%
white-collar
workers Industry Average 66%

Healthcare & Life Sciences 66%

Industrials & Materials 65%

57% blue-collar
workers
Communication Services

Energy & Utilities

64%

64%

Transport, Logistics
62%
& Automotive

22
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

Perception Gaps

When workers across countries were asked how committed they felt their employer was to
the green transition, it unveiled some interesting gaps. Workers in The Netherlands, Germany,
United Kingdom and Spain are more optimistic; however, they were more skeptical in
Switzerland (50%), the United States (47%) and France (47%).

Employee and employer perception gaps are currently misaligned, based on the percentage of
employers in the same countries saying they are currently or actively planning to recruit green
jobs and skills. In the U.S., the gap is particularly pronounced. Despite the accelerating pace
of global green business transformation, less than half of employees believe their employer is
truly committed to the green transition.

Worker Perception of Employer Green Commitment vs. Employer Intentions to

Recruit Green Talent by Country

Employees Who Believe Their Employer Employers Actively or Planning to

Country
Is Committed to Green Transition23 Recruit for Green Jobs24

The Netherlands 60% 65%

Germany 57% 66%

United Kingdom 56% 71%

Spain 55% 68%

Global Average 53% 68%

Switzerland 50% 67%

United States 47% 75%

France 47% 65%

There is also a gap when workers consider their impact on Employee Industry
the green transition. When asked whether they would prefer Preference
to work in a green industry with less future impact or a
currently “dirty” industry with more potential to make an Already Green
Industry, 55%
impact, most (55%) would prefer to be in an industry with a
Less Potential Impact
green reputation instead of one perceived as harmful (14%).
Perceived
This choice lacks rationale, as the latter would mean helping Environmentally
14%
drive a larger net reduction of carbon emissions and a greater Harmful Industry,
More Potential Impact
positive impact on the environment. Nevertheless, employers
who may be perceived as “dirty” today should not lose hope.
No Preference 31%
This perception gap can be closed by more effectively telling
your green story to current and prospective employees.

23
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023 24
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, Q3 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

What Workers Want

Overall, most workers are optimistic about the green transition, which is good news for
employers investing in building greener future business models. Green progress is part of the
consideration process when workers evaluate a job opportunity — they want to see progress
more than pledges. It is also increasingly important to Gen Z and Millennial workers and,
consequently, should be a consideration as employers recruit the next generation of talent. It is
worth noting, however, that a significant portion of the workforce still remains skeptical.

A Little Less Talk, Top Green Factors and Influence on

Job Consideration
A Lot More Action
Positive Impact
We asked employees to consider two equal
job offers from two different companies
Clear and visible action
and how much green factors, such as clear
taken to address 60%
and visible action to address environmental
environmental issues
issues, vocal environmental responsibility
or ambitious environmental targets, Leaders vocal about
would have an influence on their decision. commitment to environmental 54%
Workers say clear action to address responsibility
environmental issues is the most likely to
positively influence their decision, while a Ambitious company
52%
poor reputation on environmental issues environmental targets
is the most likely to negatively influence
their decision.
Negative Impact

When you combine the top positive and

Poor company reputation on
negative drivers, the key takeaway for HR 68%
environmental issues
business leaders is authenticity. Employers
with a positive reputation and track record
No clear company
of environmental stewardship action will be 49%
environmental commitments
in the best position to attract talent.

Leaders who don’t focus on

48%
environmental issues

60%
of workers say clear action to address environmental
issues will positively influence job consideration25

25
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

Greenlighting the Next Sector Standouts for

Generation of Talent Sustainability Reputation
Importance
Nearly two-thirds (62%) of all workers
say they research an organization’s Two sectors with a reputation for innovation
environmental reputation and roughly and analytical thinking stand out when
one-third (35%) say it impacts their we look at the influence of environmental
decision to accept or reject a job offer. reputation by industry. An organization’s
While the figures are lower for more green reputation is the most important
experienced workers, they increase for and the most likely to influence job
candidates who are newer to the job offer decisions for workers in the IT and
market. Among respondents aged 18-24, Financials & Real Estate sectors.
75% say they will research an organization’s
environmental reputation, and almost half This is an important consideration for
(46%) believe it will impact their likelihood employers in all industries because these two
of choosing a particular employer. sectors have historically led to innovation
and adoption of emerging workforce
This same age group is also more likely trends. It is also worth noting that employer
to say clear and visible action to address environmental reputation has an impact on
environmental issues will positively hiring decisions in every industry today.
influence their decision to work for
an employer. As a growing number of
Importance of Environmental
employees reach retirement age, it Reputation for Job Consideration
will become increasingly important for by Industry27
employers to use every opportunity —
Average: 62% 35%
including their green transition story — to 72%
attract this generation of environmentally 66% 65% 66%
conscious talent.
47%
42% 37% 37%
Importance of Environmental
Reputation for Job Consideration
by Age26
Average: 62% 35% Information Financials & Energy & Industrials
Technology Real Estate Utilities & Materials

73% 64%
70% 58% 60% 61%

56%
51% 34% 34% 33%
34%

45% 42%
31%
25% Healthcare & Transport, Communication Consumer
Life Sciences Logistics & Services Goods &
Gen Z Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers Automotive Services

Check company’s reputation on Check company’s reputation on environmental

environmental responsibility (NET) responsibility and it IMPACTS their decision

26, 27
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

How Workers Feel

Throughout the data, we have seen the importance of worker perceptions of the green
transition and its impact on employer favorability. This is why it is also important to consider
worker opinions about the green transition. If employers cannot attract and retain the future
workforce they need, they will not be able to achieve their green business transformation
goals, which may also impact delivery of their overall business ambitions.

65%
of workers
Keen on Green

We asked workers to describe how they felt about the green

feel positive transition. For most (65%), the feelings were positive, and
about the confidence (29%) was the top answer used to describe its future
green impact on their career.
transition
It is worth noting that, overall, white-collar workers were slightly
more optimistic about the future impact on their career than
blue-collar workers. In addition, a significant portion of workers
expressed neutral (34%) or negative (15%) feelings about the future.

Green Transition Worker Sentiment28

Which of the following best describes how you feel about the following transitions impacting
your career?

Confident 29%
Enthusiastic 27%
Calm 25%
Excited 20%
Intrigued 19%
Unintrested 9%
Confused 7%
Nervous 6%
Panicked 3%
Terrified 3%

Positive (65%) Neutral (34%) Negative (15%)

28
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

So, What Does It Mean?

In addition to measuring overall worker Once again, we see generational gaps in

sentiment, we also asked employees the data. Gen Z and Millennial workers
to consider how the green transition believe it would have a more positive
would impact their day-to-day work. The impact on their daily work than Gen X
majority (56%) believed it would create and Baby Boomer workers. Despite this
new opportunities, such as increased observation, even among respondents
job satisfaction, opportunities for career aged 55-74, nearly half (44%) believe the
development and more collaboration. green transition would have a positive
Meanwhile, one-third (34%) anticipated impact on their day-to-day work.
minor negative impacts, such as increased
bureaucracy or business difficulty.

Green Transition Impact on Daily Work29

How do you think the Green Transition will impact your day-to-day activities at your current job or a new job?

33% Increasing satisfaction

27% Creating more opportunities to develop my career

23% Increasing collaboration and communication between teams and coworkers

18% Adding more bureaucracy and paperwork

16% Increasing difficult in sourcing talent and products

9% Reducing number of opportunities to develop my career

1% Other
Positive (65%) Negative (34%)
22% None of the above

Green Transition Impact on Daily Work by Age30

How do you think the Green Transition wil impact your day-to-day activities as you do your job / in a potential new job?

66% 64%
Positive
changes (NET)
51%
Creating new opportunities
to develop my career 44%

35% 34%
23%
15%
Gen Z Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers

29, 30
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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01 02 03 Bringing Workers Along for the Green Transition 04 05

Tell Me More

When we asked workers to consider what skills they think would

be most important as their role evolves amid the green transition,
a curious trend emerged. While they still consider creativity,
problem-solving and IT to be valuable skills, awareness of the
environmental impact of their role tops the list. This perfectly
aligns with the concept of bringing workers along for the green
transition. For years, sustainability has been a staple of corporate
messaging and scripted remarks by policymakers, but what does
it really mean for the individual worker? What does it mean for
their future? What skills do they need? Employers who can answer
these questions will be able to successfully build and retain the
skilled workforce they need for the future green economy.

47% of workers think the most

important green skill is awarness of the
environmental impact of their role31

Most Important Green Skills32

What are the most important skills for you to have in order for your role to transition to being more green?

47% Awareness of environmental impact of your role

33% Creativity and innovation skills

32% Problem-solving and analytical skills

26% Information and technology skills

25% Communication and collaboration skills

22% Leadership and managment skills

21% Ability to build inclusivity and fairness

20% Ability to address bias and social injustice

15% None of the above

31, 32
ManpowerGroup Green Workforce Survey, October 2023

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 01 02 03 04 Key Drivers of the Green Transition 05

Key Drivers of the Green Transition

The green transition is accelerating due to growing interest
from key stakeholders including governments, consumers and
investors. As the impact of global climate change continues
to grow, there will be increasing demands by stakeholders to
take action. Understanding the key drivers — and going beyond
compliance — will be the key to future business differentiation.

Growing Green Government Action

The United Nations’ Climate Change Conference of the
Parties (COP) regularly convenes with representatives from
198 countries to mitigate global climate change and preserve
biodiversity. COP is an annual meeting intended to drive
multilateral action to achieve the goals of the 2015 Paris
Agreement, including limiting climate change to 1.5°C above
preindustrial levels and achieving global carbon neutrality
by 2050.33

In order to deliver on their COP-related promises, government

actions across trading blocs, regions and countries are pressing
organizations to adopt their own net zero commitments. These
include the European Union (EU) €225 billion Green Deal
Industrial Plan and the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act,
providing $369 billion for clean energy.34 In addition, multilateral
efforts in South Asia and the priorities of the Chinese
government are both focusing on climate mitigation (reducing
CO2) and adaptation — reducing the effect of climate change.

To answer the growing global call to action, nearly 6 in 10

(58%) Fortune 500 CEOs have now set their own ambitious
net zero emissions targets, almost double the number (36%)
reporting similar targets just two years ago in 2021.35

58% Fortune 500 CEOs

have set net zero emissions targets

33
United Nations 34
ManpowerGroup Greening World of Work Report 35
Fortune

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01 02 03 04 Key Drivers of the Green Transition 05

The challenge for policymakers has Key Principles of Just

been translating global ambition to
and Equitable Transition37
reduce climate change into concrete
regulations and actions at home without
harming key stakeholders. As a result, Support workers in the transition
they are increasingly trying to balance to new jobs

the simultaneous transition away from

Promote social dialogue and
carbon-intensive economic activity to a
stakeholder engagement
greener economic future.

Drive equitable economic

1. Transition out of carbon-intensive opportunities
sectors and the importance of
responsibly exiting these activities so Create opportunities for local,
as not to harm governments, workers, inclusive and meaningul work
or communities dependent on these
assets (e.g., mining for coal). Manage sustainable and
responsible supply chain
sourcing
2. Transition in to low-carbon economies,
which can risk exploitation of workers
Maintain the reporting standards
involved, e.g., the mining rare earth
of the Paris Agreement.
minerals, which are crucial to power and
enable renewable energy technology.
For those in labor policy and workforce
The “transition in” can create such high planning, the practice of hiring experienced
demand for renewable energy that related talent from competitor companies or other
land acquisition may negatively impact countries can only be a stopgap measure.
neighboring communities, causing the The struggle to overcome global talent
exploitation of workers in the renewable scarcity in the context of net zero must be
energy manufacturing supply chain. Thus, augmented by the commitment to create
the COP process is considering the human and nurture a highly trained, competent
and society factors needed to implement and flexible workforce; this ensures value is
a successful and sustainable transition to generated from the transition to net zero at
net zero. every level of society.

In this context, a separate Just Transitions Governments must work together with
Declaration and Principles on “Supporting companies, schools, colleges and other
the Conditions for a Just Transition learning and training institutions to create
Internationally” was also agreed upon at a flexible lifelong learning environment that
COP26 by some governments, outlining key facilitates the reskilling and upskilling of
principles they supported in rolling out just- workers. This will ensure that workers also
transition activities that support the net benefit from the transition, regardless of
zero target. 36 where they are in the net zero value chain.

36, 37
Institute for Human Rights & Business

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 20

01 02 03 04 Key Drivers of the Green Transition 05

Increased Consumer & Investor

Demand for Sustainability
Organizations offering sustainable products and services
can grow their market share, but those that excel with their
green efforts also attract top talent and a broader range of
investors. Whether for goods or services, business leaders
have grasped the importance of broadening and deepening
their sustainability-related credentials in the marketplace and
are continuing to innovate on reducing environmental impact.

Leading organizations have moved on from solely working

on their internal environmental improvements to helping
75%
suppliers reduce their carbon footprint — all while
encouraging consumers to greater responsibility and
governance when they use the product or service (e.g., of Gen Z prioritizes
encouraging reuse, waste reduction and recycling initiatives). sustainability when
making purchases

Gen Z Leads the Way: Gen Z leads strong

consumer preference for sustainability, with 75% of
Gen Z individuals saying when it comes to making
purchases, prioritizing sustainability outweighs
brand considerations.38

A Consumer-Driven Shift: Nearly half (49%) of

global consumers opted to pay a premium for
sustainable products.39

Investors are Watching: More than three-quarters

of investors (79%) say the way a company manages
ESG risks and opportunities is an important factor in
their investment decision-making.40

38
University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business 39
IBM Institute for Business Value 40
PwC

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 21

 01 02 03 04 05 Building Green Competitive Advantage

Building Green
Competitive Advantage
The Key Pillars of Green Strategic
Workforce Planning
Strategic workforce planning, or the process of using data and
analytics to ensure that a business has the right workforce
to support its goals and strategy, is not new. Key best
practices include assessing the current and future needs of
the business, identifying the gaps and risks in the existing
workforce and developing solutions to address them.

This is easier said than done when the green transition and
disruptive tech are accelerating the pace of change for your
business. For example, in a recent survey of senior global HR
leaders, 69% said prioritizing HR work is more difficult now
than before the 2020 pandemic.41 They point to the unsettled
employee-employer relationship, persistent skills shortages,
transformative technology innovations and pressure for
operational efficiency as the key drivers.

Similar challenges have been identified in the ManpowerGroup

New Human Age trends report, which explores the combined
impact of talent scarcity, disruptive technology, changing
ways of working and the green transition.42 When asked
specifically about the challenges recruiting for green jobs and
skills, employers report consistent hurdles across the talent
acquisition process.43

Key Green Recruiting Challenges

Finding qualified workers 44%

Creating relevant upskilling and training programs 39%

Understanding what skills need to be updated 37%

Identifying current skills that can be applied 36%

Calculating green jobs return on investment (ROI) 26%

41
Gartner 2024 HR Priorities Survey 42
ManpowerGroup New Human Age Trend Report

43
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 22

01 02 03 04 05 Building Green Competitive Advantage

It’s Not Easy Being Green:

How ManpowerGroup Helps Organizations
Accelerate Green Business Transformation
ManpowerGroup partners with clients of all sizes in nearly every industry to attract, retain
and grow skilled talent to achieve green business goals. The following is a list of some recent
examples where ManpowerGroup has worked with clients and strategic partners to accelerate
green business transformation.

Green Client Success Stories & Green Partnership

Optimized green talent acquisition process, accelerating both recruiting and

upskilling for key roles for the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer

Reduced assembly workforce costs for a leading global electric vehicle

manufacturer over multiple years, helping them exceed production targets
and reduce automotive emissions

Streamlined the sourcing of skilled technical and engineering talent for an

established global automaker over 10 years, helping them accelerate their
transition from internal combustion engine technology to electric vehicles.

Helped a global leader in industrial automation to build the Academy

of Advanced Manufacturing to more quickly fill both green and non-green
skilled roles

Rapidly scaled up talent acquisition to help a growing battery manufacturer

expand their operations across North America and Europe

Identified new sources of talent from traditionally underserved communities in

multiple markets for a global cosmetics leader, helping them exceed progress
toward their ESG goals while improving productivity and retention

Partnered with the InnoEnergy Skills Institute to accelerate green jobs

upskilling and reskilling throughout Europe with the goal of training up to
800,000 workers by 2025

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 23

 Global Insights White Paper

Global Workforce Solutions

to Accelerate Green
Business Transformation

Workforce Management

About us
Talent Resourcing
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global
workforce solutions company, helps organizations
transform in a fast-changing world of work by
sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing
the talent that enables them to win. We develop
Career Management innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands
of organizations every year, providing them with
skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable
employment for millions of people across a wide
range of industries and skills.

Career Transition Our expert family of brands — Manpower, Experis,

and Talent Solutions — creates substantially more
value for candidates and clients across more than
70 countries and territories and has done so for
75 years. We are recognized consistently for our
diversity — as a best place to work for Women,
Top Talent Attraction Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2023
ManpowerGroup was named one of the World’s
Most Ethical Companies for the 14th time — all
confirming our position as the brand of choice for
in-demand talent.

Strategic Workforce Planning

Stay Connected

Workforce Consulting & Analytics

A People-First Green Business Transformation | 24