Transferable skills & corporate citizenship
· 8 min read
As we move deeper into the 21st century, businesses face increasing demands to go beyond profit-making and engage more holistically with society. Corporate citizenship, once considered a "nice to have," has now become an essential part of strategic corporate planning. This transformation is driven by heightened awareness of environmental and social responsibilities, alongside ambitious regulatory frameworks such as the global push towards Net Zero emissions by 2050.
However, while the drive towards sustainability is undeniable, there’s a less visible but equally important aspect to this shift: the changing nature of skills required to meet these new corporate responsibilities. The roles and skills needed in sustainability, social impact, and corporate citizenship are evolving rapidly. Continuous reskilling and upskilling are necessary to keep pace with this change. Transferable skills—those that can be adapted across roles, sectors, and industries—have become paramount in ensuring agility and relevance in today’s fast-moving world.
In this article, we explore the intersection of corporate citizenship and transferable skills and examine the skillsets that professionals must cultivate to excel in sustainability and social impact roles. We will also analyze what skills should be carried forward and what should be left behind as we face an uncertain but opportunity-rich future.
The half-life of skills—the period during which a particular skill remains relevant—has been shrinking steadily. According to a report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), nearly 50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025, as the workplace continues to evolve due to technological advances and sustainability goals. In sectors like energy, manufacturing, and agriculture, where sustainability practices are becoming a core part of operations, reskilling is not only needed but urgent.
Corporations are increasingly adopting annual or bi-annual reskilling programs. For example, Unilever and PwC have launched upskilling initiatives focusing on sustainability competencies, emphasizing that skills now need to be transferable across different roles. The transition to a low-carbon economy is expected to create 24 million new jobs by 2030, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). However, for workers to seize these opportunities, they need skills that transcend specific job functions, such as digital literacy, critical thinking, and environmental awareness.
Agility has become the hallmark of the modern workforce, and transferable skills are at the heart of this agility. Employees are no longer confined to specific roles; they are expected to pivot, adapt, and apply their expertise in novel ways across emerging sectors and industries. For example, an accountant can transfer their analytical skills to focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, while an athlete can transition into wellbeing and mental health advocacy.
Corporate citizenship is no longer about philanthropy or corporate social responsibility (CSR) alone. It is becoming a key driver of corporate strategy, deeply intertwined with long-term profitability, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation. This is evident in how governments and international bodies are setting ambitious sustainability targets, such as the European Union’s Green Deal or China’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal.
The shift is also regulatory. By 2050, many countries, including the UK, Japan, and Canada, aim to achieve Net Zero emissions, meaning companies must align their strategies with stringent sustainability guidelines. Companies that fail to adapt risk falling behind or facing penalties. According to a Deloitte report, 75% of executives now view corporate responsibility as a key driver of innovation, pushing sustainability from the periphery into the core of corporate strategy.
The fast pace of these changes demands not only specialized knowledge but also broad-based, transferable skills that allow professionals to navigate new challenges effectively. For instance, systems thinking—the ability to understand and address complex, interconnected problems—is becoming an essential skill for sustainability leaders. Professionals need to anticipate and react to both emerging risks and opportunities across global supply chains, regulatory landscapes, and technological disruptions.
In this new era, the workplace demands neo-generalists—professionals who can traverse multiple domains and apply broad, transferable skills to specific contexts. These individuals are not narrowly specialized but possess a blend of general knowledge and deep expertise in certain areas. This hybrid skillset allows them to be agile, adapting to changes in corporate strategy, policy, and sustainability requirements.
Examples of neo-generalists in action can already be seen in various sectors. Take athletes who have transitioned into wellbeing specialists, utilizing their experience in physical fitness and mental resilience to advocate for health and wellness in corporate settings. Similarly, accountants are now moving into roles like ESG reporting specialists, leveraging their knowledge of financial reporting to ensure that companies meet sustainability disclosure requirements.
The flexibility offered by transferable skills also plays a critical role in addressing sustainability challenges, such as the circular economy—a system where waste is minimized, and resources are reused. Engineers trained in traditional product design can leverage their skills to develop sustainable materials and processes, driving innovation in sectors like manufacturing and fashion.
These neo-generalists are essential in a world where corporate sustainability is no longer just a department but an integrated part of every business function.
The shift towards sustainable business practices is creating a demand for professionals with a unique blend of skills. These skills, both current and evolving, are key to ensuring that companies can meet their sustainability goals while remaining competitive. The table below outlines the core transferable skills required today and those that are expected to evolve as sustainability becomes even more critical in corporate strategy.
One of the most exciting developments in the realm of corporate citizenship is the rise of "green skills." These are specialized competencies related to renewable energy, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and more. But do green skills represent the birth of an entirely new industry, or are they transforming existing sectors?
The reality is a combination of both. On one hand, industries like renewable energy are expanding rapidly, creating new job opportunities that didn’t exist a decade ago. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), green jobs in the renewable energy sector are growing at 12% annually. On the other hand, green skills are increasingly integrated into traditional roles. For example, engineers now need knowledge of sustainable design principles, and financial professionals must understand green finance to manage investments in sustainability projects.
Incorporating green skills into traditional sectors creates cross-disciplinary opportunities and drives innovation. The circular economy, which emphasizes reusing resources, is projected to create 18 million new jobs globally by 2030 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2021). This signals that green skills are not just creating new industries—they are fundamentally reshaping existing ones.
While transferable skills are the key to thriving in a rapidly changing landscape, not all skills will remain relevant. The need for manual, repetitive skills is declining as automation and AI take over these tasks. For example, routine accounting or traditional supply chain management roles are becoming obsolete in favor of jobs that require data-driven decision-making and sustainability expertise.
Conversely, soft skills like emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership will continue to be essential, especially in roles that require collaboration across disciplines and stakeholder engagement. According to LinkedIn's Global Talent Trends 2021, the demand for soft skills such as leadership, adaptability, and teamwork has increased by 20% over the last five years.
The future of corporate citizenship lies at the intersection of sustainability, agility, and continuous learning. As companies strive to meet sustainability goals, professionals will need to hone their transferable skills to remain competitive and relevant. Whether through green finance, circular economy systems, or climate diplomacy, the ability to adapt to new challenges and apply broad-based knowledge will be indispensable.
To remain at the forefront of the sustainability revolution, organizations must invest in developing their workforce’s transferable skills and foster a culture of continuous reskilling. This is the only way to ensure that businesses can not only survive but thrive in a world where sustainability is both a strategic imperative and a moral responsibility. 🌍
This article is also published on the author's blog. illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.
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