Companies leveling to remain fit for the future of work have had to embed digitalization and sustainability in their work processes, which has invariably informed the labor force seeking opportunities in these industries to proactively position their skills in such a way that makes them fit for the future of work.

Enoch Opare

The world of work is rapidly evolving. The global hunt for talent has seen a spike in recent years as both local and international companies are actively attracting and retaining the best hearts, minds and hands for their corporate mission and vision. Not just for the aforementioned purpose, but talent recruitment has also become critical for companies aiming to remain competitive and dynamic in their respective industries of operation. Countries like the US, UK, Canada and Australia, for example, have visa routes such as the Global Talent Visa as strategic interventions to recruit talents to occupy roles supporting their national transformation agendas.&nbsp;
The pressure and the complexity of the Human Resource (HR) function currently, especially post-pandemic, has been more serious than ever as HR professionals are recruiting and retaining with the future in mind. They are not only looking at those who can merely fill in the positions but candidates who can evolve out of their job profiles to meet the dynamism of the challenging market environment. While the conversation of recruitment and retention strategies for talents is still an ongoing debate (Islam et al., 2022), the risk of automation which was feared in the first instance as the push button for labor redundancy has not fully materialized as the human element in the production process has shown some sort of resilience in the wake of this call (Arntz et. al., 2016; PwC, 2017). Companies leveling to remain fit for the future of work have had to embed digitalization and sustainability in their work processes, which has invariably informed the labor force seeking opportunities in these industries to proactively position their skills in such a way that makes them fit for the future of work.&nbsp;
<h2>Future skills&nbsp;</h2>
Owing to companies&rsquo; foresight about the future of work, there have been several studies across diverse industries seeking to address the big question of what future skills need to be acquired by candidates to make them fit for the future of work (Goulart et al., 2022). Aside from the technical skills required of the industry, initial results showed some common denominators such as people skills (emotional intelligence, active listening, attention span, leadership, negotiation), and digital and technological skills (familiarity with data analytics, AI, metaverse, and user experience). 
These are gradually moving from desirable to essential future skills for the future of work. A recent survey report and campaign on Future Skills led by Professor Steven Spier of Kingston University London revealed that key attributes, such as problem-solving or process skills, critical thinking, communication, digital, analytical, adaptability, resilience, creativity, relationship building and initiative taking skills, are among the core skills most valued by employers (Future Skills Report, 2022). These have signaled the incorporation of these skills both in the formal and informal teaching and learning process.&nbsp;
<h2>Education for sustainable development &nbsp;</h2>
The strength of the digital education and competency development wave from the past three decades has presently been taken over by sustainability and ESG-related education. Professionals identifying with and as ESG analysts and experts have grown exponentially to the extent that the concept of &ldquo;competence washing&rdquo; is posing a significant risk to sustainable development. 
The command of this wave is causing people who do not possess these skills, yet do not want to be left out, to somewhat create an artificial association to their online profiles. To combat this, some Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have taken the lead to embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESG) contents into the teaching curriculum through an interdisciplinary approach to equip students and graduates with the skills, knowledge and values needed to address the UN-SDGs and other global challenges relating to climate change and unsustainable resources use.&nbsp;
<h2>Climate proficiency (CPro)</h2>
There is overwhelming evidence of the impact of climate change on every facet of human life. Climate Proficiency (CPro), a coinage by the author, is defined as the possession and application of climate change-related knowledge, skills and values as it applies to a working environment or industry. CPro of existing and potential employees makes business sense for an organization in several ways. 
First, the substantial amount of time and money spent on sustainability-related education and training of staff will be a thing of the past for forward-looking organizations, thereby saving them some good pennies. Second, in order to gain a competitive advantage over their peers, companies would want to generate and leverage internal knowledge, skills and practices of their human capital to gain ownership of climate initiatives and reduce reliance on outsourced ESG strategy and experts. Third, a company with CPro employees is able, through scenario analysis to quickly in a dynamic way, predict the material issues that may potentially affect their businesses in an ever-changing market environment, giving them an overnight advantage over their peers. Fourth, it initiates and sustains an inclusive and responsible approach to climate strategy development and implementation in an organization where employees are confident to communicate their organization's climate activities to stakeholders easily. Thus, existing and potential employees who want to stay relevant must consider CPro an imperative future skill to acquire.
The HR function is now recruiting and retaining talents for the future of work through the present portfolios advertised and CPro will arguably be one of the essential and not desirable skills which will be in high demand as well as a key criterion on the person specifications description. It becomes vital then that while developing your technical skills for whichever industry, job seekers or existing employees in order to fit into the future of work must develop their CPro.&nbsp;
Future Thought Leaders is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of rising Sustainability &amp; Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.
References&nbsp;
Islam, M.A., Mendy, J., Haque, A.A. and Rahman, M., (2022) Green human resource management practices and millennial employees' retention in small and medium enterprises: The moderating impact of creativity climate from a developing country perspective. Business Strategy &amp; Development, 5(4), pp.335-349.
Arntz, M., Gregory, T., Zierahn, U., 2016. The risk of automation for jobs in OECD countries: A comparative analysis. Tech. Rep. 189, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers
PwC, 2017. Consumer spending prospects and the impact of automation on jobs. UK Economic Outlook, March.
Goulart, V.G., Liboni, L.B. and Cezarino, L.O., (2022) Balancing skills in the digital transformation era: The future of jobs and the role of higher education. Industry and Higher Education, 36(2), pp.118-127.
Future Skills Report (2022) Future Skills League Table 2022. Kingston University London. Available at: <a href="https://www.kingston.ac.uk/documents/user-upload/kingston-university-d2606ad3a3d-future-skills-report-2022-final.pdf">https://www.kingston.ac.uk/documents/user-upload/kingston-university-d2606ad3a3d-future-skills-report-2022-final.pdf</a> [Accessed 27/04/2023]

Climate proficiency - an inevitable employability and future skill 

Companies’ commitment to Net Zero should focus on developing internal structures, investment protocols, and culture that embeds core carbon reduction values and processes.

The creation of a common marketplace, universal policies, practices, and frameworks have become integral in coordinating efforts, setting standards, raising awareness, and funding projects and programmes aimed at fighting and finding solutions to global issues and crises. The race to Net Zero and the global decarbonisation strategy has not been an exception to this as climate disclosure index (see. TCFD etc), standard setters (see. GRI, ISSB, etc), nature-based solutions, and carbon offset markets are playing critical roles to accelerating efforts to combat the climate crisis.&nbsp;
The carbon offset market is a marketplace where companies voluntarily purchase carbon credits to offset their carbon footprints on the environment. The rationale for this emanates from reasons including accelerating global action towards carbon reduction, companies not knowing where to kick start their climate strategy, and lacking the expertise and resources to combat their climate impact, to augment their ambitious climate goals of carbon reduction. These purchases over the years have been used to fund nature-based carbon removal technologies and other climate-based interventions as a proxy function by the market for companies. Evidence suggests a considerable impact of the offset market in carbon reduction with the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM) estimating that carbon credit demand could reach a valuation of about $50 billion by 2030.&nbsp;
That notwithstanding, the carbon market has been marred by some controversies, including the recent Verra investigative outcome, which revealed that more than 90% of its verified carbon standard for rainforest carbon offsets sold did not match the levels of carbon reduction guarantees. Others have argued that offsets reduce incentives for companies to be responsible and actively work at reducing their carbon emissions, while bigger corporations use this platform to pay their way out by displacing or shirking their duties as responsible corporate citizenships. Whatever the position is, the novelty of the carbon offset market and its impact on climate change is incontestable. In negating the latter opposing argument, the presence of a carbon offset market, irrespective of its impact or controversy, must not be applied as a proxy to companies&rsquo; ownership of their internal contribution to carbon reduction and negation. Corporate organizations, in developing and reiterating their commitment to their organization&rsquo;s carbon reduction strategy, must aspire towards a forward-looking and inside-out rather than an outside-in approach to decarbonisation. Thus, companies aiming at building a reputation that communicates their climate stance and commitment to their stakeholder community must resort to the carbon offset market as the last option on their carbon reduction checklist and rather develop internal structures and practice to support carbon reduction actions. Apart from the grand theoretical ambitions on paper, companies can consider these practical steps in their decarbonisation roadmap.&nbsp;
<h2>Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB)&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
Pro-environmental behaviour promotion is one of the easiest and most inclusive ways of getting the whole employee community active in adopting behaviours and practices geared towards reducing their individual impact on the environment. Behaviours range from energy conservation awareness, labeling of waste bins to encourage waste separation for recycling, cycling to work schemes, and posting sustainability signage and messages, amongst others. As basic and traditional as this may sound, owing to its over popularity in almost every company today, encouraging employee-to-employee accountability and conversation is critical to developing a climate-conscious culture in the organization, which serves as a bedrock for creativity and inclusion.
<h2>Net-Zero Human Resource (HR) Strategy&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
To deal with the skills, expertise and experience gap which constrain companies from developing and accelerating their carbon reduction strategies, the HR function becomes imperative in recruitment by way of attracting and retaining talents. Using the resource dependency theory, for example, the HR function can show some dynamism in attracting versatile employees who possess knowledge of climate-related matters as an essential and not just a desirable skill. Climate-related knowledge and proficiency will underline the constituent of the in-demand and future skill of work tomorrow and companies proactively considering this will be at the forefront and have a competitive advantage in the market. The HR function can also encourage voluntary learning and incentivise employees who would want to job-rotate and develop their competencies, receive external mentorship and attend programmes that would enrich their learning experience for the benefit of the company.&nbsp;
<h2>Climate-based Spending vs. Investment&nbsp;</h2>
Climate-based spending instead of climate-based investment has been the bane of greenwashing, woke washing, and bluewashing. Industry and stakeholder pressure currently are pushing companies under duress to be accountable for their carbon emissions. While the posture of spending seeks to meet the short-term goal and make an out-of-pressure impression to the stakeholder community, an investment approach affords the companies the structured and systematic approach of measuring their carbon footprint to inform the investment decision and approach for the companies' carbon emissions reduction and management. Regardless of how slow the investment approach may seem, the yields and progress are more visible, verifiable, and long-term than the approach to spending.&nbsp;
<h2>Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Strategy&nbsp;</h2>
Carbon reduction or mitigation strategy without disclosure for Scope 3 emissions which accounts for over 90% of indirect emissions, is just scratching the surface of the issue. As this disclosure scope accounts for business activities related to the companies&rsquo; operations, organizations can develop a net-zero procurement and supply chain strategy that enshrines supplier net-zero policy and practices assessment, environmental performance, and emissions disclosure as part of their supplier selection and evaluation protocol in their operational processes. This will ensure that companies build a collective strategy and synergy with their business stakeholders in delivering their carbon reduction ambition and goals.
The place of the carbon offset market in the decarbonisation agenda cannot be overemphasized as I personally subscribe to it as providing a basket for corporate financing of carbon reduction-related activities, projects, technologies, and compensation schemes, especially for affected zones in developing countries. Companies&rsquo; commitment to Net Zero should not focus on building a huge part of their strategy on carbon offset purchases as the prime option but rather develop internal structures, investment protocols, and culture within the organization that embeds core carbon reduction values and processes in their operations.
Future Thought Leaders is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of rising Sustainability &amp; Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.

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Enoch Opare Mintah

Enoch Opare Mintah

Climate proficiency - an inevitable employability and future skill

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