The ESG Job Market

UK’s ESG workforce has increased by 7% in past year

30,000+ new jobs created this year around ESG

Half of UK’s large firms link executive pay to ESG measures

2021 saw a record number of job vacancies in ESG in the UK alone

this year, which is expected to grow in 2022

SOURCE; Robert Walters global recruitment.

Being able to attract and keep the most talented employees is one of the biggest issues companies face post pandemic. As workforces continue to get to grips with their own needs and desires of the new normal, hybrid working, remote working, wellbeing and flexibility are becoming key factors in whether to join or remain within a corporation.

Now according to a report from global recruitment firm Robert Walters, ESG, environmental, social and governance factors are becoming leading concerns in talent recruitment in the post-COVID landscape. Companies who display a clear position and commitment to ESG are attracting more interest from head hunters and executive recruiters.

ESG and sustainability are not new concepts, but living through lockdowns and work from home orders has put them at the top of businesses’ agendas. According to a Nielsen survey, 66% of consumers globally are willing to pay more for sustainable products, and one in three employees would prefer to work for an organisation that shows responsibility towards all stakeholders, not just shareholders and investors, according to Mercer’s Engaging Today’s Workforce: Insights from 25 Years of Research report.

In the UK, there have been more than 35,000 new jobs created around ESG this year alone. The number of professional roles in this sector now stands at 400,000, up 7% on the previous year.

Global firms are facing increasing pressure to be more transparent around their commitment to ESG, pay and representation at board level, especially as countries strive to hit climate targets. The UK has committed to reducing it’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

Its perhaps no wonder that ESG is being taken more seriously by CEO’s, workforces are also being incentivised to put sustainability at the top of the agenda with currently half of the UK’s leading firms linking executive pay to ESG measures.

Chris Poole – Managing Director of Robert Walters UK comments:

“Right now, businesses are under more scrutiny than ever. Processes, suppliers, materials, and policies often have more of an impact on consumer actions than a finished product. As governments strive to achieve environmental targets, and the choice widens for customers on socially-conscious products and services – ESG will increasingly become more critical for survival, and not just for investment.”