- The number of sustainability professionals in the UK increased by 12% last year, more than the global average of 7.5%
- Demand for “green jobs” also rose as UK sustainability job postings increased by nearly a third
The UK is a hotspot for “green jobs” with London ranking 6th globally for its concentration of sustainability professionals, according to new data from LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network. Overall, the UK saw a 12% increase in the number of sustainability professionals last year, higher than the global average of 7.5%, as the impact of climate change becomes a priority for businesses around the world and spurs careers in sustainability.
Demand for green jobs also rose as the UK saw a 32% increase in job postings on LinkedIn for sustainability roles last year before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
As consumers, businesses and investors become more conscious about the impact of climate change, LinkedIn analysed the number of sustainability–related job postings on its platform and members with sustainability in their job titles to understand the impact on green jobs.
European cities leading the green jobs surge
Europe has seen a 13% year-on-year increase in the number of sustainability professionals. The top 10 cities with the highest concentration of sustainability professionals are:
- Stockholm (Sweden)
- Helsinki (Finland)
- Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Zurich (Switzerland)
- Vancouver (Canada)
- London (UK)
- Milan (Italy)
- Auckland (New Zealand)
- Melbourne (Australia)
- Washington (United States)
Josh Graff, UK Country Manager at LinkedIn, says:
“Climate change remains a defining issue of our time and while COVID-19 is all-encompassing at this moment, it’s reassuring to see that the UK is well placed to lead on sustainability with the world-class talent to take us forward. As the UK increases its focus on lowering emissions and with an ambition to hit climate neutrality by 2050, we have seen a rise in the number of people pursuing green careers. With the breadth of sustainability roles and skills available, it’s encouraging to see an increasing number of businesses and professionals looking to make a positive difference to people, society and the planet.”
Fastest growing job titles, skills and industries for sustainability jobseekers
To understand the evolution of the sustainability profession and to pinpoint the key opportunities for job seekers interested in this sector, LinkedIn also analysed the fastest growing skills and industries for dedicated sustainability roles.
The fastest rising core skill among sustainability professionals globally is Data Analysis, with a year-over-year growth of 18%. Other sustainability-specific skills that have shown strong growth include Circular Economy, Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Monitoring.
The top 10 industries that are leading the way for green job opportunities in Europe are:
- Environmental Services
- Renewables & Environment
- Architecture & Planning
- Civil Engineering
- Utilities
- International Affairs
- Farming
- Think Tanks
- Public Safety
- Research
To celebrate Earth Day, LinkedIn is opening up a new LinkedIn Learning course, The Sustainability Guide for Employees, to help everyone learn about how they can make a positive difference to the planet. The course is led by scientist and environmental educator Dr Elizabeth Bagley. During the course, Dr Bagley will help individuals understand how they can support sustainability initiatives in their own organisations, start their own sustainability initiatives and participate in actions that will have an impact on the biggest environmental challenges of our lifetime.
Methodology
LinkedIn used data from its 675 million members to identify trends in the jobs market in light of heightened awareness and business action towards climate change and sustainability. The data is representative of LinkedIn membership. Looking at relevant job postings and members with sustainability in their job titles allowed LinkedIn to paint a picture of the state of the sustainability profession. Sustainability professionals are defined as having one of the following job titles: Sustainability Advisor, Sustainability Consultant, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Sustainability Intern, Director of Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Sustainable Development Manager, Sustainability Coordinator, Sustainability Analyst, Sustainability Manager, or Sustainability Specialist. Core skills are identified as those skills shared by at least 1% of sustainability professionals at a greater rate than in the general population. Where growth rates are reported they are indexed against the overall growth in the LinkedIn platform. Top cities and countries are ranked based on the percentage of LinkedIn members that have one of the sustainability titles listed above. Data from January 2019 to December 2019 was analysed, and the analysis was performed in December 2019.
About LinkedIn
LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the way companies hire, learn, market, and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has more than 675 million members and has offices around the globe.
