Almost two thirds of people around the world now view climate change as a global emergency, according to an opinion poll of over a million people across 50 countries.The poll, called the "People's Climate Vote", was organised by the United Nations Development Programme in conjunction with Oxford University. Findings varied across locations, age and genders, but overall the top four policies to tackle climate change included:
Conserve forests and land (54%)
Use solar, wind and renewable power (53%)
Climate friendly farming techniques (52%)
Investing more money in green businesses and jobs (50%).
Being in the global recruitment business, we were happy to see that there is majority support in nearly all G20 countries for more investment in green businesses and jobs(led by the United Kingdom (73%), followed by Germany, Australia and Canada (all 68%), South Africa (65%), Italy (64%), Japan (59%), United States (57%), France, (56%), and Argentina, Brazil, and Indonesia (all 51%).
How do we make ‘green’ recruiting happen?
It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves since Allen & York was founded in 1993. Since that time, we’ve been proud to have contributed to the growth of green business and green jobs, and understand first hand how this support has facilitated positive change in the world of work.
There is obviously a desire to make the change post-pandemic, with Boris Johnson’s ‘build back greener” and Joe Biden leading the charge in the US by making climate change a priority in his first week of office. The change starts with policy makers but can – and should - be influenced by us all.
The good news is that people want to work for organisations with purpose, with 81% of professionals saying that working somewhere with a strong and positive purpose, aligned to their motivations, is an important factor when looking for a new role.
Whether you’re a business in the green economy, or one that is taking it’s first steps into seeing how you can contribute to net zero goals via sustainable supply chains or reviewing your carbon footprint, investment in people with purpose will make it happen for you.
Where can you find the right people?
It’s not always going to be easy. Purpose is great but we’re in the midst of a global pandemic and candidates are being especially cautious about moving roles. Uncertainty around job security and the cultural impact of integrating into a new role (in all likelihood working remotely for the foreseeable future) means that the best candidates are probably not the ones responding to job adverts. No matter how green your comms are.
At Allen & York, our mission is to see more people working to mitigate the effects of the climate emergency on the environment and people. That’s why we specifically recruit across the core sectors of Environment, Energy, Sustainability, Health, Safety & Wellbeing. We’ve a global network of talent to call upon, skilled researchers able to find even the most passive candidates and specialist (not generalist) recruiters who match the right people with the right roles every day. So if you need help or advice on how to recruit greener, we can help.
If you want to work with like-minded people, with a common purpose, get in touch. We’re confident we can work with you to make a positive difference to your business and the environment.
Allen & York, providing sustainable recruitment solutions since 1993.