The role of ESG skills in the green agenda

This article was written for EG’s Starting Out in Real Estate guide, click here to view the digital edition >> COMMENT We live in a time when the term “ESG” (environmental, social and governance) is a key topic of conversation within businesses, mainstream media and even in the café area at lunchtime. Driven by the market, new policies and legislation, there has never been a better time to consider a career in sustainability. The UK is committed to creating two million green jobs by 2030 in order to achieve its ambitions for a greener and more resilient future, and the property industry plays a crucial role in helping to deliver these goals. A green career You might be thinking what does a “green career” mean and where did it come from? A green role contributes to preserving or restoring the environment and our planet, whether it be through energy infrastructure, sustainable design, environmental economics, agriculture, sustainable transport or technology. There has been an increase and shift in demand for sustainability skills across many industries, with new career paths emerging every day. Whether it be through developing or using new net zero technologies, helping to promote “reduce, reuse, recycle”, analysing energy efficiencies in our built environment, or promoting a shift towards more sustainable lifestyles, there are a lot of opportunities to work in a fulfilling career that leads to a more sustainable future. Most mid-to-large-size organisations these days will have a specialist member of staff or a team dedicated to ESG strategy or compliance. For example, at Savills Earth, we have a growing team, and we’re still hiring and growing. It is such a pleasure working in an industry where you are surrounded by talented, passionate and creative individuals who all have a genuine desire to do good. In terms of practical experience, you could be working on anything from developing a sustainable building or development in property as a sustainable design consultant or climate adviser to carrying out ESG research as a sustainability analyst, assessing climate risks such as flooding and extreme weather events, supporting with the development of a net zero ESG strategy, advocating for climate action, or working in sustainable finance for carbon accounting. There’s a lot that needs to be done, and presently not enough people to do it. A valuable role to play Given that the built environment is responsible for such a significant proportion of our global carbon emissions, I firmly believe that everyone working in this sector has a valuable role to play in tipping the balance back towards a more sustainable future. We desperately need to grow our skills as an industry. If your passion is working in the built environment, there is a high demand for energy installers in homes and buildings, such as heat pumps, and low-carbon home designers. If you want to work in the field of materials and waste, gaps exist in waste sorting and reprocessing, product and material repair, sustainable manufacturing processes, circular business models, and material sciences. In the field of transport, there is a need to further strengthen and expand our EV infrastructure through charging points, battery technology, and electrification. There are emerging careers in the development of renewable energy technology. And, finally, there is also much work to be done within social value, health and wellbeing, and diversity and inclusion to ensure that people and communities are at the heart of our spaces and environment. Tangible impacts In this fast-moving sector, more and more clients are in need of specialist advice on moving beyond just filling out checklists. They need actionable, implementable solutions that lead to tangible impacts, not just from an environmental but also a social sustainability point of view. The industry needs this creative energy and many more passionate individuals who are dedicated to designing, building, managing and operating our buildings, cities and neighbourhoods to ensure they are future-proof, resource-efficient and socially responsible. We need advocates who can communicate these ideas to stakeholders, and we need thought leaders who can inspire meaningful change. We need financial and business experts who can help with making green projects work from a viability perspective, policymakers who drive climate justice and our net zero future, and lawyers who can advise on the impacts of upcoming legislation and how this affects contracts and leases.  The list is endless, and there is a wealth of opportunity for the next generation, who, more than the generations that have come before them, are very climate-conscious and sustainability-focused, to seek out jobs in ESG that are driven by purpose and impact. Marylis Ramos is a director at Savills Earth View the digital edition of Starting Out in Real Estate >> Image © Savills