Employers have a central role to play in rapidly accelerating Scotland’s journey to net zero, which will become a defining trend in the next three decades, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Its latest report highlights how employers and Scottish Government can support the transition to a green economy.
The case study-led document suggests that to harness net zero opportunities, new labour market entrants need to be supplemented by workers transitioning across industries, with different levels of skill transferability.
As it stands, current efforts in this space are insufficient to meet demand, with the CIPD arguing that the Scottish Government needs to urgently boost lifelong learning pathways.
Both the authorities and employers should ensure that the inevitable change needed in Scotland’s industrial landscape doesn’t lead to raised unemployment. Instead, the report stated that they should focus on the redeployment and development of skills and skilled workers.
A focus on fair work is also needed to ensure workers with the appropriate skills are in the right industry at the right time.
Any organisation seeking to meet its sustainability goals will depend on its people to embrace this agenda, the report noted. Cultural change is contingent on workforce buy-in, clear values and supporting people with the right tech and training to do their jobs.
The CIPD proposed some practical steps that HR professionals in particular can drive, including:
- Flexible working: reducing work commutes and business travel by embracing flexible working, depending on the sector.
- Waste reduction: turning business premises into zero waste workplaces.
- Reward schemes: adjusting reward packages and employee benefits so they contribute to sustainability goals.
Marek Zemanik, senior public policy adviser at the CIPD in Scotland, commented: “Scotland, and the UK as a whole, needs to urgently accelerate the transition to a net zero economy.
“The foundations are there, but building our net zero future needs to be a joint endeavour, and time is running out to get it right.
“The scale of this challenge should not be underestimated, but there are also significant opportunities,“ he continued, adding: “Redeployment and re-skilling people should be prioritised over redundancies, with employers and government stepping in to bridge the decline in some industries, with the emergence of others.”
The report draws on the offshore energy industry as a case study to provide recommendations for people professionals in their journey to net zero, including:
- Understanding what the medium and long-term impacts of the net zero transition will be on their people;
- Using intensive, open and honest communication to build trust amid organisational change; and
- Focusing on continuous career development of employees, especially if their role is impacted.
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