Resource Hub: Diversifying the Environmental Sector
Groundwork believes that creating more accessible pathways into green jobs can help create the workforce needed to reverse UK nature decline and promote equity in the transition to Net Zero. The creation of a more inclusive environmental sector also provides opportunities for those who are outside of the job market and for people who are currently under-represented in the sector. A more representative nature workforce will, in turn, help encourage a wider variety of people to connect with and benefit from nature, helping to address current inequalities.
What do we mean by ‘green jobs’
A green job is an “activity that directly contributes to, or indirectly supports, the achievement of the UK’s net zero emissions target and helps mitigate climate risks.”*
Investment in building a workforce with nature skills will support other growing sectors of the economy such as water, energy, food and housing.
What can environmental organisations do to create a more inclusive sector?
Create more genuinely entry level positions – both for young people and career changers – opening up pathways into the sector.
Listen to feedback about barriers to recruitment and removing unnecessary obstacles such as qualifications or voluntary work.
Collaborate and share learning to ensure good practice across the sector and that larger organisations are sharing power and resources.
New to Nature
Groundwork’s Resource Hub for employers shares learnings and practical tools from New to Nature to help environmental organisations to build more accessible recruitment practices and create inclusive working environments.
New to Nature provided life-changing experiences for 98 people who otherwise might not have had access to a career in the environmental sector. The programme facilitated young people who are disabled, from an ethnic minority, or from low-income homes to gain 12-months of paid employment in a nature job. The programme was created to test new approaches to addressing issues around creating more accessible pathways into green jobs.
*Green Jobs Taskforce, ‘Green Jobs Taskforce report’, 14 Jul 2021.
