Rethinking How We Hire for Sustainability
As climate risks move from the margins to the center of business planning, the hunt for people who can turn ambitions into action is accelerating. Demand is up. The talent pool, however, isn’t keeping pace. New research from the climate advisory firm OnePointFive surfaces a hard truth many teams are feeling: there’s a real gap between the sustainability skills companies need and the skills available in the market.
The Skills Shortage, Explained
OnePointFive’s findings show that employers are often searching for candidates who blend deep industry know-how with specialized green capabilities. In shorthand, many hiring managers call this person a “Sustainability Unicorn”—someone who can navigate operations and finance, while also handling climate reporting, supplier engagement, and more. The catch is obvious: this profile is rare. Roles stay open. Projects stall. And the path to Net Zero targets becomes harder to follow.
Rethink What’s Required
Chasing the perfect hire can keep companies stuck. A more workable move is to revise the playbook. That means broadening who gets considered, clarifying what truly must be “day one” skills, and building the rest through training. It also means bringing sustainability into the fabric of teams—so marketing, procurement, finance, and operations share the load instead of treating it as a separate, specialist lane.
Make Upskilling the Default
To help, OnePointFive has published a practical guide, Forget the Sustainability Unicorn: How to Upskill a Climate Workforce. The message is straightforward: grow the capabilities you need. The playbook leans into continuous learning—short courses, guided practice, and on-the-job application—so organizations don’t have to wait for hard-to-find candidates. By tapping internal talent, companies preserve institutional knowledge while building the green competencies their strategies demand.
What Skills Matter Most
According to the study, newly hired sustainability professionals put a premium on technical skills once they’re in the role. The list is concrete: carbon accounting and reporting, supply chain management, and data modeling. These are not “nice to have” extras; they anchor the daily work of setting baselines, tracking progress, and making decisions with real numbers behind them. Many people reported that, after starting the job, they found these skills mattered far more than they had expected going in.
That insight points to a simple fix: shine a light on these capabilities in job descriptions and training plans alike. Teach the tools and the why. Pair theory with execution—model a footprint, review a supplier’s data, translate a dataset into a credible target. Small wins, repeated, build confidence and momentum.
Challenge the Hiring Habit
Neil Yeoh, Founder and CEO of OnePointFive, put words to the loop employers get stuck in: “The paradox of needing green skills to get a climate job and needing a climate job to gain those skills creates a major roadblock for companies aiming for Net Zero goals.” The way out is to change what counts as readiness. Design roles with learning ramps. Invest in upskilling so employees can grow into responsibilities. Create feedback loops where teams practice, reflect, and improve against clear outcomes. It sounds simple. Actually—scratch that; it’s disciplined work, but it’s within reach.
Join the Conversation at Climate Week
OnePointFive is opening the dialogue during New York Climate Week. Sessions will unpack the study’s findings and feature voices from organizations such as LinkedIn alongside other leaders on the front lines. Expect practical discussion on how companies can collaborate, share what works, and accelerate skill development across functions—because none of this happens in a silo.
How the Research Came Together
The conclusions didn’t appear overnight. OnePointFive’s research draws on more than 30 in-depth expert interviews, input from over 230 climate job seekers, and training experience with upwards of 3,500 climate professionals, including graduates of the OnePointFive Academy. Together, those perspectives offer a grounded view of where the workforce is today and how to move it forward.
About OnePointFive
OnePointFive advises organizations on practical climate skills and solutions. Its work centers on translating intent into capability—pairing training with hands-on, real-world competencies so teams can execute and improve. The goal is simple: equip people to make measurable progress and, in doing so, amplify environmental impact across the organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problem in sustainability hiring does the research highlight?
It shows a clear gap between the green skills employers want and the skills available in the market, which leaves critical roles unfilled and slows progress toward Net Zero commitments.
Why are “Sustainability Unicorns” so uncommon—and why does that matter?
They’re rare because few candidates combine deep industry experience with specialized climate skills. This scarcity keeps searches open for too long and delays important sustainability work.
What does OnePointFive suggest companies do differently?
Shift from searching for perfect matches to building talent from within. Clarify which skills are essential on day one, then use structured upskilling to develop the rest and weave sustainability into everyday team practices.
Which skills do new sustainability hires find most critical once on the job?
Technical capabilities such as carbon accounting and reporting, supply chain management, and data modeling rank highest because they underpin credible targets, tracking, and decision-making.
How can I engage with these ideas and learn more?
Join OnePointFive’s events during New York Climate Week to explore the study’s insights and hear from leaders including LinkedIn and other organizations, and consider training pathways through the OnePointFive Academy.
