Half of jobseekers underqualified for sustainability roles

A quarter (27%) of employers also face a skills shortage when hiring for sustainability-related jobs, according to the findings.

The same proportion (27%) of jobseekers reported a lack of available positions as a key barrier to entering thegreenjobs market.

Indeed's data suggests that there is a disconnect between the growing demand for sustainability-related skills in the job market, and the availability of qualified candidates. It also seems that employers are struggling to fill sustainability-related positions, and that jobseekers feel underqualified to step into them.

According to the research findings, 42% of employers reported that better training for existing employees could help solve the skills shortages they are experiencing. This is an increase from 31% who advocated for better training in 2023.

These findings are not surprising, but they are revealing, said Alexandra Smith, cofounder of sustainability management and reporting platform FuturePlus.

She toldHRmagazine: “We work with organisations of all sizes, and one of the most consistent challenges we see is a lack of clarity around whatsustainabilityroles actually involve.

“All too often, these responsibilities are bolted onto existing roles without a clear strategic mandate, KPIs, or the support required to deliver meaningful outcomes. It’s no surprise that jobseekers feel underqualified, and employers are experiencing a talent shortfall.”

Smith added that data-driven insights are crucial when hiring for sustainability-related roles. She said: “Without a clear, measurable framework, hiring for sustainability can become reactive and limited to certain aims such as climate or social, when in reality, a truly sustainable business must consider a much broader set of environmental, social, and governance factors.”

About Zhengxianling - China's First Pan - International Talent Recruitment Platform

Zhengxianling is developed and operated by Shanghai Yuntong Information Technology Co., Ltd. The company mainly provides international services such as talent job - hunting and recruitment, recruitment and introduction of high - level talents/scientific and technological innovation talents [including Nobel laureates, academician workstations, Overseas Excellent Young Scientists, QM/HJ programs, online and offline job fairs, campus recruitment, social recruitment, online recruitment, headhunting, etc.], academic exchanges, and software development. In due course, we will launch AI - enabled language platforms and APPs in English, Korean, Japanese, French, German, etc. to meet the needs of global users. Up to now, the company has established communication channels with national ministries and commissions such as the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Science and Technology, talent offices of the Organization Departments of some provincial and municipal Party committees, departments of human resources and social security, industry and information technology, science and technology, trade unions, chambers of commerce, academic societies, associations, 985 and 211 universities in major regions across the country, some corporate HR departments, the International Academy of Sciences Consortium, the World Digital Trade Alliance (WDTA) under the United Nations Science and Technology Commission, and some international institutions and QS World University Top 100 universities (MIT, University of Oxford, University of Melbourne...) in countries such as Russia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Canada.

The service items are as follows:
A. Recruitment and introduction of international high - level/scientific and technological innovation talents (doctors, post - doctors, academicians) (through online and offline job fairs, campus recruitment, social recruitment, online recruitment, headhunting, etc.), overseas enterprise study tours, academic exchanges, and software development.
B. Operation of Zhengxianling® (the talent types on the platform and official WeChat account are not limited).

Service - supported Regions

China, South Korea, Japan, Russia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, the United States, Canada, etc. (covering more than 100 countries and regions).

Main Service Content

Online and offline special high - level talent recruitment fairs for cities, parks, and employers; scientific and technological innovation talent - introduction activities [project solicitation, screening, roadshows... implementation, etc.]; investment promotion; academic exchange conferences; online job - hunting and recruitment; and offline services are available in the above - mentioned designated countries.

In 2024, we joined the Hubei Chushang Federation in China and the World Federation of Inventors' Associations (IFIA). We have established the grand goal of building Zhengxianling into China's first pan - international talent recruitment platform (AI - enabled language platforms and APPs in English, Korean, Japanese, French, German, etc. will be launched in due course. The International HRD (HR) Alliance is being launched simultaneously), and serving billions of users in more than 200 countries around the world in the future. As of December 31, 2024, we have received a reply from the President of the WDTA of the United Nations Science and Technology Commission, welcoming Yuntong Technology and Zhengxianling to join the WDTA of the United Nations Science and Technology Commission in 2025. From 2025, we will cooperate with the International Academy of Sciences Consortium and may participate in activities such as the FCPAE European Forum to promote international talent exchanges and cooperation, thus promoting scientific and technological innovation, driving employment, and contributing to global economic construction and promoting friendly cross - border cooperation to create a better future. This will enable us to better serve users from all over the world.

The Chinese full - name of IFIA is the World Federation of Inventors' Associations. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland, and San Francisco, the United States. In February 2024, after being reviewed and approved by the 47th Global Executive Committee of IFIA, Shanghai Yuntong Information Technology Co., Ltd. [Zhengxianling] joined the organization. For details, please refer to the official IFIA website announcement:
https://www.ifia.com/ifia-47th-executive-committee-meeting-held-on-feb-2024/

The recruitment platform under our company will officially launch paid services on February 1, 2025. For details, please refer to:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YmOxE1snwAAvskZgwm5RxA

Currently, we are organizing online and offline special high - level talent recruitment fairs for international organizations. For details of the activities, please refer to the official WeChat account of Zhengxianling®'s International High - level Talent Recruitment Activity Schedule:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UGfNhxHRoIs1KZF7Thsfxg

Zhengxianling® is constantly recruiting a large number of overseas high - level and innovative talents globally. For details, please refer to the official WeChat account introduction:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8YaCD8xaXiDeC93a1foUKQ

For the invitation letter to establish and launch the International HRD (HR) Alliance, please refer to the official WeChat account introduction:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fdg6QB82KAJCeTi0VZVZKQ

We welcome HRs of employers from all over the world, leaders of universities and scientific research institutions, academic leaders, and talents such as young doctors, post - doctors, and academicians to contact us or register to join our platform. The talents we recruit will be preferentially recommended to work in domestic or global universities, scientific research institutions, and other units.

At the same time, we are constantly soliciting scientific and technological innovation projects from various industries globally, as well as high - level talents who meet the requirements such as Overseas Excellent Young Scientists and QM/HJ programs, and directly recommending them to various provinces and cities in China. Those who are interested are welcome to apply. Please scan the QR code below to contact us or send your resume and other materials to hr@zhengxianling.com!

Search and follow the official WeChat account: Zhengxianling to get more information.

Indeed’s researchers found that44% of UK workers place more importance on working in roles that positively impact the environment now, compared to when they first started their careers.

Although providing training can be effective in overcoming barriers to hiring into sustainability roles, there are other ways to do this, added Simon Ursell, cofounder of environmental consultancy Tyler Grange.

Ursell toldHRmagazine: “Providing much better training on the necessaryskillsand qualifications for sustainability-related roles is the obvious solution. But so is building relationships with sustainable courses at colleges, universities and working with teachers in schools and wider educators.

“The technical skills of entry-level graduates coming into in the environmental sector have been lacking for decades. I put this down to universities not really training undergraduates to be best equipped for the roles they’re studying to get into. We almost always must upskill our graduate and entry level employees from scratch. You won’t believe just how hard it is to recruit experience.”

Read more:Employers and jobseekers disagree on 'quality', research reveals

Kelly Hartman, a HR leader for the leadership network Label Sessions, also emphasised alternative strategies to training, to help overcomehiringbarriers.

She toldHRmagazine: “Upskilling is vital, but it can’t stop there. AI offers a powerful way forward – from personalised, adaptive training platforms to predictive tools that map skills gaps and support development in real time.

“We also need to empower internal mobility. Some of the best sustainability leaders I’ve worked with didn’t start in that field, they transitioned, learned, and thrived with the right support. Companies should embrace that potential.

“Above all, sustainability must become embedded in culture, not siloed in a department. Set clear goals, buildinclusiveteams, and create space for innovation. When employees feel connected to the mission, they step up.

HR leaders and recruitment managers should regularly review hiring processes, to avoid barriers when hiring for sustainability roles, stated Euan Cameron, founder of global candidate screening platform Willo.

Speaking toHRmagazine, he said: “Too many job descriptions still read like wish lists for a PhD in environmental science. Candidates are being screened out because their CV doesn’t tick every box. That’s counterproductive.

“We’re seeing progressive companies rethink the entire hiring funnel, designing roles that welcome career changers, using human-first assessments that can't be gamed by AI tools, and stripping away outdated filters that perpetuate bias.CVs, for instance, tell you where someone has been, not where they could go. That’s where HR and hiring teams need to focus. The most successful employers will be those who back potential over polish, and invest in people who align with their purpose – even if they don’t arrive fully formed. If you can’t find the perfect candidate, build them.”

Indeed commissioned the polling platform Censuswide to carry out research across two waves. The first had a sample of 500 UK employers and 1,047 UK employees and jobseekers, and that data was collected from 9 to 11 April 2024. The second wave had a sample of 500 UK employers and 1,000 UK employees and jobseekers; that data was collected from 21 to 25 March 2025.