Building Green Skills to Support Sustainable Economic Transition in the Workplace

Rahayu Mardikaningsih; Mila Hariani

Authors

Rahayu Mardikaningsih Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya Indonesia
Mila Hariani Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya Indonesia

Keywords:

green economy, skills, human resource management, sustainability, training, policy, transition

Abstract

In the face of global challenges related to environmental sustainability, the transition to a green economy requires a concerted effort in developing workplace skills. Human resource management (HRM) plays a critical role in preparing a workforce capable of supporting green initiatives and corporate sustainability goals. This article examines how HRM can identify and develop the skills needed for the transition to a green economy. Emphasis is placed on the importance of skills mapping, market-based training design, and inclusive sustainability policy implementation. The analysis shows that appropriate skills development will help companies achieve sustainability goals and improve long-term performance. Training programs should include both technical and non-technical skills that support environmental sustainability, and should engage employees at all levels to create effective change. While challenges in closing the skills gap remain, companies that actively invest in green skills will gain competitive advantages and make a positive contribution to global sustainability.

References

Aceleanu, M. I. (2015). Green jobs in a green economy: support for a sustainable development. Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1504/PIE.2015.076894

Akyazi, T., del Val, P., Goti, A., & Oyarbide, A. (2022). Identifying Future Skill Requirements of the Job Profiles for a Sustainable European Manufacturing Industry 4.0. Recycling. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling7030032

Arcelay, I., Goti, A., Oyarbide-Zubillaga, A., Akyazi, T., Alberdi, E., & Garcia-Bringas, P. (2021). Definition of the Future Skills Needs of Job Profiles in the Renewable Energy Sector. Energies. https://doi.org/10.3390/EN14092609

Blain, A. (2020). Skills for green jobs: A guide to creating sustainable employment opportunities. Sustainability Studies Journal, 25(3), 202-210.

Bocken, N. M., Short, S. W., & Rana, P. (2018). A review on the role of business in enabling a green economy. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27(2), 100-112.

Brown, M. (2015). Developing and Using Green Skills for the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 55(2), 183-205.

Essa, N. E. & R. Mardikaningsih. (2021). Sustainability Communication through Green Marketing: Strengthening Consumer Awareness and Corporate Environmental Integrity, Journal of Social Science Studies, 1(2), 233 – 238.

Fankhauser, S., & Blundell, D. (2019). Green jobs and sustainable development: Building a more inclusive economy. Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, 21(4), 559-575.

Fien, J., & Guevara, J. R. (2013). Skills for a green economy: Practice, possibilities and prospects. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5937-4_14

Fischer, C., Neumayer, E., & Rehdanz, K. (2019). Skills for a sustainable future: Green skills and their role in the workforce. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 97, 1-16.

Gautama, E. C. & R. Mardikaningsih. (2022). Driving Sustainable Behavior Change Through Education and Public Awareness, Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(1), 259 – 264.

Grierson, J., & Jackson, K. (2020). Climate change, business, and the development of green skills. Journal of Business and Environmental Studies, 11(1), 45-63.

Heath, J., & Galdon, M. (2020). Overcoming the green skills gap: Education and training for the low-carbon economy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 119, 109586.

Hodge, A., White, M., & Johnson, S. (2018). Green skills and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Journal of Environmental Education, 49(2), 155-170.

Huseynova, A., & Sultan, S. M. (2025). Green Skills- Enablers of Transition to a Green Economy. Journal of Ecohumanism, 4(2), 1801-1823.

James, S. D., Mustapha, R., Paramasivam, T., & Nashir, I. M. (2023). A survey of facility management green skills competency among TVET educators and students in a public university in Malaysia. Proceeding on Computer and Electrical Education Research (PROCESSOR), 1-22.

Johnson, M., & Oliver, C. (2017). Overcoming barriers to green skills development in the workforce. Journal of Labor and Environmental Economics, 22(2), 159-172.

Jora, R. B., Mittal, P., & Kaushal, S. L. (2023, March 17). Tech-Enabled Sustainable HR Strategies: Fostering Green Practices. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICACCS57279.2023.10113050

Khan, S. R., Lee, M., & Zhao, Q. (2020). The role of education in advancing sustainable development and green skills. Environmental Education Research, 26(3), 339-353.

Kozlova, O., & Volkova, I. (2019, May 1). ‘Green skills’ of a new generation of managers and entrepreneurs as a potential of company leadership. https://doi.org/10.2991/ICSEAL-19.2019.57

Kuznecov, S., & Nebol’sina, V. (2022, February 17). Green economy as a new course of movement. https://doi.org/10.34220/zeif2022_48-51

Leonidou, L. C., Katsikeas, C. S., & Morgan, N. A. (2020). The influence of green culture on sustainable business practices. Journal of Business Research, 115, 378-388.

Liu, L., Zhang, J., & Wang, Z. (2019). Challenges in green skills development in emerging markets: A case study of China. Sustainability and Environment Journal, 18(5), 493-508.

Lund, P., Salim, R., & Smit, E. (2018). The evolution of green skills: Challenges and opportunities. Sustainability, 10(7), 2303.

Mallika, D. S. (2022). An Empirical Study on the Green Skill Development Programme and its Inclusiveness in Green Industries for Effective Green Marketing and Sustainable Development: Key Success Factors and Challenges. https://doi.org/10.54646/bijfmr.017

Manea, G., & Cozea, A. (2022). The transition to a “Green Economy” – a challenge and a solution for the economy. Proceedings of the ... International Conference on Business Excellence. https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2022-0107

Mardikaningsih, R. & M. Hariani. (2022). Integrating Diversity and Sustainability in Organizations: How to Impact Performance, Corporate Competitiveness, and the Creation of Inclusive Work Environments, Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(2), 77 – 84.

Mardikaningsih, R. (2024). Organizational Effectiveness and Green Human Resources Management, Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 3(1), 6-13.

Mardikaningsih, R., & D. T. W. Wardoyo. (2024). Green Technology Integration in Management for Social and Environmental Sustainability, International Journal of Service Science, Management, Engineering, and Technology, 6(2), 6–10.

McKinsey & Company. (2019). Sustainability and workforce development in the green economy. Global Green Economy Report, 7(1), 120-133.

Mehta, K., & Chugan, P. K. (2015). Green HRM in Pursuit of Environmentally Sustainable Business. https://doi.org/10.13189/UJIBM.2015.030302

Neumayer, E., Rehdanz, K., & Fisher, C. (2019). The future of green skills in the workforce: A review of existing frameworks and policies. Sustainability, 11(15), 4123.

Moon, C. (2021). Entrepreneurship and Sustainability: Plugging the Green Skills Gap with Empathy, Compassion and Connectedness to Nature. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83909-982-320211017

Nuraini, R., S. N. Halizah, R. Mardikaningsih, Y. Vitrianingsih, & M. E. Safira. (2022). The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Environmental Conservation: Challenges, Strategies, and Sustainability, Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(1), 47 – 54.

Olateju, A., Aminu, A. W., & Danmola, R. A. (2020). Green human resources management (green hrm) and sustainable development: prospects and challenges. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Review.

Oluwatoyin, F. & R. Mardikaningsih. (2024). Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability of Human Resource Development in Industry 4.0, Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 3(2), 9-16.

Pavlova, M., & Singh, M. (2022). Recognizing green skills through non-formal learning: A comparative study in Asia (p. 286). Springer Nature.

Ping, W. (2016, April 9). Study on Training Process of Green Jobs to Green Skills. https://doi.org/10.2991/ICEMCT-16.2016.75

Putra, A. R., & S. Arifin. (2022). The Importance of Total Quality Management (TQM) in Building A Sustainable and Adaptive Organizational Culture to Change, Journal of Social Science Studies, 2(1), 67 – 72.

Ramle, N, L, B., R. Mardikaningsih, & S. N. Halizah. (2022). The Importance of Local Communities in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management for Ecosystem and Economic Sustainability, Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 1(1), 38-43.

Scully-Russ, E., Rose, A. D., Rose, A. D., & Glowacki-Dudka, M. (2013). Green Jobs: Job Training and Career Pathways. Adult Learning. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159512467778

Skarbale, J. N., Viederyte, R., & Sneideriene, A. (2021). The Significance of “Green” Skills and Cometencies Making the Transition Towards the “Greener” Economy. Rural Sustaibility Research, 46(341), 54-65.

Söderholm, P. (2020). The green economy transition: the challenges of technological change for sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1186/S42055-020-00029-Y

Tsymbaliuk, S., Vasylyk, A. V., & Stoliaruk, K. (2023). Green recruitment and adaptation practices in GHRM. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1126/1/012029

Vogt, M., & Schreiber, A. (2019). The role of sustainable human resource practices in shaping green economies. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 22(1), 94-109.

Yordanova, P., & Bichurova, I. (2019). The green economy- an approach for the sustainable development of the food industry. https://doi.org/10.35120/KIJ34051289Y