When you hear the phrase Green Skills, what do you think of?
For many people it’s recycling, energy use, or carbon footprinting. These are important, but they represent only a fraction of the skills needed to succeed in a low-carbon economy.

The businesses that are thriving today are those recognising that sustainability isn’t a side project – it’s woven into everything they do. From supply chain decisions to how they design products, from engaging staff to building community value, Green Skills now sit at the centre of business growth.

Below are ten Green Skills you might not have considered – why they matter, and how you can start building them in your organisation.

1. Environmental literacy

Environmental literacy means understanding the link between human activity and the natural world – and knowing how decisions impact climate, resources, and communities. It’s the foundation for every other Green Skill. Without this knowledge, sustainability actions can feel abstract or disconnected. By raising awareness across all roles, organisations can ensure sustainability becomes part of everyday thinking.

Tips to start:

• Run sustainability awareness sessions for all staff.

• Use internal newsletters or intranets to share short, practical “green facts.”

• Relate global issues like climate change to your industry so it feels relevant.

2. Stakeholder engagement

Sustainability is rarely achieved alone. It relies on the ability to work with customers, suppliers, regulators, and communities. Stakeholder engagement skills – from building trust to handling conflicting priorities – help turn sustainability goals into shared action. Strong engagement is often the difference between an ambitious plan that fails and one that delivers impact.

Tips to start:

• Map your key stakeholders and their expectations.

• Create forums (surveys, roundtables, Q&As) to capture input.

• Train staff on how to engage constructively, not defensively, in sustainability discussions.

3. Resource efficiency

Using fewer resources makes environmental and financial sense. From energy and water efficiency to smarter use of packaging, resource efficiency is about designing processes and services to do more with less. These skills often unlock quick wins, saving money while building momentum for bigger change.

Tips to start:

• Carry out a resource and waste audit to see where you can cut down.

• Set measurable efficiency targets (e.g., energy per unit produced).

• Encourage staff suggestions on reducing waste in day-to-day tasks.

4. Waste reduction

Waste isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s lost value. Skills in waste reduction help businesses recover costs, improve compliance, and enhance reputation. Approaches include better segregation, reuse schemes, and process redesign. Increasingly, waste reduction is also demanded by customers and regulators, making it a competitive advantage.

Tips to start:

• Introduce clear recycling and reuse processes in all sites.

• Track your waste streams and costs regularly.

• Explore partnerships with recycling or remanufacturing businesses.

5. Environmental planning

Good planning prevents problems later. Environmental planning involves assessing and minimising the impact of projects, products, and services across their life cycle. It also includes compliance with regulations and consideration of long-term risks, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Businesses that adopt these skills early often stay ahead of regulation and reduce future liabilities.

Tips to start:

• Carry out environmental risk assessments for new projects.

• Integrate sustainability into your project management framework.

• Engage local authorities or experts to understand environmental regulations.

6. Circular economy thinking

Circular economy thinking is about designing systems so resources flow in loops rather than becoming waste. This requires innovation and collaboration, but it can create new revenue streams, reduce costs, and differentiate your business. From product take-back schemes to materials designed for reuse, these skills are becoming mainstream.

Tips to start:

• Look at your products and identify opportunities for repair, reuse, or resale.

• Work with suppliers to design packaging that is recyclable or compostable.

• Pilot a “circular” service model (e.g., leasing instead of selling outright).

7. Biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity underpins food, water, and climate stability – yet it is often overlooked in business strategies. Skills in biodiversity conservation help organisations reduce land-use impact, protect habitats, and support nature-positive initiatives. With biodiversity reporting requirements growing, these skills are moving from optional to essential.

Tips to start:

• Incorporate biodiversity into your sustainability policy.

• Enhance your sites with green roofs, planting schemes, or pollinator areas.

• Partner with local conservation groups for projects staff can support.

8. Sustainable procurement

Most businesses generate the bulk of their emissions and impacts through their supply chains. Sustainable procurement skills help teams write effective tender questions, evaluate suppliers fairly, and support smaller businesses to improve. With public sector Procurement Policy Notes now embedding sustainability, these skills are critical for winning contracts.

Tips to start:

• Add sustainability criteria to your supplier selection process.

• Offer suppliers training or templates to help them meet requirements.

• Prioritise long-term partnerships with suppliers who share your values.

9. Social value skills

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment – it’s also about people. Social value skills enable businesses to deliver wider benefits like jobs, training, volunteering, and community investment. These contributions are increasingly part of tenders and client expectations, making them a core business skill.

Tips to start:

• Track your existing community and employee contributions.

• Set clear social value targets in new projects.

• Share impact stories with customers and stakeholders to build trust.

10. Sustainable innovation and carbon accounting

Innovation and measurement underpin everything else. Sustainable innovation means creating new products and services that reduce impact while meeting customer needs. Carbon accounting provides the data to ensure those innovations are credible and effective. Together, they drive competitiveness and protect against greenwashing.

Tips to start:

• Invest in innovation challenges focused on sustainability.

• Start your carbon accounting with Scopes 1 and 2, then expand to Scope 3.

• Use the data to inform product design, supplier engagement, and reporting.

Why these skills matter

Green Skills are no longer niche. They cut across HR, finance, operations, and marketing. Businesses that embed them benefit from:

• Resilience against regulation and market shifts

• Innovation that keeps them competitive

• Reputation as an employer of choice

• Savings from efficiency and waste reduction

• Access to green finance and public contracts

The businesses that thrive in the coming decade will be those that recognise Green Skills are not an add-on – they are part of the core skillset every employee needs.

✅ Want to explore how to embed Green Skills into your organisation? Get in touch with Sustainable X to start building the skills that will future-proof your business.