Sustainability skills at work – From awareness to action

The green transition is changing work life

Sustainable development means advancing society in a way that secures good living conditions for both present and future generations. Many people know the UN’s definition by heart, yet few pause to reflect on what sustainability actually means in the context of their own job.

According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s report What will happen to the quality of work life in the green transition? (2025), environmentally intensive, traditional jobs are disappearing, and new roles that actively promote sustainability are taking their place. This shift demands that employees keep learning and adapting, and that companies recognize the transition is not only technical, but also psychological and social.

Workplace well-being now includes environment-related emotions such as climate anxiety, which may become a new occupational health challenge. Recognising these feelings. For example, through well-being surveys or open discussions — helps ensure that change happens in an empowering way, strengthening people’s sense of purpose and engagement.

Sustainability skills concern everyone

As participants in noticed during the webinar noted, sustainability shouldn’t remain a side project — it needs to be woven into everything we do. Awareness alone, even a positive attitude, isn’t enough. We need a new mindset and tangible action.

Sustainability skills help us make informed choices that support the environment, society, and the economy. These skills aren’t just for environmental experts — they matter to everyone. The green transition requires that each of us understands how to integrate sustainability into our own work.

Small, reflective questions can help identify what knowledge or abilities you might still need. For one person, it might be learning to calculate a carbon footprint; for another, designing responsible procurement processes or simply feeling confident enough to speak up when improvements are needed.

You can begin your learning journey by reflecting on these questions alone, with a colleague, or as a team:

• What decisions or actions in my work affect environmental, social, or economic sustainability?

• How does my role contribute to my organizations sustainability goals?

• Do I know how to act more sustainably in these areas

When we strengthen sustainability skills and knowledge together, we build workplaces that are resilient, responsible, and ready for the future. And most importantly, let’s start building a livable, sustainable future now.

This blog post is based on the Edelläkävijät Oivalluksia webinar from October 2025, hosted by Suvi from Learnsy. The original Finnish version was published on the Edelläkävijät website and can be found here.

About the blog author: Suvi Ferraz is the CEO of Learnsy with 10+ years in corporate learning and development, vocational teacher and corporate trainer with minor on Corporate Responsibility.