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business case 3. Increasing environment and sustainability knowledge and understanding of all other workers, so they can play their full role
IEMA is shining a light on these issues (see www.iema. net/skills-campaign) and providing the pathways and support for businesses to upskill and develop the capability to meet the challenges. But the task of meeting the challenges is so vast that no one organisation can do this alone. Government and business need to work with each other and with us to ensure a policy framework is in place, enabling national economies to manage risks and businesses to develop the flexibility and resilience to succeed. In her new role, Liz Truss has the potential to take a leadership position to really catalyse this skills agenda. As a former education minister, she’ll be well aware of the critical importance of unlocking the talent in people, which will be critical to long term success. Environment and sustainability needs to be integrated into the national curriculum, ensuring that young people entering work and starting their careers are able to play their part and drive a positive cultural response to the sustainability challenge. Skills policy and support, aimed at those already in work, needs to address the skills gap at all levels. Focusing on apprentices, without addressing higher-level roles, will not prepare the economy for the changes and challenges to come. Partnership and collaboration are needed to catalyse action – much more can be achieved when sectors and supply chains work together to solve problems and develop solutions across the whole system. Investing in the skills which are crucial to the transition to a sustainable economy offers business the best chance of maximising the opportunities and managing the risk. It’s a “no regrets” approach for preparing for the future – the Secretary of State has a small window to make her mark ■
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Foresight (2013) “The Future of Manufacturing – A new era of opportunity and challenge for the UK” –Project Report, Government Office for Science, London. Change from an economy based on the conversion of raw materials into products which end their lives as waste, to an economy where products are re-used, ‘re-purposed’, repaired, re-manufactured and recycled, cascaded, and recovered rather than being used and discarded. United Nations (2013) World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision OECD Development Centre, Working Paper 285 (Kharas, 2010) Office of National Statistics (2011) National Population Projections, 2010-Based Projections Professor Sir John Beddington, UK Government Chief Scientist (2009) www.govnet.co.uk/news/govnet/ professor-sir-john-beddingtons-speech-at-sduk-09 The UN Global Compact – Accenture CEO Study on Sustainability (2013) CBI (2012) “The colour of growth – maximising the potential of green business” Defra (2011) “The Further Benefits of Business Resource Efficiency” – Oakdene Hollins research report completed for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), London UKCES (2014) The Future of Work: Jobs and Skills in 2030 – Martin Rhisiant, Centre for Research in Futures and Innovation, University of South Wales, Peter Glover, Helen Beck, UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), London
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