💼 GREEN JOBS: FROM RECRUITMENT STRATEGY TO VALUE STRUCTURE OF STARTUPS
In an era where climate crisis, resource scarcity, and ESG pressures are reshaping the way the economy operates, “green jobs” are no longer a concept reserved for environmental organizations. Instead, they are becoming a central strategy for startups to build long-term competitiveness and contribute to sustainable growth.
Contrary to the conventional wisdom that green jobs are limited to industries such as renewable energy, waste management, or organic agriculture, current trends show that every business, from logistics and fintech, to food and beverage, can create jobs that contribute to reducing emissions, optimizing resources, and promoting responsible consumption.
🧩 Skills Gap: A major barrier to green development In Vietnam, this situation is particularly serious as most workers in traditional sectors have not yet had access to circular thinking, clean technology, or ESG measurement standards.
Suppose startups do not proactively develop a green human resource training strategy early on. In that case, they will not only face difficulties in recruitment, but will also be easily eliminated from the global supply chain, where green standards are increasingly becoming mandatory and no longer encouraging.
🧩 Startups need to start from human resource strategy Many startups are currently pursuing "greening the image" - using environmental slogans to attract investors or consumers, but lacking in substance.
Green thinking needs to start from within, starting with human resource training strategy. Some practical directions that startups can implement right from the beginning are:
💼 Building an internal green competency framework: Startups need to build their skill maps for each position to determine which green competencies need to be supplemented.
💼 Internal training or linking with educational institutions: Startups should proactively link with vocational schools, universities, or organizations to develop short-term, practice-focused programs.
💼 Establishing a green corporate culture: Green culture is not just about using recycled materials or saving electricity, but making decisions that consider environmental factors in each process.
💼 Proactively "greening" the recruitment and retention process: Gen Z and Gen Alpha employees increasingly prioritize working at organizations with clear social commitments. "Green jobs" will not only be the right choice, but also an advantage in the battle for talent. From a financial perspective, investing in green capabilities may initially put pressure on cash flow. But in the long run, it is an intangible asset that helps businesses increase their valuation, expand their ability to raise capital, and access markets with higher standards.
🌍 In a world where growth is inseparable from sustainability, startups that embrace green jobs early and build the corresponding human resources capabilities will be more adaptable, raise more capital, and create a more lasting impact. Green jobs are no longer an option – they are the human resources infrastructure of a modern startup.
