Labour must act to close green skills gap, SUEZ report warns

A new report into green skills, commissioned by SUEZ, has warned the UK Government that without action the UK will fail to achieve its targets.

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK has called on the UK Government to deliver targeted investment, long-term policy frameworks, and stronger collaboration with businesses and educational institutions to align the UK’s workforce.

Writing in the report, Skills Minister Jacqui Smith highlighted the importance of the waste and resources sector in supporting the transition to net zero and closing the green skills gap, but warned the energy transition will pose a “critical challenge”.

Smith wrote: “The green revolution is reshaping entire industries, creating new jobs and transforming existing ones. It’s not just about clean energy – green skills will be vital across sectors like transport, waste management and restoring the natural environment.

“The transition to a greener economy is more than a policy shift – it’s about securing the future of jobs, industries and climate. Green skills will play a central role in this journey, and with the right skills in place, the UK will be ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.”

The green revolution is reshaping entire industries, creating new jobs and transforming existing ones.

CBI Chief Executive Rain Newton-Smith warned the Industrial Strategy “cannot be all things to all people” and must target the “areas with the highest growth potential”.

According to the Chartered Institute for Wastes Management (CIWM), 200,000 jobs will be needed by 2040 in the waste and resources sector to manage the net zero transition.

The report, commissioned by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, one of the country’s largest waste companies, also includes contributions from former Minister and Net Zero Review author Chris Skidmore, and the CBI.

It comes after the UK Government confirmed it will not reform the Green Jobs Delivery Group, which brought together ministers, industry experts, and educational institutions, to advise on green skills policy.

The Group’s final report was delayed by the General Election in Summer 2024 and has yet to be published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

In the report, SUEZ has called for the UK Government to:

• Align its green skills policy and Industrial Strategy closely, ensuring Skills England works closely with businesses to address key skills gaps.
• Recognise the waste and resources sector as critical to underpinning the net zero transition.
• Maintain a strategic focus on developing green skills to support high-growth sectors like renewable energy, low-carbon manufacturing, and the circular economy.
• Invest in education, training, and skills planning to ensure the UK has the workforce required to achieve its net zero and clean power missions.
• Ensure Skills England improves coordination between government, industry, and local communities to deliver green infrastructure projects and sustainable innovation.

Former CIWM President Dr Adam Read MBE, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, said: “We’re pleased to see the Skills Minister recognise the essential role that waste management will play in the transition to a sustainable economy, and hear the Government commit to reform skills provision.

“However, it’s vital that they don’t waste the good progress industry has made to date and heed business’ feedback on the Apprenticeship Levy.

“The UK’s skills and industrial policies must work hand-in-hand, ensuring businesses have the right incentives to invest in training for the future and in the areas that will underpin a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.”

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