Companies that invest in training their employees go beyond developing professional skills and embed sustainability principles in their corporate culture. This strategic orientation strengthens the company’s social and environmental responsibility and also contributes to its competitiveness. Innovative companies that adapt their training strategies to address climate change not only improve their credibility and image, but also achieve their sustainability goals more effectively, because Without appropriate training programmes, sustainability strategies are like switching to a hybrid car – it feels progressive but misses the point.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC SUSTAINABILITY SKILLS
Your greatest asset is not your products or services, but your people. In order to keep up with the dynamic demands, employees need continuous support. Ignoring the development of your professionals and managers can therefore prove to be a costly mistake that undermines the long-term potential of your business.
THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLISTIC SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY
In the area of sustainability in particular, the development of specific skills is crucial. These include not only a deep understanding of ecological principles, but also the ability to apply sustainable practices on a daily basis. In addition, critical thinking and problem solving skills are essential to effectively address complex sustainability challenges.
Modern training programmes should therefore go beyond the provision of technical knowledge and also develop the soft skills and so-called green skills that are essential for implementing and promoting sustainable initiatives. By investing in these comprehensive training approaches, companies not only strengthen the individual skills of their employees, but also the overall resilience and innovation capacity of the organisation.
The GreenComp framework developed by the European Commission and the Internal Development Goals initiative offer good starting points for integrating such skills into training strategies.
Il GreenComp-Framework sviluppato dalla Commissione Europea e l’iniziativa Inner Development Goals offrono buoni punti di partenza su come queste capacità possano essere integrate nelle strategie educative.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) AS A GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Ignoring sustainability risks – and climate change in particular – is the corporate equivalent of smoking: A widely recognised risk that has been ignored for far too long and is often still ignored.
In this context, CSR and ESG are becoming increasingly important in corporate governance. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks are now more than just buzzwords, more than just a compliance checklist – they have become a central part of the strategy for companies that create real value.
Training programmes that focus on ESG and CSR deepen the understanding of ethical behaviour and strengthen the social responsibility of employees. They not only impart knowledge, but also shape employees’ attitudes and behaviour in line with sustainable values, which in many cases leads to greater employee loyalty and a more positive corporate culture.
DIGITAL EDUCATION – LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Digitalisation is proving to be a revolutionary factor for continuing education. Online learning platforms and digital training tools not only enable the flexible and efficient delivery of learning content, but also the location-independent training of employees. Digitalisation has fundamentally changed the way we learn by making access to training more flexible and optimising it, enabling learning directly in the workplace.
‘A 21st century technology is not compatible with a 20th century pedagogy and a 19th century school architecture. […] The role of the teacher is shifting – away from being a mere imparter of knowledge and towards becoming a mentor who enables and guides learning processes.’ **
The keyword for effective employee training for sustainable entrepreneurship is ‘flipped classroom’. This involves reversing traditional teaching methods: instead of learners passively following the teaching content in class and then completing tasks at home, they receive the teaching content in advance in the form of videos or digital materials. Ideally, the content is delivered in micro-learning format: as small ‘learning bites’ that benefit the ever-shorter attention span. The attendance time – whether on site or in a webinar – is then used to consolidate what has been learnt, clarify questions and practise practical applications. This reversal allows employees to be more self-directed in their learning and actively engage with the material, while at the same time focussing on interactive and hands-on learning experiences. An analysis of over 317 academic studies also shows that flipped pedagogy is particularly effective in learning professional and academic skills.
POSITIVE SIDE EFFECT OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM AS PART OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING FOR SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
A positive side effect is that digital training courses can also be easily personalised and individualised. Learners receive customised content that meets their individual needs and learning speeds. This not only boosts employee motivation and commitment, but also increases the effectiveness of the learning process. In addition, digital tools and platforms enable continuous monitoring and evaluation of learning progress, which allows companies to analyse the effectiveness of their training measures and adjust them if necessary.
The use of gamification is another innovative approach to promote employee training. By integrating playful elements, such as points systems, badges and competitions, learning content is made entertaining and motivating. This not only increases employee participation, but also promotes learning success and long-term loyalty to the training programmes. Companies that integrate gamification into their training strategies report higher motivation to learn, improved learning outcomes and increased employee satisfaction.
CHALLENGES AND PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES
The implementation of effective training programmes brings with it various challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is often funding, especially for smaller organisations. However, companies that are proactive and find creative budget solutions and partnerships with training providers such as Terra Institute can easily overcome this obstacle. Another important aspect is the involvement of senior management. Top management support is essential to ensure the long-term effectiveness of training programmes. In addition to funding and leadership, tailoring programmes to the specific needs of employees is another challenge. Developing customised courses that provide relevant and immediately applicable skills requires a deep analysis of the industry’s job requirements and future projections.
Regulatory requirements and pressure from the EU, such as the EU Taxonomy and the CSRD/ESRS Directive, increase the need to provide specific training to ensure compliance while increasing business value. At the same time, digitalisation is a double-edged sword. While digital learning offers countless opportunities, the challenge is to ensure equal access to these technologies for all employees. This is especially true for older employees or those in less digitalised regions. An inclusive education strategy that bridges such digital divides is crucial to creating a truly inclusive working environment. Hybrid approaches have proven particularly effective here.
CONCLUSION: SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTATED TRAINING IS CRUCIAL FOR SUCCESS
Employee training on topics such as anti-greenwashing, decarbonisation, ESG, supply chain diligence, sustainable leadership, diversity and inclusion are crucial for the long-term development of a company. These measures not only enable the achievement of sustainability goals, but also promote a responsible and appreciative corporate culture. They strengthen innovation potential, improve risk management and promote a culture of accountability. In addition, sustainability training and seminars can also increase employee loyalty and motivation by signalling to the workforce that ‘we are doing something’, actively involving them and helping them to experience their own effectiveness. Last but not least, they also contribute to compliance with legal requirements and support the efficient use of resources and the reduction of waste.
TERRA ACADEMY
With the Terra Academy, we follow the reverse pedagogy approach described above and offer a hybrid combination of digital e-learning and webinars on the one hand, and face-to-face seminars, training, workshops and coaching on the other – personalised and tailored to the various roles, needs and learning objectives of the employees and departments in your organisation.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to find out more about the possibilities and benefits of Terra Academy for your organisation .
* Lifelong learning is the continuous, voluntary and self-motivated acquisition of knowledge and skills throughout a person’s lifetime.
Kim Y. Mühl is passionate about knowledge transfer. As an author, lecturer, keynote speaker, and trainer, he has been dealing for years with topics such as bionics, digitalization, finance, sustainability, purpose, and strategy. In addition, the former Head of Research & Business Development Europe of a global fintech service provider brings extensive experience in process and project work as well as in team leadership. Today, as a Senior Learning Consultant with the Terra Academy, he accompanies companies and their people on their way to a sustainable economy and work environment.
