Green economy leaves room for women
Green economy and environmental protection. Those have become keywords in the current political and economic discourse. Today, enterprises of all sectors are required to adopt measures and systems assuring the protection of the environment and public health. In such context, the green economy plays a crucial role. By helping firms to find solutions to their dangerous emission of pollutants, and improving therefore their image in the eyes of consumers, the sector has been creating new job openings, above all in Italy. Such form of self- regulation, also known as corporate social responsibility, aims at the success of firms through the respect of ethical standards.
Green economy and Italy: the data
42% of enterprises in Italy are green. This makes of Italy a pioneer in the green economy sector, where 58% of the green enterprises have created new job openings. A recent study coordinated by Ketty Vaccaro (Censis) and published by Demetra Opinoni showed that Italian citizens tend to choose the green economy as one of the sectors producing economic growth, together with the agri-food and the touristic sectors. This datum was submitted to the two-day international conference dedicated to the States General of the Green Economy, which took place in November 2017 and was attended by experts, entrepreneurs, investors and politicians.
Italy also concedes tax benefits for those firms which decide to hire women, above all if those hired are unemployed or over 50. Nonetheless, both the European Union and the United Nations are working for a better integration of women in the working sectors. On the one hand, the EU commission issued a resolution to favor women employment and equal opportunities between men and women, above all related to their salary. On the other hand, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women encourages women to enter the green economy. The UN attempts to achieve sustainable development also through a considerable improvement in the condition of women around the world.
Positive Data and High Positions for Women in the Green Economy
The Fondazione Sviluppo Sostenibile confirms that women tend to be greener than men. Even in the domestic sphere, women are better oriented to practices related to energy saving, recycling, and limiting the use of pollutants. Just 46% of women drives to work, while 57% of men still decide to use their car. These data become particularly meaningful if we look at how the green economy sector is evolving in Italy. According to ISFOL, 57,8% of women in Italy who work for environmentally sustainable firms and agencies are in a leading position. On the contrary, just 35,3% of employees are men in leading roles.
As a matter of fact, since 2014, data confirm that women working in the green economy have secured managerial positions, but that the number of female consultants and employees is not satisfactory yet.
More and more studies related to the green economy indicate that women presence in the sector is essential for the economic growth of a country. Goldman Sachs’s experts claimed that if women and men were employed in equal number in the green sector, the GDP would increase by 13% in the Eurozone, and by 22% in Italy. These data confirmed a previous study by OCSE.
All these data suggest that we should focus on green economy better. The European Union is already betting on green economy. In particular, the EU commission aims at expanding the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and the green economy sector, and such initiatives pave the way for new green firms.
Institutions are those playing a crucial role when it comes to incentivize the employment of women in the green economy sector. Nonetheless, institutions can promote better positions for women in front of firms who invest in new technologies and environmental-friendly measures. The enterprises that decided to enter the sector have been successful because strictly connected to innovation, research, design, quality, and creation of new professional figures. However, entering the market means holding specific expertise. And this implies receiving the correct training. Those who are interested in entering the green economy sector are therefore in a favorable moment of history. Yet, a proper training and/or education are key to be hired or start a new business.
Green Economy, New Paths To Follow, and Marketing
A person willing to enter the green economy industry in Italy will be more likely to succeed in those regions which are pioneers in the field, as Emilia Romagna and Veneto. Indeed, Emilia Romagna and Veneto provide important financial support to those firms committed to environmental protection, and facilitate the recruitment process. In particular, firms producing and commercializing photovoltaic panels and low-impact thermals plants often look for environmental engineers and energy management experts. 70% of job advertisements attempt to recruit specialized laborers, commercial agents, and sales associates, too.
Marketing-related jobs, often outsourced by firms, are fundamental because they communicate the mission and values of a given enterprise to its potential consumers. In such context, green economy paves the way for the figure of the environmental-brand manager. This new profession focuses on the need for enterprises to highlight to consumers the environmental-friendly nature of their business. This is accomplished through successful communications and marketing strategy, so to increase firms’s attractiveness to their market. A close figure to the environmental-brand manager is the green marketing specialist, who works to promote and make people familiar with the new culture advocating for environmental protection. Also, they promote products and services which are environment-friendly.
Another related professional figure is one the brand manager. Brand managers are also responsible for communicating missions and values of a firm, setting up a successful strategy to enhance its image, and taking care of relations with the public. The marketing sector in the green industry allows for a wide range of job opportunities, from product designing to the use of innovative material for packaging, as biodegradable plastics. Therefore, any degree or certificate in marketing offers the largest potential to access the green industry, with very satisfactory salaries. However, becoming a brand manager implies holding specific competences in either communications or economics. Therefore, if you want to become a brand manager, you certainly need a degree. The average annual salary varies according to experience in the field. For those new in the field, the salary is approximately 15,000 euros per year. Those who hold a ten-year experience can earn up to 60,000 euros a year. Those who are considered experts in the field manage to earn up to 150,000 euros per year.
Green Economy and Human Resource Management
Management is also a good background for those interested in the green economy sector. This latter particularly focuses on the individuation of the most appropriate and innovative solutions for the protection of the environment and energy saving.
One of the new professional figures created by the green economy industry is related to the field of human resources. The human resource manager is responsible for making an enterprise become ‘greener’ and improve its production, with an view to materials used and energy consumption. In this case, the correct academic path is the one of a degree in environmental engineering, which should be followed by a master’s degree in either human resource management or natural resources management. In this field, specific knowledge is required because the human resource manager has to justify the choice of materials used for production, cleaning, packaging, etc. The average salary for human resource managers is around 2,000 euros per month. However, remuneration is established according to experience and results obtained in the field.
Green Economy and Environmentally-Friendly Events
Another new professional figure is the one of the green event planner, who is responsible for planning zero-impact events, paying full attention to potential carbon emissions occurring when large events take place. When planning an event, they take into account garbage disposals and how they can be recycled, the use of energy-efficient devices, and the employment of renewable energy resources (e.g. photovoltaic panels). A smart adoption of new technologies helps to respect the planet, too. Moreover, the clients of a green event planner tend to save money because of their no-impact events are usually cheaper, and be happier because of an enhanced image given to their businesses. Therefore, such profession is both welcomed and highly paid.
There is no specific experience or training path to follow to work in the green event planning field. Still, you need good organizational and analytical skills and some specific knowledge of environmental protection. The best way to start is to collaborate with specialized agencies operating in the green economy sector, as the famous LifeGate. In this way, you can get to know trade secrets and start developing your own client base. Moreover, agencies, institutions and enterprises edit manuals with the correct steps to take if you are willing to organize environmental-friendly events that may help you in the process. Indeed, unlike traditional event planners, green event planners have to focus on environmental considerations. Every detail of an event has to be in accordance with good practices for environmental protection, from the correct use of materials to the limit in the emission of dangerous substances. The annual salary of a green event planner is around 70,000 euros. However, since such job position is new and the competition is low, it is possible to earn much more, depending on clients and how many hours one has to work.
As we have illustrated, green economy offers you a wide range of new employment opportunities. Don’t miss the chance to get involved in the sector, and stay tuned on AssoDonna for more interesting articles.
