Sustainable Jobs: How Universities Drive Green Employment

By Rejoice Esi Asante (PhD)

Sustainability has become a must for society and in every domain. Studies show that it plays a vital role in both economic growth, helping to reduce unemployment and promoting innovation, while creating new jobs and promoting environmental sustainable business practices.

Some countries have become intentional about leveraging sustainability, by integrating its principles into social and environmental issues, and using it to address challenges such as unemployment in their domains.

Researchers contend that sustainable development, is the way to go in contemporary times.

The global trends focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are also prominent in businesses with emphasis on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives – a set of standards that measure the impact of businesses on society, the environment, including levels of transparency and accountability.

It has become imperative for society to embrace sustainability at all levels and to also upskill the workforce to promote it.

This brings to the fore, the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the need for them to embrace sustainability by incorporating social and environmental considerations into their curricula to help create awareness, economic growth and job creation, among students, thereby reducing poverty, unemployment, promote skills development thereby helping to mitigate climate change.

This article explores aspects of sustainable development and how HEIs can leverage it for growth and job/wealth creation. In a country where youth unemployment is rife, HEIs have a crucial role to play by engaging students early.

Sustainable Development

sustainability is broadly used to indicate strategies, programs, initiatives and actions aimed at preserving resources. It represents a balanced approach to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Watson & Wolfe, 2025), and entails the transformation of life to optimize the likelihood that environmental and social conditions will continuously support human security, well-being, and health (McMichael et al., 2003).

More recently, sustainability has become a source of inspiration and innovation for most organizations, which have begun redesigning their business models based on sustainability concepts.

Powered by the Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable practices have become critical for industrial engineering, dealing with technological and management principles (Cabrita and Cruz-Machado, 2023). In higher education, sustainability is complex and multifaceted, involving not only environmental considerations but also ethical and societal dimensions (Trevisan et. al., 2024).

it requires a holistic approach that integrates various aspects of sustainability, such as environmental impact, social responsibility, and long-term effectiveness. It includes preparing future professionals to be responsible citizens in a more sustainable way (Leal Filho et al., 2015), formulating strategies to create awareness among students (Manolis and Manoli, 2021; Wang et al., 2022), assessing the global operational footprint of HEIs and emphasizing sustainability in strategic orientations (Motta et al., 2017), contributing to the creation, promotion, and implementation of sustainable paradigms in all HEIs’ activities (Terlević et al., 2015), among other activities.

For instance, Trevisan et. al., (2024), note that HEIs can encourage partnerships and collaboration both within the university community and with external stakeholders towards sustainability (Blasco et al., 2021; Leal Filho et al., 2021a; Spee, 2020).

They can form valuable partnerships with businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organisations, creating a dynamic ecosystem where knowledge transfer and joint initiatives are established. These collaborations can lead to research funding, internships, employment opportunities for students, and practical solutions for sustainability challenges (Leal Filho et al., 2023).

Sustainability Principles and Pillars

Sustainability Education Academy (2024) proposes principles of sustainability which are also considered as pillars. The principles and pillars are environmental, economic, Human and social sustainability (Future learn, 2017).

Put in another way, Watson & Wolfe (2025), described the key principles underpinning sustainability as ecological integrity, social equity, economic efficiency, and intergenerational equity.

These principles and pillars are key to ensuring a harmonious coexistence between society, the environment and the economy. Understanding and embracing the principles are necessary to create a world that will meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.

Environmental sustainability, also referred to as ecological integrity, revolves around preserving and nurturing the health of the planet and entails the responsible use of natural resources, reducing waste and pollution, and conserving biodiversity. It aims to improve human welfare through the protection of natural capital (e.g. land, air, water, minerals etc.).

Initiatives and programs are defined environmentally sustainable when they ensure that the needs of the population are met without the risk of compromising the needs of future generations (Future learn, 2017). This principle calls for the responsible management of resources, the protection of biodiversity, and the mitigation of pollution and habitat degradation (Watson & Wolfe, 2025).

Social sustainability also known as social equity, focuses on promoting equitable and inclusive communities that cater to the well-being of all individuals. \xa0It aims at preserving social capital by investing and creating services that constitute the framework of society. The concept accommodates a larger view of the world in relation to communities, cultures and globalization (Diesendorf, 2000).

Social sustainability emphases on maintaining and improving social quality with concepts such as cohesion, reciprocity and honesty and the importance of relationships amongst people. It encompasses such issues as human rights, social justice, and equitable access to resources and opportunities (Watson & Wolfe, 2025).

Economic sustainability also referred to as economic efficiency, revolves around cultivating a resilient and flourishing economy that serves both the present and future generations. This principle advocates for responsible resource management, sustainable business practices, and the promotion of circular economies.

It aims at maintaining the capital intact. If social sustainability focuses on improving social equality, economic sustainability aims to improve the standard of living. In the context of business, it denotes the efficient use of assets to maintain company profitability over time (UK Annual Report 2000).\xa0 It seeks to balance economic growth with long-term stability and environmental stewardship, for instance, circular economies and green technologies and innovation (Watson & Wolfe, 2025).

Human sustainability , introduced by Future learn (2017), aims to maintain and improve the human capital in society. Investments in the health and education systems, access to services, nutrition, knowledge and skills are all programs under the umbrella of human sustainability also referred to as Intergenerational Equity which is the responsibility of current generations to leave a viable and thriving world for future generations.

It emphasises the need to preserve natural resources and maintain a stable environment to ensure the well-being of all those coming after them (Watson & Wolfe, 2025).

For complete sustainability to be achieved, all the four pillars must be maintained, researchers observe. Although in some cases these may overlap. By integrating these principles into policies, practices, and daily lives, a more sustainable and resilient future for upcoming generations can be achieved.

Sustainability and Wealth / Job Creation

Wealth creation means many things to many people because of its subjective nature. It has been used differently in several disciplines for instance in economics, marketing, psychology, sociology and even religion and culture (Hallberg, 2017; Ensign, 2001). Research shows that many view wealth as money, material things, or external resources.

Yet others view it as health, time, emotional happiness, or spiritual growth. From the sustainability perspective, wealth and value creation means more than providing economic and customer value (Cabrita and Cruz-Machado, 2023).

Sustainable engineering principles for instance, are important drivers toward sustainable development and a sustainable value creation process (Cabrita and Cruz-Machado, 2023).\xa0 Numerous benefits for wealth creation can be achieved such as the establishment of green entrepreneurship and businesses, leading to employment or job creation.

Sustainable entrepreneurship for instance can significantly reduce unemployment by creating new jobs, and promoting environmentally responsible business practices. It has also been found that sustainable entrepreneurship has a positive significant effect on economic growth (Mathibe and Oppong, 2024).

The role of Higher Education Institutions

The role of higher education, primarily focused on providing students with technical skills and knowledge for their chosen fields, has been changing in response to the growing need for sustainable development in recent times. This is due to increasing global environmental and social sustainability challenges that have redefined higher education’s role and they are now identified as substantial forces in moving forward sustainable development.

The move toward interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to teaching and research has been a critical transformation in the function of higher education institutions. Most universities are dismantling old-fashioned academic silos and creating multidisciplinary research centers and programs to encourage collaboration and creativity (Abo-Khalil, 2024; Collins et al., 2018).

Similarly, Trevisan et. al., (2024), highlight that sustainability in higher education institutions is an ongoing process requiring continuous learning and evaluation. They proposed a roadmap framework for sustainability through transformative and organizational learning, considering four stages of transformative learning, i.e. disruptive event, critical reflection, new perspective development, and new perspective integration.

They embraced five dimensions of organizational learning, i. e. team learning, shared vision, mental models, personal mastery, and systems thinking. Trevisan et. al., (2024), note that for HEIs to contribute to sustainability, a substantial transformation encompassing all the activities is essential.

Translating sustainability into school curricula

Aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many institutions of higher learning are considering the integration of sustainability in their curricula. Currently in Asia and Africa, this integration is gaining increasing recognition. Education has become the platform for promoting sustainable awareness and practices. Many universities have begun incorporating sustainable practices in their operational and research activities and directly, into teaching methodologies, offering a range of programs dedicated to sustainability endeavors, spanning various disciplines. (Abo-Khalil., 2024).

In the UEA for instance, (Abo-Khalil, 2024) observes that with programs ranging from environmental health to sustainable and renewable energy engineering, higher education institutions are equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills to address the environmental challenges of the 21st century. In conjunction with the UAE’s strategic sustainability and renewable energy initiatives, these educational programs underscore a national strategy prioritizing environmental stewardship and sustainable living.

Trevisan et. al., (2024), proposed a whole-institution approach to sustainability in higher education, focusing on curricula, research, facilities, outreach and governance. Filho, et. al., (2025) corroborated this by stressing that HEIs are uniquely positioned to contribute to sustainable development through education, research, community engagement, and policy influence, by adopting stakeholder engagements where diverse expertise, resources, and perspectives can be mobilized effectively to promote sustainability. The tendency will amplify the practical impact of sustainability efforts while addressing real-world challenges (Filho, et. al., 2025).

Deduction:

Seeing the vital role HEIs play in driving sustainability, such as educating future leaders, conducting research on critical issues and fostering innovation, their quest towards sustainability initiatives must be supported.

The HEIs contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to address issues in the environment, society and other economic challenges like unemployment.

Research outputs by HEIs support national and international initiatives and development sustainably while improving technological advancement for economic growth (Nyerere, et. al., 2016). The HEIs are better placed to create this reality and must be encouraged.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).

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