The sustainability skills that could shape your career
What skills will future employers be looking for? And how important will an understanding of sustainability be to your future career?
These were among the topics explored during our recent webinar, Socially Responsible Business: Impact Beyond Numbers, which brought together academics from across Alliance Manchester Business School and Agnes Chruszcz, Policy and Engagement Lead at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals.
One message emerged clearly from the discussion: sustainability is no longer the responsibility of a small team of specialists. Whether you're interested in accounting, finance, management or entrepreneurship, understanding how businesses create value for people, society and the environment is becoming an increasingly important skill.
The skills that employers are looking for
Technical knowledge remains important, but employers are increasingly looking for graduates who can communicate effectively, work with different stakeholders and adapt to change.
As organisations respond to social and environmental challenges, they need people who can build relationships, communicate ideas and help drive change across teams and stakeholders.
Speaking from an employer perspective, Agnes highlighted the importance of demonstrating skills beyond academic achievements alone: "Be able to tell a story about who you are and what your skills are, broader than just the technical skills."
For students entering a competitive graduate job market, being able to explain how you've developed these skills can be just as important as showcasing your subject knowledge.
Developing skills beyond the lecture theatre
Many of the skills discussed during the webinar can be developed outside the classroom.
Part-time work, volunteering, group projects and placements can all provide opportunities to build experience in communication, stakeholder engagement and teamwork.
Agnes encouraged students to think carefully about how they demonstrate these experiences to employers, highlighting examples such as contributing to sustainability initiatives in the workplace, supporting community projects or taking on leadership responsibilities within university activities.
Rather than focusing solely on technical expertise, students should consider how their experiences demonstrate initiative, collaboration and problem-solving.
Why sustainability matters across business disciplines
The webinar also challenged the idea that sustainability is only relevant to specialist sustainability roles.
As Huw Morgan, Programme Director for BSc Accounting, explained, sustainability is increasingly integrated into areas such as accounting and financial reporting. Modern business professionals are expected not only to understand financial performance, but also to consider wider social and environmental impacts.
"It's really taking us beyond the numbers and questioning not so much what's included in financial statements, but potentially what's left out as well."
Developing this critical perspective helps students understand how organisations create long-term value and how business decisions affect a range of stakeholders.
Preparing for the future of business
As the business landscape continues to evolve, employers are looking for graduates who can combine technical knowledge with communication skills, adaptability and an understanding of wider societal challenges.
Whether your career path leads into accounting, finance, consulting or management, the ability to think beyond profit and understand the broader impact of business decisions will be an important part of navigating the future of business.
Find out more
Watch the Socially Responsible Business: Impact Beyond Numbers webinar recording to hear the full discussion and explore how sustainable business is shaping the future of careers in business and management.
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