Taxonomy for Carbon and ESG-related Jobs

A clear understanding of ESG and carbon-related job structures is essential for building effective training programs, guiding career pathways, and ensuring that the skills supply meets employer demand.

Through our research, two complementary frameworks have emerged as particularly effective for categorizing these jobs: a functional role-based classification^[31] reflecting organizational functions, and a skill-level framework^[32] distinguishing roles based on required experience and responsibility. This dual taxonomy approach offers educators, policymakers, and employers a comprehensive perspective on structuring Africa’s green workforce development efforts.

From an organizational perspective, ESG and carbon roles cluster around six main functional areas.

The first and most strategic is sustainability leadership, involving senior positions such as Chief Sustainability Officer, Director of ESG, or Head of Impact. Professionals in these roles embed sustainability into core business strategies, establishing clear ESG targets aligned with organizational missions and global standards. They engage senior executives, boards, and various departments to implement coordinated sustainability initiatives across their organizations.

A second critical functional cluster involves environmental and climate related reporting and disclosure roles fundamental to transparency and regulatory compliance. Professionals such as Sustainable Reporting Analysts, Environmental Impact Specialists and Carbon Accounting Specialists gather and analyse data aligned with key disclosure frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Their responsibilities include coordinating comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions inventories and preparing mandatory disclosures for stock exchanges, regulators, and investors.

ESG compliance and risk management constitute the third functional cluster, addressing the increasing regulatory complexity surrounding ESG performance. Professionals such as ESG Risk Analysts, Compliance Officers, and Sustainability Auditors actively manage regulatory adherence and ESG-related risks. Legal experts have also become indispensable in this domain, fulfilling critical roles such as ESG Legal Counsel, Sustainability Policy Advisors, and Regulatory Affairs Managers. These legal specialists work closely with compliance teams, investor relations, and ESG reporting units, interpreting evolving regulations and mitigating legal and reputational risks, including greenwashing.

The fourth cluster centres on carbon management and climate-specific roles, focusing explicitly on emissions measurement, management, and mitigation strategies. Roles in this cluster include Carbon Footprint Analysts, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Specialists, and Climate Strategy Leads. These specialists develop comprehensive emissions inventories, conduct scenario modelling, and design decarbonization strategies and carbon offset pathways. Complementing these roles, engineers, designers, and product developers innovate solutions that directly reduce carbon emissions, such as sustainable packaging, electric mobility, and low-carbon construction materials. These professionals typically reside within research and innovation teams and closely collaborate with carbon analysts to ensure alignment with organizational climate targets.

The final functional cluster focuses on environmental management and operations roles, crucial for practical sustainability execution within organizations. Positions such as Environmental Managers, Sustainability Coordinators, and Green Procurement Officers implement environmental management systems, monitor and report on operational environmental impacts like energy use, waste, water, and biodiversity, and contribute essential data for broader ESG reporting and corporate sustainability analysis.

Complementing the functional perspective, ESG and carbon roles can be differentiated clearly by the skill levels required, enabling a comprehensive understanding of workforce composition and professional development needs.

At the highest skill tier, advanced or expert-level roles, are positions typically requiring more than a decade of experience and often advanced degrees or global certifications. Chief Sustainability Officers, Carbon Finance Experts, and Climate Risk Modelers exemplify this tier, providing high-level strategic advisory and executive decision support. Globally, these roles constitute roughly 10% of green jobs.

Mid-career professionals form a critical layer known as specialized skills roles, typically requiring three to ten years of focused ESG experience alongside formal ESG-specific certifications. ESG Analysts, Carbon Accountants, ESG Auditors, and Renewable Energy Engineers commonly occupy this category, performing essential tasks such as emissions modelling, sustainability reporting, impact analysis, and ESG product development. This mid-career tier represents about 30% of green jobs globally.

The third skill tier, generalist or administrative skills, includes roles primarily filled by early-career professionals or individuals transitioning from other sectors. ESG Project Coordinators, Sustainability Administrative Officers, and CSR Program Officers fulfil important coordination and analytical support roles, accounting for approximately 20% of green employment. They ensure ESG programs run smoothly, managing data collection, reporting calendars, and survey coordination.

Finally, at the entry-level or unskilled skill tier, roles require minimal formal ESG training and offer significant opportunities for inclusion and on-the-job skill-building. Positions such as tree-planting crews, solar panel assistants, waste sorting staff, ESG interns, research assistants, sustainability outreach coordinators, or junior monitoring and evaluation officers typify this category. These foundational roles represent up to 40% of the green economy, highlighting their vital importance for scale and inclusivity in workforce development.