Embracing Green Recruitment: How to Build a Sustainable Workforce for the Energy Transition

How to Build a Sustainable Workforce

Sustainability is no longer just a corporate saying, it’s a business imperative. Across the energy sector, companies are under growing pressure to respond to climate goals through cutting emissions, aligning ESG targets, meeting stakeholder expectations, and leading responsibly through the energy transition. Due to this shift, green recruitment is becoming a critical part of building future-ready teams and lead responsibly through the energy transition.

This shift is creating a new demand for a workforce that is not only skilled, but sustainable by design. In other words, the conversation today is really about how to build a sustainable workforce that can deliver on both current and future energy goals

That shift is creating a new demand for a workforce that is not only skilled, but sustainable by design.

At Visuna, we believe that green recruitment is one of the most powerful tools for building this workforce, especially for oil & gas companies evolving their models and investing in renewables. It’s about more than just hiring, it’s about shaping the future of energy.

What is green recruitment?

Green recruitment refers to eco-conscious hiring strategies that reduce environmental impact, promote sustainable practices, and attract talent aligned with climate-conscious values.

It covers everything from the tools used to hire (like virtual interviews) to the values conveyed in job postings, all the way through to the structure of the workplace itself.

Green recruitment is about going beyond carbon-neutral policies and about recruiting talent with purpose, embedding ESG values into hiring, and using innovative, low-impact recruitment methods.

Discover more about the growing importance of ESG in the oil & gas industry >

Why does green recruitment matter in the energy sector?

It matters because ESG is becoming increasingly important across the world. As well as this, the global energy system is in transformation. While oil & gas still plays a vital role in meeting today’s energy demands, the industry is also adapting fast decarbonising operations, diversifying into renewables, and preparing for a low-carbon future.

This changing landscape means the skills, values, and expectations of the workforce must also evolve.

A recent survey discovered that 48% of Gen-Z workers say they would refuse to work for an employer that doesn’t act on climate change (Deloitte, 2023).
Green-related job roles and skills are growing across all industries, not just sustainability-specific jobs.
Organisations with a reputation for ESG commitment attract more loyal, purpose-driven talent and enjoy a stronger brand presence.

Companies need to start attracting talent who not only have technical expertise, but who are motivated by sustainability.

Green recruitment helps energy companies attract ESG-aligned talent, bridge skills gaps, and future-proof their organisations. But how to build a sustainable workforce in practice? Here are six strategies you can put in place:

Attract ESG-aligned professionals who want to contribute to climate goals
Enhance employer branding in a sector under environmental scrutiny
Bridge the talent gap between traditional energy and clean technologies
Develop a pipeline of future-ready talent across both legacy and emerging sectors
Build resilience in a competitive global workforce market

Here are six ways you can make your recruitment more sustainable:

1. Embrace digital-first hiring

Energy companies with field-based or remote operations can dramatically cut emissions by using:

Using video interviews and remote assessments.
Switching to digital contracts and onboarding.
Cutting down on travel and paperwork.

This not only reduces environmental impact, it also accelerates the hiring process.

2. Clearly communicate sustainability credentials

Whether you’re an oil & gas company working to decarbonise operations, or a renewables business scaling up, it’s vital to showcase your commitment to ESG. Be transparent about your sustainability journey:

Include sustainability milestones in job ads and careers pages
Showcase ESG milestones across social media and internally
Share stories from employees involved in transition projects

3. Create a culture of environmental responsibility

The green shift isn’t only about external communication, it must be embedded in how your teams work. Focus on the following:

Support hybrid working to reduce commuting
Introduce green travel policies and low-carbon incentives
Design eco-conscious workspaces that boost both wellbeing and efficiency

4. Prioritise cross-sector green skills

The energy transition is creating a convergence between oil & gas and renewables. Hiring teams should:

Seek out transferable skills (e.g. offshore engineering, project management, data analysis)
Identify candidates with “green skills” such as carbon accounting, environmental compliance, or circular supply chain knowledge
Upskill existing teams to support renewable energy initiatives

5. Measure & report your impact

ESG-driven recruitment is credible when it is measurable. Here are some ways to begin analysing your impact:

Track reduced emissions from hiring activities
Monitor sustainability sentiment among employees and perception among candidates
Include recruitment metrics in broader ESG or sustainability reports

6. Align hiring with energy transition goals

Recruitment should reflect your company’s long-term energy strategy.

Add ESG performance indicators to hiring manager reviews
Partner with recruitment firms that specialise in both oil & gas and renewables
Use hiring as a tool to shape internal change toward net-zero goals

Kelly Walker’s Perspective: Recruitment as a Catalyst for ESG

In Visuna’s 2024/25 Environmental, Social and Governance Report, our Operations Director, Kelly Walker, highlights how recruitment is central to sustainability strategies:

“The energy transition is driven by people. At Visuna, we see recruitment not simply as filling roles, but as shaping a workforce that can deliver today’s energy needs while building tomorrow’s solutions. By aligning hiring with ESG goals, companies can accelerate their progress toward a more sustainable future.”

Kelly’s vision reinforces the idea that green recruitment isn’t a side initiative, it is a strategic driver of resilience and innovation across the global energy sector.

What is Visuna’s role in driving sustainable workforce solutions?

With decades of experience in upstream oil & gas recruitment and a growing footprint in renewables, Visuna can help support clients with the transformational recruitment challenges faced by energy sector.

We support our clients by:

Sourcing professionals with cross-sector experience and green mindsets
Providing consultancy on sustainable hiring practices
Helping companies reposition their employer brand as part of the energy transition narrative
Building flexible, low-carbon workforce models for the future of energy

Getting started with a practical roadmap for your next steps

Whether you’re an upstream operator, offshore contractor, or renewables startup, here are four ways to act and begin building a greener recruitment model:

Audit your hiring practices. Where can you reduce waste and improve sustainability?
Pilot one change, such as virtual interviews or paperless onboarding
Promote your ESG journey to attract top-tier candidates motivated by impact
Partner with experts like Visuna, who understand the complexities of hiring during the energy transition

The energy transition is about more than technology

As the global energy sector is being reshaped, not only by technology, but by people, it is organisations that embrace and prioritise green recruitment that will lead the way. Oil & gas companies diversifying into renewables, and renewables companies scaling globally, all need workforces that reflect the future of energy.

By embedding green recruitment into hiring today, organisations can not only strengthen their ESG performance but also secure the talent needed to thrive tomorrow.

At Visuna, we are pleased to work with organisations across oil & gas and renewables who are building teams that reflect the future of energy, creating workforces that are resilient, future-ready, and part of the solution.

As technology and people reshape the sector, those who understand how to build a sustainable workforce will be best placed to thrive. By embedding green recruitment practices today, organisations can secure the right talent for tomorrow.

Let’s work together

We are proud to support organisations that are embedding sustainability into their workforce strategies. Our teams work globally to deliver tailored, tech-enabled, and sustainability-focused talent solutions.

Our approach goes beyond filling roles, it’s about advising clients on how to build a sustainable workforce that supports both immediate operational needs and long-term energy transition goals.

Whether you’re looking to decarbonise your operations, diversify into clean tech, or simply future proof your workforce, Visuna can help.

Get in touch to discuss sustainable workforce planning, and learn how we can support your transition to a more sustainable way of hiring.

Visit our dedicated ESG page to learn more about Visuna’s ESG commitment.

Explore our ESG Report 2024/25 for more insights into our commitment to sustainable recruitment >