World Environment Day: Developing the skills we need for the planet we want

Each year, millions of people come together to mark World Environment Day. This day serves as a global platform for raising awareness and taking action on pressing environmental issues.

At Capgemini, we believe in growing “Learners to Leaders” starting with our Sustainability Campus, launched in 2022, which is our online learning solution open to all employees.

As a responsible business, we want to ensure we use our skills and expertise to help create a sustainable future.

Today, on Environment Day, we’re strengthening our commitment to sustainability skills by making the online awareness module of our Sustainability Campus mandatory to all 340,000 employees of Capgemini whatever their role or grade. This will ensure that we all have the knowledge and awareness to spark the change needed in our own workplace and the work we do with clients.

In the campus, we also foster knowledge of the environment impact of our activities for our teams to innovate and implement sustainable solutions for our clients.

In a changeable market where sustainable skills are highly valued, we’ve already seen the benefits of upskilling our employees on sustainability: in industry, roles across renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable design are in high demand.

Moreover, when employees understand the broader impact of their actions, they are more likely to support and initiate sustainable practices. By upskilling our employees at work, we are also fostering a culture of environmental responsibility at home.

Addressing land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience

In fact, employees around the group are already applying their skills to create technology-based solutions to protect and restore nature. The theme for World Environment Day 2024 focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience. According to the?UN Convention to Combat Desertification ,?up to 40 per cent of the planet’s land is now degraded, affecting about half of the world’s population and roughly half of global GDP (US$44 trillion). Alongside this, the number of?droughts?has?also increased by 29 per cent since 2000. Without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050 and technology can play a critical part.

Some of the solutions from employees, working with partners and clients include:

??AI and big data solutions to help small-scale farmers address agricultural inefficiency and optimize crop production

??data analytics to help understanding about the ocean and the earth’s climate

??? an AI and machine learning tool to help protect the Mojave desert

??geo-satellite intelligence and AI solution to analyze land changes to better understand the impact on species and indigenous way of life in North Canada

?? data-driven rewilding tool based on local?biodiversity needs to support bees and other pollinators to flourish

This Environment Day let’s recognize the pivotal role of learning and development in building leaders for a sustainable future. By prioritizing upskilling on sustainability – such as in our Sustainability Campus – we empower our employees to make informed decisions that benefit the planet. Together, we can create a workforce that not only thrives in a sustainable economy but also contributes meaningfully to the global fight against environmental degradation.