India’s ESG Talent Gap Widens As Industry Seeks Job-Ready Sustainability Professionals

India’s expanding clean energy and sustainability economy is creating a growing demand for ESG professionals, but a disconnect between academic education and workplace requirements is emerging as a key challenge for employers. Industry executives and academic institutions say sustainability courses need to move beyond theoretical frameworks and prepare students to handle practical areas such as carbon accounting, ESG reporting, renewable energy systems, sustainability data and climate risk. 

The common concern is not a lack of interest in sustainability careers, but whether graduates are equipped to immediately contribute to organisations implementing ESG strategies. As sustainability becomes increasingly linked to corporate strategy, finance, operations, supply chains and regulatory compliance, companies are seeking professionals who can combine technical knowledge with business understanding. Ankit Patidar, Director and CMO, Shakti Pumps, said companies are increasingly looking for professionals who can connect sustainability goals with operational and commercial outcomes. 

“We look beyond theoretical ESG knowledge,” Patidar said, adding that employers prioritise carbon accounting, lifecycle assessment, renewable energy systems, ESG reporting frameworks, supply-chain sustainability, climate risk and regulatory requirements. He said candidates also need data analytics, stakeholder engagement and project execution capabilities. “The future ESG professional must be equally comfortable on the factory floor, in boardroom discussions, and while analysing sustainability data,” Patidar said.

Industry Exposure Becomes Critical
The need for practical skills is also being highlighted by academic institutions. Anjal Prakash, Faculty of Public Policy, FLAME University, said sustainability-focused programmes need to evolve alongside India’s changing regulatory and business landscape, particularly as frameworks such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting, climate disclosure standards and emerging assurance requirements shape corporate priorities. According to Prakash, the curricula need to emphasise carbon accounting in the three scopes, the GHG Protocol, lifecycle assessment, ESG data analytics, GRI and ISSB reporting guidelines, materiality assessments, climate risk assessment, and sustainable finance. 

Sustainability cannot be taught in isolation: it needs to be comprehended from an interdisciplinary perspective, said Prakash. Experiential projects, research, and industry collaboration were cited as key elements in sustainability education. Prakash also emphasised that both universities and organisations needed to "co-create the learning ecosystem." Hands-on experiences via live consulting projects, materiality assessments, carbon accounting, sustainability reporting exercises, hackathons, simulation labs, and mandatory internships were encouraged. 

The emphasis on practical education comes as ESG roles become broader. Professionals may increasingly be expected to work across engineering, finance, operations, compliance and corporate strategy rather than operate solely within sustainability teams. This makes multidisciplinary skills particularly important for students entering the sector. Shalin Botadra, Joint Managing Director and Co-Founder, SolarYaan, said academic programmes provide a useful foundation, but students require greater exposure to actual industry challenges. 

Courses Need Real-World Learning
He also noted that sustainability courses should incorporate live projects, internships, manufacturing exposure, ESG data analysis, regulatory frameworks and emerging clean-energy technologies. For clean energy companies, the skills requirement is also becoming more technology-oriented. The courses should provide deeper exposure to rooftop solar systems, battery energy storage, grid integration, energy management, lifecycle emissions and recycling. The shift reflects a broader transformation in India’s green economy.

Renewable energy expansion, corporate decarbonisation, ESG disclosures and climate-related risk management are creating roles that require professionals to understand both sustainability frameworks and the economics of implementation. The emerging consensus among employers and academia is therefore that sustainability qualifications alone may not be sufficient. Graduates who can demonstrate practical ESG implementation, analyse sustainability data, understand regulatory requirements and translate environmental objectives into measurable business outcomes are likely to have a stronger advantage in the evolving green economy.

For universities, the challenge will be to keep curricula aligned with rapidly changing industry requirements. For companies, closer engagement with academic institutions could help create a talent pipeline that is better prepared for the technical, regulatory and commercial demands of India’s sustainability transition.

Author: Insights by Prof. Anjal Prakash, Faculty of Public Policy