Young people locked out of green careers, as Co-op launches £2m Green Opportunities Fund to unlock economic growth and drive social mobility

28 January 2026

Barriers hit disadvantaged young people hardest, risking a missed opportunity to drive social mobility.
Demand rising for roles in sustainable farming, renewables, retrofit, EVs and nature restoration.
Fund to create pathways into green careers, as part of Co-op’s commitment to Backing Britain’s future skills and prosperity.
Research to be launched today at Westminster alongside a Senior Official for Climate in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Young people are at risk of being locked out the growing green economy, as new research highlights significant barriers to accessing green skills and careers, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The findings are published today alongside the launch of Co-op’s £2m Green Opportunities Fund, delivered by its charity the Co-op Foundation, which will support initiatives helping young people build the skills, confidence and networks needed to access green jobs.

The Green Opportunities report identifies a range of common barriers preventing young people from entering green careers, including:

Limited awareness and understanding of green career pathways
Financial barriers and the cost of training or entry routes
Lack of local opportunities and exposure to green industries
Confidence and identity barriers, with some young people feeling green careers are “not for people like me”

These challenges risk reinforcing existing inequalities at a time when demand for workers is growing across sustainable farming, renewable energy, home retrofitting, electric vehicle infrastructure and nature restoration.

Today’s announcement responds to earlier research commissioned by Co-op in 2023, Gen Z(ero): Creating a pathway to a greener, fairer future, which shows that while young people care deeply about climate change and want to be part of the transition to net zero, many have low awareness of how green jobs and the wider net-zero agenda connect to their own lives and futures. That research also highlights that young people from lower-income backgrounds, ethnic minority communities and those with disabilities are more likely to face barriers to engagement and opportunity.

With the UK continuing to make progress in reducing carbon emissions, the Green Opportunities Report today warns that failing to widen access to green skills and careers risks slowing progress and entrenching inequality, unless targeted action is taken to ensure the transition is fair and inclusive.

Supporting access to green opportunity

The £2m Co-op Green Opportunities Fund will be funded through the proceeds from the sale of compostable carrier bags at Co-op stores across the UK. The fund will invest in organisations supporting young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections needed to access green careers, with a focus on communities historically excluded from the transition to net zero.

The fund is expected to support a range of activity, including training, mentoring, accredited programmes, community-led projects and partnerships with employers, including in food and farming.

By supporting access to green skills and opportunity, the Co-op Foundation aims to contribute to a stronger, fairer and more sustainable UK economy, one in which the benefits of the transition to net zero are shared more evenly.

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group CEO of Co-op, said:

“Like us, young people across the country care deeply about caring for the environment and protecting nature, but too many feel jobs in the green economy of the future is out of reach.

“At Co-op we remain committed to delivering our Net Zero ambitions and encouraging every community, business and government to play their part. We also remain rooted in our view that talent and skills are distributed evenly across the country, but opportunities are not.

“That’s why investing in young people’s skills – from rural communities to inner cities – is one of the most important ways we are backing Britain’s future.

“The £2m investment we are announcing today will help young people build the opportunities and confidence they need to shape a greener, fairer, future.”

Katie White OBE MP, Minister for Climate in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, said:

“I want young people to be able to look at the changes happening in our energy system and think, this could be for me, this could be a career I can build, if I have the right skills. There are thousands of skilled jobs coming, and it really matters to me that young people, whatever their background, can see a clear way into them.

“That’s why initiatives like the Co-op’s Green Opportunities Fund are so powerful. They show how business can step in and help turn their green ambition into real opportunities, giving young people the skills and confidence to get started. Through our Clean Energy Jobs Plan, we’re backing British business, with over 400,000 new jobs supported by 2030, and making sure these opportunities are felt in communities right across the UK.”

Nick Crofts, CEO of the Co-op Foundation, said:

“It’s fantastic to be co-operating with Co-op to work towards our ambition to make green jobs both desirable and accessible to young people, particularly those that are underrepresented in green industries.

“The Co-op Green Opportunities Fund will contribute to creating communities that look to a more sustainable future with equal access to opportunity. I’m proud that not only have we used research to guide us where to focus this funding, but that we’ve worked with young people to develop this fund. We’re passionate that no decisions are made about young people, without young people.”

ENDS

Co-op and the Co-op Foundation are launching a £2.2 million Co-op Green Opportunities Fund to support initiatives across the UK that influence young people to develop green skills and pursue green careers.

The Green Opportunities Report, conducted by The Social Agency, was commissioned to help define the scope of the fund and ensure it maximises its impact.

The research includes findings from 15 stakeholder interviews and reflections from 26 literature reviews to help define the fund’s focus, map the funding landscape, identify good practice, and establish guidance for eligibility criteria.

Key findings include:

There is a clear need to ignite interest in green skills earlier. Prioritising 14–20 year olds addresses a significant gap, as existing provision predominantly targets 16+ groups for specific skills training, with less work done to spark early interest in green careers.
There is a gap in funds specifically targeted towards underserved young people —including women, young people from Global Majority backgrounds, young people with disabilities, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Prioritising informal educational pathways is crucial to influence behaviours. Informal opportunities outside traditional classrooms are underfunded and undervalued yet can have greater impact than formal education routes. Community-based, flexible learning environments enable young people to access inspiring, hands-on experiences exploring green skills outside traditional classrooms.
There is a clear role for one or many organisations to act as conveners of employers, educators, governments, third sector organisations and funders to provide strategic direction to the green skills funding landscape.
Barriers for young people to enter green jobs are numerous and wide-ranging. The most significant barriers included a lack of knowledge about opportunities, financial barriers, social pressures as well as young peoples’ own identity beliefs that green jobs are ‘not for me’.

Gen Z(ero): Creating a pathway to a greener, fairer future, also conducted by The Social Agency, was based on the research between May and August 2023, which consisted of a quantitative survey and qualitative online community approach. The former was a representative online survey of 1,032 16-24 year olds in UK, while the latter featured 43 young people aged 15-25 years old, who joined a week-long online community to share their views on priority Net Zero actions. The community included representation from all UK nations including rural and urban areas.

About Co-op

Co-op Group is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, operating across food retail, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by 7 million active member-owners, Co-op exists to meet their needs and champion the causes they care about. With more than 2,300 food stores, 800 funeral homes and a wholesale business supplying around 8,000 additional outlets, Co-op employs 53,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of over £11 billion. It is a recognised leader in ethical business and community-led programmes, creating long-term value for members and communities across the UK.

About the Co-op Foundation

The Co-op Foundation is Co-op’s charity, working alongside young people to create a fairer future. Its mission is rooted in youth voice, long-term investment and community-led change. The Foundation is committed to ensuring young people can participate fully in the transition to a greener economy — both as climate changemakers and as future workers.

The Green Opportunities Fund is part of the Foundation’s long-term agenda to help tackle inequalities in the green transition and ensure the UK’s move to net zero is inclusive, fair and youth-driven.