Yes, you heard me! It is time to start paying decent salaries to all the people working tirelessly to save the planet, and to the ones that care for our fellow citizens. For years I have come across countless people who woke up one morning and they just knew that they needed a change. They lacked purpose in the workplace. They felt that they needed to put their skills to work where it made the most difference. And sadly, most of these people took a pay cut in the process.
Just because someone wants to put all their work experience, life experience and skills to make a positive change should not be equivalent to accepting a lower salary. It should be the other way around.
We are so stuck in our ways that we don’t even question the system.
- Bankers earn millions, but nurses are expected to survive on a fraction of that amount.
- The system financially encourages professionals to make rich people richer, but not to take care of our fellow brothers and sisters.
- We look up to people that fly private jets all over the world, famous for being famous, having millions of Instagram followers, but the beautiful souls that help fight poverty due to the horrible effects of climate change are expected to be volunteers.
- Renewable energy start-ups keep salaries down and promises sweat equity down the line (everyone that has not received sweat equity down the line raise your hands)
- How can we not use the skills, expertise and experience of professionals wanting to make a ESG career shift later in life?
I would say that most of the big challenges ahead require teamwork, involving both people, corporations, and nations. The ripple effects of climate change are enormous. How do we solve this together? Well, the same way as we have always done, through capitalism.
I have always believed that the long-term solutions to lifting people out of poverty, and building strong societies are through entrepreneurship. Simply through empowerment and work. Climate change will force millions of people to relocate because of floods or droughts. How do we train and educate these people so that they can find a job (and meaning) at their new location?
Professionals engaging in these issues are the new heroes of our time and should be compensated. Could we somehow agree on a new salary index, that multiplies for every positive ESG issue you are handling or contributing too? Now that would mean all hands-on deck, no?
