‘Passion pay gap’ exposed as UK environmental sector faces green skills shortage

Insights from the 2025 National Environmental Services Survey have uncovered a growing tension in the UK’s environmental sector: while professionals remain passionate and committed, many are being underpaid and under supported – and it is slowing progress towards net zero.

The major UK wide survey, conducted by Environmental Services & Solutions (ESS) Expo in collaboration with Groundwork and the Environmental Services Association (ESA), gathered views from over 600 environmental professionals across the UK.

Despite three quarters of respondents (76%) saying they are satisfied or neutral about their salary, nearly half (48%) admit their pay doesn’t reflect their level of experience or responsibility, revealing a clear ‘passion pay gap’ – where professionals accept lower pay because they care deeply about the work.

‘This is a sector fuelled by passion – but passion alone won’t build a net zero economy,’ said Rob Mowat, event director at ESS Expo. ‘We are hearing loud and clear from professionals that they are committed, but increasingly stretched. We can’t keep relying on goodwill while failing to invest in the people and skills we need to drive real progress.’

Some 63% of professionals within the industry believe there is a growing shortage of green skills across the UK. The biggest green skills gaps were reported in waste management and the circular economy, climate adaptation and resilience, and sustainability and environmental management. 

This suggests that sectors like waste and circular economy – despite being central to the UK’s net zero ambitions – continue to suffer from outdated perceptions, struggling to attract young and diverse talent. There is a need to reframe these industries as future facing, innovation driven career paths.

Key barriers to filling these skill gaps include a lack of qualified applicants (selected by 43% of respondents), limited upskilling opportunities (32%), and, crucially, tight budgets (42%).

Garry Campbell, head of policy and communications at Groundwork UK, a charity working across the UK to support communities in building a greener, more inclusive future, said: ‘It is time we recognised green jobs as critical infrastructure. These are essential roles for delivering climate action, building community resilience, and driving the low carbon transition. But to attract the talent we need, we must offer the right training, the right support, and fair pay.’

More than half (52%) of respondents cited financial constraints as the biggest barrier to achieving net zero, with funding ranking as a top three priority alongside policy/legislation and innovation.

This links directly to the skills gap, and the struggle to hire and retain skilled workers, suggesting systemic underinvestment in people and green initiatives at large.

Despite the challenges, the mood isn’t all doom and gloom. Respondents pointed to major opportunities in clean technology, the circular economy, and green infrastructure. Government and business now need to back these opportunities with action, aligning salaries, career progression and public messaging with the scale of the sector’s potential. Passion alone won’t close the gap.

‘There is a critical support gap in the environmental services industry,’ concluded Rob Mowat. ‘The opportunity to shape the UK’s transition to a greener, more resilient economy is huge. The workforce is motivated, and the solutions already exist, but what is missing is joined up investment in people, skills, and innovation. That is the challenge, but also the opportunity, that lies ahead of us.’

The results of the survey will be shared with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency, aiming to inform and influence future environmental policy in the UK.