Digital4Sustainability launches five new educational profiles

Across Europe, organisations are working hard to cut emissions, improve ESG reporting, and modernise operations through digital tools. In our work at Matrix, supporting clients in multiple sectors and markets, we see a consistent pattern: the ambition for sustainable transformation is there, but the skills and role clarity are not always keeping pace.

That is why we are proud to share a major milestone from Digital4Sustainability, an EU funded project where Matrix is a consortium member. The project has launched five Digital Sustainability Educational Profiles and accompanying Core Curricula, developed with input from industry, academia, and civil society.

These profiles define the competencies needed to bridge critical skills gaps and guide organisations through the green and digital transitions. The curricula set out learning outcomes, structure, and core content that training providers can build on, with a view to developing comprehensive learning programmes in 2026.

Why this matters for European organisations

Digital can be a powerful accelerator for sustainability, but only when teams have the skills to use data well, select the right tools, and embed change across the organisation. The Digital4Sustainability profiles help by:

• creating clearer role definitions in a fast evolving field
• supporting upskilling and reskilling across technical, advisory, and leadership pathways
• giving education and training providers a practical foundation for designing job relevant programmes

The five profiles at a glance

The profiles cover a range of capabilities, from hands on implementation to strategic management:

Data Analyst for Sustainability

Focused on analysing sustainability data, ensuring data quality, and communicating insights that support evidence based decision making.

Data Professional for Sustainability

Focused on data infrastructure, advanced analytics, and integrating digital solutions into sustainability strategies.

Digital Sustainability Consultant

Equipping professionals to assess organisational digital sustainability maturity, identify opportunities for improvement, and design strategic roadmaps.

Digital Sustainability Manager

Supporting managers to lead internal sustainability transformations, align teams, and drive organisational change.

Sustainability Technical Specialist

Centred on practical implementation, including green IT practices, sustainability platform configuration, and energy monitoring systems.

Matrix perspective: practical skills frameworks make action easier

At Matrix, we believe progress happens when strategy is translated into practical capability. A skills framework that is modular, role based, and grounded in labour market reality helps organisations plan workforce development and helps training providers deliver learning that sticks.

“Across Europe, organisations are under pressure to deliver measurable sustainability progress, and digital capability is central to that. What we often see is not a lack of intent, but a lack of role clarity and structured learning pathways. The Digital4Sustainability profiles are a real step forward because they translate sustainability goals into concrete competencies that employers and educators can act on.”

Jeff Sheridan, Managing Director, Matrix

What happens next

This launch is a foundation for the next stage of the project: the development of learning programmes in 2026, built on the newly published curricula and shaped by continued engagement with stakeholders across Europe.

Matrix is delighted to support this work as part of the Digital4Sustainability consortium, and we look forward to helping amplify these outputs so they reach education providers, employers, and professionals who want to lead sustainable digital transformation.