EY and Microsoft expand social impact collaboration and advance sustainability education worldwide with Green Skills Passport

• Supports joint EY-Microsoft social impact initiative, which aims to positively influence more than 5 million lives by 2025
  
  
• Addresses the skills gap in sustainability by helping equip young people with employable green expertise needed to thrive in the new green economy

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the EY organization and Microsoft announce the launch of Green Skills Passport, which helps learners aged 16 and over develop skills to find green jobs and pursue opportunities in the growing green economy. The free online program is part of an ongoing social impact collaboration focused on sustainability, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and upskilling for young people.

The International Labor Organization is forecasting the creation of 24 million green jobs by 2030. Green Skills Passport will position learners to thrive in this evolving market and provide non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a platform to empower underserved communities with new employable skills.

Through a 10-hour virtual course, participants can work at their own pace and learn about key topics such as sustainability, entrepreneurship and skills for employment. Green Skills Passport offers a detailed approach to skills development, providing learners with EY-curated learning paths built and delivered on the Microsoft Community Training platform.

EY and Microsoft already launched successful Green Skills Passport pilot programs in the United States, India and Bangladesh. Highlights include:

• More than 1,400 course completions and certificates awarded.
• 61% plan to apply for green jobs.
• 43% plan to enroll in a university degree in sustainability or take more related classes.

Together, EY and Microsoft have collaborated on a multitude of programs to empower job seekers with the skills needed for the digital future, furthering the EY Ripples ambition to impact 1 billion lives by 2030. This program also supports Microsoft's focus on building a more inclusive, equitable, sustainable and trusted future for everyone.

Other high-impact EY and Microsoft social programs include:

• Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact: A Microsoft program aimed to accelerate the growth of impact-first, tech startups. EY and Microsoft ran a series of four upskilling workshops on key growth challenges identified on investment strategies, financial planning, environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy and business resilience.
  
  
• Future Skills Workshops (FSW): An EY offering to upskill young or underserved groups equipping them with knowledge to navigate a changing world. The workshops include a variety of topics such as financial literacy, environmental sustainability and emerging technology. Trust for the Americas is a nonprofit who, through EY and Microsoft's collaboration, is disseminating FSW content across Latin America. Beneficiaries in multiple LATAM countries access training materials that are available on Microsoft's Community Training (MCT) platform completing the workshops in either classroom settings or virtually. 
  
  
• EY STEM App: An innovative gamified mobile platform for girls ages 13-18 that aims to support the next generation of girls in STEM. The EY STEM App will host a channel with Microsoft MakeCode, where users can develop block coding skills.

Andy Baldwin, EY Global Managing Partner – Client Service, says:

"The collaboration between EY and Microsoft extends beyond a traditional alliance, showcasing our shared dedication to generating social impact. These programs are a testament of our desire to continue equipping young individuals with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world."

Jean-Philippe Courtois, EVP and President, National Transformation Partnerships at Microsoft, says:

"We're proud to continue growing our collaboration with EY to offer these unique programs that bridge the gap between education and employability. Through these programs, we are taking steps toward social equity and empowering leaders of the future."

Learn more about the EY-Microsoft Green Skills Passport here.

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform, and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

About EY Ripples

The global EY Ripples program aims to positively impact one billion lives by 2030. EY people, together with clients and other like-minded organizations, use their skills, knowledge and experience to bring positive change across three focus areas: supporting the next generation workforce, working with impact entrepreneurs and accelerating environmental sustainability. Learn more at ey.com/eyripples.

Media Contact:
Barbara Dimajo
EY Global Media Relations
Barbara.dimajo@ey.com

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