Alicia Woodward Assoc CIPD (People & Culture Senior Manager at Capital International Group) explains why ESG is so important to the business, and how it’s helping to create exciting career opportunities which will be showcased at the Graduate and Young Professional Fair 2024 on 27th March at Comis Golf Club.
ESG is central to Capital International Group’s strategic planning, brand, and culture. It creates value, contributes to performance and competitiveness, strengthens stakeholder relationships and mitigates risks; all of these being factors that affect the workforce.
To help us achieve this, we are committed to upskilling and reskilling our current workforce as well as ensuring our business offering can attract the workforce of the future. We invest heavily in training, education, and skilling to positively affect our business performance, reputation, and ability to attract new hires.
Our commitment to investing in our people extends to providing opportunities for young professionals across the Island to join our business. We believe in fostering sustainable careers, even for those who haven't completed tertiary education. As part of our Graduate and Young Persons Development Programme, individuals are empowered to acquire new skills—both human and digital—while actively engaging with clients, managing diverse projects, and working towards professional qualifications.
Katie Duncan, who is a Business Analyst at Capital International Group, shares her experience: “I left University six years ago unsure exactly what my career path would be other than I was drawn to the Finance industry following my degree in Business Management. Fortunately, I contacted Capital International Group and after the interview process, I was invited to become the first participant to formally take part in their graduate scheme. I was given the opportunity to spend time in six different teams of my choice over a two-year period to gain insight into their day-to-day work and support on important projects. I got to work closely with managers and directors which significantly built my professional skills, communication, and confidence. Six years later, I am still with the business as a part-qualified Business Analyst. The graduate scheme provided me with the foundation of operational knowledge and experience which enabled my success at Capital International Group. I really could not recommend the graduate scheme enough for a kick-start in your career.”
The programme creates sustainable economic growth by creating new positions and providing increased opportunities for growth and advancements to individuals interested in pursuing careers with us. The programme is designed so that individuals undertaking it complete a rotation over a two-year period to experience multiple business units. They will interact with all levels of the business, including senior leadership, and will have the opportunity to engage in project work, develop management skills and learn through on-the-job activities.
As ESG and sustainability are vital to business success, in 2023 Capital International Group decided to create a dedicated Sustainability Officer role within the business, which is currently held by Nancy Shefford (ACCA). Alongside her core activities, Nancy also sits at the head of the Group’s Conscious Capital Forum, which was created by the Group’s Chairman and is made up of passionate volunteers from a range of business units and across all seniority levels.
An IBM Study from 2021 detailed that 71% of employees and employment seekers surveyed said that environmentally sustainable companies are more attractive employers. We are therefore delighted to offer individuals who join our Graduate and Young Persons Development Programme the opportunity to spend time, not only within the Sustainability team, but also the opportunity to join the Conscious Capital Forum and share their ideas for a more sustainable future both inside and outside of the workplace.
By integrating these conditions and opportunities into our career development processes, we are actively assisting people in creating meaningful careers that provide financial stability, personal fulfilment, and longevity.
We’re looking forward to welcoming the next young professionals into the business in the summer. Ahead of this, we’ll be attending the Graduate and Young Professional Fair 2024 on 27th March at Comis Golf Club, where we look forward to meeting the Island’s future workforce.
*Capital International Group recently became a partner with ESC (Energy & Sustainability Centre IOM) – click here to read more about the partnership, and here for a Q&A with Nancy Shefford (Capital’s Sustainability Officer).