To develop the international proposition of the Dutch Make Hydrogen Work initiative, GroenvermogenNL commissioned our Young Professionals Program team to conduct a study to understand how The Netherlands can help other countries build their local labour markets for the green hydrogen transition. This research includes understanding the current hydrogen value chain and transition, the skills developments and needs for hydrogen, and providing advice for the offering of MHW in an international context. To identify the skills needs in countries developing their knowledge related to hydrogen and with high potential for collaboration with the Netherlands, research was conducted focusing on South Africa, Namibia and Morocco.

Make Hydrogen Work

With the Make Hydrogen Work initiative, GroenvermogenNL offers professionals who want to become skilled in hydrogen a route to obtaining the right skills. The Make Hydrogen Work initiative is a network of knowledge institutions in the Netherlands that develop and offer hydrogen skills training to professionals. This provides insight into what is already available or being developed regionally.

The report “Building Bridges: Make Hydrogen Work – An International Approach” explores opportunities to roll out the Make Hydrogen Work program internationally as well. In cooperation with GroenvermogenNL, a team from the Young Professionals Program of UN Global Compact Network Netherlands explored opportunities for international cooperation with South Africa, Morocco and Namibia.

All three countries have announced plans to intensify the development of green hydrogen projects on the African continent, and are part of the African Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA). Investing in building capacities and skills is essential for creating a skilled labor market and fostering local expertise in green hydrogen technologies.

The report aims to stimulate discussion and promote cooperation in international green hydrogen development initiatives. It provides valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with expanding the Make Hydrogen Work network and underscores the importance of promoting a fair and equitable energy transition.

The European Peer Learning Group on Climate was established in 2019 as an exclusive knowledge-sharing platform with annual meetings of European companies in the field of climate action, and enables discussion, networking, and information exchange with peers and experts. This year, the Spanish Network hosted the 5th EU Peer Learning Group on Climate in Madrid. On 22 & 23 April 2024, 53 companies from 14 European countries met at IE University.

The main aims of the meeting were to enable participants to:

• Gain valuable insights from experts and peers by delving into approaches and best practices for voluntary and mandatory climate reporting standards.
• Share experiences and best practices on key topics related to climate reporting according to EU legislation and international standards.
• Connect with other climate specialists across the European region.

On the first day, participants discussed the main climate international standards and voluntary initiatives such as the UN Global Compact’s Communication on Progress (CoP), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). On the second day, the focus of the meeting turned to the main European regulations that are affecting corporate climate reporting, includingthe recently approved Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD),the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the classification of sustainable economic activities established by the EU Taxonomy.

The main results of the 5th EU Peer Learning Group are presented in the summary report.

We are excited to invite you to participate in this year’s SDG Flag Day. At the end of September, organisations all around the world will raise the SDG Flag to show their support to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the flag campaign, organisations, businesses, municipalities, schools and governments showcase that they are part of a global movement for a better world. Be part of this international campaign and join us on September 25th!

The SDG Flag Day is a great opportunity to create activities or events to raise awareness about your company’s sustainability efforts. There are no limits to your creativity and you can tailor the campaign to your own needs and stakeholders. Here is a list of ideas on how you can use this initiative:

• Use the campaign to communicate on your channels about your recent sustainability initiative or report
• Organize an internal or external event/workshop to educate your staff/community about the SDGs
• Invite your employees’ families to hoist the flag together with kids
• Organize an open-day event where your community can learn about your sustainability efforts
• Create new content by taking pictures of your staff, management, and other stakeholders holding up the SDG flag

Display your SDG Flag at your workplace, home, or in your community on September 25th – before and after that date works as well. Take a photo or video of the flag and share it on your social media channels to show your participation and support. Use the hashtag #TogetherForTheSDGs and tag us:

LinkedIn: @UN Global Compact Network Netherlands

Instagram: @globalcompactnl

Twitter: @GlobalCompactNL