Companies that put a single person in charge of sustainability programs are much more likely to get their employees behind the effort, according to a new survey of HR execs.
The survey, conducted by human resource firm Buck Consultants, finds that employee involvement in green programs dramatically increases when organizations appoint an individual to lead the efforts. For companies with at least three-quarters of their employees actively involved in green programs, 71% have appointed individual leaders whereas only 29% do not have such a leader.
Incentives programs help too, the survey finds. Among companies that provide rewards to encourage green behaviors, 77% provide special employee recognition, 36% give prize incentives, and 14% offer a monetary reward.
“Many employers now recognize that green programs in the workplace can promote social responsibility among workers and help retain top talent,says Don Sanford, managing director of Buck’s communication practice. “But there is still much more that organizations can do. We expect to see future growth in green training programs, environmentally responsible investment options, and recruiting employees with green skills.
Four out of five companies use web- or videoconferencing to reduce business travel - making remote conferencing the top sustainability strategy cited by survey respondents. Other popular strategies include setting policies to conserve paper (76%) and implementing employee wellness programs (68%).
via | Sustainable Life Media
