The role of HR in integrating sustainability into corporate culture

Human Resources (HR) departments play an increasingly critical role in shaping organisations’ sustainability journeys. Beyond traditional responsibilities such as recruitment and employee management, it’s becoming clear that HR is also instrumental in driving ethical practices, fostering a culture of sustainability, and aligning business operations with environmental and social goals. 

By integrating sustainability into recruitment, training, and daily operations, HR departments help ensure that businesses are meeting regulatory and stakeholder expectations and becoming more resilient and adaptable to the challenges presented by climate change. Below, we delve into the role of HR in business sustainability and outline key strategies HR departments can implement to promote it within their organisations.

The role of HR in sustainability 

HR departments are responsible for managing ethical issues beyond just economic performance. They play a key role in enhancing organisational effectiveness and ensuring the company is moving in the right direction.

To drive ESG objectives, human resources teams need to be involved in several areas. While the specifics will vary between organisations, HR’s involvement typically includes:

• Facilitating conversations between employees and the board
• Defining and upholding the code of conduct
• Launching equity and inclusion initiatives
• Engaging employees through sustainability-focused training
• Developing leadership to align with sustainability goals
• Establishing competency models for sustainability-related skills

Ultimately, HR will be pivotal in driving the cultural and technological changes needed to help organisations meet their sustainability goals.

How can human resources support sustainability in the workplace? 

Below are some strategies HR departments can deploy to promote and support the sustainability ambitions of their companies. 

Recruitment and retention of staff

People increasingly want to work for companies that align with their personal values. According to research from Cone Communications, 72 percent of employees are more likely to stay with a company that has a strong environmental and social commitment. Therefore, sustainable policies are also becoming vital from both a recruitment and retention perspective. 

When businesses showcase a true commitment to sustainability, it improves their brand image but also attracts and retains employees who want to work for environmentally conscious organisations. This alignment results in a more productive, loyal, and engaged workforce, critical for long-term business success. 

Aligning the company strategy with sustainability objectives

If there is no sustainability strategy in place, HR should be the department that facilitates the development of one. This strategy should look to align organisational values with achievable ESG objectives. 

From here, these values should be embedded into the company’s procedures, policies, and initiatives. Some policies that can be easily achieved include promoting recycling, reducing waste, supporting sustainable commuting options, and curbing energy consumption. 

Identifying training opportunities to address skills gaps

Training and skills development are critical HR components for organisations. Businesses looking to become more sustainable should task their HR departments with sourcing training opportunities that enable their employees to address any skills gaps. 

These learning opportunities support employee education, awareness, and action. Empowering team members with skills and knowledge in sustainability improves their ability to contribute to the company’s ESG objectives and also drives innovation and the adoption of sustainable initiatives in operations. 

At the Institute of Sustainability Studies, we offer several self-paced, online courses, allowing employees to upskill so they can drive impactful change in their organisation. This includes a fully comprehensive, university-credit-rated Diploma in Business Sustainability course, covering all key areas of business sustainability. 

Additionally, we offer 13 short certificate courses across topics such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Decarbonisation, Circular Economy, Supply Chain, Sustainable Finance, and more. These courses are designed for busy professionals and can be completed within 3 to 5 hours. All of our courses are CPD accredited, providing every employee with professional development hours. 

Make sustainability part of the onboarding process

When HR departments make sustainability part of the onboarding process, they can set expectations and emphasise the importance of sustainability from the start. To drive employee sustainability engagement, new hires should be aware of how important of a role it plays in day-to-day work and the long-term company plans. 

Encourage employees to get involved

Achieving sustainability in an organisation should be a collaborative effort. This means ensuring the business uses all of its resources, including its team members as well as its leadership. Employees may have ideas that could prove valuable in enhancing the company’s sustainability. The HR department should establish a space for them to comfortably share these ideas. 

How to monitor and evaluate success 

To effectively monitor and evaluate the success of these initiatives in their organisations, HR professionals can take the following steps:

• Set clear objectives: Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) sustainability goals aligned to the organisation’s overall sustainability strategy. These objectives could relate to enhancing employee engagement in sustainability, promoting green initiatives, or reducing energy consumption. 

• Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Start tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) around areas such as employee engagement, training and development, and diversity and inclusion. For example, if some employees are undertaking courses, you can track their completion rates. Alternatively, you could measure how actively employees engage in environmental practices like green commuting or recycling. 

• Conduct frequent feedback surveys: Carry out regular employee feedback surveys to gauge employee awareness, attitudes, and satisfaction concerning the company’s ESG practices. Include questions about their involvement and an opportunity for them to share ideas or suggest improvements. 

• Engage in regular reporting: Create reports that track progress on key sustainability initiatives. This will make it easier to present data on areas like employee engagement, carbon footprint reduction, and more. Highlight progress in these reports for both internal and external stakeholders to showcase accountability.

• Benchmark against industry standards: Benchmark your company’s environmental performance against other companies in the same industry. Utilise tools such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) to assess how your HR-driven ESG initiatives compare.

• Create reward programmes for employees: Recognise employees who consistently demonstrate sustainable behaviours with a rewards programme. Doing so will not only make those employees feel valued but may motivate other employees to get involved too. 

Conclusion

HR departments are vital to embedding sustainability into the fabric of an organisation. By integrating environmental and social objectives into recruitment, training, and daily operations, they can drive cultural and operational shifts that align with broader ESG goals. As businesses increasingly recognise the importance of sustainability, HR teams are uniquely positioned to foster collaboration, promote employee engagement, and shape a resilient workforce that is committed to responsible business practices. As we move forward, their involvement will only become more pivotal and key to establishing a workforce that is both forward-thinking and purpose-driven.