Learn what corporate sustainability is and how it can improve employee wellbeing, business productivity, and customer acquisition.
When looking to improve employee wellbeing, engagement, and productivity, it can be easy to invest resources into initiatives targeted at only improving aspects like mindfulness or fitness. While it’s clear those are important, taking a deep dive into data uncovers they might not be the only initiatives employees want.
What’s the missing piece? Corporate sustainability, according to research. However, although sustainability is important to 90% of executives, only 60% of companies have a strategy for it.
Let’s take a look at what corporate sustainability means and how it can elevate your business.
What is corporate sustainability?
Corporate sustainability is an environmentally and socially responsible approach to business that seeks to create long-term value. It takes into account the needs of all stakeholders – including employees, customers, shareholders, communities, and the environment.
Apple, Google, and Amazon are among the large companies that have differentiated themselves in the market with their corporate sustainability measures.
• Apple committed to being 100% carbon neutral for its supply chain and products by 2030.
• Google is working to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030.
• Amazon pledged $2 billion to invest in companies building products, services, and technologies to decarbonize the economy and protect the planet.
3 benefits that come with corporate sustainability
Attracting and retaining talent
Corporate sustainability helps you attract and retain employees.
The modern-day employee is looking for more than just a paycheck – they want to feel fulfilled in their role, knowing the company they work for has an agenda they’re proud of. Especially millennials, who occupy a majority of the global workforce (by 2025, they’ll represent 75% of it).
When surveyed, 44% of millennials said they made career choices based on their personal ethics. Further, nearly 40% have accepted a job because of the company’s sustainability plan.
It’s not just millennials, though. Globally, 71% of employees and job seekers said that environmentally sustainable companies are “more attractive employers.”
Attracting customers
When it comes to attracting customers, it’s no longer just about how great your product or service is. Many customers want other boxes checked, including sustainability.
• 66% of consumers would spend more for a product if it came from a sustainable brand.
• 81% of global consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.
• 77% of consumers are more willing to purchase from a company with a corporate social responsibility pledge.
As you can see, not only does corporate sustainability help you retain and attract talent, but it also makes your brand more appealing to potential customers.
Doing good for the environment
What’s the biggest reason you should invest in corporate sustainability? Our shared home!
Here are three environmental issues you can help solve with corporate sustainability:
1. Climate change
Climate change is caused by human activities, like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
• Burning fossil fuels release greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, into Earth’s atmosphere. There, the gases trap the sun’s heat, which causes Earth’s average temperature to rise.
• Trees help regulate the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When destroyed, the carbon stored in the trees is emitted into the atmosphere.
As a result of rising temperatures, we’re seeing shrinking Arctic ice, rising sea levels, and extreme weather conditions.
2. Pollution
Air pollution, land pollution, and water pollution are all on the rise – creating a harmful environment for both humans and wildlife. Vehicle emissions, fumes from chemical production, deforestation, and industrial waste are all among the causes of pollution.
3. Loss of biodiversity
Biodiversity is the key to keeping our planet alive. From animals to microorganisms, all types of life are essential for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Unfortunately, deforestation and pollution are just two factors putting biodiversity at risk.
Convinced and inspired?
Corporate sustainability is a must, and with the right planning, it can be great for your business.
Not only can it improve operating profits by up to 60%, but it can also boost employee productivity, help you attract new customers, and protect the environment, among other benefits.
If you’re looking for fun ways to start incorporating sustainability into your organization, here’s an idea… start with trees.
Trees clean the air we breathe, absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.
Here at teroGO, we offer an innovative opportunity to help you promote employee wellbeing while supporting the environment. It’s a tree-planting challenge (and it’s easy to organize!).
Here’s how it works:
1. We help you find a reforestation partner you’d like to support.
2. You choose from 350+ activities for your employees to complete during your teroGO challenge (running, biking, yoga, meditation, cooking, reading, etc.)
3. Throughout the duration of your challenge, employees get to unlock trees with their daily activities.
4. The reforestation partner plants the trees!
A tree planting challenge is a great way to incorporate sustainability into your organization while engaging your employees.
What are you waiting for? Start on your sustainability journey today!
Written by Kelly Baker, Content Marketing at teroGO
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