How HR Can Promote Environmental Sustainability

With the help of human resources management systems, more and more organisations are shaping their culture to include environmental sustainability. This is a great thing for a workforce and of course, for the world as a whole. If your HR department would like to go green and make a conscious effort to care for the environment, then you can easily implement the following cost-effective measures.

1. Start A Recycling Programme

An easy way to kick-start environmental sustainability in the office is to implement a recycling programme. Provide separate bins for paper, tin, glass, plastic, compost, and general waste. You can then use signage to help staff members determine which items are recyclable and which bins they should be placed in.

2. Practice Energy Conservation

Switching off the lights and electronic equipment during closing hours will help to conserve energy resources (and reduce your electric bill). Try to make this a standard practice in your office by communicating the importance of energy conservation to the employees. You can encourage staff to turn their computers off before leaving for home and all common room lights can be switched off when there’s no one in them.

3. Go Paperless

Digital and cloud computing solutions have allowed companies to go green. From desktop applications to fully customised HR software, managers can now easily replace paper and ink with eco-conservative alternatives.

4. Support Green Vendors

Support green-friendly businesses by conducting research into which eco-friendly vendors could be of service to your company. Try to source brands that practice sustainable efforts that align with your company’s own vision and values.

5. Reuse or Repurpose

Think about how many reusable items your office goes through in a week. From coffee cups to paper plates, there are probably tons of items that can be replaced with reusable options.  You can promote this initiative by offering company merchandise items such as mugs and stainless-steel water bottles.

6. Add A Touch of Green

Plants don’t only brighten up indoor spaces to make them look cheery, they can also boost oxygen levels and remove harmful pollutants from the air. In fact, an investigation done by NASArevealed that indoor plants reduce 87% of indoor air pollutants within a day.

7. Conserve Human Energy

While this may not necessarily relate to environmental sustainability, it sure does promote a person’s “mental” health. And healthy employees will only be beneficial to a company’s overall productivity. Keep your staff energised and focused by providing sustainable and nutritious options, such as organic fruits and vegetables.

8. Encourage Sustainable Transportation

Encourage your team to consider alternative modes of transportation when commuting to work and back. Start a carpooling roster or provide the use of bicycles to those who live near enough to the office. Alternatively, allowing employees to do remote work from home on the odd occasion is also an option.

9. Start A Volunteer Programme

By supporting local charities and green causes, your company can have a positive influence on environmental sustainability both within and beyond the workplace. Get involved in beach clean-ups or plant a community vegetable garden.

10. Make Green ThinkingPart of Your Company Culture

Include staff members in your environmental vision by getting them engaged and involved. Collaborate with employees to gather their thoughts and ideas. The more involved your team is in the planning, the more likely they willagree to be more environmentally conscious in the workplace.

The bottom line…

A workplace that enforces environmental sustainability is one that encouragesemployees to think of the bigger picture. It allows them to participate in environmentally-conscious practices and at the same time, they can feel healthier, more satisfied with your organisation, and more driven to thrive at work.

References:

[1] NASA Indoor Plant Study