Becoming sustainable relates to both resolving adverse impact and unsustainable practices and celebrating where things are done well. All of the ways companies look after their employees should therefore be highlighted in their sustainability report.
Many companies who really value their employees don’t realise when they start on their sustainability journey how much they are already contributing positively to the UN Sustainable Development Goals through their remuneration and HR policies. Many of these companies already offer decent wages and benefits such as:
- health insurance with family cover
- travel assistance (for example, public transport cards or in the case of Irish employers, facilitating the Bike to Work scheme)
- access to subsidised services e.g. medical, physio, dentist, mental health services, etc.
They actively work with trade unions to ensure they uphold employee rights at all times and provide mechanisms for employees to raise any concerns they have without fear of reprisal or recrimination.
Health, Wellbeing and Equality
Such companies provide subsidised food for employees at work and promote healthy food choices by displaying nutritional information. They promote health and well-being through sports and social clubs and awareness campaigns and support structures which help employees stop smoking, eat healthily, exercise and avail of mental health services if needed. They actively monitor their employees for signs of stress or distress, ensure they and their workspaces and fleets are safe and protected and help employees through illness or injury with disability and illness benefits and job security. They provide flexibility for employees suffering from bereavement or loss or for those with family members experiencing illness. They promote equality, diversity and inclusion and have zero tolerance policies for harassment, assault or bullying, with clear definitions of acceptable behaviour detailed in employee codes of conduct and handbooks.
Work-Life Balance
They actively promote work-life balance, giving employees flexibility to attend children’s school events like parent-teacher meetings or plays. They allow employees to work from home when needed or to start and finish at different times to accommodate school drop-offs and pick-ups. They implement ‘right to disconnect’ policies, dissuading the use of email in the evening and at weekends. They encourage employee education by offering employees equal access to training. They sponsor their employees to attend university or college or external training courses.
Sustainable Resources
They promote sustainable living by giving employees things like reusable coffee cups, water bottles, steel straws, etc. and by promoting awareness on recycling and reuse, all of which contribute greatly to the Goals.
Document Your Initiatives
It is very important for companies to formally assess, document and communicate these initiatives as they work through their sustainability programme. Even if you are at the beginning of your sustainability development journey, you can demonstrate positive impact straight away. It is beneficial for all stakeholders to know (particularly employees) that while there is much to be done, work is underway.
Download your free copy of STS Report from our shop using the checkout code ‘Welcome100’ to see how you can start communicating on your progress straight away.
