Every April 22, EarthDay.org, the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, rallies more than 150,000 partners in 192 countries to drive positive action for the planet. And that’s just one organization. Many other groups around the world hold Earth Day events to raise awareness about environmental issues and reflect on our impact on the planet.

Studies indicate strong support for environmental action within the workforce. According to a recent Deloitte survey, climate change/protecting the environment is the chief concern for Gen Z, followed by unemployment and health care/disease prevention. Similarly, a Nielsen Company survey found 73 percent of millennials are concerned about the environment, and they are changing their habits to support those concerns.

Promoting and acting upon environmental awareness efforts is a critical part of attracting employees to your organization. It may also be a critical factor in retaining employees. Atlassian’s second annual “Return on Action Report” found 60 percent of millennial employees indicated that they would leave a job over a clash of values. Commenting on the report, Atlassian’s cofounder and co-CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said, “Employers should be put on notice: Inaction on social and cultural issues may no longer be a tenable option for companies seeking to attract the best and brightest talent.”

“Sustainability strategy should not only be shared on Earth Day, it must be part of our work every day,” says Nancy Estell Zoder, vice president of product strategy, Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM. “Social alignment is a priority for employees today in making work decisions. Organizations must effectively communicate and reinforce their message so employees not only understand the organization’s position, but also the importance.”

What can organizations do to show support for sustainability, do their part to help, and demonstrate that dedication to people in the workforce? Here are three actions HR leaders can take: 

#1: Get involved

First, offer your employees the opportunity to get involved in initiatives they care about. According to the United Way, 65 percent of companies now offer a volunteering time off program. Such programs have additional benefits in that they often also expand employees’ skills and lead to a higher rate of employee satisfaction. According to the MIT Sloan Management Review, “As HR departments are exploring the potential for volunteering to complement training, the lines between corporate social responsibility and talent development are beginning to blur.”

Oracle has offered an employee volunteering program for 30 years and in 2021, 11,325 Oracle employees volunteered 61,117 hours to 715 projects in 36 countries. Many of these efforts included environmental projects, from protecting the ocean to keeping parks clean and promoting sustainable farming. To support these efforts from an HR perspective, Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management includes a volunteering tool that connects employees to opportunities that interest them. HR leaders can use the tool to better recognize and support volunteer efforts and the intersection of employees’ personal and professional lives.

Another benefit of getting involved is better engagement, which can lead to improved employee retention. According to Gallup’s “The Will of the Workplace for Environmental, Social, and Governance,” , employees who work at companies that leave a positive impact on people and the planet are more likely to be engaged at work.

#2: Make it count

Another way to demonstrate dedication to the environment is to make sustainability part of the corporate culture and daily practices. From going paperless to encouraging workers to recycle, compost, and reuse, there are numerous sustainability actions companies can take. For example, Oracle is committed to developing practices and products that help protect the environment across its entire technology product portfolio, including for software, hardware, applications, data center, analytics, and smart utility solutions. For example, we use Oracle Fusion Cloud Product Lifecycle Management to design more environmentally friendly products and ensure product compliance. We also use Oracle Fusion Cloud Logistics to optimize the distribution of our products to both customers as well as our own data centers, minimizing the emissions resulting from transportation by consolidating shipments and maximizing freight utilization. Finally, the automation and self-service capabilities in Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP and Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM help eliminate the use of paper in processes, such as expense processing and reporting, hiring, and benefits.

Oracle’s operations are recognized for being sustainable. For example, in FY19 we recycled 99.4 percent of the decommissioned equipment we collected. We also decreased total emissions by 17.4 percent relative to a 2015 baseline, and we’re working to reduce environmental impacts annually through efficiency improvements, emissions reductions, waste elimination, and dematerialization. If your company has similar efforts under way, HR leaders should ensure that that information is shared broadly, both internally and externally.

#3: Make it a priority

Earth Day is a good reminder of the importance of promoting sustainability within your organization and providing employees the flexibility and support they need to assist causes they care about. Such practices are now expected, and one of the factors people look for as they search for brands to be loyal to—both as consumers and employees.

Human resources can play a key role in organizing activities and communicating green initiatives to the workforce and the world on Earth Day and every day. This is increasingly critical as sustainability is important to all aspects of business. Even if your organization is new to these types of efforts, it’s never too late to get started.

Happy Earth Day

How are you infusing Earth Day into your efforts? Whether you’re just starting or already have longtime programs, it’s never too late to imbue conservation on your colleagues.

Learn more about Oracle’s sustainability pledge today at www.oracle.com/corporate/citizenship/sustainability/.

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