That sustainability hire you snubbed? It matters more than you realize. Showing your business is serious about fighting climate change makes a difference in more ways than one.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that businesses are facing growing pressure to do their part to curb the negative effects of climate change. The UN’s 2030 due date for its 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be completed is fast approaching, lighting a fire beneath governments and corporations alike.
Meanwhile, consumers are battling record-high heat waves and dealing with weather events that are only becoming more intense. It’s making them pay more attention to which of their favorite brands might be responsible, and who they should stop supporting until things change.
For a forward-thinking business, this is no time to rest on your laurels or be wishy-washy about taking a stance on the issue. It’s time to get serious about your brand’s public image where climate change is concerned.
EcoCareers can give you three good reasons why hiring an environmental specialist should be on your agenda, if it isn’t already.
1. Enhance Your Brand Reputation
“Go green to get green,” EcoCareers says.
Consumers are paying more attention than ever to which companies incorporate sustainable practices into their business model, and that translates directly into sales gains — or losses. In their study, McKinsey & Company found that around 60% of consumers are willing to pay more for goods or services if it means supporting a sustainable business.
If your company makes an effort to hire sustainability experts, your reputation for being climate-friendly will certainly be improved. Hard facts show that, likely, so will your sales.
2. Boost Employee Motivation and Loyalty
Your clients aren’t the only ones wowed by corporate efforts to rein in climate change. According to a study by Bupa, corporate healthcare specialists, more than half of the British workers surveyed said they would feel more motivated to work for a company that shows it cares about the environment.
In fact, 42% of those workers said they would be willing to accept a pay cut if it meant working for an “ethical or environmentally-friendly organization.”
This is not to say that businesses should pay workers less in the name of sustainability, but rather to show just how important consumers, employees, and prospective candidates alike rank a business’ commitment to sustainability.
3. Create Meaningful Environmental Impact
Aside from improving your bottom line, the most important thing you can achieve by hiring a sustainability or other environmental professional is creating actual, meaningful change. You don’t have to make a sustainability hire just to appear as though you care about the environment; your actions can actually make a difference that will benefit everyone.