HR Professionals at the Forefront of Sustainability

An increasing focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility is positioning HR professionals in a unique role. Along with C-suite executives, the HR function will be a critical component to implementing sustainability strategies that benefit employees, stakeholders, and ultimately entire communities. A sustainable organization focuses on the “triple bottom line” – a simultaneous contribution to economic, social, and environmental benefits. Essentially sustainability and corporate social responsibility are the overlap of business interests and the needs of society and the environment.

Initially, sustainability began as simply reducing resources. However, focusing through the lens of social and environmental issues leads to innovation; innovation in new products and services that would benefit the environment and innovation among employees. That’s exactly where HR comes in.

Employees want to be inspired and work for an organization that is part of the sustainability solution. Work-life balance is shifting to work-life integration and creating a sustainable organization starts with a behavioral change. HR professionals are at the forefront of corporate cultures and altering organizational capacities to foster sustainability. An organization can’t change the world without first changing from within. From finding the talented workforce inspired by sustainable initiatives and linking the business, talent, and sustainability strategies all together, HR professionals are truly in a very important position.

Click here to read the SHRM Foundation Executive Briefing: HR’s Role in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.