All business organisations across the world are advocating sustainable approaches for all management functions due to the increasing demand for environmental sustainability and the shift from mechanistic to ecological view of the business world. When this ideology is extended to human resource management functions, it is referred to as ‘Green HRM.’ Green HRM initiatives strive to create an awareness towards eco-friendly methods and build a sustainable culture in organisations.
It includes initiatives such as green recruitment processes, education and training of employees in environmentally friendly procedures, reduction of paper use in human resources activities, as well as work authorization remotely to reduce fuel emissions. Thus, green HRM is not just about reducing carbon emissions, but rather about promoting a sense of sustainable development among stakeholders.
Green HRM Initiatives
Business houses are adopting Green HR initiatives and strategies. The Sustainable Living Program at Unilever encourages employees to adopt environmentally friendly practices at every stage of their careers.
Unilever’s Human Resources department works hard to foster a culture where sustainability is part of everyone’s job. We provide incentives for achieving environmental goals and provide training in environmental practices to further instill these ideals.
This comprehensive strategy ensures that sustainability is not just a company policy, but a fundamental aspect of our company culture.
1- Recruitment & Onboarding
Green Recruitment involves the use of paperless processes in the hiring process, Share the company’s commitment to the environment with prospective candidates, select candidates who are sensitive to environmental issues and proactive about environmental performance and Consider the candidate’s commitment to environmental values and their experience.
For instance, IKEA informs new employees of the company’s environmental goals during the onboarding process and highlights how each position can contribute to these goals. “Our goal is to make everyone, from store associates to executives, feel connected to our sustainability mission,” said IKEA’s sustainability director.
2- Training and Development
Training is essential to green HRM because it gives employees the skills they need to perform their jobs sustainably. Green HRM training aims to increase awareness and promote environmentally friendly behavior. This may include training staff on resource efficiency, waste management and energy conservation.
According to Peter Drucker: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” By implementing green HRM, companies build a sustainable future and equip their employees with the knowledge they need to adopt environmentally friendly practices outside of the office.
3- Performance & Rewards
When environmentally friendly behavior is rewarded, sustainable behavior is reinforced. To connect sustainability efforts with performance-based incentives, many organizations include green metrics in performance reviews.
Outdoor clothing company Patagonia offers incentives to employees who take environmentally friendly actions, such as cycling to work or reducing energy use at work.
To foster a culture where workers feel personally invested in environmental progress, Patagonia’s human resources staff tracks and recognizes departmental and individual contributions to environmental sustainability.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Though, Green Movement in business concerns is a welcoming move but it suffers from certain drawbacks as well. The change may not be well taken and the workforce may not adjust to these changes in the absence of proper training.
Also, it may be an added cost to the company in the light of expenditure on green incentives, environment friendly consumables and green training to employees. But this investment can give greater returns in the long run. It can lead to good public image and long-term sustainability.
Green HRM is therefore an effective way to integrate sustainability into company structures and enable staff members to play an active role in environmental management. As more organizations adopt green HRM practices, significant progress will be made towards a sustainable future.
As former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Plan B is impossible because Planet B does not exist.” Green HRM is a great example of how HR can take responsibility for protecting the environment by moving sustainability from a business term to a practical reality.
This reminds me of Lester Brown’s saying, ‘We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.’
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