Did you know that Earth Day 2024 takes place on April 22nd? If you are not familiar, Earth Day is a holiday that celebrates environmental protection and preservation. Not only can Earth-friendly initiatives help the planet, but committing to a “greener” way of business may help with your organization’s retention and recruitment efforts.
In fact, studies show that a majority of Millennial workers seek out employers that are socially responsible. 75% of this group would even take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible organization, and 64% won’t take a job if their employer doesn’t have a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.
That said, your organization’s commitment to the environment and sustainability has an impact on the growth of your business. With Earth Day around the corner, now is the time to “go green” in the office. Here are a few ways to get started:
Participate in a local cleanup: Gather a team of employees to help clean up a local neighborhood, beach, river, lake, trail, or park. Be sure to coordinate with the appropriate organization to maximize your impact. You can also try to participate in an official Earth Day Cleanup Event. Check out their Great Global Cleanup page to learn more.
Look into energy-efficient and eco-friendly products: Those that manage office supplies can consider using energy-efficient and eco-friendly products to reduce their carbon footprint. Energy-efficient lights, for example, can reduce electricity and its associated costs. You can also look into eco-friendly coffee products, pens, notebooks, and more.
Minimize plastic bottles and single use cups: Drinking water is important, but drinking from single-use, paper cups and plastic bottles can often lead to a large amount of waste. Gift your employees with a reusable bottle to use at the watercooler or fountain. Compostable, plant-based cups are also an alternative.
Reduce paper usage: Encourage employees to reduce their daily usage of paper by providing greener alternatives. For example, paperless notebooks can be purchased and provided to employees for notetaking during meetings and calls. Physical internal documents can also be swapped out for digital versions. This could include new hire paperwork, contracts, marketing materials, and more.
Looking for help in implementing these practices, and more? SynchronyHR is a human resources outsourcing (HRO) organization that can provide the latest in human resources expertise. To get started, we can implement paperless employee onboarding and performance management tools. Get in touch with us today to learn more.