The threat of climate change is something we constantly hear about - and for good reason. Not only do our poor choices regarding the environment affect our planet, but they also harshly and negatively impact our businesses. Sustainability has never been more important. Creating a sustainable and environmentally-friendly organization allows us to save money and our planet while developing a brighter future for our workforce.

A commitment to sustainability is also a commitment to our businesses. Not only will you be doing your part in helping our environment, but you’ll also reap the many social and economical benefits of being a sustainable organization. Keep reading to find out more about creating a sustainable business for your workers and an eco-friendly onboarding process for your candidates.

Remote Work Helps

The benefits of remote work weren't already obvious before the COVID pandemic, they have been made abundantly clear since. Employees want remote work - and if we had to ask the environment what it thought about remote work, we are sure it would agree! Remote work has proven to be fantastic for the environment.

Employees working from home means a much smaller carbon footprint on the world. For example, working from home means less use of automobiles. This amounts to less gas, less fossil fuels, and far less traffic polluting our air.

It also stops us from acting out bad habits we are all guilty of from time to time when commuting. If our employees work from home, they don't need plastic cutlery for their styrofoam takeout lunch or paper coffee cups with plastic lids. It amounts to substantially lower usage of materials that need to be recycled or thrown away.

The benefits of remote work are endless. Can you think of other ways remote work can help protect the environment?

Create a Virtual Hiring Process

Creating sustainable practices at your company doesn’t just stop at your current employees. It’s equally as important to incorporate an environmentally-friendly hiring process for job candidates.

Sustainability and the environment are huge concerns for today’s candidates. More and more people are beginning to understand how important taking care of our planet is. They understand the ramifications of both treating Earth poorly and the inaction against policies that encourage unsustainability.

Creating a virtual hiring process is a great way to make your company’s carbon footprint smaller. Assessments and virtual interviews that candidates can participate in from the comfort of their own homes significantly decreases environmental impact. While in-person interviews might be necessary at certain points of the onboarding process, eliminating them where you can helps lessen both your impact and those of your candidates.

By being clear about your commitment to the environment, you become very attractive to candidates. As a result, you will also attract candidates who also care deeply about sustainability. These candidates’ values will mirror those of your company, allowing them to add and build upon your existing company culture.

Creating an eco-friendly and sustainable business has never been as important as it is today.

In-Office Awareness

We understand that not every company can incorporate remote work into their organizations. But just because your employees can’t go remote doesn’t mean that your company can’t be eco-friendly! There are many ways in which your organization can promote sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices in-office.

Create recycling programs that can be incorporated throughout your building. Clearly mark the recycling bins and make them easy for all employees to access. Recycle as much as you can! While things like paper and glass seem obvious, many other materials that aren’t as easily recyclable can be reused or repurposed to create a great office environment! Don’t be afraid to get creative.

Being a sustainable office is much more than just tangible materials. Your company should also be doing its best to eliminate as much electronic, gas and water use as possible. Not only do these utilities pile on business costs, but they also negatively impact the environment. Try to cut costs and unsustainable practices at once.

You should also try your best to have fun with it! Incorporating sustainability challenges for your employees to participate in can create a fun work atmosphere and help build upon company culture. Being environmentally-friendly is fun and easy!

Create A Sustainability Policy

Creating a sustainability policy is a great way to not only show your commitment to the future of the planet, but it also holds your company accountable for its actions. (Or lack thereof!) 

Sustainability policies are great for both the environment and your business. If you decide to incorporate a sustainability policy into your organization, be sure to not only enforce it but to make sure every employee knows that it exists.

Additionally, having a sustainability policy makes it clear to employees what they need to do to help your company reach its sustainability goals. It also allows employees to hold the company accountable for their actions if they aren’t keeping up with their sustainability commitments. If you are serious about the environment, you’ll welcome any and all suggestions.

Sustainability policies help companies save money, time and resources. Every bit of help matters!

Bryq Helps Create an Environmentally-Friendly Onboarding Process

If you’re looking to do your part in helping the environment, following the steps set out for you in this Bryq Blog really help you hit your sustainability goals. Some are more obvious - recycle more, reuse what you can, and use less. But these are just the tip of the iceberg we are trying to save here.

To inspire real change, it goes further than simply recycling. Hold your company and employees accountable for their actions (or inactions) by creating an environmentally-friendly sustainability policy that is all-encompassing and thought through. Allow employees to work remotely when possible and make as much of your hiring and onboarding process virtual.

Bryq talent intelligence is a hiring tool you can reuse again and again and again to find the best talent possible. Bryq's talent assessments make it easy to find great talent from anywhere in the world without them needing to come into an office to interview or prove their skills before signing a contract. Candidates also really love being able to demonstrate their abilities from the comfort of their own home. So if you're serious about sustainability, get in touch with our Customer Success Team today to book a demo. Happy Hiring!