As duty of care; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); and other forces of corporate social responsibility are garnering more support than ever, the Global Mobility industry has a great opportunity to play a role in advancing sustainable business practices.
In this new world, mobility professionals, senior leaders and line managers can think about a range of approaches that they can adopt to positively impact the environment.
These “steps in the right direction” can include:
- minimizing flying to meetings, encouraging virtual teams and training for effective team-work
- supporting responsible travel (using public transport, electric vehicles)
- designing flexible work schemes (working from home part time even while on assignment, less frequent business travel, etc.)
- using responsibly sourced products for living/accommodation/offices/food suppliers
In 2020, companies learned by necessity how to work remotely and still be effective; we introduced flexibility in ways we never imagined, we adapted to hybrid “live/virtual” work conditions, and, in the process, we redefined jobs, careers and essentially ourselves. All of this is critical for our people to thrive and for our planet to survive long-term.
As you build out your 2021 global mobility strategy, you should find ways to incorporate goals that relate to Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), the three central factors by which a company’s sustainability practices are measured. A few ideas:
- Make ESG goals part of your mission and corporate goals (which can help your company be recognized as a great place to work)
- Upskill and reskill talent to increase job opportunities (this includes moving talent laterally to broaden their experience as well as promoting from within)
- Commit to bold diversity and inclusiveness goals; conduct engagement surveys to obtain feedback from a wide distribution of employees, and use data analytics to promote inclusive practices
- Prioritize balance, health and well-being because when we take of ourselves, we are taking care of those around us as well. (Think: put your oxygen mask on before you attempt to help someone else)
- Consider outsourcing more services (Hint: relocation management!) and focus on core and more strategic competencies internally
I’ll be discussing this topic in greater detail with guests from Hilton and Hilldrup Moving during our next Weichert webinar on Thursday, February 25. You can register here.
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