We had over 100 corporate mobility managers turn out for our recent webinar on sustainability. Seeing so many professionals take time out of their busy days to learn new ways to be more socially responsible tells me that there’s great hope for transformation in our industry.
During the webinar, one of our more progressive clients, Hilton, discussed energy savings measures being taken in their hotels as well as environmental protection measures they encourage across their mobile workforce.
We also heard about the great initiatives adopted by our partner provider, Hilldrup Moving, both internally (solutions including electric vehicles) and on behalf of their customers.
From Discard and Donate to Move for Hunger, I am proud to say that Hilton, Hilldrup and Weichert are actively pursuing progressive and sustainable policies to promote “people, planet, and profit.”
Our audience of corporate relocation professionals provided great insight as well. In one of our many polls, they indicated that embracing remote work to reduce emissions is the key initiative impacting their companies — and by extension, their mobility programs — in 2021.
When asked which ESG (environmental, social, governance) initiatives transferees and assignees care most about, more than half said “ensuring the employee’s well-being.” This topic clearly came to light during the onset of the pandemic, and we continue to see companies “step up their game” to provide confidence that employee safety and well-being is top priority. This is evident in the many innovative and creative solutions companies are using to provide their assignees with incentive to move, and safeguards implemented to demonstrate the company’s duty of care to their employees.
With nearly 75% of the workforce made up of millennials and Gen Zs, our panelists unanimously agreed that a company’s sustainability efforts have a great impact on attracting top talent. It is truly refreshing to know that along with salary and material benefits, younger generations in the workforce value their potential employer’s sustainable practices, corporate values and mission statement.
When one participant asked if we had advice on how to sell sustainability strategies to leadership, particularly if leadership views it as a cost-add, our panelists pointed out that employee engagement and retention are not a cost-add, but rather an efficiency gain. Therefore, you should:
1. Make ESG goals part of your mission and corporate goals. People want to work for a company that is regarded as “a great place to work.”
2. Prioritize health and well-being because when we take care of ourselves, we are taking care of those around us.
3. And, quite simply, promoting people and the planet while turning a profit makes sense because it’s the right thing to do!
Thanks again to our panelists from Hilton and Hilldrup. If you missed the webinar, you can catch it on our YouTube channel.
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