Climate change is the function of HR to reduce business environmental impact

Climate change has been pointed out for many years, however, there now seems to be shift inside the urgency for change with governments the world over.

However, can we absolutely understand what climate change is, what reasons it and what business and in particular the HR department do to make a difference?

 

What is climate change?

There’s so much science behind climate change that’s its essay to get lost in terminology, statistics, and mathematical models.

Climate change is the large-scale, long-term shift in the planets weather patterns and average temperatures.

The Earth depends on a balance of gases in the atmosphere to create a ‘blanket’ around the earth referred to as the greenhouse effect. This blanket maintains an average temperature for life to thrive.

The balance of gases in the atmosphere is a delicate one. If the greenhouse blanket is too thin, the Earth would become too cold, if too thick it would become too hot. A shift either way can have a catastrophic impact on life on Earth.

 

What are the main causes of climate change?

Simply put, Science shows that current climate change is a man-made event, not a natural phenomenon.

Since the Industrial Revolution more than 200 years ago, humans have significantly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels, large-scale deforestation, and increased livestock farming. have increased. and animal husbandry to feed an ever-growing population.

Other human activities, such as how we use land, how we travel by air, and lesser-known things like cement production, also directly increase greenhouse gas emissions.

As a result of an increase in global temperature it is inevitable that there will be changes to ecosystems such as the rising of ocean levels and an increase in ocean acidity (caused by the ocean absorbing too much carbon dioxide). This in turn causes noticeable changes in global weather patterns.

However, governments around the world are taking climate change more seriously and urgently than ever before, which appears to be leading to policy and financial shifts in response to climate change.

What can we do as a business to make a difference?

Unfortunately, there`s no way of reducing these greenhouse gases quickly as they can `live` in our atmosphere for hundreds of years. This means that even if we stop all greenhouse gas emissions today, the planet will continue to warm, albeit much slower than if we do nothing at all.

There are however many things a business can do to start making a difference and reduce their impact on the environment for example:

• Reduce the amount of energy we use turn off lights and equipment such computers and printers during unuse office hours.
• Switch to renewable energy suppliers
• Choose sustainable suppliers for office infrastructure and equipment.
• Reduce Waste by reusing resources (for example reuse unwanted no sensitive printed paper to make notes)
• Encourage more environmentally friendly travel to work options.
• Use technology to reduce impact – allow employees to work from home a day a week to cut down on travelling etc.
• All these changes are relatively small and can be implemented quickly without significant cost to  organization.

 

How can Human Resources help?

Organizations can make changes to reduce their environmental impact, but it is people's attitudes and behavior that are key to achieving a more climate-friendly workforce. is to change.

Human Resources can drive this change by implementing climate change-focused policies and goals across the organization. This includes:

Create an environmentally responsible work culture within your organization.

Keep employees informed and educated about climate and environmental change and how they can help.

When hiring new employees, look out for green applicants.

Set out and implement clear and progressive policies on climate change. Integrate climate-related responsibilities into appraisals and performance reviews.

Introduce climate and environmental targets as part of employee bonuses, especially at managerial level.

Use an online calculator (Ex: carbonfootprint.com) to estimate your company's carbon footprint.

Adopt a flexible work policy that focuses on the environmental impact of employees commuting to the office five days a week.

Consider travel needs between sites, especially where planes are needed.

Provide an employee survey opportunity to ask employees for suggestions on how to reduce their environmental impact (find out how).

Train employees to use the equipment properly, thereby extending the life of the equipment. Then repair rather than replace if possible.

 

What are the benefits?

Whether we believe climate change matters or not, it is certainly better to do something than to continue as before.

Still not convinced, let's look at the benefits from a business perspective.

The implementation of many green policies directly impacts businesses in a number of ways.

Turning off non-essential equipment when our equipment is not in use reduces your business' energy bills.

Reducing waste through reuse and recycling reduces costs.

Promoting green business ethics attracts better and more honest applicants and leads to better working conditions.

Reducing trips between offices reduces travel expense reimbursement costs.

Reference:

PeopleFirstHR.(2021).Climate Change and the role of HR. [online] Available at: https://peoplefirsthr.co.uk/climate-change-and-the-role-of-hr/.

WTW. (n.d.). Why should HR care about climate change? [online] Available at: https://www.wtwco.com/en-ie/insights/2021/11/why-should-hr-care-about-climate-change [Accessed 13 Aug. 2023].

‌

‌