Five key considerations for organizations training their workforce on sustainability

Organizations are increasingly publishing bold sustainability action plans. Many are also undergoing digital transformations. These ambitious initiatives can only come to life with participation from its workforce. After all, each employee contributes in their own way to deliver an organization’s products or services and will benefit from embedding sustainability practices in that process. Some argue that sustainability should not be seen as the focus for one department in an organization but rather as the responsibility of all team members. All jobs are sustainability jobs.

To empower your workforce, awareness and continuous training in areas of sustainability is critical for achieving sustainability objectives. Organizations may leave it up to their employees to identify which courses/programs are relevant to them, but this may produce missed opportunities and competency gaps in areas that matter most. Also, various frameworks and standards outline hundreds of sustainability topics and indicators but not all may be relevant for an employee’s function or the organization’s industry.  

Here are five considerations for organizations designing or selecting sustainability training for their workforce?

1. Which inputs are used by my company for value creation?

   The industry in which the company operates and the inputs (e.g., human capital and natural capital) it requires to produce its products and services will help inform which sustainability topics are more material than others. For example, a manufacturing company that relies heavily on water and manual labor, should prioritize innovations and processes that improve water efficiency and good working conditions for its workforce.

   
   

2. What are the sustainability topics that matter most to my stakeholders?

   To drive impact and operate effectively within a community, companies must consider sustainability topics that are top of mind for their internal and external stakeholders. Engaging with employees, clients, communities, investors, and other groups is a key step in understanding areas they find most important. For example, a recurring sustainability topic, irrespective of the industry, could be employee relations.

   
   

3. What are the most material sustainability topics for my company’s growth strategy?

   What is material today may not be in the future. As a company focuses on addressing its current sustainability topics, it may want to consider how to implement a growth strategy that is decoupled from scarce inputs. This is important in identifying which skills and knowledge areas will be needed to support this growth.

   
   

4. Which programs and courses currently address the unique needs of my company?

   A one-size-fits all approach to sustainability training may not provide the best results. For example, the manufacturing company that uses a substantial amount of water may want to engage employees on training focusing on water use and efficiency. Individuals working in human resources may benefit from continuous training on sustainability practices related to employee relations.

   
   

5. How do I encourage internal and external collaborations for continuous engagement and accountability?

   Now that employees have received tailored sustainability training based on their function within an organization, clear objectives and collaboration are needed for collective accountability. To continuously engage the workforce, a company should be willing to support initiatives that stem from the training (e.g., supporting the implementation of a new approach to achieve better water efficiency).

Achieving ambitious sustainability goals reported by many companies will require the collective action of its workforce. To make informed decisions and apply innovative approaches, tailored training based on an employee’s function and a company’s material topics is essential for successful execution.

Stephanie Hanna, PhD

Stephanie is a FSA credential holder and a professor with experience in materiality assessments and curriculum/training development and delivery.