Does Your Company Have A Sustainability Policy?

A new survey by Treedom found that as many as two-thirds of European employees don't know about their company's sustainability policy.

A new consumer survey conducted by Treedom, the world’s first digital platform for growing and gifting trees, found that over two-thirds of European employees didn’t know about their company’s sustainability policy.

However, environmental commitments are an important part of company culture as 64% of employees are keen to know more about what their work is doing to ensure a better future.

Here’s what Treedom found out.

A sustainability policy is vital for employee satisfaction

The survey of more than 7,000 workers across Europe found that although sustainability policy was a key factor for decision-makers and stakeholders, less than a third of employees on the ground know about what their company is doing for the planet.

However, 64% of workers want to know more – rising to 70% amongst gen-z.

Sustainability policy is a key factor in ensuring employee satisfaction and retention. Key sustainability initiatives employees want from their companies include:

  • Prevent and decrease environmental impact (51%) 
  • Ensuring constant improvements (38%) 
  • Social impact – giving back to communities (28%)

Discover why becoming a B Corp is the next big thing in business.

The industries with the biggest environmental knowledge gaps

Consumers expect governments to lead the way on net zero, but surprisingly one in three people working within governments aren’t aware of their sustainability policy.

What’s more, 37% don’t think it’s important to know, according to the survey.

Similarly, 38% of education workers aren’t aware of what their companies are doing to protect the future of the planet.

For people working in external communications such as marketing, knowledge about corporate sustainability is vital, according to 81% of those surveyed.

This is because policies and messaging help both customer perception and employee satisfaction.

Want to get sustainability on your employer’s agenda? We break it down into 5 easy steps.

Who is Treedom?

B Corp certified Treedom is the world’s first digital platform that allows you to plant a tree from home.

To date, Treedom has planted more than three million trees across Africa, South America and Europe.

Treedom works directly with local farmers on the ground to ensure that the trees they plant provide an environmental, economic and social benefit to communities.

What is Treedom doing to help?

Treedom wants to help engage employees in their company’s sustainability policy across a range of industries.

This is the foundation of its European-wide Earth Day Campaign called ‘We grow trees’ which involves the digital platform creating three eco-friendly tree murals in major city buildings in London, Berlin and Milan.

Painting began on Earth Day on 22nd April and was completed on 6th May, one month ahead of World Environment Day in June.

The murals are designed to inspire, raise awareness and engage communities in climate action.

Federico Garcea, Founder and CEO at Treedom says, “There is a gap in knowledge and understanding between the decision-makers who create sustainability policies and those who are the boots on the ground in the business.

“To achieve sustainability goals, businesses cannot work in silo, it has to be lived and breathed from the inside out.

“Employees need to be engaged in the sustainability journey to make a lasting positive impact as well as to remain competitive as a business by attracting the best talent.

“Through the seemingly simple act of growing trees and supporting communities socioeconomically by doing so, businesses can communicate with staff in an easy to understand, tangible way, that brings the act of sustainable living closer home and has a holistic impact not just on the planet, but people too.”

Find out more about Treedom.

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