HR Survey: Top ‘Green’ Practices Target Travel, Paper Use

February 22, 2009

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More than half of employers currently practice strategic environmental management, according to a new survey conducted by human resource consulting firm Buck Consultants, an ACS company.

The survey analyzed responses from 93 organizations in the U.S., representing a wide range of industries. The research was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2008, and examines the types of “green” initiatives employers are using in workforce management and human resources practices.

A key finding of “The Greening of HR Survey,” indicates that 54 percent of respondents incorporate environmental management into their business operations. Other survey results show that 78 percent of respondents use Web or teleconferencing to reduce travel; 76 percent promote the reduction of paper use, and 68 percent implement wellness programs to foster employee’s proper nutrition, fitness and healthy living.

More than 60 percent of survey respondents have made environmental responsibility part of their organization’s mission statement, according to Buck Consultants. The survey also finds that employee involvement in green programs significantly increases when organizations appoint an individual to lead the efforts. Case-in-point: For companies with at least three-quarters of their employees actively involved in green programs, 71 percent have appointed individual leaders compared to only 29 percent that do not have environmental leaders.

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