ESG & CSR concerns | Too few leaders factor sustainability into business decisions, HR professionals say

Around 43% of business leaders still do not factor sustainability into their business decisions, according to a new survey of HR professionals.

The survey, conducted among nearly 100 HR professionals by HR recruitment firm, Wade Macdonald, reveals that while sustainability does influence internal policies and practices in the workplace, it is not carried over externally. The number of respondents was also far lower than for previous surveys by Wade Macdonald, who usually receive around 850 survey responses, suggesting sustainability is rarely see as a priority among HR professionals, too.

Caterina Glenn, Director of HR Division at Wade Macdonald, was not surprised by the survey result, commenting: “It seems that the business community’s responsibility to implement green policies has been accepted more by the public than by businesses themselves. Sustainability is a societal priority, but there is often little financial or legal incentive for leaders to make sustainable business decisions.”

The CIPD argues that Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is an essential responsibility of HR departments, and ethical business strategy is a must. HR professionals play the essential ‘middle’ role that allows employees to communicate their concerns and expectations with upper management.