Human Resources

Humans are a critical resource that every organization needs to value, respect and not waste. Important aspects of human resource management for sustainability include:

Staff recruitment, hiring and retention

  • Strive for staff diversity that at least reflects student diversity.
  • Include sustainability in job descriptions to attract applicants with that specific interest.
  • Implement regular evaluation of employee satisfaction, and act on results

Training

  • Include sustainability concepts and issues with new employee orientation. This helps to establish sustainability as an institutional priority and enables them to practice established environmentally and socially preferable habits, routines, and choices.
  • Provide and support integration of sustainability concepts and practices into in-service training and professional development opportunities.
  • Provide sustainability-related training opportunities to all staff so that everyone can implement sustainable practices and systems and model sustainable behavior for students.

Compensation

  • Take steps to ensure that even lowest paid workers are sufficiently compensated to meet their needs (wages plus benefits). This allows them to also contribute positively and productively to the community.
  • Consider corresponding guidelines for contractors.

Employee Wellness

  • Encourage active commuting options for staff (walking, biking, etc.)

Retirement

  • Offer a socially responsible investment option for retirement plans.
  • Example: An Illinois charter school, the [Academy for Global Citizenship], http://www.agcchicago.org/globalcitizenshipsnew.php?cat=m3s9 offers a 403(b) faculty retirement plan aligned with employee and school values, offering over 150 socially responsible mutual funds, and a paperless retirement platform.

Some further information:

HR’s Role in Building a Sustainable Enterprise: Insights From Some of the World’s Best Companies

Publication from Fairleigh Dickinson University, College of Business

Industry Canada

Human Resources for Sustainability

Society for Human Resource Development

2008 Executive Roundtable Symposium on Sustainability and Human Resource Management Strategy
Advancing Sustainability: HR's Role Survey Report , April 2011 research report 

 

SSC

Topic Resources