Three-quarters of employees quit their jobs because of the insufficient efforts of their employers to address environmental and social challenges

What can you to do show your people that you are committed to sustainable development

In a survey conducted in 2023 of 4,000 U.K.-based and U.S.-based employees, one third of the respondents quit their jobs as they believed that their company was not doing enough to address environmental and social challenges.

People leave an organization if its values don’t match theirs. This is known as “conscious quitting”. Sustainable practices are not just a nice to have, but an essential element of any organization’s success. Even Amazon is not immune. Their workers have created their own organization – Amazon Employees for Climate Justice – in order to challenge the company for its broken climate promises.

Businesses must focus on sustainable development in order to reduce conscious staff resignation and increase retention.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Conscious Quitting

Many of us are looking for a “purpose” at work, a feeling that we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves. In tandem with the growing concern for the health and well-being of people and the planet, the desire to have a career which has a positive effect in these areas is also increasing. Over two-thirds want to work at a company which is trying to make a positive difference in the world.

Corporate social responsibility is the notion that an organization has a duty to society (Stobierski 2021). CSR is a priority for corporations, and 95% (out of 250) of the world’s largest companies report on their social responsibility activities.

Sustainability and CSR have evolved into environmental, governance, and social (ESG) strategies, particularly in the financial and investment sectors. The coronavirus epidemic has accelerated the trend of sustainability investments: From merely considering ESG factors and how they may impact financial performance, to actively seeking out positive ESG outcomes along with financial returns. As 46% of Gen Z, and 55% of Millennials consider ESG to be important, employees now expect businesses to take this proactive stance.

While CSR and ESG reporting is common, many employees believe that companies fail to achieve sustainability goals. Deloitte’s research revealed that less than half (50%) of Gen Zs or Millennials think business has a positive effect on society. The gap between sustainability claims and actions has an impact on the employees’ satisfaction and motivation.

Sustainable Development and Staff Performance

If companies are truly committed to sustainability, then they will ensure that all four pillars (Waite 2024)[1] have been met:

1. Society — Does the business meet social well-being needs?
2. The Environment– Do the company’s practices benefit the health of the planet and its ecosystems?
3. The Economy Does the product/service provide good value, taking into account the full costs of externalities?
4. Future Generations– Has the company adopted a long term outlook on what future generations might need and want in terms of products or services?

Employees feel more engaged when they see that their company adheres to these four pillars. They can also see the positive effects of this. A 2024 Culture Amp study found that companies with employees who were genuinely committed towards sustainability had a 16% increase in employee engagement.

This commitment to sustainability will ultimately boost retention by motivating staff to remain and continue to contribute to sustainability through meaningful work. Gallup research shows a 10% increase in the employees’ connection to their organization’s purpose results in an 8.1% reduction in turnover, and a 4.4% improvement in profitability.

How can you demonstrate your commitment to sustainability

The SURF Framework can be used by organisations to assess their sustainability efforts (Waite 2024)[2] in order to improve employee performance and retention.

S – Considerations for supply chain that consider sustainability criteria

This component is focused on the core of a business’s products or services. How do products in the supply chains measure up to sustainability factors like governance, water, land, energy and waste use, pollutants, labour and justice, equity and inclusion, diversity, long-term profitability, and diversity?

U User considerations that address sustainable criteria

What is the user? The consumer, client, citizen, or customer. What is the user’s relationship with the product? Do they have the knowledge and skills to use it sustainably?

R – Relationships or relations with employees, coworkers, investors, surrounding communities, and the society as a whole

This component refers to the engagement of stakeholders both internally and externally. How does the company take into consideration the voices of its stakeholders in making decisions?

F Concern for Future Generations

Intergenerational equity or the notion of being responsible for future generations is what keeps us questioning our impact. Sustainability is distinguished from other concepts of environmental and social responsibility by its consideration for future generations.

Marilyn Waite, author of Sustainability at work: Careers that Make a Difference. Marilyn has worked on four continents, in the fields of low-carbon energy, climate modelling, and investment. She is currently the Climate Finance Fund’s leader and teaches ESG strategies at Sciences Po, and other universities around the world. Visit marilynwaite.com to learn more.

[1] Waite, M. (2024)

Sustainability in the Workplace

2nd edition. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 4-9. [2] Waite, M. (2024)

Sustainability in the Workplace

2nd edition. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 24-30.

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