Role of HR in Corporate Sustainability

Corporate Responsibility is the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable economic development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life .As the language of sustainable development enters the business mainstream, the responsibility for managing social and environmental issues is slowly shifting from the corporate fringe to an important business function. The ulterior motif is to develop the structures, systems, and ways of working and personal values that will support the organisation’s sustainable development objectives; and to encourage others in the company to act as enthusiastic agents of change. It is quite evident from several researches that agencies that successfully align human resources management with agency mission accomplishment do so by integrating HRM into the agency planning process, emphasizing HR activities that support mission goals, and building strong HR/management relationships. The private sector has recognized that it is not just financial and technological capital that provide companies with the competitive edge, but people, or human capital. Without attracting and retaining the right people, in the right jobs, with the right skills and training, an organization cannot succeed. Therefore, people have been recognized as companies’ most important asset. Thus integrating HRM into the agency strategic plan is of paramount importance. Many companies have adopted an approach to business that recognises the role of social and environmental issues in enhancing commercial performance;

But if this strategy is to succeed, employees need to see the sustainable development objectives clearly reflected in their personal targets and rewards. Performance appraisal must take into account the contribution of individuals and teams to longer-term social and environmental goals as well as short-term financial objectives. Ultimately it is all about environment that begets the sense of nuance difference in every aspects .Creating the ambience , invigorating the strength ,concentration must be on the issues like - Keeping in contact with employees on secondment, sabbatical or maternity leave & identifying the role to utilise their competencies on return uptake of flexible working arrangements & sabbaticals, measuring retention rates of top performers . These might be complemented with the publicising of environmental and social credential of employee brand , offering a competitive package that reflects the organisation’s sustainability vision and values .These types of attraction will slowly encourage employees to volunteer in community projects and charitable causes, identify‘ champions’ to help disseminate the sustainability vision and values, educate employees on their role in upholding environmental and community initiatives through technical training programmes, develop values and competencies in line with sustainability, ensure that the induction process reflects and educates around the organisation’s sustainability vision and values and thus ensure the organisation has a robust and well communicated ‘wellness’ programme available to all employees. The recognition through reward and applause will develop a culture whereby expatriates encourage local participation and cohesion with the global corporate sustainability plan. The integrity of these synergistic approaches define this corporate sustainability which will in turn provide a fresh,

invigorating, perspective of the world, to foster innovative approaches to a variety of business problems..

~ “A company is known by the people it keeps.”

***Note:This article is co authored by,

• Khurshid Alam
• Kazi Wasim Zaman