Green HR - Green
HR is using the HR policies and guidelines to promote environmental
sustainability. Green HR is also used to sustain the business
resources. There are two elements in Green HR namely:
- User-friendly HR practices to promote the environmental
sustainability
- Preservation of knowledge capital in the organization.
Thus, HRM aligns the HR practices and policies with the
sustainability goals focusing on the environment and acts as a
driver of environment sustainability within the organization. In
brief, Green HR is creating a green world where the consumers and
employees force change towards the well being of the community and
the environment. In this context, the HR function is interpreted as
‘People and Society’.
Aligning of HR
Functions with the environmental sustainability practices and
policies.
- The HR strategy must first reflect the ambitions of both the HR
team and other employees and then align them with the company’s
strategy.
- Values and culture of the organization should be aligned with
the employees’ ambition of environmental sustainability.
- The organization should deliver sustainable returns to the
investors and the community.
- The organization should respond to governmental and regulatory
expectations in terms of environmental sustainability.
- Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) should be company’s
strategy. HR practices should be aligned with CSR.
- HR can change the business timing for an early morning startup
to save power
- HR can conduct internal and environmental periodical audit to
ensure green HR initiatives are maintained.
- HR should foster the culture of go-green across the
organization by the use of app, software and e-mails.
- The waste can be recycled and the HR should make it a practice
for the administration department.
- The HR should consider alternative energy sources in all of the
business operations.
- Save water should be the main objective of the admin team so
that water leakages and wastes are minimized.
- HR should align the environmental sustainability practices with
the performance appraisal.
- Performance Measurement System (PMS) should provide policies
and procedures to measure the environmental performance standards
across all the business units.
- Exclusive executives should be appointed such as Environmental
Performance Managers.
- Job description should have a mention of the specific green
goals and tasks
- Job evaluations should be done based on the green initiatives
in the job functions.
- Employee training and development should include environmental
issues and the green initiatives.
- Orientation on green HR initiatives for the newly hired.
- Each department can have ‘Green Teams’ to foster green
initiatives in the specific departments.
Conclusion- Thus, It is pertinent for HR functions to be aligned
with environmental sustainability practices and policies for both
competitive advantage and social responsibility fo the company
towards the environment.