Sustainability & DEI - Working Hand in Hand for a Better Future

The link between sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is increasingly becoming more apparent in the business world. 

While sustainability was previously limited to environmental concerns, it now includes social responsibility and human rights. DEI is about creating a fair and inclusive environment that values people from all backgrounds. The intersection of these two concepts is crucial in creating a sustainable future that works for everyone.

Sustainability focuses on reducing environmental impact and addressing societal issues such as climate change, depletion of natural resources, and pollution. Sustainable businesses gain a competitive edge by appealing to environmentally conscious consumers and achieving extended lifespans and increased returns. However, sustainability must also encompass social responsibility and human rights concerns to be truly effective.

DEI is about inclusivity and fairness, ensuring that everyone feels supported and valued. Diversity brings different perspectives and ideas, promoting innovation and creativity, which can help a company in achieving sustainability goals. Inclusion ensures that all employees feel comfortable presenting ideas and suggestions, allowing the company to work towards a common objective, shared and supported by all.

When people feel empowered and comfortable, you find more creativity and ideas being shared and improved on – within Tech we are well aware of this on a smaller scale within Agile teams as it is very much based off the same ethos – driving innovation within all sectors of the business.

Businesses that have a strong DEI policy and a culture that is truly aligned with that (instead of it being just another corporate compliance tick box) will not only benefit from a wider range of experience and ideas on how to implement and reach their sustainability goals, but will also benefit from a workforce who are more committed to creating that change and leaders who are able to convey those aspirations to a wider audience – both within the company and further afield within the community. 

This in itself can have additional benefits for your business including better engagement not only from employees but also with customers and clients as more and more consumers become environmentally conscious with how they engage with brands – almost a 100% increase across Europe since the beginning of the pandemic.

When you have a workforce that represents different demographics, communities, and locations, it helps give depth to the understanding of the actual impact that the company and its processes have on the surroundings. 

Especially with the increase in remote working, this has brought both new complexities to Sustainability and DEI targets but also a whole range of new opportunities with businesses able too access much larger talent pools.

By working with your employees, understanding and aligning with their views and personal goals as well as those of the wider community, you will understand the challenges that need to be overcome to effectively and efficiently implement a sustainability policy that works – helping to create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable business while still improving your business’s bottom line rather than adding additional cost, unnecessary compliance, and inertia within the business due to additional workload. 

At the end of the day, we all want to have less of an impact on the environment, or maybe… even a positive impact - while still making things as easy as possible for everyone!

If you would like to discuss your DEI or other recruitment needs, please Contact Us