Sustainability: a question of workplace culture?

COVID-19 has our society and economy firmly in its grip right now. Understandably, issues that are not directly related are quickly pushed into the background. However, many of the challenges we are now facing are not new - they are just becoming increasingly apparent. We are conducting a study to investigate the extent to which the impact of workplace culture on sustainability influences the future viability of companies. You can take part in the study here.

Do we need a workplace culture for sustainable business?

There is talk of interrupted supply chains and the treatment of employees, the high number of companies that need financial support after just a short time and the blue sky over otherwise smog-ridden cities. One topic that should therefore now receive even more attention and that companies must also address is the question of the social and ecological, but also long-term economic internal and external effects of their own actions, in short: how sustainable business is conducted.

However, for values such as sustainable management to be implemented as an organization, they must also be supported by the workplace culture. A workplace culture is fundamentally based on three things: Trust, leadership quality and practiced values. In plain language, this means that employees and managers must trust each other, managers must set a good example and the values that have been defined in the company must also be lived.

Considering the current situation of climate change, biodiversity or the lack of solvency of many companies, one value in particular is becoming increasingly important for organizations: sustainability. However, it must also be lived as a corporate value.

Sustainability is relevant for every company

Companies do not operate in isolation from their social and ecological context. Access to natural resources as well as trained and motivated employees can determine whether the company will continue to operate successfully in the future. The excessively high consumption of finite resources in Switzerland, global challenges such as climate change or the changing demands of younger generations on their employers must therefore be addressed in good time as a company.

For any organization, corporate sustainability (also known as corporate social responsibility) means recognizing the opportunities and challenges associated with sustainable development and systematically taking social and environmental impacts into account in management alongside financial ones.

Workplace culture as a driver of sustainability?

However, if sustainability is not practiced as a value by both management and employees, it remains lip service. This leads to the conclusion that workplace culture can be a strong driver for sustainability. Experience shows that it is those companies - from small family businesses to global multinationals - with strong leaders and great visions that can bring about a change towards sustainable development.

However, Great Place To Work, in collaboration with öbu, the association for sustainable business, and BHP - Brugger und Partner, would like to determine in a study how strong the correlation between workplace culture and sustainability is and how this influences the future viability of a company. This study revolves around the questions of where organizations stand in terms of sustainability in the workplace, what challenges they see for the future and whether they feel they are well positioned for this. Those who take part in the study will receive the results by e-mail after the evaluation.

Take part in the study now