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The Greening of HR Nancy Hatch Woodward / Human Resource Staffing Companies are going green. About 75 percent of companies are actively measuring their "carbon footprint" these days according to The Conference Board's 2006 report. It's not just the giants like Google, Chevron, and IBM that are using green building materials, reducing waste, encouraging recycling, offering employee’s 401(k) investment funds that focus on companies that embrace corporate social responsibility, and even making sure the food in their cafeterias is locally grown. Smaller companies such as Handyman Matters in Wichita or law firms like Nixon Peabody are jumping onboard. In fact, since 2001 more than 50 universities have designated sustainability officers. Don’t make the mistake thinking going green is just the concern of your company's environment health and safety department. While EHS may be in charge of air quality in the workplace, there's a number of ways HR can and should be involved: Green companies are fast becoming employers of choice, especially among college graduates. HR must build their green reputation into their recruiting program. A MonsterTRAK survey of young workers found that 80% of those surveyed said they were interested in a job that has a positive impact on the environment and a whopping 92% would chose working for an environmentally-friendly company. HR should be front and center when it comes to developing the corporate strategy that advances the environmental agenda. HR needs to work closely with finance, marketing, EHS, and supply chain management, maintenance to set attainable goals and determine how new initiatives will impact employees and performance, as well as identify new business opportunities and potential risks associated with climate changes, high fuel costs, and diminishing resources. HR’s job is to develop a culture around sustainability. As with any initiative, employee buy-in is essential to the success of the implementation of the program, and employees also serve as the goodwill ambassadors for the company in the community. Employees will need to be educated about changing their personal footprints – recycling, turning off lights, reducing waste, making double-sided copies, and understanding and implementing new regulations and policies. New policies will be needed for a number of initiatives, from telecommuting safety standards to business travel limitations. Leadership programs will need to include training on green competencies and HR what role they play in performance reviews and reward/recognition programs. Back to the library Reproduction of this article cannot be accomplished without the expressed consent of Human Resource Staffing. Don Schmitz is a popular speaker and writer on all aspects of HR and CEO of Human Resource Staffing. Don holds graduate degrees in Education, Administration and Human Development. Contact Don@HumanResourceStaffingInc.com  952 854 6040