Environmental and sustainability expert, Dr Leyla Acaroglu, and employee experience platform and intranet provider, Unily, have launched the Future of Workplace Sustainability Report. The report explores how sustainability, climate change and Covid-19 are shaping the future of the workplace.

We are living in a time of great and immediate change

Covid-19 and climate change are just two of the most obvious forces impacting our way of life. Through trend analysis, employee surveys, expert interviews and case studies, the report highlights our ability – and also need – to rapidly transform the way we do everything.

The report comprises three main sections highlighting the six relevant megatrends predicted. It also covers the 12 micro forces driving these megatrends. Plus, how they relate to the way and places we work. Finally, it offers a diagnostic toolkit for business managers and enterprises to assess where they are on their sustainability journey.

This year, Unily embarked on its own sustainability journey; actively reviewing how it can do more as a company to reduce the impact of climate change.

Inspired to build sustainability into its innovation process, one of the aims of the report is to provide other businesses with a framework for starting their sustainability journeys. It also strives to leave businesses optimistic about the future and empower them to make meaningful, lasting change.

As part of the report, a survey was conducted with Censuswide to establish and highlight how these global trends are affecting the way employees feel about sustainability within the workplace. The results underscored the need for change, with 83% of respondents believing their company is not doing enough to tackle these big issues.

Likewise, 80% of respondents say their company’s environmental values are either not aligned or only partially aligned with their own. Even for those looking for job opportunities, 65% of those surveyed were more likely to work for a company with a strong environmental policy.

Plus, 63% of respondents would also like to learn additional green skills to become more valuable in the workplace; highlighting the demand from employees to play a more active role in making their business more sustainable.

Commenting is Jo Skilton, chief customer officer at Unily

“Covid-19 has been a real catalyst for change and transformation globally. We have spoken to many companies over the years, keen to change how they work, but they have never ‘had to’ change before; Covid-19 has accelerated that ‘need to’ change.

“Within our own digital workplace sector, our employee engagement platform, Unily, allows for a streamlined and smooth transition for our clients to enable employees to work from home. However, we wanted to understand the real impact of such accelerated change.

“We are proud to have partnered with Dr Leyla Acaroglu to help us understand how we can make a difference. We are at the beginning of our journey and want to help businesses like ours find answers to start their own path to play a more active role in protecting the world around us for future generations.”

Also commenting is Dr Leyla Acaroglu

“Ways of working have changed dramatically over the last 100 years. From farming to factories to technology and now services. We live in an age of rapidly evolving disruptions to where, how and why we do work.

“We wanted to create this report with Unily to provide answers for the changes and challenges that this decade will bring for business. Every organisation will be at a different stage, as this report highlights the ways to engage with sustainability and multiple opportunities to lead through these complex times.

“The most important thing is getting started. This report will support you in gaining the insights and advantages of establishing a journey towards a sustainable workplace.”

Key take-outs from the report

As part of the report, 2,000 UK based office workers – from graduate entry-level jobs through to senior manager level – were surveyed by Censuswide in August 2020. Respondents were asked their views on sustainability trends within their workplace. Some of the key findings include:

• 65% of respondents are more likely to work for a company with a strong environmental policy
• 72% of office workers are concerned about environmental ethics
• 83% of respondents felt their company is not doing enough or could do more to fight climate change
• 63% of those surveyed would like to learn additional green skills to become more valuable in the workplace
• 80% of office workers said their company’s environmental values are either not aligned or only partially aligned with their own

Megatrends

These are the massive cultural shifts that unfold in real-time, creating identifiable patterns that can be observed and interacted with as they emerge and evolve to affect society at large. Several societal level megatrends are affecting the ways we work and the types of business models that will be successful in the future.

These include elements such as climate change adaptation, transition to the circular economy and resource scarcity. Also, worker and supply chain equity and the zero-waste movement.

Forces for Change

The Covid-19 crisis is emerging entirely new ways of working, living and doing business. Before this, the foundations for massive disruption were already being laid out for businesses. For example, climate change; 2030 Global Goals; The Green Recovery; the 4th industrial revolution towards tech and also the global health crisis.

The Diagnostic Toolkit

The toolkit helps businesses assess their current sustainability and climate-positive journey so they can take action. It helps establish where the business is right now and supports its sustainability journey; whether that be starting or progressing further. It also helps frame a strategy to employ to enhance the sustainability and climate-positive journey within an organisation.

To view the full report, please click here.

Sign up here to attend the ‘Future of Workplace Sustainability Webinar’ on Tuesday 27 October from 4pm-4.45pm.