Advice and How-To's

Green Recruiting: Building Your

Environmental Employment Brand
by
Dr. John Sullivan
Jun 4, 2007
inShare
You would have to have had your head stuc in the sand to not be aware o! the intense interest
that the environ"ent holds in today#s $olitical and social debates% &hile candidates o! all
'enerations have be'un evaluatin' $otential e"$loyers based on their ('reenness,) !ew in
recruitin' have levera'ed this hot to$ic in recruit"ent co""unications and activities%
*or so"e unaccountable reason, recruitin' "ana'ers and leaders al"ost universally !ail to
i"$le"ent a $rocess that re'ularly discovers (+ob switch) decision criteria used by the best and
bri'htest, and this latest oversi'ht is nothin' "ore than history re$eatin' itsel! once a'ain%
Related Conference Sessions
,eat the ,i' ,rands !or the ,est -ecruits. ,uildin' a &innin' Talent Ac/uisition
0e$art"ent A'ainst the 1dds
2-2 -ecruitin' 3on!erence 4 25$o 2067 S$rin' is in San 0ie'o, 3A, on A$ril 68967, 2067%
:earn "ore ;
,ecause so "any recruitin' leaders !ail to do their research, the vast "a+ority o! e"$loyers
underesti"ate how i"$ortant a co"$any#s de'ree o! ('reenness) is to $otential hires% <t is now
beco"in' i"$ortant !or !ir"s ca$able o! toutin' their role as 'ood environ"ental citi=ens to
!or"ally "ana'e $erce$tion around environ"ental issues throu'h e"$loy"ent brandin'
activities%
<n addition, individual recruiters need to "ae the !ir"#s environ"ental stance a critical ele"ent
o! their sales $itch to $otential a$$licants and candidates% The ti"e to i"$le"ent what < call a
('reen recruitin') strate'y is now>
Environmental Sustainability Goes Wide
3o"$anies lie Honda, S%3% Johnson, ?old"an Sachs, Starbucs, @ata'onia, Ti"berland, and
?2 have success!ully used their environ"entally !riendly $olicies to sell their $roduct and 'ain
"edia e5$osure%
However, until recently, !ew !ir"s have "ade a concerted e!!ort to levera'e the co"$any#s
environ"ental stance as a critical $oint in recruitin' $itches% *ir"s lie ?oo'le, Ti"berland, and
yes, even old-school ?eneral 2lectric have led the way by undertain' "a+or e!!orts to "ae
bein' environ"entally !riendly a critical ele"ent o! their e"$loy"ent brand% ?oo'le, the world#s
only (recruitin' "achine,) leads the way not +ust in its environ"ental $ractices but also in
$ublici=in' their environ"ental record and a$$roach% :ie "any e"er'in' 'reen co"$anies,
?oo'le has hired a director who coordinates cor$orate environ"ental e!!orts in an atte"$t to
"atch their cor$orate business strate'y with their environ"ental e!!orts%
So"e sa"$le $ro'ra"s at ?oo'le that su$$ort environ"ental issues include.
A8,000 subsidies !or e"$loyees buyin' hybrid cars BTi"berland o!!ers A7,000C
3o"$any dinin' !acilities that serve or'anic sustainable !oods
3haritable contributions to or'ani=ations that !i'ht 'lobal war"in'
1n-site !ar"ers "arets
1n-site co"$ostin' o! !ood waste
Dse o! 'reen !uels and solar $ower
*ully subsidi=ed e"$loyee bus $ools !or co""utin' e"$loyees
?oo'le has develo$ed so "any 'reen $ro'ra"s that even !or"er Eice @resident Al ?ore,
$roducer o! the controversial docu"entary on 'lobal war"in' called An Inconvenient Truth is
$roud% <t#s no coincidence that Al ?ore has been an advisor to the co"$any !or "any years%
&hile so"e co"$anies ado$t the 'rassroots a$$roach to 'oin' 'reen, others start at the to$ and
wor down% ?eneral 2lectric is one o! a s"all hand!ul o! co"$anies that have an environ"ental
e!!ort driven by their chie! e5ecutive o!!icer, Je!! <""elt% <! you watch television or read national
"a'a=ines, you "i'ht recall seein' one o! hundreds o! eco"a'ination advertise"ents ?2 has
s$ent "illions on in recent years to ('reenwash) their i"a'e% The eco"a'ination ca"$ai'n is
one o! the boldest a$$roaches to ca$ture intan'ible value by toutin' environ"ental e!!orts in $lay
by any 'lobal co"$any%
0ay in and day out, they are ca$turin' that value by sellin' "ore $roduct to environ"entally
conscious consu"ers and ta$$in' candidate $ools that once would have written the" o!! as the
destroyers o! the environ"ent, usin' the Hudson and Housatonic -ivers as livin' e5a"$les%
Reasons Why Firms ust !ractice Green Recruiting
The ti$$in' $oint !or environ"ental consciousness varies around the world, but !or "any
A"ericans it was the 6FGF 255on Ealde= oil s$ill% <n one day, an iconic A"erican co"$any had
its re$utation slau'htered% Sales were a!!ected, e"$loyee $ride was a!!ected, as was their ability
to recruit on colle'e ca"$uses around the world% *or years, 255on and their ener'y industry
$eers had to wa'e an environ"ental brandin' war in recruitin'% ,ut that was then, and this is
now%
The new thrust o! 'reen recruitin' is $roactive and !ocuses on "ain' ('reenness) a "a+or
ele"ent o! your e"$loy"ent brand% So"e o! the reasons why 'reen recruitin' is beco"in' "ore
essential include.
Gen Y demands it" This 'eneration has learned about the i"$ortance o! the environ"ent
and recyclin' in classes since ele"entary school% They !ilter both $roduct $urchasin' and
+ob selection choices with their 'reen "indset%
College grads demand it" Al ?ore is a hero on "ost ca"$uses% Students, while they are
on ca"$us, de"and that every as$ect o! their ca"$us li!e leave a "ini"al
(environ"ental !oot$rint%) 1n "y ca"$us, San *rancisco State Dniversity, even the "ost
conservative o! all schools, the 3olle'e o! ,usiness is develo$in' a (sustainability) "a+or
to satis!y the student de"and !or inte'ratin' business and the environ"ent% <t has beco"e
so i"$ortant that even startin' salaries tae a bac seat behind ('reenness) when students
evaluate $otential e"$loyers%
any #ob candidates care about it" Althou'h no one has yet /uanti!ied the i"$act that
bein' environ"entally !riendly has on recruits, i! you as candidates whether worin' !or
an environ"entally !riendly co"$any is i"$ortant to the", a vast "a+ority will res$ond
with an a!!ir"ative%
Global candidates can be passionate about it" So"e countries around the world are
e5tre"ely $assionate about the environ"ent B?er"any, Australia, and *inland to na"e a
!ewC% As a result, i! you e5$ect to recruit the best !ro" around the world, you "ust be
$re$ared to "eet a 'rowin' set o! eco-e5$ectations as an e"$loyer%
$ction Steps to %mplement Green Recruiting
There are "any thin's that recruitin' leaders can do to i"$le"ent a strate'y, includin' the
!ollowin' 67 action ste$s.
6% %dentify candidate decision criteria" <! you can#t show that a lar'e nu"ber o! /uality
a$$licants consider a !ir"#s environ"ental record as one o! their $ri"ary criteria !or
selectin' a +ob, you#ll never 'et senior "ana'e"ent to buy in to a "a+or 'reen recruitin'
e!!ort% Start by holdin' !ocus 'rou$s at industry con!erences to identi!y what ('reen)
!actors would be i"$ortant to individuals seein' a new +ob% He5t, as candidates durin'
interviews and on the website to list their decision criteria% 0urin' orientation, as those
who acce$ted the +ob what criteria they used to "ae the decision% *inally, contact those
who re+ected your o!!ers three to si5 "onths down the line to identi!y $ositives and
ne'atives% Dse this in!or"ation to "odi!y your recruitin' $rocesses and !ocus%
2% Benchmar&" Search the &eb, bench"ar with colle'e recruiters, and wor with
recruitin' consultants to identi!y the best $ractices o! other !ir"s% Dse this co"$etitive
analysis to 'au'e your success and to $lan your !uture actions%
7% Your 'ebsite" Iae sure that both (what you do) and the results o! those e!!orts are
$ro"inent on your cor$orate careers website% <nclude your recyclin' statistics, as well as
whether you are carbon neutral, li"it 'reenhouse 'ases, or win environ"ental awards%
<nclude narrative or video $ro!iles o! your environ"entally conscious e"$loyees% <! your
co"$any $olicies allow, lin your cor$orate +obs site on "a+or Bbut $ri"arily
non$oliticalC environ"ental websites%
4% Be tal&ed about" <! you have a stron' environ"ental record, it#s i"$ortant to 'et (written
u$) in business, $ro!essional, and industry $ublications as well as in news$a$ers and on
TE% &or with the @- de$art"ent to identi!y which o! your $ractices are "ost liely to
be a$$ealin' to the "edia and desi'nate an individual to be available !or interviews% <t#s
also critical to constantly scan the &eb to identi!y and /uicly counter any (ne'ative)
co""ents on your environ"ental record BStarbucs has done an e5cellent +ob but A$$le
is currently stru''lin' in this areaC%
8% Recruitment advertising" Advertise in "a'a=ines that candidates who are sensitive to
the environ"ent are liely to read% Hi'hli'ht a !ew (eye-catchin') !acts and any
environ"ental awards you "i'ht have won in your recruit"ent ads% <! you use brochures
or $a$er recruitin' "aterials, "ae sure it#s !ro" recyclable stoc and that it says so on
the docu"ent%
J% (ob descriptions" Iae sure that, where $ossible, +ob descri$tions !or hi'h-volu"e
hirin' $ositions include res$onsibilities !or "ini"i=in' ne'ative environ"ental i"$acts%
This is critical because i! they don#t see bein' environ"entally !riendly inte'rated into
(every +ob) at the co"$any, they "i'ht see your ('reen recruitin') as "erely a @- e!!ort%
<! you#re really serious, include nowled'e o! environ"ental i"$acts under the sills
re/uired section o! your +ob descri$tions%
7% %ntervie's" @rovide "ana'ers with ('reen) !act sheets to use durin' interviews% <! you
are really a''ressive, $rovide candidates with a side-by-side co"$arison showin' how
your !ir"#s environ"ental record is su$erior to other !ir"s they "i'ht be considerin'%
G% Sourcing" 1ne o! the best ways to stren'then your environ"ental i"a'e is to hire lots o!
environ"entally !riendly e"$loyees who can s$read your ('reen) story throu'h word-o!-
"outh% Have your recruitin' tea" identi!y the sources that $roduce the hi'hest-/uality
environ"entally !riendly candidates% Source at environ"ental or'ani=ations Bi%e%, Sierra
3lubC% Also, recruit at environ"ental events and use subscri$tion lists !ro" 'reen
$ublications or e"ail and direct "ail recruitin'%
F% Employer referrals" Havin' your e"$loyees s$readin' the word will hel$ both
recruitin' and $roduct sales% <! you have the resources, $roactively see out e"$loyees
who are hi'hly visible in environ"ental circles and as the" s$eci!ically to tal u$ your
!ir", to see out candidates, and to $rovide you with na"es%
60% $'ards" &innin' awards !or e5cellence is always a "a+or ele"ent o! buildin' an
e"$loy"ent brand, so obviously winnin' (environ"ental) awards should be a "a+or
ele"ent o! your strate'y%
66% $dvisory group" As the advice o! si5 to ei'ht environ"entally !riendly e"$loyees,
"easurin' the /uality o! the "essa'e you#re sendin' and how to reach and convince
"ore a$$licants o! your stron' ('reen) record%
62% !roducts" 1bviously, a$$licants want to now that the $roducts they are hel$in' to
$roduce are environ"entally !riendly% This "eans $uttin' $ressure on $roduct advertisin'
and "aretin' to include the !act that your $roducts are eco-!riendly in your $roduct ads
and $aca'in'% <n so"e industries, how you treat vendors and outsourced wor can be
i"$ortant Bi%e%, Starbucs, HieC%
67% )alue statements" Iae sure that your cor$orate 'oals, values, and even cor$orate
business ob+ectives include environ"ental ele"ents%
64% $nnual report" ,ecause so"e a$$licants tae the ti"e to read your annual re$ort, "ae
sure it includes sections that hi'hli'ht your environ"ental record and the !act that you
recruit environ"entally !riendly e"$loyees% <! your !ir" uses bio-diesel !uel, $ays !air
"aret value to su$$liers, is ener'y-e!!icient, or i! it buys (carbon o!!sets,) hi'hli'ht
these sellin' $oints%
68% Employee benefits" 3onsider addin' holistic health o$tions, $aid ti"e to volunteer !or
environ"ental causes, "atchin' donations to 'reen causes, and su$$ort !or alternative
trans$ortation o$tions to your bene!it $aca'e%
6J% Re'ard criteria" <nclude this !actor in the $er!or"ance a$$raisal syste" !or all
e"$loyees% 1bviously, use it as a hirin' criteria, but also use it as a critical ele"ent in
$ro"otions, bonuses, and $ay increases%
67% *evelop metrics and re'ards" ,ecause whatever you "easure i"$roves and whenever
you add rewards to the e/uation the behavior i"$roves even !aster, your 'reen recruitin'
e!!ort "ust have "etrics and rewards tied to it% So"e o! the "etrics you want to include
are the $ercenta'e o! candidates aware o! your stron' environ"ental record, the nu"ber
who re+ect o!!ers because o! a $oor record, and the $ercenta'e o! new hires who say your
environ"ental record was one o! their to$-!ive reasons !or acce$tin' the o!!er% Hold $ost
e5it interviews with your to$ $er!or"ers to identi!y whether environ"ental !actors
contributed to their e5it%
Final +houghts
Anyone !a"iliar with sales nows that you need to a$$eal to thin's that are on the (to$ o! the
"ind) to your tar'et audience% The sa"e holds true !or recruitin'%
:ie it or not, environ"ental issues are on "ost everyone#s "ind, so i! your !ir" has a
co"$etitive advanta'e in this area Bor it can develo$ one /uiclyC, it#s incu"bent on both
individual recruiters and recruitin' "ana'ers to inte'rate that "essa'e into your recruitin'
$rocesses and your e"$loy"ent brand% This is es$ecially true i! you don#t $ay at the to$ o! scale,
i! you are in a cru""y location, or i! you#re not a well-nown co"$any%
?reen recruitin' is a chance to di!!erentiate yoursel! in a recruitin' "aret$lace where standin'
out !ro" the crowd is already e5tre"ely di!!icult% <ncidentally, not only does 'reen recruitin'
i"$rove your chances o! attractin' and sellin' candidates, it#s also your chance as a recruiter to
do your $art to i"$rove the environ"ent by showin' senior "ana'e"ent the dollar i"$act it has
on recruitin', retention, and $roduct sales%
&hy ?reenK
&ith an increasin'ly co"$etitive "aret, why should you use The ?reen -ecruit"ent 3o"$any
as your $ri"ary recruit"ent $artnerK
+he Best +alent in the ar&et"""
You en'a'e with a recruit"ent consultancy to success!ully !ill a vacancy% There!ore you need to
be con!ident you are dealin' with a consultancy that wors with the best talent in the "aret%
At The ?reen -ecruit"ent 3o"$any we $ride ourselves on our networs and our trac record o!
!indin' the best candidates% &e only wor with the to$ tier candidates in our s$ecialist "arets%
Customer Service"""
&e $lace i""ense i"$ortance on our custo"er service% Too "any consultancies only ever s$ea
to a candidate a hand!ul o! ti"es% At The ?reen -ecruit"ent 3o"$any we do thin's di!!erently%
&e "aintain re'ular contact with our candidates throu'hout the recruit"ent $rocess and continue
re'ular contact $ost $lace"ent% <t is +ust as i"$ortant that your or'anisation is ri'ht !or our
candidate as the candidate is ri'ht !or you%
Bespo&e , -onest Solutions"""
-ather than hand you a $rescribed list o! recruit"ent solutions we listen to your re/uire"ents and
act accordin'ly% <n a truly 'lobal wor$lace it is essential to e"brace traits such as e"$athy,
!le5ibility and consultative advice% These are all hall"ars o! The ?reen -ecruit"ent 3o"$any%
*or e5a"$le, i! we do not thin it is in your interests to en'a'e a consultancy we would tell you
this% &e believe this a$$roach leads to stron', lon' ter" worin' relationshi$s in a hi'hly
co"$etitive industry%
%nnovation"""
&e are always looin' to $ush the boundaries in what we can o!!er our clients% <nnovation is the
ey to sustainability and we want to "ae our own recruit"ent $rocesses "ore sustainable%
@lease see our @re"iu" Services $a'e on our L&hat we do# dro$ down "enu%
welco"e to the ?reen -ecruit"ent
3o"$any
The ?reen -ecruit"ent 3o"$any is an international recruit"ent consultancy s$ecialisin' in
$lacin' the very best talent within the 2ner'y, 2nviron"ent 4 Sustainability and ,uilt
2nviron"ent sectors%
1ur consultants are hi'hly e5$erienced and have an e5tensive nowled'e o! their s$ecialised
areas% <n a constantly evolvin' 'lobal "aret $lace we lead the way in co"binin' technolo'y and
innovation to $rovide the "ost e!!icient and value !or "oney recruit"ent solutions%
Green Recruitment means a paper-free recruitment process with a minimal environmental
impact. Applications are invited through online mediums like e-mail, online application forms or
the Global Talent Pool. If possible, telephone or video-based interviews are conducted to
minimie an! travel-related environmental impact.