HRM’s Role in Corporate Social and Environmental Sustainability
The SHRM Foundation, the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA) and the North American Human Resource Management Association (NAHRMA) have released a new report on HRM’s Role in Corporate Social and Environmental Sustainability. This research-based report was written and peer-reviewed by an international team of authors and experts, and includes company examples from organizations around the globe.
The report summarizes the latest research on sustainability and corporate social responsibility and provides specific guidance to HR professionals on how to take the lead in advancing sustainability throughout the organization. The report will be available for download on the WFPMA, NAHRMA and SHRM Foundation websites. Sustainability has been defined as the ability “to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. As regulatory pressures and societal demands for greater environmental and social responsibility have increased, sustainability has become a key focus for many organizations. Instead of working towards financial profits alone, sustainable firms must strive to contribute economic, social, and environmental benefits to society, known as the "triple bottom-line". The HR function has an important role to play both in developing and implementing this sustainability strategy.
The report was written by Michael Muller-Camen, Professor of International HRM at WU-Vienna University of Economics and Business in Viena, Austria, Elaine Cohen, a CSR Consultant and Sustainability Reporter based in Israel and Sully Taylor, Professor of International Management and former Associate Dean for Graduate Programs at the School of Business Administration, Portland State University.