Tackling climate change: What role can HR play?

Climate change—it's an intimidating topic to try to understand. And when a problem is so massive, employers may be tempted to wait for perfect solutions to materialize before they jump into action. But employees, customers, and others are now demanding more from business. So, what is HR's role? That's a question more employers are starting to address.

Employee benefits play a part

Sometimes it's best to start by picking the low-hanging fruit. Employers can start with easy-to-accomplish steps such as providing information to encourage employees to adopt climate-friendly practices in their own homes. Those small acts add up. But employers have other options that may make more of an impact ― for example, by incorporating environmentally sound thinking into their employee benefits.

In 2017, researchers at Vanderbilt University published research on employee energy benefits (EEBs), which are defined as "employer efforts to influence or support employees' personal energy choices outside the workplace, such as energy use at home or personal transportation decisions."

Such benefits include subsidies for employee home energy audits and financial incentives for carpooling, the report says. The researchers also found employers offering benefits such as rebates on home solar panels, discounts on hybrid vehicles, and incentives to use public transportation.