Survey Says: It’s Not Easy Being Green In This Economy
Posted by William W. Bowser On July 28, 2009 In: Going Green
The Society of Human Resources (“SHRM”), has released a new poll which surveyed 368 HR professionals about the green initiatives at their workplaces. The poll reveals that. by far, the cost is the greatest barrier to starting and maintaining a green program. Ninety percent of those polled said that cost was a barrier to establishing a program, while 84% said that cost was a barrier to keeping a program going.
The poll also found that the following elements were most likely to be included in a green initiative:
· A recycling program for office products (88%)
· Encouraging employees to be more environmentally friendly by encouraging double-sided copies, lowering blinds, etc. (84%)
· Using energy efficient equipment and lighting systems (73%)
The poll next asked about the major reasons or drivers for going green. The top reasons given were:
· Contributions to society (64%)
· Environmental considerations (55%)
· Economic considerations (53%)
The poll also explored how companies demonstrated their commitment to going green. The top 2 reasons were:
· Including the efforts in company newsletters and publications (74%); and
· Making environmental responsibility a stated goal of the company (45%).
Finally, the Poll sought to measure the perceived benefits of going green at work. Those surveyed gave the following as the most likely:
· Improved employee morale (46%); and
· Stronger public image (41%).
A PDF version of the PowerPoint slides are linked here:
