The Drawdown Labs Job Function Action Guides will help employees understand how their roles are critical in addressing the climate crisis, as well as implement high-impact solutions and navigate key considerations for taking action inside the workplace.
To make your human resources and operations job a climate job:
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Offer employees financial support for their own individual climate action, such as renewable energy purchasing and low-carbon transportation.
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Provide opportunities for employees to volunteer with climate organizations and participate in climate actions (e.g., a climate march)—outside of normal PTO/leave.
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Offer climate-safe retirement plan options. (Better yet, make climate-friendly options the default.) Work with the finance team to evaluate whether retirement plans, 401(k)s, and other portfolios are invested in fossil fuels—if they are, consult the resources below.
- Work with the legal team to help you navigate legal requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), to ensure climate-safe retirement options have competitive financial returns.
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Find out whether your company’s insurers finance carbon-intensive projects (see the resources below). If so, create a policy that gives preference to divested insurance companies.
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Integrate climate and sustainability requirements and metrics into job descriptions, objectives and key results, and performance reviews and bonuses. (See this example from Mastercard).
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Institute mandatory—or at least incentivize—climate action training as part of onboarding and ongoing employee education at all levels of the organization, and especially for leadership.
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Foster a work culture where employees feel comfortable and are able to bring up climate concerns to leadership and take on climate at work. Create consistent pathways and forums for employees to provide feedback to leadership.
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Bring in climate scientists, advocates, facilitators, youth climate activists, and other experts to spark conversation.
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Work with your sustainability team (or a consultant) to develop or sponsor job training and education programs for local communities to build the green workforce.
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Provide employees with plant-rich snacks and meal options within food service or catering.
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Work with finance and strategy teams to develop clear climate performance metrics at the management level, for transparency and accountability.
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Minimize carbon-intensive business travel for you, your team, and the organization as a whole, and opt for virtual gatherings. If possible, instead of flying, choose lower-carbon travel options, such as the train.
- Build community with other climate-concerned colleagues within your team and beyond. Come together to brainstorm ways you can take action, and raise your collective concern at team and all-staff meetings.