While history has had no shortage of businesses marred by their lack of diversity and unsustainable practices, the current business landscape is looking much different. From tech companies to marketing agencies, more and more businesses are investing in efforts and implementing practices that promote diversity and sustainability.
One such effort that’s becoming increasingly common across industries is DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) committees, which are made up of employees and aim to improve diversity in companies. While this is an amazing practice that can boost morale for current employees of companies, it can also be a huge draw for potential candidates.
In addition to pursuing social equity in practices, many businesses are also engaging in a variety of sustainable practices. Apart from improving company culture and making the world a better place, these practices can be a great way for organizations to attract top talent in the modern age.
Here’s communicating your business’s DEI and sustainability achievements to prospective team members.
Understanding DEI Committees
As has been noted, DEI committees are committed to making organizations more diverse and inclusive for all people. As a result, effective DEI committees have the ability to radically improve company culture and make organizations more comfortable to work in for a wide variety of people.
Typically, the most effective DEI committees start with DEI leadership. In other words, a commitment to DEI must come from above in order for it to sufficiently permeate all levels of an organization.
In the modern age, candidates often make it a point to seek out socially evolved employers. As such, these equitable practices are becoming a keyway for organizations to stand out among other employers and attract the best candidates.
Understanding Commercial Sustainability
Almost everyone has heard horror stories about corporations engaging in unsustainable practices for the sake of profit. Fortunately, both consumers and employees are making it harder and harder for organizations to get away with these types of practices in the modern age.
In the case of employees, many qualified candidates refuse to apply to companies that repeatedly engage in unsustainable practices. As a result, more companies, regardless of moral stances, are being incentivized to change their ways and become more sustainable.
Some sustainable practices that more and more organizations are beginning to engage in include green accounting and sustainability reporting. Essentially, green accounting is the practice of tracking the efforts that one’s company engages in to protect the environment.
Sustainability reporting, which often goes hand in hand with green accounting, is the practice of reporting on sustainability, social practices, and governance. Ultimately, this practice helps organizations keep themselves accountable in these increasingly important areas.
How to Communicate DEI and Sustainability Efforts to Candidates
While organizational leaders and entrepreneurs may be convinced that they should be sharing their achievements with potential candidates, they may not know exactly where to start. Fortunately, being exposed to some key practices can make this process significantly easier.
Here are ways to communicate DEI and sustainability efforts to candidates.
Include Key Links in Job Descriptions
In the modern age, many jobs are posted on online job boards. Typically, these will include descriptions of the roles along with some information about the company. However, in the increasingly competitive job market, leaving links to key DEI and sustainability efforts can be a great play.
These can be links to sustainability reports, blogs about how one’s company engages in green accounting, and even DEI achievement pages. Ultimately, this will show top candidates that one’s company is truly committed to being sustainable, diverse, and equitable.
Reiterate Efforts in Interviews
In addition to including links in job descriptions, explaining these efforts to candidates during interviews can be an amazing practice. This should be done at all interview levels, from the first one until the last.
This conveys to candidates that these efforts aren’t merely for show, but rather are a key and non-negotiable part of one’s company culture. As a result of engaging in this practice, more candidates will feel a strong desire to want to work at one’s company and be a part of these amazing efforts.
Celebrate Employees Who Make Headway in Sustainability and DEI Efforts
While it’s important to share one’s sustainability and DEI efforts with candidates, it’s also important to reward current employees who engage in these efforts. By doing so, one has the chance to show candidates just how much one’s company values these types of changes.
Ultimately, this will help convey to employees that these efforts are truly a core part of company culture and not just for show. This being the case, it’s vital that companies reward employees who make sustainability and DEI achievements in the modern age.
Sustainability and DEI Efforts Are an Amazing Way to Attract Qualified Candidates
As the world changes, so do the things that candidates look for in potential employers. In particular, sustainable practices and DEI efforts have become incredibly important to candidates in the job market today. This being the case, companies can significantly bolster their chances of attracting top talent by communicating their DEI and sustainability achievements to potential candidates.
