3 ways to run a more environmentally-friendly business

HIRE A CARBON ACCOUNTANT: Seventy-six percent of executives say sustainability is central to their business strategy, according to a recent study conducted by technology company IBM . A new hiring trend within the C-suite could begin affecting change:?Carbon accountants look at an organization's electricity consumption, business travel and product sustainability, among other factors, to measure their business's carbon footprint. This data-focused role gives leaders a straight-forward metric for reaching or adjusting their sustainability goals.?

"Their job is to translate all of an organization's different business activities into one metric," says Alyssa Zucker , chief sustainability officer at supply-chain decarbonization platform Sustain.Life (now part of Workiva) . "They deliver that data in terms of their carbon dioxide equivalent so that there's just one unit to measure? how companies can talk about their impact on the environment."?

Do you need a carbon accountant on staff? Read more about this emerging role: Sustainability is entering the C-suite

RECRUIT RESPONSIBLY: As employees see a growing number of companies prioritizing environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, it's become increasingly likely for them to expect more from their own employer on big-picture issues.?A study from Oxford Economics reported that 65% of companies have created a clear mission statement around sustainability.

"If a company isn't doing what it needs to address climate change, and Gen Z wants something that's lined with their values, they will choose [to work for] a company that's doing more to become sustainable," says William Theisen , CEO in North America at EcoAct , a climate consultancy that provides a wide range of sustainable solutions to businesses.

Here's how to attract Gen Z workers with the right focus on ESG: Where ESG meets recruiting: 65% of employees want to work for a sustainable company

GET ACTIVE: The founders of sustainability and wellness platform Treekly? believe they can provide employers with a plan to help the environment. For every 5,000 steps an employee walks, Treekly plants a tree in varying reforestation sites, from Mteza Creek, Kenya to Scotland. Founded in 2020, Treekly was initially intended to help lower the rising obesity rates in the U.K., but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the company to rethink the purpose of its platform.

"Most people are able to walk, and lots of people already count their steps," says Jon Bunning , founder of Treekly. "But if we can create an embedded walking habit, then we can also improve well-being post-COVID and do something to help fight climate change."

Read more about Treekly's mission: Can ESG initiatives help the planet and bring workers together?