Employers’ environmental responsibility significantly impacts employee philanthropy, according to recent research.
- Studies show that employees’ willingness to donate and volunteer increases with environmentally conscious employers.
- Research contrasts Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR) with Environmental Corporate Social Irresponsibility (ECSIR) and observes employee behaviour.
- Higher employee engagement in philanthropy is linked to organisations practising ECSR activities like resource conservation.
- The ethical role of businesses in shaping employees’ environmental behaviour is highlighted, with calls for legislative support.
In a significant revelation, research from Mannheim Business School underscores how employers’ environmental activities shape employees’ philanthropic actions. Employees are more inclined to donate money and volunteer time when their organisations exhibit Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR). These ECSR activities include pollution reduction, resource conservation, and tree planting.
Conversely, Environmental Corporate Social Irresponsibility (ECSIR), characterised by harmful production methods and excessive waste, discourages employees from engaging in charitable acts outside work. This research comprised three experiments to examine these dynamics thoroughly.
The first study involved informing workers about their employer’s environmental practices to measure their willingness to volunteer. It demonstrated a clear incline towards volunteering when workers perceived their employers’ activities as environmentally responsible.
The second study targeted students, revealing a noticeable shift in their willingness to contribute financially to charity when associated with a start-up practising ECSR compared to ECSIR.
The final study collected data from employees across various organisations to understand how perceptions of their employers’ ECSR or ECSIR activities influenced their inclination to volunteer. Results confirmed that positive environmental engagements of employers boost employees’ external charitable behaviour.
Dr. Irmela Koch-Bayram highlighted that companies not only impact environmental issues through direct actions but also by influencing employee behaviour. This influence is partly due to the strengthening of employees’ Environmental Self-Identity (ESI). ESI is an individual’s perception of themselves in relation to the environment, promoting environmentally friendly actions such as reducing waste.
Further, the study noted that recalling an employer’s ECSR initiatives enhanced employees’ ESI, whereas remembering ECSIR activities heightened feelings of guilt. The research emphasises that ethically, organisations should foster ECSR to positively influence employees’ personal behaviours.
Moreover, the researchers advocate for stringent regulations and policies from politicians and legislators to ensure businesses maintain environmentally responsible practices, thereby fostering positive behavioural changes among employees.
Organisations hold both ethical and impactful roles in shaping employees’ environmental behaviours through responsible practices.
