The management consultancy wanted to know how important sustainability is to Germans. Many of the country's employees are not satisfied with their companies' performance thus far in this area. Four out of ten think their employers are still not doing enough to protect the environment and climate, and should be doing much more. One-third of employees surveyed would even no longer apply for jobs at their companies for this reason.
Sustainability plays an important role in the working lives of more than half of German employees. However, one in three report not having any opportunities to promote sustainability at their own companies. Six out of ten would like the topic to play a greater role in their everyday professional lives. "Companies are missing a major chance to increase loyalty here, and in fact are even risking losing some of their workforce if they fail to adequately address sustainability and enable employees to get involved," says Birgit Engler, a partner at Porsche Consulting.
For sustainability strategies to be successful they need to take not only environmental but also economic and social aspects into account. "In the future the fairest and most sustainable companies will be able to select their employees at will, while other firms will be left wanting," says the consultant. This is confirmed by the results of the survey. One in five employees would no longer apply for their jobs due to insufficient attention to social justice at their companies. One in six would no longer apply due to a lack of equal opportunity. "If companies expect to remain successful and competitive over the long term, it's no longer enough to focus solely on economic aims," adds Engler. "An entire transformation is necessary to meet the rising expectations of customers, employees, and investors, and to meet political and social demands."
But there are positive signs as well. Twenty-two percent of German employees surveyed view their employers as setting good examples in sustainability, and are convinced that their companies are doing their best to ensure environmental and climate protection and to take social responsibility. Porsche consultant Engler emphasizes that sustainability is a task for the company as a whole. "Leadership personnel can serve as models and encourage their employees to throw their weight behind the transformation by actively involving them in the process, providing training, and granting them the freedom to help shape change."
Porsche Consulting GmbH
Porsche Consulting GmbH is one of the leading top management consultancies in Germany. It is a subsidiary of the sports-car manufacturer Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart. Guided by the principle “strategic vision, smart implementation,” consultants help companies improve their performance and innovativeness. Clients range from multinational groups to mid-sized companies in the automotive, aviation and aerospace, and mechanical and plant engineering industries. Other clients come from the financial services sector, the consumer goods industry, retailing, and the construction industry.
