In today’s world, businesses are no longer judged solely by their profits—employees and consumers alike expect companies to contribute positively to society and the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives have become essential components of modern business practices.
But as an employee, how can you influence your company to take meaningful action? In this article, we’ll explore 5 practical steps you can take to promote socially and environmentally responsible corporate behaviour through purposeful team-building and volunteering activities.
Why Your Company’s Impact Matters
Gone are the days when businesses focused solely on profit. Decades ago, it was all about ‘shareholder value,’ pushing for maximum returns at any cost but now (thankfully), we’re seeing a shift. Companies are now expected to positively impact society and the environment—or at least reduce their negative effects.
However, as we’ve gotten used to with the corporate world, it is packed with terms like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), Corporate Citizenship, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and aligning with the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
With so many acronyms and frameworks, it can feel overwhelming, and as an employee, you might think companies are just using them as PR tools rather than making real changes.
After all, there have been many examples of greenwashing and of large corporations using terms like CSR and ESG more as a PR strategy than as a real effort to do good in the world.
At SolarBuddy LIVE, we aim to cut through the jargon and offer real impact. Our team-building and volunteering activities directly support the global charity SolarBuddy, which tackles energy poverty.
Do you want one of our programs at your company? Do you want to know what your employer is doing to be more responsible? Or do you want them to do better? Here are 5 things you can do as an employee to encourage your company to take action.
STEP 1: You Have More Influence Than You Think
You may feel like a single employee can’t make a difference, but today’s talent shortage is tipping the scales in your favour.
Surveys about the new generation of employees—by 2025, Millennials are expected to make up 75% of the global workforce—show that that purpose is key to workplace satisfaction and well-being for most of them.
These studies show that employees are feeling anxious about climate change and that they are looking at organisation ’s community engagement and societal impact when they are choosing their jobs.
Therefore, any company that wants to attract and retain top talent, must integrate purpose, community engagement, societal impact and climate action into their operations.
STEP 2: CSR, ESG, and SDGs—What Do They Mean?
The world of corporate responsibility is filled with acronyms that can seem confusing. Here are the key ones:
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)—the oldest concept referring to a company’s voluntary efforts to contribute positively to society, beyond legal and regulatory requirements.
Corporate Citizenship—like CSR but slightly newer and with a long-term focus beyond isolated activities, encouraging companies to act as good corporate citizens.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)—a framework used by investors since the 2000s to evaluate a company’s sustainability and ethical impact. It builds on CSR, but is quantifiable and measurable.
ESG reporting and regulations—recently, governments and international bodies started to require mandatory reporting on measurable ESG factors. Initiatives like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) or EU Taxonomy.
UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)—17 global goals set by the UN to guarantee sustainable development. Not legally binding, but they offer a global roadmap for sustainability that companies should follow.
GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)—one of the most widely used frameworks for sustainability reporting.
There are many more, but knowing these few key terms helps you engage with your company’s efforts more effectively.
STEP 3: How to Discover Your Company’s ESG Plans
Most large companies today have an ESG strategy, driven by employee and customer expectations, and regulatory pressures like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Check your company’s website or reach out to departments like Sustainability, ESG, or Corporate Responsibility to find this information.
Look for people with titles like:
- Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
- Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
- Chief Risk Officer (CRO)
These are the leaders in your company’s sustainability initiatives.
STEP 4: Matching Volunteering with Your Company’s ESG Goals
Congratulations! Now you have your company’s ESG strategy. Do you want one of our corporate volunteering programs at your company? Firstly, it should align with your company’s ESG values or key focus areas.
Chances are the strategy already references some of the UN SDGs or you will find issues like clean energy, reducing poverty or offering quality education. Furthermore, under Community Engagement and Impact, you should find strategy and priorities for your company’s community development efforts.
Now it’s time to match.
At SolarBuddy we directly address energy poverty (UN SDG 7), but also enhancing education (SDG 4), health (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), economic opportunity (SDG 8) climate action (SDG 13) and more.
Check if your company’s strategy references any of these goals. If it does, there’s a great opportunity to introduce our programs. Even if it doesn’t, look for broader values like sustainability, innovation, poverty elimination, or access to education that align with the goals of our corporate volunteering initiatives.
STEP 5: Get Involved
If your company operates in one of the 20 locations where SolarBuddy LIVE programs are available, connect with your ESG or sustainability team and explain how these programs align with company goals. Highlight the benefits for team cohesion, employee morale, and positive social impact.
EXTRA STEP: Keep the Momentum Going
If your company has already participated in a SolarBuddy activity, why stop there? CSR and ESG efforts shouldn’t be one-off events. Many of our corporate partners have gone beyond a single project to build long-term partnerships.
For example, Airbus partnered with SolarBuddy to solarise the indigenous community of Amata, South Australia, as part of our Illuminating Communities Initiative. Leadsun, a solar lighting specialist, is working with us to provide community lighting at no cost, and the Origin Energy Foundation has been a partner since 2020, with thousands of volunteers building lights for schools across Australia.
You Can Make a Difference
As an employee, you have more power than you might think to influence your company’s social and environmental responsibility. By understanding key concepts like ESG, CSR, and the UN SDGs, and aligning corporate volunteering activities with your company’s goals, you can help drive meaningful change.
Purposeful team building and volunteering, like SolarBuddy LIVE programs, not only benefit the community but also enhance employee engagement and satisfaction – key factors in today’s competitive job market.
Ultimately, the shift towards greater corporate responsibility is a collective effort. When employees take the initiative to advocate for impactful programs, they help their companies become better global citizens. Whether you’re supporting sustainability, improving education, or addressing energy poverty, your actions can contribute to a better world—while building a stronger, more connected team in the process.