It’s World Environment Day, and much of the focus today will be on global action — climate change, biodiversity, and collective responsibility. But zoom in, and there’s a quieter conversation happening inside organisations: what role do we play as people professionals?
We often think of sustainability in terms of energy use, supply chains, or packaging. But increasingly, it’s showing up in the world of work — in policies, behaviours, expectations, and values. And when that happens, it starts to shape the employee experience.
A New Kind of Expectation
Employees — especially younger generations — are looking at more than salary and benefits when choosing where to work. Purpose matters. So do values. And many people are asking: Does this organisation care about the same things I do?
This is where sustainability enters the frame.
It’s not just about having a recycling policy. It’s about whether people feel their organisation is paying attention to the world beyond the bottom line. Whether their voice matters. Whether their work has meaning.
Where Sustainability and EX Intersect:
You might not call it “sustainable experience design,” but many people teams are already doing this work. Think:
- Rethinking travel policies to reduce unnecessary impact
- Exploring hybrid working as a way to cut emissions and boost wellbeing
- Supporting employee-led green groups or volunteering initiatives
- Communicating with transparency about sustainability goals and challenges
These decisions all shape how people feel about their work — and the organisation behind it.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Big to Make a Difference
You don’t need a fully-fledged ESG strategy to get started. Even small, intentional changes can help build trust, signal values, and create a stronger sense of connection.
A Final Thought
If EX is about shaping meaningful, engaging experiences at work — it makes sense that sustainability would show up somewhere along the way. Not as a separate goal, but as part of the context in which we’re designing.
Curious to explore this further?
At People Lab, we work with organisations to connect the dots between culture, experience, and purpose. If you’re navigating this space, we’d love to talk.
