Green Recruitment is the New Normal – Here’s How Your Retail Business Can Start

According to a 2022 report, countries falling in the GCC region are responsible for collectively producing 105-130 million tons of waste, with a notable contribution coming from packaging materials and plastics.   

What is the impact?

When these substances end up in landfills in such large numbers, they not only contaminate the environment but also escalate the expenses associated with waste disposal for both retail businesses and local authorities.  

As a growing concern in the UAE, it has prompted the government to proactively address the issue. To achieve net zero by 2050, the UAE minister has urged retailers to embrace sustainability.

While revamping the supply chain is essential, it's not enough. To truly make a difference, the industry needs to embrace green retailing.

As a practice, green retailing involves minimizing environmental waste and fostering sustainability throughout the business, guided by effective management.

An essential aspect of this approach is green recruitment, which acts as the starting point for integrating sustainability into every aspect of a retail business.

Green Recruitment - What Does It Mean?

Green recruitment is a comprehensive way of approaching talent acquisition that takes into account the environmental, economic, and social effects of hiring practices.

Cutting down on paper use is undoubtedly a solid move, but green recruitment goes beyond that. It involves infusing sustainable principles into the entire recruitment process.

The ultimate goal is to establish a workforce that reflects an organization's dedication to environmental protection and corporate social responsibility.

What's the Significance of Green Recruitment?

Why go the extra mile?

It’s normal to ask the question. And we’ve prepared an answer for you.

In today’s eco-conscious job and consumer market, green recruitment stands out as a strategic approach that offers far-reaching benefits.

It Promotes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Green recruitment places a strong emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), positioning it as a critical element in hiring strategies.

Organizations that integrate sustainable hiring practices showcase their commitment to ethical business conduct, and contribute positively to societal and environmental well-being are valued more than their opposite counterparts.

Because green recruitment strongly emphasizes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), brands can leverage it to elevate their consumer branding.

According to Sustainable Market Share Index™ Report by NYU | STERN, sustainable products tend to grow about 2.7x faster as compared to products that are not. It’s because more consumers don’t mind paying more to eco-conscious brands.

Therefore, it’s clear that investing in CSR efforts may require money in the short term, but it clearly offers better ROI in the long run.

It Attracts and Retains Exceptional Talent.

Did you know that Generation Z will make up 27 percent of the workforce by 2025? As a sizable working population, companies can no longer ignore their values and needs, not if they want to tap into this talent pool.

Turns out, Millennials and Gen Z are particularly more enthusiastic about seeking and remaining loyal with greener organisations. According to a survey, more than 70 percent of participants responded that they’d be more likely to choose an employer with a strong green footprint.

It proves that, in order to attract and retain top-tier talent, retail businesses have no choice but to adopt sustainable strategies. Highlighting your organization’s commitment to green recruitment shows that you value a workforce that seeks purpose-driven work.

It Mitigates Your Carbon Footprint

It’s no news that traditional hiring methods often involve significant travel, paper consumption, and energy use.

When you switch to green recruitment, it helps you take a proactive approach to diminish the carbon footprint associated with hiring using technology and incorporating sustainable practices – ultimately aligning your efforts with the UAE government’s 2050 net zero goals.

4 Key Principles of Green Recruitment

Best Practices for Green Recruitment - Steps Your Business Can Take!

When you take the journey towards green recruitment, you must do more than just tick boxes off a checklist. Here are seven actionable steps you can take toward an improved and eco-conscious hiring process –

1. Embrace Digital-First Job Advertisements – You probably already do this, but it’s never wrong to be reminded of it again. In a hyper-digitalised era, you must leverage digital platforms for job advertisements. Think beyond LinkedIn and break new ground with niche job boards as well. And while you do that, don’t forget to integrate your environmental values while writing the job descriptions.
2. Champion Eco-Conscious Candidate Sourcing – You cannot focus merely on finding talent. Rather, put effort into aligning values. Explore virtual career fairs and digital networking platforms to find candidates who won’t just be resistant to sustainability but will champion it within your organization. You can also refer to online resources to craft an effective employee referral program that helps you source candidates with the right value set.
3. Adopt Sustainable Interviewing Techniques – Make the most of video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet to schedule online interviews instead of conducting them in person. Not only do they streamline the recruitment process, but they also cut down on travel-related emissions. At the same time, you can also encourage the use of digital documentation platforms, such as DocuSign and Adobe Sign, to cut down on unnecessary paper waste.
4. Integrate Green Practices into the Workplace – While it may not be possible to turn all your operations remote, you can make use of tools and technologies that facilitate remote collaboration wherever possible to reduce commuting-related carbon footprints. At the same time, you can also adopt a robust office recycling program to go the extra mile to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability.
5. Initiate Paperless Onboarding and Training – You can start by capitalizing on small efforts, such as instilling sustainable practices during the onboarding phase. Leveraging seamless HR software for paperless onboarding to exploring sustainable products for employee welcome kits can do wonders to promote sustainability within the organization.
6. Craft a Sustainable Employer Brand – Establishing a green employer brand is necessary for attracting like-minded talent. Channel your recruitment marketing and PR efforts into communicating internal and external green initiatives to the world.

Partner With TASC For All Your Green Recruitment Needs

In an era where sustainability is paramount, TASC stands out as your ideal partner for green recruitment. With over 16 years of recruitment expertise, we're experts at placing top talent in the green sector, aligning with your sustainability goals.

Let TASC Outsourcing help you build a workforce that's not just skilled, but passionately committed to environmental stewardship. Ready to transform your recruitment strategy?

Get in touch with our experts now and make sustainability the core of your hiring process.