What is ESG: Focusing on the social responsibility

ESG and employee engagement go hand-in-hand. When employees see that their company is serious about ESG, they’re more likely to feel proud and connected to their work.

This creates a positive cycle where engaged employees help your ESG goals, and those goals, in turn, strengthen employee engagement.

How does this work in practice? By embedding ESG into company culture, you create a work environment that not only attracts talent but also retains it through meaningful engagement.

Want more examples of ESG's impact on employee engagement?

Social responsibility goes beyond just meeting basic needs - it’s about creating a workplace that’s engaging, inclusive, and safe, and that positively impacts the community.

Companies with strong social values don’t just attract employees; they keep them engaged, productive, and happy. Plus, socially responsible brands are usually a step ahead when it comes to future regulations and what stakeholders expect.

Managing workplace stress is a big part of social responsibility. But what does stress look like, and how can you spot it?

Unfortunately, stress is becoming more common in the workplace. Here are five easy ways to help reduce stress and keep your team healthy and engaged.

Employee engagement is the missing piece that can take your ESG strategy to the next level. When companies commit to ESG, employees feel more connected to a shared purpose, which boosts their motivation and loyalty.

For example, companies that regularly check in on employee well-being through surveys often see benefits like higher productivity, less absenteeism, and better profits.

Creating a sustainable work environment means recognizing that employees aren’t just workers - they’re people with lives outside of work.

A sustainable work culture respects this by helping to prevent burnout, promote mental health, and ensure leaders take accountability for everyone’s well-being.

Here are a few ways to start:

• Keep workloads balanced and prevent burnout
  
  
• Promote mental health and well-being
  
  
• Hold leaders accountable for long-term employee well-being.
  
  

Who is responsible for this?
Building a sustainable environment is a shared responsibility among top management, leaders, and employees. Learn more about fostering sustainable workplaces here.

Measuring social performance is the first step toward making real improvements. Start by collecting employee data to get a sense of your impact.

Here are a few key areas to focus on:

• Employee engagement surveys: How satisfied and aligned are your employees?
• Diversity metrics: Keep track of representation and inclusion efforts.
• Health and safety metrics: Understand incidents and perceptions of workplace safety.

Each of these metrics gives you a clear picture of your company’s social responsibility. Discover more ways to collect social performance data here.

To really understand and improve your social impact, set up KPIs that align with your ESG goals.

Here are a few important ones:

• Employee engagement score: Measures how motivated and engaged your employees are.
• Diversity representation: Tracks the demographic diversity of your workforce.
• Safety metrics: Looks at workplace safety and overall health, including incidents and the safety climate.

Each KPI helps you see what’s working and where you might need to improve.