In 2019, climate change and the impacts of climate change fast moved from occasional news headlines to constant worry, and for a reason. This has been a highlight year for climate for all the wrong reasons, with many countries across the globe– France, Belgium and Luxembourg to name a few– hitting the highest temperatures in their history. Worldwide, water levels are rising rapidly, temperatures are reaching an almost irreversible high, and as fires in forests continue to rage, the world is losing more forest cover than ever. 

It is now the need of the hour, particularly for corporates and companies, to be a part of environmental sustainability projects, and work towards sustainable development goals and targets. As global warming reaches historical new highs, both corporates and individuals to look towards concrete climate change solutions to reverse, at least to some extent, the severe damage that deforestation and pollution have wrought on the environment. 

1.        Manage dwindling resources

It goes without saying that tree planting is the need of the hour and an absolute necessity now given how overall climate change has been increasing exponentially across the world. While organizations may think themselves self-sufficient, what they don’t realize is that a massive chunk of our resources is drawn directly from natural reservoirs of trees, water and wind. By supporting reforestation, these firms are lending a helping hand to dwindling resources that are fast depleting in the race for economic growth and staying ahead of the competition. Ironically, planting trees can also help keep natural resources in designated spots away from the cities. Stories of floods and water-logging are not new in cities, but an effective way to tackle these communal issues and save lives is to actually allow natural resources to occupy the space they need, all the while building our cities sustainably around them.

2. Leave a positive impact on CSR goals

CSR, or corporate social responsibility goals, refer to goals that make a company responsible and answerable to its employees and investors, which self-regulate it to be socially and environmentally accountable. Adopting environmentally sustainable work practices is critical and one way to do this effectively is to take part in environmental sustainability projects– involving employees in such programs not only provides a great way to promote environmental sustainability in the workplace, but also a great employee engagement initiative that is both long-term, and special.   

Internally, corporate-social responsibility initiatives are crucial in terms of employee relations. For instance, involving employees in an adopt-a-tree program, particularly in terms of a reward, an employee gift, or part of an incentive, can build, or strengthen that employee’s existing relationship with your company. Adopt a tree programs often also help track the progress of a tree, from planting to growth ad nauseam, and that adds to the employee’s feeling of being able to nurture something and watch it grow, albeit indirectly. Employee engagement initiatives like this, which are long-term, will contribute to employee morale too, making them more likely to stay on with the company too, and make them overall much happier in the workplace.

There is concrete data today to show that an employee who feels good about his or her company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives feels more engaged with their firm. Higher employee engagement and happiness means that your employee is more likely to perform better at a consistent rate. That means employees will be able to better fulfill personal goals, and across a company level, that will mean a better company performance overall. Win-win!

3. Use as PR and social media gold

Revenues are, and have always been crucial to the functioning of a firm. In 2019, social media is one of the biggest forms of currency that a company can be involved in. Leading, or even participating in programs that promote afforestation and tree planting promise to garner your company brownie points on social media, which in this day are almost certain to result in directly magnified and increased sales, interest in your company, and be great for promoting your company’s image and standing among the public. Being part of such an initiative is worth its weight in marketing as well as benefiting the environment. 

Posting to social media about your company’s sustainability initiatives will not only show your followers your company’s sensitivity to the pressing issues of today, but also proof that your company is holding itself accountable to the environment, and doing something about it.  In addition to engaging with your employees regarding these initiatives, it also helps employees engage more with your company outside the workplace, and on social media; not only does this help enhance your company’s image to the public, but also helps build its image as one where employee satisfaction and fulfillment are high. Companies like EcoMatcher do exactly that: connect your employees with the trees they have “adopted”, allowing them not only to virtually view their ‘adopted’ trees, but also to track their progress in real-time, and ‘visit’ them from time to time. 

4. Enhance company image to potential investors and consumers

Investors are the most important part of any business; without them, firms would not be able to run, pay employees, or indeed, exist. A company with a great overall standing, not just in terms of its work ethic and productivity, but one that fulfills all its responsibilities to the world and environment, is one that investors are more likely to be a part of, invest in, and nurture. 

That image, particularly if done right, helps your company fulfill its duty to the environment and build a better world. A company focused solely on revenues may be raking in the money, but if it is shirking its responsibility to the planet and the environment, investors and those potentially interested in buying that business, may not regard it as a good investment.

We have already discussed how being part of effective CSR initiatives is great for building employee engagement and morale, but it is also great in enhancing your company’s image to the world. There is also data to show extensively that consumers seriously consider a company’s CSR initiative before engaging with it, and with a brand. 

5. Deliver measurable effects

Today, as metrics become more advanced and sophisticated, it is easier than ever before to calculate the impact one’s initiatives have had on the environment with regard to tree planting. Measuring the impact of initiatives such as this can be tough but it no longer needs to be. Particularly with companies like EcoMatcher pioneering the field today, the number of trees planted, can actively show just how much impact that tree planting has had.

For example, each tree planted can be visited, its growth tracked and measured in terms of how it has positively impacted the environment. For example, every tree planted on behalf of your company by EcoMatcher has offset X amount of vehicular travel emissions, or corporate pollution, or more.

Measuring those metrics is key to engage, and contribute to your company as a whole. Consumers who are able to see these metrics will be more likely to engage with your firm, your product(s), and contribute to your firm overall.

Conclusion

Businesses participating consciously in reforestation efforts not only engage with their employees and investors, but also use and display a strong ethical backbone to their corporate entity– something that goes a long way for a business and its image. With EcoMatcher, businesses can partner up to sponsor large-scale tree planting programs in areas in need around the world. Aside from providing local employment and maintaining a clean brand image, this process contributes to the world’s larger drive towards climate action and environmental change before it’s too late.