A new research by the Mannheim Business School (MBS) Germany, has revealed that employees are more likely to make donations and willingly volunteer outside of work if their employers engage in environmentally-conscious activities.
Two researchers from MBS, Dr. Irmela Koch-Bayram and Prof. Dr. Torsten Biemann, conducted three experiments to investigate how an employees’ private prosocial behaviour is impacted by their organisation’s Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR) and Environmental Corporate Social Irresponsibility (ECSIR).
ECSR includes behaviours such as reducing pollution, conserving resources, and planting of trees; while ECSIR includes the use of harmful production methods and creating massive amounts of waste.
According to the researchers, organisations have an ethical responsibility toward the environment and their employees, and should implement environmentally-conscious practices that influence the private behaviour of employees positively.
They also stressed that politicians and legislators must also set boundaries and regulations that ensure organisations do not negatively impact the environment, to ensure the influence on employee behaviour is positive.
In the first study, workers were provided with information about their employer’s environmental activities before measuring their willingness to volunteer.
The second study investigated whether students were more or less likely to donate to a charity when they believed they worked for a start-up that engaged in ECSR vs. ECSIR activities.
The final study measured ECSR and ECSIR perceptions of employees from a variety of organisations and observed their willingness to volunteer.
The studies suggested that employers’ ECSR activities increase employees’ donations and willingness to volunteer outside work.
It also suggested that employers engaging in ECSIR activities reduces employees’ private donations and willingness to volunteer.
Koch-Bayram said: “Companies not only contribute to environmental protection and harm through their own activities but also contribute to environmental issues by influencing employee behaviour.
“The positive effects of environmental CSR are partly explained by the strengthening of employees’ Environmental Self-Identity (ESI).”
Explaining ESI Bayram said it is the perception individuals have of themselves in relation to the environment. Those with a strong ESI may actively engage in environmentally-friendly behaviours such as recycling and reducing waste.
In the final study, participants also recalled ECSR, ECSIR, or neutral employer activities and had their ESI and guilt measured. Recalling ECSR activities of one’s employer enhanced employees’ ESI, while recalling ECSIR activities of an employee increased feelings of guilt.
