Back to Results

Growing Urgency to Enhance Human Sustainability

Deloitte’s report with Workplace Intelligence reveals that 80% of CEOs feel pressured to improve human sustainability, which includes creating value, enhancing health and well-being, and promoting equity. While 82% of executives believe their companies are advancing human sustainability, only 56% of workers agree. Leaders are encouraged to bridge this gap, as improved human sustainability is linked to increased job satisfaction, productivity, and trust. The report highlights a need for greater public commitment and action from organizations to enhance workplace well-being and align leadership perspectives with employees’ experiences.

This article was written by Charlie King and published in Sustainability Magazine.

Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence’s new report finds that 80% of CEOs feel pressured to improve human sustainability

When we talk about sustainability, it often centres around the environment. Whilst driving decarbonisation and combating global warming is crucial, human sustainability also can’t be forgotten.

In recognition of this, Deloitte has collaborated with thought leadership and research agency Workplace Intelligence for the third year to survey 3,150 employees, managers, and C-level executives across the US, UK, Canada and Australia in a report titled ‘The important role of leaders in advancing human sustainability’.

The headline? About 80% of CEOs feel pressured to improve human sustainability.

DELOITTE’S DEFINITION OF HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH AN ORGANISATION:

Creates value for people as human beings
Equips people with greater health and well-being
Supports them with stronger skills and greater employability, good jobs and opportunities for advancement
Makes progress toward equity
Supports increased belonging and heightened connection to purpose

The pressure comes from all areas:

Employees: 82%
Customers: 78%
Investors: 78%
Partners: 77%
Board members: 77%

“Embracing human sustainability can have benefits for both business and people,” says Paul Silverglate, US Executive Accelerators leader and Deloitte’s US Technology Sector Vice Chair.

“Today’s C-suite has the opportunity to help ensure it is prioritised at the highest levels of their organisations, helping them become more rewarding and productive places to work.”

The response from leaders seems very encouraging – 88% would like their pay to be tied to human sustainability metrics and 71% believe their company’s leadership should change if they aren’t advancing human sustainability.

Three quarters of the leaders identify human sustainability as an enterprise risk that should be measured and monitored and discussed at the board level.

Read the full article: Deloitte: Increased Pressure to Improve Human Sustainability