Case study: How Sustainalytics promotes employee engagement
As a global leader in ESG (environmental, social and governance) and Corporate Governance research and ratings, supporting hundreds of the world’s leading investors who incorporate ESG and corporate governance insights into their investment processes, Sustainalytics seeks to introduce innovative ways for employees to feel more engaged and satisfied at their workplace. Tweet This!
This case study is based on the 2017 Sustainability Report by Sustainalytics that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Abstract
Sustainalytics’ success relies on the skills and commitment of talented people working towards achieving its vision for a more just and sustainable global economy. Enhancing employee engagement is, thus, a top priority. In order to promote employee engagement Sustainalytics took action to:
- address the high turnover rate
- introduce an Engagement Index
- organise a Global Volunteer Day
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) BOCHK has identified;
- How BOCHK proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by BOCHK to promote employee growth and professional development
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2017 Sustainability Report Sustainalytics identified a range of material issues, such as equity & diversity, client satisfaction and retention, product and service innovation, governance structure and composition. Among these, promoting employee engagement stands out as a key material issue for Sustainalytics.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups Sustainalytics engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Shareholders
| · Annual General Meeting · CEO contact |
| Board | · Board meetings |
| Employees
| · Human Resources communication · Executive leadership involvement initiatives |
| Clients
| · Mid-year client survey · Frequent in-person meetings in all markets, collecting feedback on a continuous basis · Client feedback helped to enhance internal processes, product offering, innovation agenda and communications |
| Companies Sustainalytics researches | · Solicit feedback on company profiles as part of Sustainalytics’ research process
|
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics Sustainalytics asked employees to select the most material topics in an internal survey. Additionally, a selected group of clients representing all regions where Sustainalytics operates shared their opinion on Sustainalytics’ material topics.
What actions were taken by Sustainalytics to promote employee engagement?
In its 2017 Sustainability Report Sustainalytics reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee engagement:
- Addressing the high turnover rate
- Sustainalytics’ turnover was, in 2017, higher than its target for the third consecutive year. This level of turnover remains a concern, and Sustainalytics is making significant efforts to address this issue. Examples of some of the practices employed, beyond the standard benefit suite offered, include:
- flexible return-to-work practices for employees returning from maternity and parental leaves
- support for employee-initiated transfers to another global office for personal or professional growth opportunities
- the opportunity for employees working abroad to spend two weeks per year working from their home country
- Introducing an Engagement Index
- Sustainalytics’ Engagement Index is based on Mercer | Sirota’s Employee Engagement Index and includes a selection of questions about employees’ sense of commitment to Sustainalytics, how proud they feel to work for the company, whether or not they would recommend Sustainalytics to others as a good place to work, and related matters. The average value for 2016 was 79%, which is almost 15% higher compared to the market average.
- Organising a Global Volunteer Day
- Sustainalytics’ Global Volunteer Day is an annual event organised since 2013 that reinforces Sustainalytics’ values while building a strong global culture. It is an initiative inspired by a simple, yet powerful goal: “Do something good, somewhere for someone else”. Every year, Sustainalytics’ offices close for one day and employees work together to support their local communities. In 2017, Sustainalytics decided to connect its 25th Anniversary with the Global Volunteer Day, drawing inspiration for the different initiatives from pledges employees made to show their personal commitment to contribute to Sustainalytics’ vision of supporting a more just and sustainable economy. The causes Sustainalytics supported varied, from helping stray animals to raising awareness about societal issues and reviving local gardens. For example, the Boston office volunteered at Career Collaborative, a local nonprofit that helps low-income, first-generation, and underemployed job seekers navigate the hurdles of the labour market. Sustainalytics’ Tokyo office supported Refugees International Japan (RIJ), an independent, Japan-based NGO that funds projects focusing on the health, education and economic livelihoods of people displaced by conflict around the globe. Additionally, Sustainalytics employees also receive two and half volunteer days each year, to pursue a cause they find personally meaningful.
Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?
The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 401-1 New employee hires and employee turnover
Disclosure 401-1 New employee hires and employee turnover corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- Business theme: Gender equality
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- Business theme: Employment, Youth employment
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References:
1) This case study is based on published information by Sustainalytics, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original at the link:
2) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
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