People sustainability in today's business world

In recent years, sustainability has become increasingly important in the business world. While the focus often lies on environmental issues such as climate change and waste management, another dimension is gaining importance: people sustainability. This concept is about creating a work environment that is not only financially sustainable but also socially and emotionally healthy for employees. In this blog, we delve deeper into what people sustainability entails and provide some concrete examples of how Move To Happiness clients are putting it into practice.

What is People Sustainability?

People sustainability, or social sustainability, revolves around the well-being and satisfaction of employees. It encompasses several key aspects:

• Health and Well-being: Creating a healthy work environment through health programs, stress management, and a safe workplace.
• Work-life Balance: Providing support to maintain a balance between work and personal life.
• Inclusion and Diversity: Promoting a culture where everyone feels valued and has equal opportunities, regardless of background, gender, age, or other characteristics.
• Development and Growth: Investing in both the personal and professional development of employees.
• Fair wages and Working conditions: Offering fair compensation and good working conditions that contribute to the quality of life of employees.

Examples of successful people sustainability initiatives

Many Move To Happiness clients, such as VGD and Nyrstar, have successfully implemented strategies in the area of people sustainability. Here are some campaign examples:

Green & Clean Challenge

Initiative: In February, employees were invited to be more conscious of their food and drink choices by participating in "Tournée Minérale" – 30 days alcohol-free – and choosing plant-based meals twice a week.

Support: The campaign provided tips and tricks, accessible information about plant-based eating, vegan recipes, and mocktail inspiration.

Incentives: Participants who persevered had the chance to win a dinner at a plant-based restaurant.

Impact: By measuring progress at the start and end, participants gained insight into their health progress and the effects of their new eating habits.

Elevate Your Sleep & Ease Your Stress Campaign

Initiative: In November, Move To Happiness focused on sleep and stress management with a 30-day campaign, created in collaboration with Dr. Inge Declercq.

Support: Participants received daily new tips via short videos and practical tools to improve their sleep and manage stress.

Progress Measurement: Participants tracked their progress through wearables and completed start and end tests to view the positive impact on their sleep and stress patterns.

Impact: Organizations received aggregated insights into sleep quality within their company and could quickly evaluate the impact and ROI of the educational content.

These practices demonstrate how a targeted approach to people sustainability can not only improve employee well-being but also provide valuable insights for the organization.

Curious for more inspiration? Download our playbook here and discover over 15 SDG campaigns.