Sustainability as a Part of a Cultural Awareness Training

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the global mobility industry plays a crucial role in facilitating the movement of people across borders. And the industry, encompassing relocation services, international assignments, and expatriate management, has been witnessing a paradigm shift. Companies recognize that their environmental footprint extends far beyond their immediate operations and think of strategies to make the relocations and travel of their employees more sustainable. Sustainability emerges as a critical component and organizations which will not integrate it accordingly will be not only less socially responsible but probably also competitive.

Why is relocation the right moment for empowering the assignees to adopt more sustainable practices?

According to a research study conducted by Professor Bas Verplanken in 2016, it is in the moments of significant life changes that old habits are disrupted, and the opportunity and mood for change are created. (1) And relocation is one of significant life changes and opportunities at the same time for old habits to change. This window of opportunity, which takes first few weeks up to 3 months of the relocation, is characterized by an increased openness to change, serves as a best moment for initiating sustainable practices that extend well beyond the initial phases of relocation. Verplanken studied the behaviors of 800 people, half of whom had recently relocated and half of whom had lived in the same place for years. Participants responded to questions on 25 environment-related behaviors, including water and energy use, commuting choices, and waste (food waste, recycling). The research showed that those who had recently relocated reported more change. The changes were consistent, regardless of the strength of the previous habits.

“Changing your habits is very difficult, including finding the right moment to make a change. Moving home disrupts the stability that reinforces old habits, creating an opportunity for new behaviors.” Bas Verplanken

If the process of relocation can initiate an opportunity for a positive change and adoption of new sustainable habits, it would be too bad not to take any action. And the first step shall start with education. Educating assignees is critical to ensure their overall understanding of the matter, the possibilities and a smooth transition of those involved.

How does sustainability fit into cultural awareness?

Thanks to cultural awareness, the individual recognizes what are the similarities and the differences between the cultures. “Social, cultural, and environmental awareness can be considered to be part of a person’s understanding of the broader context in which they live”. (2) In other words, awareness transcends into different areas of life and their aspects. And when it comes to sustainability matters, the environmental issues are becoming more and more important. No matter if concerning purchasing decisions or deciding on a new employer. Consumers are now more than ever willing to pay more for sustainable products (3). In the forefront of the eco conscious individuals are the younger generations, Gen Z specifically, however even the purchasing decisions of older consumers, Gen X, increased by 24% in favor of sustainable products since 2019. (4) But how does the sustainability aspect influence talent and employees in general and their attitude to work and their overall perception of the company they work for? It all comes down to values and purpose and how well are these matching on an individual as well as corporate level. More than 70% from a pool of 1000 respondents from big US companies claim they were more likely to work for a company which does have a strong environmental agenda. And 40% out of them mentioned that they already chose to work for a company in the past which was stronger in sustainability matters than the alternative .(5) So as growing number of employees consider a company’s sustainability policies, the organizations can also see it as opportunity to engage its employees more and also work as allies towards the sustainable goals.

Effective sustainability awareness training shall contain several key components to ensure participants gain the necessary understanding and knowledge to foster cultural awareness and promote sustainable practices when heading towards their relocation journey. Here are the main elements:

1. Company Sustainability Initiatives
Educate assignees about the company’s sustainability goals, such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving resources, and other activities the company is proactively undertaking in ESG area. Also make sure the employees understand the impacts of the parent corporation’s business activities and the whole relocation. This fosters a sense of purpose and aligns employees’ actions with company values and helps with their common understanding.

2. Personal Carbon Footprint
Every action results in respective reactions and impacts the environment differently. Making the assignee understand how big a difference their choices can make can lead to many “aha moments”. Encourage assignees to minimize their carbon footprint by using public transportation, reducing energy consumption, choosing eco-friendly accommodation or local production, recycle etc.

3. Local Sustainability Practices
Provide information on local recycling programs, water conservation efforts, and renewable energy initiatives. This helps assignees integrate responsibly and contribute positively to their new communities.

4. Geographical Impacts
Inform expatriates about the environmental challenges in their host location, such as deforestation, pollution, and habitat destruction. Understanding these issues enables them to make informed decisions and reduce their own environmental impact.‍

5. Cultural Sensitivity
Educate assignees about the cultural significance of environmental practices in their host country. Learning about traditional conservation methods, indigenous knowledge, and local attitudes towards nature helps build meaningful relationships and foster cross-cultural understanding.

Sustainability training should be a “series” of an ongoing efforts to improve practices and reduce the environmental impact of relocations. Touching the base with them on a regular basis can keep assignees informed about new sustainability initiatives, possible choices or technologies to make better informed decisions and more proactive steps to minimize their carbon footprints. Let’s leverage the strategic role the corporations have and help them to catalyze the continual transformation by ongoing education and introducing incentives that promote sustainability even before the relocation process starts.

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