The debate surrounding climate change remains a significant concern, and with 2024 already experiencing some of the hottest temperatures recorded, employees are increasingly urging their workplaces to take proactive measures. A recent survey from 2023 revealed that 73% of U.S. workers express anxiety about climate change, and 61% wish to see their employers adopt a more robust environmental stance. Moreover, over half of the surveyed employees stated they would “think about leaving their position if the company’s values did not match their own.”
One effective strategy companies can utilize to attract eco-conscious employees is by incorporating green benefits, or climate change incentives, into their employee benefits offerings.
Traditionally, employee benefits have focused heavily on health and retirement. Recently, however, an increasing number of companies have introduced public transportation reimbursements and initiatives to promote biking to work. Yet, there are also innovative ways to enrich benefits packages that empower employees to confront climate change while simultaneously assisting them and the organization in reducing their carbon emissions.
Below are six creative green employee benefits that environmentally aware companies can provide to their staff. If your organization does not currently offer these benefits, reach out to the HR department and encourage them to consider these options.
1. Eco-friendly travel
Who wouldn’t appreciate additional time off? A growing number of companies are now providing extra paid leave for employees who opt for sustainable vacation methods, such as utilizing trains or driving electric vehicles rather than flying.
MIRA Safety, a firm specializing in personal safety gear, allows employees who choose to travel by train instead of by air or visit eco-friendly destinations to earn extra paid time off. “This initiative supports sustainable travel practices and aligns with our company’s broader mission of reducing our carbon footprint,” says Roman Zrazhevskiy, founder and CEO of MIRA. “Employees value the chance to explore green travel alternatives without cutting into their vacation time.”
Sarah Howden oversees the nonprofit initiative Climate Perks, designed to assist employers in providing paid leave benefits for eco-conscious travel choices. The program supports over 120 companies by supplying templates for policies and procedures, discounts on low-carbon travel options, sustainability services, tailored carbon savings reporting, media exposure, and additional benefits.
“It’s akin to volunteering days,” Howden clarifies. “It adheres to the same concept, but specifically for low-carbon travel. It assesses the time difference between flying and using low-carbon alternatives like trains, and that time difference is what would be claimed as annual leave. Ultimately, it ensures that employees don’t have to forfeit their vacation to make sustainable travel choices.”
2. Carbon savings accounts
A relatively new green employee benefit is the Carbon Savings Account® (CSA). Launched by Scope Zero, the CSA serves as a financial wellness benefit, providing strong incentives for employees to invest in home technologies and personal transportation upgrades while minimizing their commute emissions.
Much like a health savings account, contributions to a CSA come from both the employer and the employee. These funds can then be utilized for qualifying home technology and personal transport innovations, such as low-flow showerheads, smart thermostats, and electric vehicles, which can help lower their utility expenses, fuel costs, and carbon footprint. Scope Zero notes that the average U.S. household can save over $5,000 annually with CSA upgrades.
According to Sergey Taver, marketing director at Precision Watches, their CSA “allows employees to accumulate unused carbon credits, which can be redeemed for rewards.” He shares, “For instance, I cycled to work for six months, earning enough credits for a weekend eco-retreat. This system turns sustainable actions into tangible rewards, fostering a long-term dedication to eco-friendly practices.”
MIRA Safety also established a CSA, where the company contributes to an account designated for environmentally friendly purchases like electric vehicles or solar panels for homes, Zrazhevskiy explains. “This initiative not only bolsters our team’s individual sustainability pursuits but also underscores our commitment to making a lasting environmental impact.”
3. Sustainable food funds
Integrating health and environmental benefits is gaining traction. A prime example of a green employee benefit is rewarding staff for opting for healthier and more sustainable food selections.
Fig Loans is at the forefront with its sustainable food fund initiative. “We compensate employees up to 50% of their grocery bills if they commit to purchasing locally sourced or organic produce,” explains CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Zhou. “It’s a concrete way to link our employees’ individual choices to larger environmental objectives.”
This benefit not only supports sustainable agricultural practices but also encourages nutritious eating habits. The company carefully monitors the sustainable food fund through a simple reimbursement process. Employees submit receipts from local farms, farmer’s markets, or organic shops, which are verified before approval for reimbursement, according to Zhou. “This method is transparent and fosters trust, ensuring responsible use of the fund.”
Companies can further support employees by covering memberships to local organic farms or markets offering community-supported agriculture food boxes and encouraging individual gardening at home by subsidizing gardening tools and composting materials.
4. Efficient home upgrades
Many companies are also aiding employees in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions at home. This can include home energy evaluations and enhancements, like solar panels, heat pumps, induction stoves, smart home devices, and more, to boost efficiency.
Precision Watches provides a “home green tech grant” that funds eco-friendly home upgrades, which Taver utilized to establish a rainwater harvesting system, significantly decreasing his water costs and environmental footprint. “This benefit empowers employees to implement sustainable changes at home, inspiring broader environmental awareness,” he states.
Reviewflowz, a software as a service company specializing in customer feedback management, “offers a home upgrade package for remote workers. Employees can utilize these funds to undertake eco-friendly improvements, like installing energy-efficient lighting or smart thermostats,” says founder Axel Lavergne. “This incentive motivates our team to adopt more responsible living practices while telecommuting and reflects our company’s green principles. One employee’s installation of solar panels at home yielded substantial energy cost savings and reduced their carbon emisiones.”
Rob Bayless, senior project manager at Elephant Energy, a home electrification firm, recently benefited from this kind of green employee initiative. He collaborated with Elephant’s Home Comfort team to enhance his home. “I replaced our gas water heater with a heat pump model and upgraded to a heat pump for both heating and cooling,” he shares. “I’m grateful that my employer encourages us to make sustainability part of our daily lives. Witnessing the benefits of these technologies in real-time, like reduced energy bills, has been a wonderful experience. Moreover, it serves as an excellent opportunity to showcase what I do daily to my family.”
5. Digital declutter days
Many individuals overlook the fact that digital activities contribute to their carbon footprint. For instance, internet usage is responsible for approximately 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, comparable to emissions produced by aviation. Our daily email communication adds to this: globally, 361.6 billion emails are sent and received every day, with around eight billion spam emails dispatched daily in the U.S., resulting in a release of 240 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Greater electronic device usage necessitates more energy to support this demand.
Fig Loans “initiated a Digital Declutter Day, wherein employees receive an additional day off if they dedicate it to minimizing their digital carbon footprint,” Zhou states. “This involves activities like cleaning out old files, unsubscribing from unwanted emails, and optimizing cloud storage, in addition to organizing folders, emails, and uninstalling unnecessary apps and software. “It’s a fresh take on sustainability that highlights the often-overlooked environmental costs of our digital lifestyles.”
In fact, Digital Cleanup Day is an annual event aimed at raising awareness about digital pollution and motivating both individuals and companies to declutter their online space. The initiative reports that since 2020, nearly 1.2 million participants have deleted over 14.5 million GB of data, effectively preventing the release of around 3,625 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Any organization can implement such an event for their employees. The upcoming Digital Cleanup Day is slated for March 15, 2025.
6. Sustainability sabbaticals
Many businesses are increasingly offering time off for volunteering, but Precision Watches provides a unique twist with its “sustainability sabbatical.” These extended paid leaves allow employees to engage in environmental initiatives or volunteer efforts either domestically or internationally.
Taver benefitted from this sabbatical by “[taking] a month off to volunteer with a reforestation project. The engagement was deeply gratifying and strengthened my commitment to environmental conservation,” he explains. “This program not only enhances the environment but also contributes to our personal and professional growth.”
