By Mariapaola Rovetta
Sustainable development and social responsibility are becoming increasingly important within companies. By adopting sustainable lifestyles, companies can benefit from numerous advantages also in terms of competitiveness. “Working by applying the rules of sustainability offers greater guarantees, as the risks that are usually run in the workplace are minimised” says Mariapaola Rovetta of Trifirò & Partners law firm. “In fact, a lifestyle based on greater respect for the rules would have, as a consequence, also a lower turnover and consequently, greater protection of know-how, in the face of a reduction in time and costs in the selection and training of personnel and greater business productivity. Added to this is also a lower number of accidents at work and absences due to illness. In order to incentivise employees to adopt sustainable behaviour within the workplace, companies should move more towards the regulation of behaviour by inserting specific rules in the Code of Ethics and setting goals. With this in mind, companies could also provide bonuses for employees who stand out for the commitment they adopt in compliance with the criteria for sustainability”. For the labour lawyer, “it is necessary to motivate and push entrepreneurs to do their part, because only through the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle can the effects of climate change be combated and become more attractive in the eyes of stakeholders. The same employees must respect the criteria of sustainability even when they find themselves working remotely, outside the control of the employer”. On closer inspection, in fact, remote working is one of the tools that allows employers and employees to contribute above all, to a lower concentration of traffic, especially in cities, and to less crowded public transport. In addition, “the employer, in proceeding with the stipulation of individual agreements, as required by law on agile work and the protection of health and safety in the workplace, may intervene with training courses and suitable programs to empower the worker to take all suitable measures to achieve the objective, even when performing the service remotely. In short, through technology and everyone’s commitment, companies and individuals can create new work dynamics that are more advantageous for themselves and for the environment in which we live”.
