ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues are rising up the business agenda. HR leaders and teams are ideally placed to tackle the ‘S’ in ESG, not only through their shaping of people strategies internally, but also through their role in building thriving and sustainable communities outside the organisation. Being a responsible business means doing good for communities and society more broadly, ensuring the employer is just one part of a healthy ecosystem. In many organisations, senior HR professionals are leading the charge for creating shared value across communities.

The CIPD has spoken to a number of these leaders and produced case studies around the work they are doing with communities and the role of the people profession in implementing this. Their insight and experience will inspire you to think of how your own team can contribute to the ESG agenda, building stronger communities and stronger organisations.

Insights from organisations

Case study

Community recruitment: Veolia

Case study on community outreach to aid inclusive recruitment

Case study

Leading on ethical food production: G's Fresh

Case study on ethical practice in food production

Case study

Community action: Severn Trent

Case study on creating thriving regions through community action

Case study

Championing good quality work across London: GLA

Case study on championing good quality work across London

Case study

Creating a sustainable talent and skills pipeline: Siemens

Case study on creating a sustainable talent and skills pipeline

Case study

Ambitious goals, locally delivered: McDonald's UK & Ireland

Case study on how McDonald's achieved ambitious goals with a focus on local delivery

Case study

Connecting communities: Microsoft

Case study on connecting internal and external communities

Everything we do is in service of the environment, in service of our communities and all our stakeholders. It's about long-term sustainability rather than quick ones.

Beth Whittaker, Chief Human Resources Officer, Veolia

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More case studies

Case study
Transforming the HR operating model: NatWest Group

A case study of an HR function shifting from an Ulrich+ model towards an employee experience-driven model

Case study
Transforming the HR operating model: Tesco

A case study of a people function shifting to a four-pillar model to deliver a more consistent employee experience throughout the organisation

Case study
Transforming the HR operating model: Homebase

A case study on moving to a lean, strategic HR model that operates more efficiently to support business objectives

Case study
Transforming the HR operating model: Peabody

A case study on developing strategic partners, aligning teams, increasing data analytics skill, and transitioning the L&D team into an internal academy

All case studies