Clare Jeffries of Crawford & Company on making reward and benefits sustainable
Speaking on REBA’s recent webinar, How business sustainability goals are changing benefits, Clare Jeffries, head of reward and MI at Crawford & Company, shared how sustainability is incorporated into the organisation’s reward and benefits.
Jeffries recommended the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a good starting point. “We used these to create four pillars, all beginning with P, which have a direct impact on sustainability. These are purposeful governance; planet positive; people and communities; and partnerships and prosperity.”
REBA’s poll of webinar attendees found that many organisations are still at the beginning of their journey when it comes to incorporating sustainability into their reward and benefits strategy.61% said they had a formal sustainability strategy at a business level, while just 28% said sustainability is a key objective for their reward and benefits strategy.
The good news for those starting this journey is that, once these pillars were in place, Jeffries found the business already had many benefits that were sustainable. “We had introduced policies around flexible and agile working during the pandemic but making sure that people can work where and when they want is just as important now,” she explained.
Another key part of a sustainable reward strategy is employee health and wellbeing, with Crawford & Company employees offered benefits such as an EAP, Headspace and wellbeing champions. “Health and wellbeing benefits can really support staff. It’s a big area for sustainability," she said.
Looking at the details can also ensure that everything links to sustainability objectives. As an example, to support women at work, Crawford & Company recently introduced free period products. “We looked at whether we were working with the most sustainable supplier,” she said. “It’s about linking into those smaller things.”
