Unlocking Employee Potential for a Just Transition

Employees are an Undervalued Asset in the Just Transition of Companies, Says New Research by GlobeScan and Ashoka

Corporate employees are the untapped catalyst for driving a just transition to a sustainable future, according to new research by GlobeScan and Ashoka. Companies can accelerate the pace of sustainability actions by mobilizing even more employees to contribute to positive impact in their jobs every day. This requires supportive work environments that value autonomy, initiative, transparency, and collaboration.

GlobeScan, a global insights and advisory firm, and Ashoka, the largest worldwide network of social entrepreneurs and changemakers, have partnered to assess the critical role of corporate employees in accelerating a just transition. The survey gathered responses from 8,613 employees in large for-profit companies across 31 countries and territories.

This research takes a fresh look at an issue that primarily focuses on sentiments among senior leadership and investors. As businesses face mounting pressure to address climate change and social inequality, there is a growing discrepancy between corporate sustainability pledges and real-world impact.  Employees are noticing this as well. Seventy-four percent of employees agree that what their employer says about social and environmental responsibility is inconsistent with their company’s actual behaviors.

Additionally, the findings emphasize the strong business case for sustainability and the risk of inaction. A total of 88 percent of employees agree that as their company increases performance on social and environmental responsibility, both individual motivation and loyalty increase. Companies risk a demotivated workforce and weak retention and attraction if they do not close the gap between intentions and actions.

However, the research also signals hope. An overwhelming 82 percent of employees believe they help create positive social and environmental solutions through their work, with 39 percent saying they strongly agree.

Despite this optimism, the impact on real-world outcomes remains limited. While many employees feel they are active contributors to positive change, their individual efforts are not sufficiently translating into changes to business practices. This disconnect prevents organizations from fully embedding sustainability into operational frameworks, thereby slowing the pace of meaningful, lasting impact.

The research also highlights key enablers and barriers that employees say affect their ability to contribute to a positive impact at work.

One of the top enablers cited is a supportive organizational culture that promotes autonomy, listens to employees’ ideas, encourages teamwork and innovation, and creates high levels of communication and transparency. Another top enabler is strong collaboration, both across internal departments and with external stakeholders.

Top barriers include a perception that sustainability is viewed as someone else’s responsibility and falls beyond one’s scope of work, or simply a lack of time. Another common barrier is feeling disempowered to initiate ideas due to excessive hierarchy, lack of management support, and insufficient decision-making power. Finally, employees cite a lack of awareness of social and environmental issues and a lack of financial resources.

These insights suggest that companies can have well-intended sustainability ambitions, but they must invest in shifting their organizational culture and operational systems to fully harness the potential of their employees.

Creating a work environment where employees can contribute to positive change is essential for closing the intention-action gap and embedding sustainability into core business operations.