Do human beings find more passion and meaning in working for the greater good — in realizing their jobs contribute more than just profit?
The answer is “yes,” especially with regard to sustainability, according to Ante Glavas, assistant professor of management in the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. “Sustainability actually is a top driver for increasing sales,” says Glavas, who conducts research in areas of corporate social responsibility, organizational behavior and international management. Farmers, who traditionally have been reluctant to join the green movement, now are beginning to realize cost-saving and value-added opportunities associated with sustainability. New, methane-powered farms reduce or completely eliminate electricity costs, and feeding cows a better diet can create more efficient cows that produce less methane emissions. Perhaps shoveling manure is more rewarding if it’s being shoveled into a “methane digester” to power a sustainable dairy farm. “We believe sustainability’s greatest impact could in fact be on employees,” Glavas says. “I have heard the theory validated already by owners of large-scale farms. So, we’re investigating job satisfaction and retention rates. Do employees go above and beyond in their duties because they believe in what the company is doing? We’re finding that people who work for green companies have a pride-in-ownership mentality and are happier and more productive.”
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