70% of Employees Leave Companies Without Sustainability Programs
Sound impossible? Maybe. Sound scary? It should.
If you read that headline and thought, “There is no way 7 out of 10 people are walking out the door today because we didn’t plant a tree,” you’re probably right.
But here is the brutal truth: They might not be walking out the door physically, but they have already left mentally.
We looked at the data. While the internet loves to throw around the “70%” figure, the reality is actually more nuanced—and for a business owner, potentially more dangerous. The statistic actually tells us that 70% of employees are more likely to stay with an employer who has a meaningful sustainability plan.
So, flip the script. If you don’t have a program, you are actively repelling 70% of the talent pool. You are playing the game on “Hard Mode” while your competitors are playing on “Easy.”
Here is why sustainability isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s the biggest leverage point you have for retention right now.
The “Quiet Quitting” Reality Check
In the world of business, we track CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost). But what about TAC (Talent Acquisition Cost)?
Replacing an employee costs anywhere from 50% to 200% of their annual salary. If you have high turnover, you are lighting money on fire.
The modern workforce (Gen Z and Millennials especially) has a very sensitive BS detector. They don’t want a quarterly email about “reducing paper clip usage.” They want to feel like the 40+ hours they give you every week actually matters.
If your company is purely about profit with zero purpose, your employees aren’t “loyal.” They are mercenaries. They will leave the second someone offers them $500 more a year.
Sustainability turns mercenaries into missionaries. Missionaries stay. Missionaries work harder. Missionaries recruit their friends.
Why “Going Green” is the Ultimate Retention Hack
You don’t need to restructure your entire supply chain tomorrow to fix this. You just need to show progress.
Humans are simple. We want to be the heroes of our own stories. When a company helps an employee do good, the employee feels good.
Here is the math on why this works:
- Pride Factor: Employees want to brag about where they work. “My company planted 10,000 trees this year” sounds a lot better at a dinner party than “We increased shareholder value by 2%.”
- Shared Identity: When you gift a tree or run a planting challenge, you create a shared ritual. Rituals build culture. Culture builds retention.
- The “Care” Signal: If you care about the planet, employees assume you probably care about them, too. It’s a trust signal.
See how Corporate Gifting builds this culture
How to Fix This (Without Being Boring)
Most companies fail at this because they make it boring. They write a 40-page PDF called “ESG Initiatives 2025” and bury it on the intranet.
Nobody reads that. Nobody cares.
You need to make it tangible.
This is where ForestNation comes in. We don’t sell PDFs. We sell action. We make the complex simple.
Instead of vague promises, imagine this:
- You You hire a new employee? You plant 10 trees in their name.
- It’s their work anniversary? You plant a forest.
- You hit a sales goal? The whole team grows a grove.
They get a real tree kit. They plant it. They post a photo. They track the impact online. It’s physical. It’s real. It’s content for them, and it’s retention for you.
The Bottom Line
Whether the number is 70% leaving, or 70% refusing to join, the outcome is the same: If you ignore sustainability, you lose.
You lose talent. You lose engagement. And eventually, you lose market share to the guys who figured this out.
Don’t let your best people walk out the door (or quiet quit while sitting at their desks). Give them a reason to stay. Give them a purpose. Give them a tree.
Ready to stop the churn? Start planting.
Frequently Asked Questions (That You Should Actually Care About)
Is the “70% of employees leave” statistic accurate?
It’s a warning, not a literal headcount. While 70% of employees state they are more likely to stay with a company that prioritizes sustainability, the number of people who physically walk out the door specifically over this issue is lower. However, the data confirms that if you lack these programs, you are actively lowering your retention rates and losing the recruitment war.
Does sustainability really improve employee retention?
Yes. The math is simple: People stay where they feel proud. Companies with strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scores consistently report lower turnover. When employees participate in activities like planting trees with ForestNation, they feel a deeper emotional connection to the brand. Emotional connection = Retention.
How much does it cost to replace an employee?
It is expensive. Conservative estimates put the cost of replacing an employee at 1.5x to 2x their annual salary. If a sustainability program costs you a fraction of that and saves just one key employee from quitting, the ROI is immediate. It’s not an expense; it’s insurance against turnover.
How can I start a sustainability program without a huge budget?
Start small and make it tangible. You don’t need a Chief Sustainability Officer. You can start with corporate gifting or “plant-per-sale” campaigns. ForestNation allows you to integrate tree planting into actions you are already taking—like onboarding new hires or celebrating work anniversaries. It’s low cost, high impact.
Do Gen Z workers really care about climate change at work?
They don’t just care; they demand it. Deloitte’s data shows that nearly half of Gen Zs and Millennials say they have rejected a job and/or assignment based on their personal ethics. If you want to hire the future workforce, sustainability isn’t optional.
