Nature connectedness and environmental management in natural resources companies: An exploratory study

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyze the meaning, manifestations and practical implications of connectedness to nature in natural resources companies. This research is motivated by the lack of scholarly works aimed to analyze the organizational applications of the connectedness to nature concept. A qualitative and exploratory study based on semi-structured interviews with 50 respondents was conducted. The findings highlight the feeling of disconnection from natural ecosystems that permeates most organizations and the importance for employees to maintain contact with natural areas. For organizations, the benefits of connectedness to nature are essentially related to the increased awareness of environmental issues, adoption of green behaviors in the workplace, greater attachment to place, improved communication with local stakeholders, and employee well-being. Respondents also proposed various practices to improve connectedness to nature, particularly the sharing of managers' sense of affiliation with nature, involvement of employees in nature-related tasks, implementation of specific human resource management initiatives, and promotion of outdoor activities. The findings might benefit diverse stakeholders such as scholars, organizations, managers, and public policy makers.