Climate Activism in the Workplace
Engagement Is Rewarded in Career Only If It Supports Business Goals—even if Organizations initially encourage it
2026-09-10 Employees who champion climate action inside large professional services firms may find their efforts help their careers, but only when that activism aligns with business priorities, according to new research from Leuphana University of Lüneburg and the University of Bath.
©Foto K. Hug: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg// Fotos S. Gustafsson & K. Chudzikowski: University of Bath
The study, published in Human Relations, examined climate activism among employees of a large multinational service company, the majority of whom were management consultants. Based on 58 interviews with professionals involved in internal climate activist groups, the researchers identified three distinct approaches to climate activism in the workplace: 1. Building visibility to support one’s own career and leveraging environmental expertise to support customer offerings and new business models, 2. Building networks to, among other things, create sustainability-oriented roles and gain influence within the company, 3. Separating work from activism—engagement takes place in one’s free time and is driven primarily by environmental and social goals rather than career advancement.
It found that organisations tend to reward environmental initiatives when they contribute to commercial objectives, such as attracting clients, expanding sustainability services or enhancing corporate reputation. In contrast, employees motivated primarily by environmental or societal purpose often receive little recognition and can find their efforts sidelined. Some reported keeping their activism separate from their day jobs, undertaking activities in their own time, or even concealing their involvement from managers for fear it could be perceived as a distraction from client work.
The study suggests that the way organisations reward activism may help explain why workplace sustainability efforts often lead to incremental improvements rather than more transformative change.
Activism that supports revenue generation, reputation or strategic goals is more readily absorbed into existing organisational systems, while activism that challenges established practices can struggle to gain support.
"Our findings suggest that organisations have created new opportunities for sustainability-focused careers, but the underlying systems that determine what gets rewarded have changed less than many people might assume," said Dr. Katharina Hug, who is conducting postdoctoral research on social and sustainable entrepreneurship at Leuphana University. Along with Dr. Stefanie Gustafsson and Dr. Katharina Chudzikowski from the University of Bath, she was the study’s principal investigators.
"If organisations want employees to contribute to meaningful environmental change, they may need to rethink how performance, recognition and career progression are evaluated," according to Hug. However, unless organisations broaden the ways they assess and reward contribution, purpose-led activism may continue to come at a personal and professional cost.