Including HSE–CSR objectives in annual performance reviews

In many companies, annual performance reviews still focus on three main dimensions: achievement of business objectives, technical mastery of the role, and the employee’s overall behavior. Health and safety, environmental issues, quality of working life, or corporate social responsibility are sometimes mentioned, but only peripherally—often at the end of the discussion, without clearly defined objectives. Yet if HSE and CSR are truly considered integral parts of performance, then they must be given an explicit place in these key moments of human resource management.

Including HSE–CSR objectives in annual reviews does not mean turning every employee into an expert in these fields. Rather, it means recognizing that, whatever their role, everyone can contribute at their own level to risk prevention, environmental protection, the quality of the social climate, and ethical practices. For some roles—managers, supervisors, support functions, site managers—these objectives will be more structured. For others, they will take simpler forms, but will still be important in terms of the signals they send.

The first good practice is to start from the reality of the role. What are the main risks to which the person is exposed, or which they can influence? What are the company’s expectations in this area? For example, a production team leader may have objectives related to running safety briefings, reporting hazardous situations, participating in accident analysis, and taking ergonomics into account when organizing workstations. A field sales representative may have objectives related to road safety, optimizing travel, and complying with ethical rules in customer relationships. An HR manager may be assessed on the quality of social dialogue, the implementation of QWL initiatives, or diversity policies.

The second key is to ensure that these objectives are concrete and observable. Vague formulations such as “be attentive to safety” or “contribute to CSR” are likely to have little effect. By contrast, specifying that a manager is expected to carry out a certain number of safety visits per quarter, include a QWL item in team meetings, or take part in at least one CSR project per year provides a clear direction. These objectives must be realistic, adapted to the context, and discussed during the review so that they are not perceived as top-down injunctions.

HR plays a decisive role in structuring this system. HR can propose model objectives by job family, while allowing room for local adaptation. HR can also train managers to integrate these dimensions into performance reviews: how to discuss them without falling into a formal checklist, how to recognize efforts made, and how to co-construct relevant objectives with employees. The digital tools used to manage performance reviews will also need to be adapted so that these categories are clearly included.

It is also important to ensure consistency with variable pay, where it exists. If a company states that HSE–CSR objectives are important, but they have no impact at all on bonuses or incentives—while those remain based exclusively on financial or production criteria—the message may seem contradictory. Without radically changing remuneration systems overnight, it is possible to gradually introduce a weighting linked to these criteria, at least for managerial and other key roles.

Including HSE–CSR objectives in annual reviews should also go hand in hand with qualitative recognition. During the review, the manager should take the time to discuss with the employee how they perceive these issues: how do they experience safety in everyday work? What improvements do they suggest? How do they assess the balance between workload and well-being? What responsible behaviors have they observed in themselves or in colleagues? These discussions not only serve evaluation purposes, but also help feed the company’s action plans.

Finally, it is essential to avoid turning HSE–CSR objectives into a purely cosmetic exercise. If employees see that these objectives are added “for show,” with no real follow-up, no impact on career decisions, and no link to concrete actions, they risk becoming just another meaningless formality. By contrast, when they are integrated into the overall logic of talent management, taken into account in promotion decisions, and connected to training and projects, they help anchor these issues sustainably in managerial culture.

Including HSE–CSR objectives in annual reviews is therefore much more than a form adjustment. It is a way of affirming that the way work is done—with attention to health, safety, the environment, and respect for people—matters just as much as the raw results. It restores the full importance of a broader vision of performance, in which HR and managers become key actors in the transition.