The report provides company case studies and examples of how to create the eco-culture in an organization. It also discusses four key areas to encourage employee engagement with sustainability initiatives. Here is a brief overview of their suggestions:
Green Teams: Companies have found success engaging green teams in the company who can help foster and lead green initiatives.
Volunteerism: Through volunteerism employees become engaged first hand with non profits as well as social issues that exist in communities.
Social Media: Through various company examples, they are finding social media such as discussion forums, are ways that employees can self-organize and contribute to company’s sustainable practices.
Awards and Incentives: Through these external motivations, employees also seem to respond well to being recognized via awards or provided perks and incentives to change behaviors.
Creating sustainability within an organization cannot happen with one person, even if a very savvy sustainability
manager or director has been assigned. Because sustainability permeates in all areas of an organization, it is helpful to have a team assigned to assist in the planning process. Identify key staff that have interest and influence in an organization to form a green team committee or task force that will develop the sustainability plan in conjunction with executive management and/or a sustainability director or manager. Ideally, this team should include a representative from each primary area or division of the company. Once the sustainability plan has been developed, this team can also meet on a regular basis to support the organizations green initiatives and address challenges as they arise.
Greenbiz.com has published a few good articles on green teams;
In order for sustainability plan and initiatives to take hold, it is important to get staff within your organization to be engaged and involved. There is no better way then to form then green teams inside your organization. Green teams is a small group strategically chosen that can build momentum and excitement about sustainability and be crucial to the culture shift within an organization.
To learn more about forming a green read my recent article in Colorado Biz magazine. Another good article about green team formation was written last year by GreenBiz.com called Corporate Green Teams. The EPA also has a short guide on creating green teams.
Employee Engagement | eco-officiency October 25, 2011 | 
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