Your team is struggling to grasp sustainability goals. How can you engage them effectively?

Many people don't understand the science behind climate change and the current and future impacts it holds. Hosting lunch and learn sessions and providing key talking points for leadership to discuss with their teams is a solid starting point. This shouldn't be a one-off conversation but an ongoing internal learning and development campaign.

Your organization is expected to establish goals for reducing emissions in energy, water, and waste across facilities, and also for product-specific targets in manufacturing and retail. However, to ensure widespread commitment, it's essential to set targets that involve all teams. This could mean reducing food waste in the cafeteria, implementing practices like turning off equipment and lights when not in use, or incentivizing employees who adopt sustainable behaviors. Engaging every employee at all levels is achievable. Regularly reviewing goals and celebrating milestones will help maintain employee engagement and motivation in sustainability initiatives.

In order to effectively include your employees in comprehending sustainability goals, demonstrate leadership via your own actions. Show your dedication to sustainability by actively implementing sustainable practices and making environmentally responsible choices. Incorporate sustainable techniques into daily operations and openly showcase both achievements and obstacles. Offer comprehensive training and a wide array of resources to facilitate the team's comprehension of the significance and influence of sustainability. Acknowledge achievements and endeavors that actively support the objectives of sustainability.

When striving to meet sustainability goals in the corporate environment, it is imperative to have collaborative and open dialogue with your team members to understand their pain points and to take a tailored approach in assisting them. First, make sure everyone is on the same page as to why these goals are important. Then, ensure everyone's voice is heard when prioritizing the strategy for reaching these goals. Valuing the opinions of others on your team is key to fulfilling the potential of each person. Tailoring tasks to the personal skills or interests of each member should keep everyone engaged, interested, and supportive of the project's success.

One of the biggest things I learned in sustainability around manufacturing while traveling is that not all situations are the same. We see Germany, for example, leading many of the sustainability practices and focusing on a 25% reduction in CO2 over the last 20 years. A lot is due to EXTREMELY HIGH energy costs compared to the United States. The USA pays $3.50 a gallon of gas, and Germany pays almost $10! Recently, they also shut down all their nuclear energy facilities. Whether that was a good or bad decision, they now have a lot of pressure to keep the energy grid running, especially with the energy situation with Russia. As a result, this makes many companies want to go into renewable energy because it makes economic sense.

Google's "Green Team" empowers employees to develop and lead sustainability initiatives, such as reducing energy consumption in data centers. Unilever’s "Sustainable Living Plan," which integrates sustainability into employees’ daily tasks and decision-making processes, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. Patagonia encourages employees to volunteer for environmental causes during work hours, enhancing their connection to sustainability. Deloitte's Green Dot keeps the employees and clients - all stakeholders mindful and reminded of sustainability. These approaches not only educate but also actively involve employees, making sustainability goals more tangible and achievable.