Whilst gaining commitment to environmental initiatives can itself be a challenge once committed the success of managing these programmes can depend on the support of staff and colleagues which may require a cultural shift to change current attitudes and behaviours.

There are now plenty of organisations which either as part of their commitment to corporate social responsibility, to save money or due to legislative requirements have made the commitment and are now considering their environmental impact as part of their core business.

Daniel Esty [1], Professor at Yale University, has written a book about the benefits of encouraging an environmental culture and calls the businesses taking on the challenge “waveriders” and outlines “four basic culture building tools” which can be used for those who have committed to becoming greener.  Taken in turn, these factors help to summarise the ways to inspire a greener business culture.

Vision

Using an assertive statement of intent provides a starting point for change to the culture of an organisation.  Attach to this, challenging corporate targets which will no doubt attract the attention of staff and stakeholders.

Stating long term goals and aspirational targets demonstrates a corporate commitment which requires that the environment moves from a flavour of the month topic to a core business value.   Consulting staff ensures they can relate to the targets, whilst in order to be visionary targets should be challenging enough to inspire innovative working, encourage teams to come up with new solutions to old problems.

More important is to provide staff with the time, resource and money to ensure the vision can be delivered.

3M -The creator of the Post It ™ note uses an inspired way of working to encourage its staff to come up with innovative products.  3M’s “15 percent rule” [1] is a prime example of an organisation giving staff the tools to deliver the vision.  The rule allows each member of staff the equivalent of 15% of their working week to work on projects of their own choosing and as a result the company are rewarded with innovative products and the buy in of its staff.

Integration

To create a culture shift corporate messages should be interwoven into all parts of the business.  Particular benefits can result from consideration of matters relating to personnel and policy.

• Recognise the hidden costs and benefits of environmental initiatives by costing the intangible benefits such as reduced input costs or improved insurance premiums.  In addition decision making may need to take consideration of the potential payback periods when allocating funds, reviewing the acceptable standard of the rate of return for projects with a significant environmental benefit.
• Environmental Champions can empower staff and help sell the message to a wider audience, breaking down company barriers by working across departments and help come up with innovative approaches to the deliver environmental initiatives.  Whilst good for staff morale, it is also likely to have an impact on the likelihood of success.
• Trade Union engagement which started from work with the employer on Health and Safety issues has resulted large unions are at the forefront of environmental campaigns.  Positive engagement with the Trade Union will help reach a wider audience and gain the support of union members and staff.  Trade Unions can also provide support through training and additional resources; some even have Green workplace representatives.

TUC Green Workplaces project – In the South West of England, the TUC [3] partnered with local consultancy the Severn Wye Energy Agency (SWEA) to produce training and materials to help Green Representatives spread the environmental message.  Representatives were training in environmental audit and provided with leaflets on a number of energy saving topics.  This support gave the reps and staff a greater knowledge and awareness of their environmental impact at work and at home.

Communication

Organisational culture can be shaped by how and what is communicated.  Regular internal communications are a great way of keeping the environment at the forefront of the organisations psyche.  A careful balance is required, as too much information can turn off staff and lead to information overload, but relevant (for example, seasonal) advice can help to revitalise and capture your message.

Whilst some will require technical training to ensure the necessary skills for environmental improvements, further training such as awareness sessions can ensure that everyone is familiar with the core message, ensuring that everyone appreciates their role in supporting the Organisation’s vision. Methods vary but could include presentation at an induction, promotional events or a discussion at individual performance reviews.

Wider external communications with customers and suppliers increase the influence of your message and support the delivery of your vision.  IT may be possible to demonstrate an honest and transparent approach and to gain credibility from staff and the wider public.  In addition independent accreditation from an external organisation can give your environmental achievements and claims additional weight.

Marks and Spencer’s [4] - Plan A sets out the company’s commitment to the environment, in line with this commitment it recognises the impact of their products and the role of the consumer.  In order to engage their customers in their plan they launched a 5p charge for carrier bags.  The resulting fund has created a fund to improve over 100 parks, gardens and play areas, a positive way to spread their message to staff, customers and stakeholders.

Incentivise

Being green can save businesses money and maybe gain them awards.  The benefits of supporting staff to think and act differently can reward businesses with a competitive advantage and recognition from the market.  So, if the ideas for the environmental initiatives come from staff then it is only fair that everyone benefits.  Incentives such as bonuses or rewards schemes can help give recognition to those committing time and energy to the corporate vision as well as boost morale – gaining more good ideas in return.

South West of England Regional Development Agency [4] - Working with staff to develop their Green Travel Plan the public sector agency won an award from the Energy Saving Trust in 2007 for their commitment to the environment.  One of the elements of the plan provided staff using environmentally friendly ways to get to and from work with an incentive payment.  This, and other initiatives in the plan, directly connected the staff with the Agency’s zero carbon commitment.

Those that have experience of delivering environmental initiatives already will no doubt recognise some of the tools outlined.  Whether large or small, by encouraging an environmental awareness, organisations will recognise a number of benefits such as:-

• Creation of innovative or market leading products and services
• Improved stakeholder and community relations
• Reduced exposure to environmental risks
• Less impact of legislative changes by staying ahead of regulation
• Greater competitive advantage as a result of reduced production costs
• Improved profit margins
• Better retention and up-skilled staff

References

[1] Esty, D. and Winston, A., 2006, Green to Gold – How smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage.

[2] 3M,  A Century of Innovation, the 3M story -http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?77777XxamfIVO&Wwo_Pw5_W7HYxTHfxajYv7HYv7H777777–

[3] TUC, South West TUC Green Workplaces Project Report and evaluation 2008–2011

[4] Marks and Spencer’s, How we do business report 2011 – http://plana.marksandspencer.com/media/pdf/how_we-do_business_report_2011.pdf

[5] South West of England Regional Development Agency, 2010, Green Travel Plan