What is an Employee Green team and what are the benefits?
The vast majority of us have been working from home during the pandemic, but happily many of us are heading back to offices. Bring on the collaboration and water cooler chats! Returning to your workplace with fresh pair of eyes, you might also notice some less-than-sustainable practices in your office that had escaped your attention before. You might even think, “Someone should really do something about that!”
And if you’re “someone” who is inspired to get into action, you will no doubt find a group of equally passionate colleagues waiting in the wings - this is your Employee Green Team!!
Inspiring people to take sustainable actions. This is the role of your Employee Green Team!
What is an Employee Green team?
An Employee Green team is a group of passionate employees who are focused on driving sustainable workplace practices. This is generally an employee-led team with executive support to implement green initiatives within the organisation.
Why start a Green team?
The benefits of assembling a green team are many and varied. Of course, the obvious one being to reduce the company’s impact on the environment, use of natural resources, and overall carbon footprint. There are often cost reductions associated with areas such as going paperless and reducing energy usage.
Aside from these important environmental impacts, there are many other benefits too!
Employees who volunteer to participate in Employee Green Teams report an increased sense of community and feeling motivated to make a difference.
Additionally, making your workplace greener by implementing sustainable initiatives can improve employee engagement, employee health, productivity, even create a stronger consumer brand and drive improved business success!
What does an Employee Green Team do exactly?
Employee Green Teams can create genuine cultural change within your organisation. We’ve seen it happen! Employee Green teams can drive initiatives to help the organisation operate more sustainably, including operational improvements (such as going paperless, reducing energy and water to name a couple) as well as engaging and educating employees on sustainability-related topics. The actions of an Employee Green Team can have wide reaching impacts as employees take their newly acquired sustainability knowledge home to their families, friends and communities.
There’s no limit to the project ideas your Employee Green team can come up with! Here are a few to get started:
Establishing a Recycling program and train employees to “recycle right”
Run communication campaigns encouraging employees to save energy, water and paper in the office, such as a regular newsletter
Arrange guest speakers on sustainability-related topics
Organise a beach or nature clean-up, or tree-planting exercise
Arrange regular recycling collections for e-waste and batteries
Encourage sustainable gifts for marketing purposes or employee recognition prizes
Want more ideas? Head to our Green Office page and download our free guide “14 ideas to kick-start your Employee Green team!”
Who can start a Green team?
Anyone! Regardless of your role or level in your organisation, you can be the instigator of a Green team. In fact, the research shows that employee-driven Green teams can have equal success to top-down led programs.
All you need to get started is:
a passion for sustainability,
a desire and drive to make a difference, and
the ability and willingness to bring your colleagues together!
“I said, ‘Somebody should do something about that.’ Then I realized, I am somebody.”
Inspired to start?
So now you know what is an Employee Green Team, and what the benefits are. Find out how we can help!
Bright Green offers month to month consulting programs to kick-start and manage your Employee Green Team. Contact us today to find out how we can get your team set up, inspired, and making an impact!
If you’d prefer to go it alone, but would like some ideas or structure, we have digital products to help! More on our Green Office page. Here’s a sneak peek:
#1 Free Toolkit to get you started
Free Employee Green Team Toolkit
Why not start by downloading our free Employee Green Team Toolkit!
This toolkit includes:
Green Office survey - Take our quick 5-minute survey to identify the high impact action areas in your office!
Employee Green Team guide to success - Read our 7 essential tips for a successful green team!
14 bright ideas to kick-start your green team - Download your free guide sharing 14 bright ideas to get your green team started off on the right foot!
#2 Simple Green Action Plan
Simple action plan for SMEs
This product is designed for: small to medium businesses looking for a make their office greener while keeping it simple.
The Simple Green Action Plan provides you with the structure you’ll need to get things in place and keep them running
This pack includes:
Our top 16 big impact ideas outlining some high-impact sustainability initiatives
A detailed Action Log to help you identify how to tackle each project
An easy to manage Project Plan to provide oversight and help keep your projects on track
#3 The Complete Roadmap to your Employee Green Team
Take your Employee Green Team to the next level
This product is designed for: Medium to larger business and MNCs looking to make a big impact!
The Complete Roadmap provides you with everything you need to make your Employee Green Team a success!
This Roadmap includes:
Our top 16 big impact ideas outlining some high-impact sustainability initiatives
A detailed Action Log to help you identify how to tackle each project
A detailed Project Plan to provide oversight and help keep your projects on track
Step by step guide on how to work through each item on the project plan
Templates for emails, PowerPoint decks and meeting minutes
Hints, tips and help on how to gain executive sponsorship, and handle any setbacks and roadblocks that may arise
Inspiration to keep up the momentum and ensure your team has the desired impact!