There’s a compelling business case for using sustainability to motivate employees - see page one - and below we look at  what successful companies have done to achieve this.

We’ve drawn on research, best practice and our own experience of working with our partners and come up with an approach which brings a sustainability strategy alive and delivers real results by integrating it into existing business processes. The key is to combine four components, so that each can reinforce and complement the others..   

1    Direction: communicating why and how
Employees need context to understand what the organisation is doing and why.  Internal communication methods, such as the Intranet, newsletters and notice boards can be used to target specific staff groups.  However, they will all need to know:

·    why are you doing it? – this provides the rationale for the strategy and a compelling sense of purpose and ambition, for example, through a vision.
·    how are you going to do it? – this can include the key goals or projects which will deliver the strategy.  This will give employees clarity and confidence that the strategy will achieve the vision or ambition.

Branding can be used to ensure a clear link in the minds of employees between the different methods of engagement.  For example, property company Gentoo launched a ‘Gentoo Green’ internal programme to engage employees in its sustainability vision and strategy, supported by the CEO .  It used an internal communications programme to raise awareness of environmental best practice, including articles in newsletters, web pages, posters around the office and videos shown to all employees.

Sharing updates on progress and successes recognises good work and builds momentum and awareness of the strategy.  It’s also a powerful way of sharing best practice across the organisation and bringing the strategy alive for people by providing specific examples of progress within the organisation.

Senior leaders should also make their support visible, explaining at every opportunity how sustainability supports the organisation’s success.  

2    Capability: what people need to know and be able to do
Identify and prioritise the skills and knowledge that your key staff groups will require to deliver the strategy.

·    leaders need to own, drive and deliver the strategy
·    project teams need to deliver specific parts of the strategy
·    all employees – the wider organisation not directly involved in specific projects – need a basic understanding of the strategy.

This could be delivered in a variety of ways, ranging from e-learning for large groups through to specific courses for certain staff groups.  For example, our partner InterfaceFLOR in Europe, manufacturers of modular flooring, has created a multi-level training programme to ensure that all employees understand the company’s vision and 2020 goals.  

Networks are also powerful ways of enabling and motivating those involved directly in the delivery of the strategy, through sharing best practice and mutual encouragement, often across different parts of the organisation.

3    Performance: individuals making sense of the strategy
Employees need to know what the strategy means for them and their role. Identifying individual responsibilities also ensures that ownership and accountability are shared across the organisation.  The following ‘people processes’ in particular can help to achieve this:

·    performance objectives which include sustainability
·    feedback and recognition for improved capabilities and performance
·    rewards which support sustainability performance improvements.

Using these techniques creates a clear link, or ‘line of sight’ between the employee’s role and the sustainability strategy.

The line management relationship is also an important way for employees to both understand their responsibilities and feed ideas and suggestions up the line.  This enables them to see what the strategy means for them and to identify ways in which they can contribute to the strategy with their own ideas and suggestions.

For example at our partner John Laing, every single member of staff has to have at least one personal objective based on sustainability.

4    Involvement: owning and adapting the strategy
‘Advocates’ or ‘champions’ can be very effective in coordinating activities and providing a focal point for employees within departments or business units.  They are well placed to identify risks and opportunities in their department.  As peers they can also influence their colleagues’ behaviour more effectively than senior managers or representatives from the corporate centre.

Team meetings, Employee Forums, away days and other existing forums can also be used to discuss the strategy and explore what individuals and teams can do to support it. These groups can spot opportunities and develop new ways of working which support the strategy and feed ideas up the line.  In the process they make it their own by adapting the strategic goals to their local context.

Existing methods of communication can also be used to feed back ideas and suggestions, including line management or departmental reporting lines, or a sustainability forum or steering group.  When ideas are taken up and implemented, it’s important to communicate this back to employees so that they can see it and gain recognition. Competitions and awards are great ways of providing this visibility and recognition, and in the process best practice is shared across the organisation.

This approach has two main advantages:

It avoids setting up parallel initiatives and activities that can duplicate existing management processes and create additional demands on already stretched employees. An integrated approach makes the best use of people’s time by building on existing practices.

The approach also grounds the strategy for employees by drawing out the changes and opportunities within the context of their job, team and department.  This means that the strategy is seen as something that contributes to the organisation’s performance over the long term, not just as a disconnected ‘flash in the pan’.

What lessons have you learnt from engaging employees in sustainability at your organisation?

For more information contact Ben Kellard

For more information on the business benefits see page one