Most company sustainability initiatives start at the top: executives, managers, and/or board members recognize the business case for “greening” operations, products, and services, and issue directives for implementing those initiatives. The implementation itself, though, takes place “in the trenches.” While employees and lower-level managers may be motivated to meet objectives in order to receive promotions or raises, or just to keep their jobs, orders from the top won’t necessarily create an environment that encourages innovation.

Several companies have created successful models for engaging employees around sustainability: the “Personal Sustainability Project” concept developed by Adam Werbach’s Act Now, and implemented by Wal-Mart, is likely the best-known approach to encouraging employees to “think green.” On Friday, July 24th, the Portland-based Northwest Earth Institute, a non-profit specializing in sustainability education, introduced another approach to “bottom-up” engagement: its “Sustainable Systems at Work” discussion course.

According to NWEI, the new course is designed “to engage … employees in constructive, collaborative, non-judgmental conversations and behavior change strategies regarding the interdependence between healthy economies, citizens and ecosystems.” The organization’s executive director, Mike Mercer, notes “…for culture and practices to change within an organization, employee commitment is a must. We believe innovation at its best occurs at all levels, and is driven by shifts in thinking. Our programs drive just that.”

The five-session course introduces employees to broad sustainability concepts, and trains them to recognize opportunities that meet organizational objectives. NWEI claims that a company with engaged employees could realize

• cost savings due to reductions in energy, water and material use;
• lower waste generation;
• improved company morale and greater employee loyalty; and
• increased alignment between employee performance and organizational sustainability objectives.

While NWEI has developed other discussion courses that are appropriate for workplaces, this looks to be the first tailored specifically to a business environment. The concepts underlying “Sustainable Systems at Work” appear solid… we’ll be interested to hear about how it works for client companies.

Has your company used other training methods to engage employees in sustainable thinking and practice? Let use know about them below…

Image credit: ICMA Photos at Flickr under a Creative Commons license