Green Teams Putting the Green in Business

Implementing sustainable change can be unsettling, create a shift beyond our comfort levels, or be experienced as outright scary. Sometimes it is just easier to slip back into a traditional and comfortable way of doing things. However, implementing effective sustainable change does not have to be a laboring process. In fact, it can be very rewarding.

Our sustainability consulting encourages clients to be aware that sustainable change can be easily integrated into daily business practices when it is realistic, achievable and beneficial. One way to get started on your path to business sustainability is to create a green team.

"Green Teams", a formal or informal group of people in a company who are passionate about environmental issues, are gathering in offices across America to brainstorm solutions and promote ways in which their company's practices can become more environmentally sustainable. As explained in our sustainability consulting, a green team can reduce paper use, increase recycling, promote energy conservation, and more, making a huge difference within a department or building. Following are suggestions to get your own green team going:

Start by finding interested individuals, encourage co-workers from different levels and parts of your organization, and meet with management to get approval and buy-in for the idea.
The best way for your green team to blossom it is to pick an initial project that everyone can get behind. Pick the lowest hanging fruit. The easiest thing to start with is to establish a recycling program or tangible projects that are easiest to benchmark success.
Remember to set goals and strategies—identify your purpose, whether your goal is to cut costs or to be environmentally responsible, or both. Create a timeline of how you would like to progress as well as set up future benchmarking activities to ensure that it is being implemented as planned.
Celebrate success! Communicate your success to internal and external stakeholders. Ride the momentum of your achievement and look for other pilot projects to expand eco awareness. Training and educating others is a great way to keep others informed as well as invite them to participate in future sustainable business activities.

Green teams help business capture the benefits of sustainable business: reduce business costs, improve business reputation, and attract and maintain top job candidates. Get your green team started today!