We say it a lot as an explanation of what we do; “we help companies accelerate their corporate sustainability efforts via employee engagement.”
But how exactly does employee engagement accelerate sustainability?
We’re glad you asked!
Delivers Hard-to-Reach Savings
As equipment becomes more efficient, sustainability professionals increasingly look at processes—rather than technologies—for the next big savings opportunity. Whereas an inefficient building will have great opportunities to save electricity by changing out lighting systems or adding controls to the cooling system, the green team in a super-efficient building has already addressed those opportunities. Recent studies indicate that 55% of the energy usage in high performance buildings is plug load—electric usage scattered across the tenants. Affecting plug load means engaging a broad swath of building occupants and influencing their practices. There’s a similar situation in manufacturing: achieving deep savings requires an engagement strategy that involves everyone.
An effective employee engagement approach helps all employees understand corporate objectives and see how their own actions contribute to the bigger goals. Empowered to be part of the solution, employees help deliver the hard-to-reach savings.
Removes Friction
Reducing waste is hard, especially where the waste has been institutionalized in your systems as “the way things are done here.” We like a quote from one of our past partners, Morgan Wiswall of Menasha Corp., who credited Cool Choices with getting “an entire employee population moving in the same direction” on sustainability. Wiswall understood the importance of a shared vision that can cut through the status quo.
When everyone understands—really understands—the corporate sustainability goals then there’s less friction around implementing innovations that help meet those goals. More happens faster when employees are engaged.
Provides Fresh Perspectives
When you welcome all employees into the process of helping the company achieve its sustainability efforts you are opening the door to new ideas for achieving those goals. It’s impossible for a green team—even one as smart as yours—to have all the answers. Engaging employees generates new ideas and new insights on old challenges. You get more done faster when there’s broader engagement and enthusiasm for the sustainability plan.
So engagement delivers more savings, fewer barriers and more innovation—sure sounds like a recipe for acceleration, doesn’t it?
To learn more about how we can help you accelerate your efforts, view an on-demand webinar on engaging employees or ask for a demo of our program. We would be delighted to help you accelerate your sustainability efforts!
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