It starts with a point of view: sustainability isnt a fad. Its not a nice-to-have. Its an innovation imperative.

Its an economic opportunity. Its part of a fundamental paradigm shift in the way we work and how we do business.
Leading companies are recognizing that sustainability can be a competitive advantage, but only if it resounds across the entire organization. And its true: successful engagement programs here go far beyond the core sustainability teamreaching from the C-suite and the accounting department to the maintenance hangar and field marketing operations. If the business case for "greening the team is so stronggreat cost savings, better retention, improved morale and a nimble culture of innovationwhy dont we see more companies investing in such programs? Well, culture change is hard. The issues are seemingly complex. And our current economic climate is a tough one, to put it mildly. But as we hope to show in this handy starter guide, creating an eco-minded workforce is easier than ever, with many companies openly sharing tools and best practices and with younger employees enthusiastically embracing such culture shifts. From our experience with such clients as Walmart, Net Impact and the National Environmental Education Foundation (mad props on their recent report with GreenBiz), weve learned a lot about what it takes to green the team. Here, then, is our practical approach to getting started, what strategies will be most effective and how to hurdle some of the most common challenges.

The trick is not to let any excitement around green go to waste.

Andrew Winston, "Get (Your People) Engaged", Green Recovery

A Partnership of Purpose
It makes sense. If youre going to invest in optimizing the supply chain, charting the true impacts of your products and committing publicly to certain sustainability goals, you should be reflecting on how to partner deeply with employees to reach these important milestones. Feeling aligned feels great. When you connect your employees to your organizations sustainability mission, you inspire and motivate them to go above and beyond, to be part of something bigger. You open the door to greater creativity and collaboration by involving every individual in openly shared goals. And you will be surprised and delighted by the variety of ideas that come from far-flung or unexpected places. As one employee suggested to Walmart: Did you know we can save $1 million if we remove light bulbs from our vending machines across the globe? Even as the Earth warms, the economy dips and generations shift (see our sidebar on Millennials), employees increasingly want to be involved and empowereda part of the solution.

From recycling and renewable energy to education and volunteering, employees across industries and countries are asking what they can do. Thats not just an invitation. Its an obligation to act. How, then, might we harness this budding movement to create real momentum, engage millions more employees and truly accelerate sustainable business innovation? So-called Green Teams offer a natural starting point. Often self-organized, these cross-functional groups may be ad hoc before becoming more formalized and sanctioned. Usually they come together to help educate fellow employees and explore opportunities for case-making. The top volunteers make great candidates for getting dedicated engagement programs up and running. As with any movement or campaign, youll need traction with core supporters before trying to build momentum. It doesnt need to be a green team, per se, but empowering a crossfunctional teamincluding employees from different departments and seniority levelsis a great way to help design and direct a sustainability program that can reach the entire organization.

Set the Strategy

Share a Vision. Like any initiative, employees need to know where they are going and how to get there. Create (or better yet, co-create) a vision statement that will help employees understand the programs goals and what resources are available to them. Involving employees in the development of the vision, through simple online surveys, informal discussion groups or as part of regular staff meetings will help you create an employee engagement program from the inside-out, and that will improve its chances of long-term success. Tip: Approach the development of this vision with your organization's sustainability mission and goals in mind. Find ways to connect individuals to big, overarching company-wide goals like achieving zero waste. Remember, employees at all levels want to feel part of the larger effort. Make It Actionable. At most organizations, employees have varying degrees of knowledge about sustainability issues and initiatives. For some, living a healthy lifestyle, caring for the environment and

being active members of their communities are already important parts of their daily routines. Other employees may be interested in learning more about how to make positive changes in their lives, but need structure, guidance and support to get started. Once you hone the vision, ask how it connects to specific calls to action. Tip: Every employee is only one step away from catching the sustainability bug, so make it easy to get involved in concrete ways. Ask individuals to start small by creating one goal, activity or new habit. For example, BBMG found that the best way to engage more than 2.2 million Walmart associates is by breaking sustainability actions into bite-size chunks: We promoted 12 categories of actions to choose from, and providing so many easy options makes sustainability feel more approachable and doable. Make It Personal. Issues like climate change and biodiversity are complex and can seem impossible to understand. But framing these big issues in relatable terms is not impossible, and it is essential to making sustainability part of your employees routine.

The most important motivating factors for employees are concern for the environment and society, support or a mandate from the CEO, company reputation and job satisfaction.
Diane Wood, President, National Environmental Education Foundation

MILLENNIALS: How Engaging

More than any other demographic, Millennial Generation graduates people born roughly in the decades of the 1980s and 1990sare interested in jobs where they feel they can make a difference. Consider the following data points:

Tip: To help answer "What's in it for me?", use emissions calculators like the EPAs personal GHG Calculator or Conservation Internationals EcoFootprint Calculator. By answering a few questions about energy usage, recycling frequency and driving habits, your employees can calculate their footprint and learn ways to reduce their impact. Create a Flexible Framework. To create a truly global program, you'll need to offer "freedom within a framework" so that different units in different regions can adapt core messages and materials to account for local cultures and knowledge levels. The framework shares the vision and establishes the overarching goals. It clearly describes how to create and track our progress. It empowers employees to set their own goals, share their stories and suggest ways to keep improving the program. It offers a platform for connecting and collecting the data. Tip: Consider a phased, iterative approach to designing and deploying your engagement program. Think like an ad exec or political candidate.

Form the roll-out plan around "tent poles" or key themes. Consider pegging themes to what's happening seasonally; for example, summer maybe a good time to hit the theme of water conversation and winter may be a good backdrop for energy efficiency. Define Success. Identify key performance metrics at the onset. We can't stress this enough. Create a baseline to help track progress. Measure and report results regularly. You'll be glad you did. Tip: In addition to following retention and job satisfaction, also consider tracking volunteer hours, number of employees engaged in the program, and greenhouse gas emissions reduced.

interested in learning more about how they can get involved. Make It Rewarding. Recognizing employees efforts and achievements will go a long way toward keeping them engaged. Create opportunities for employees to be recognized by their peers and their managers and senior/ executive leadership. Both informal and formal acknowledgement will let your colleagues know that their actions are not going unnoticed or unappreciated. Tip: Engaging your employees in your efforts should be fun and rewarding. Theres nothing like a little friendly competition to achieve those goals! Create teams across or within departments and create interoffice contests around activities like recycling or reducing energy use. Quirky awards can work, too. One department created a "Save Some for the Fish" award to honor the employee most committed to water conservation. Get Out There. Internal communications efforts like this one deserve to be treated as seriously and as creatively as external communications campaigns (even if they

88% would choose employers whose social responsibility values reflected their own.1 79% would likely accept a job at an eco-friendly company over a conventional one.2 86% would consider leaving an employer whose social responsibility values no longer reflected their own.1 54% of men under 30 and 55% of women under 30 believe it is very or extremely important to work for a company that is socially and environmentally responsible.4 MBA programs are quickly adapting to the demands of Millennials, with courses including CSR Principles and Sustainable Enterprises.3

Build the Buzz

Make It Voluntary. Mandatory participation in sustainability efforts poses a risk of alienating employees. Keeping initiatives voluntary attracts individuals who are genuinely interested in committing to the effort and lowers the barrier for those who are simply

1. Businessweek.com, PWC Millennials at Work: Perspectives of a New Generation 2. Marketwatch.com, MBA Students See Green as the Way to Go, by Thomas Kostigen 3. Greenbiz.com, The New Green Focus for Future MBAs, by Padma Nagappan 4. BBMG Conscious Consumer Report

SPOTLIGHT /// WALMART

In February 2010, BBMG partnered with Walmart on My Sustainability Plan (MSP)a specially designed global platform aimed at helping Walmarts 2.2 million employees make real, tangible differences in their own lives and communities. BBMGs role was to position and brand what has become the retailers first truly global associatefacing sustainability program. In 2011, through a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, Walmart committed to sharing the MSP content and curriculum with organizations around the world. BBMG helped adapt core materials and brand assets to create an MSP toolkit that any organization can use. Learn more at: www.mysustainabilityplan.com
We know the passion is there. By making MSP available globally, were realizing the positive impact our associates can have on the planet and in society.
Andrea Thomas, Senior Vice President of Sustainability Walmart

Our new program provides a more personal way for employees to communicate and get to know each other . . . which also helps improve the efficiency of the workplace.
Clara Wong, Vice President, Walmart China, HR and Administration

FREEDOM WITHIN A FRAMEWORK

may not have the same budget). A phased, integrated approach argues for building buzz in stages and using all the communications at your disposal, from the Intranet and dedicated e-blasts to unconventional ideas such as coffee sleeves, Post-Its, screensavers and hangtags on breakroom refrigerators. How and where can you gently interrupt your colleagues to inspire them to join the effort? Involve the marketing team in creating the messages and materials so the tone stays inspiring and energetic. Tip: Table toppers in cafeterias offer a great way to reach your target audience when they may be in a more receptive mood for entertaining new ideas. Guest speakers appearing in webinars or on breakfast panels or at "lunchand-learns" can also give third-party credibility to your efforts.

Tip: Create a Facebook page or set up a site on your Intranet that connects employees with similar interests and commitments to sustainability. It will help facilitate dialogue and monitor areas that need additional resources. Keep It Positive. Yes, the issues are complicated and have serious implications for our future, but scaring your workforce into recycling (or else) won't create the highly engaged culture you seek. Stay positive by keeping the activities fun and rewarding. Tip: Create a set of guidelines to direct consistent communications; keep reminding people why you're doing this and how you're making progress. Keep It Going. Repurposing success stories and closing the loop is probably the most critical success factor to a vital, ongoing employee engagement program. Are you offering multiple, accessible feedback channels? Are you taking a news bureau approach to regularly and consistently share program updates? Are you making time during annual strategic planning to set a course for updating the program and keeping it relevant for the next 12-18 months?

Keep Hurdling
Launching and maintaining an employee engagement program around sustainability is certainly not without its hurdles. Three of the most common challenges are limited resources, lack of expertise and limited reach. Limited Resources. A commitment to the up-front investment can be difficult to secure, resulting in a lack of money, time, executive support and/or tools. Solution: Focus on the business case: Profitability: Sustainability initiatives can reduce energy costs, increase employee productivity and result in a healthier workforce (read: lower insurance costs). Brand: Involvement in environmental and social causes can increase customer loyalty by building a brand of integrity and responsibility. Talent: Employee engagement helps your company to attract and retain the most talented people.

How you activate employee engagement depends on your culture. Where would you place your organization on this chart?

Collaborate. Do you spend most of

your time working in teams? Then use existing group meetings to brainstorm and develop engagement activities.

Control. Do you conduct extensive analysis before making a decision? Then take a life cycle analysis approach to identify opportunities. Create. Are you often charting new
territory? Then generate ideas through workshops and crowd-sourcing.

Celebrate Success
Share the Stories. Create in-person and digital opportunities for employees to share their activities and experiences. Morning huddles or weekly staff meetings offer natural venues for sharing progress.

Compete. Do you always complete

projects before they're due? Then set goals, benchmark against your peers and incentivize contests and challenges.
-Abbett, L., Coldham, A., Whisnant, R. Organizational Culture and the Success of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives

SPOTLIGHT /// INTEL CORPORATION

Intels employee engagement effort is internally structured around three core pillars: Learn. Act. Share. The technology company wants to make it easy for its 90,000+ employees to learn whats going on and why it matters. Importantly, the initiative is designed to empower employees to act toward strategic objectives by facilitating the sharing of information, success stories and lessons learned. Since 2008, every employees annual bonus is calculated according to sustainability results. By challenging each department to improve their processes and products with sustainability in mind, and by recognizing specific engagement opportunities, Intel celebrates the diversity of its professionals while increasing accountability. Circuit, Intels daily digital newsletter, highlights various employees contributions, calling out achievements and inspiring future activities. Intel also has programs to encourage employee action and innovation around sustainability. Through its Sustainability in Action program, Intel provides funding for innovative environmental projects submitted by teams of employees from around the world.
It is critical to make the sustainability message constant, repetitive and accessible through multiple channels. Make sure its strategically aligned and tied to the core business and your companys visionnot just a green page on your Intranet.
Suzanne Fallender, Director, CSR Strategy and Communications, Intel Corporation

SPOTLIGHT /// HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION

Hyatt Thrive, Hyatts global corporate responsibility platform, focuses on four key pillars that the company believes are essential to a thriving community: Environmental Sustainability, Economic Development & Investment, Education & Personal Advancement and Health & Wellness. To support Hyatt Thrive, the company launched a social networking site for 300+ Green Teams around the world. More than 2,500 associates use the platform (similar to Facebook) to connect with each other and share photos, questions, stories and even presentations about their local activities, such as cleaning up a local watershed in Beijing or spearheading a composting project in San Francisco.
To engage thousands of employees in over 40 different countries, we created a framework that is global but allows for hyper-local customization. Hyatt Thrive enables us to leverage positive efforts around the world and let them add up to make a significant global impact.
Brigitta Witt, VP of Corporate Responsibility, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Lack of Expertise. A lack of sustainability expertise inside the company can make it challenging to launch such a program. Solution: Take advantage of the many organizations that specialize in helping companies take the first step. For example, Net Impact recently published a report titled Making Your Impact at Work: A Practical Guide to Changing the World from Inside Any Company. Limited Reach. Global and diverse workforces have varied levels of awareness and interest in different areas of sustainability and engagement opportunities. Solution: Listen first to what employees from different regions and operating units care about and where they see opportunities. Then, educate and empower employees to take action on the issues that matter most to them.

And In the End

The business case is clear. The benefits are concrete. The momentum is building and employees across sectors are more focused on making their lives, their communities and their workplaces more sustainable. Thats a good thing. The issues are too great, the need is too urgent, for us not to act faster and accelerate innovation at every level. When we collaborate on moving toward a more just and sustainable planet, one of the most gratifying things is how personal, immediate and visceral the impact can be. A colleague replaces potato chips with organic carrots, lowers cholesterol, loses weight, feels better, reduces doctor visits and is generally more fantastic at work and home. Such actual examples underscore that millions of small actions do indeed add up to a big difference. The impact scales globally, and that's worth celebrating.

The engagement programs that succeed will provide flexible frameworks, inspire bite-size actions and stay creative at every step. Taken together, they will serve as a vast support network for helping millions of people enjoy healthier, greener lives. What are we waiting for? Lets get started.

About This Booklet This booklet is meant to inspire more organizations to engage their employees in living healthier, more sustainable lives. We'd like to thank Walmart, Intel and Hyatt Hotels for their support. Please share your own experiences and any tips with us, and don't hesitate to direct comments or questions to info@bbmg.com. About BBMG Founded in 2003, BBMG is a nationally recognized branding and marketing firm dedicated to creating innovative brands that engage and inspire todays increasingly conscious consumers. By integrating branding with sustainability, technology and social purpose, BBMG helps organizations embrace innovation, forge new markets, create new experiences and drive real culture change. Recent clients include BrownForman, Samsung, Seventh Generation, Earthbound Farm and Fair Trade USA. For more information, please visit bbmg.com.