Assembling a group of interested and responsible employees can be a great first step toward establishing a culture of sustainability at your workplace. These groups are often called green teams, but any name will do. 

At Fairfax County, our employee group is called Fairfax Employees for Environmental Excellence, or FEEE, which was established by and for county employees who are committed to environmental stewardship. FEEE’s mission is to foster a greener workplace within Fairfax County Government through education, outreach and engagement. Based on our experience, we are pleased to share some tips for how to start a green team: 

10 Steps to Starting a Green Team

1. Get Executive Buy-In

Whether your green team is starting from the top down or the bottom up, get approval for your group from upper-level management. It’s important to have an executive-level champion – someone who will support your initiatives, promote your successes, and share insight on what other executives would like to see the group accomplish. Your champion may also be able to allocate a small amount of funding for awareness campaigns and events.

2. Recruit Members

Although you can assign staff to be members of the green team, it’s better to put out a request and see who volunteers. Green teams thrive when they are comprised of people who are truly passionate about the subject. Luckily, sustainability is a topic that people are often passionate about.

New employee orientations, booths or tables at company events, and employee-facing newsletters and publications are great ways to spread the word about your green team and continue to recruit members even after you get up and running. 

3. Select a Leader

Different staff can take the lead on specific initiatives, but someone needs to be responsible for leading meetings, reporting to management, and generally moving the ball forward. Ideally, leading the green team is part of someone’s job description. At the very least, the leader must have full support from their manager.

4. Create a Mission Statement

Your first order of business as a green team should be to create a mission statement. Coming to a consensus on the group’s purpose will inform everything else that you do. Allowing the team to define the purpose also creates a sense of ownership for everyone involved. Will your team be addressing ways the organization can more responsibly manage energy, waste and other resources? Is the team focused on educating and engaging with employees on how to be more sustainable? Your mission statement should reflect the specific needs of your organization and what the green team is looking to accomplish. A good example is from FEEE: 

Fairfax Employees for Environmental Excellence (FEEE) promotes environmental awareness, engagement and action in the Fairfax County workplace, consistent with the vision and policies of the Board of Supervisors. FEEE fosters a greener workplace culture by encouraging employees to:

• Learn about and participate in existing environmental programs,

• Use their diverse perspectives to identify opportunities to minimize the county’s environmental impact,

• Highlight and share environmental success stories, and

• Develop and foster relationships with colleagues to advance environmental initiatives.

5. Set Goals

Set goals, both qualitative and quantitative. Examples of qualitative goals include “create a culture of sustainability” and “incorporate sustainability considerations into the organization’s decision-making process.” Examples of quantitative goals include “reduce energy use 10% over the next five years” and “host four employee outreach events each year.” If possible, tie your goals to potential financial savings and/or customer interests. If you’re not sure where to get started, consider applying for a certification or connecting with other green organizations.

6. Make a Plan

Sketch out a plan for how you will achieve your goals. At the beginning of each year, set specific milestones and sketch out when and how you will meet those milestones. Try to spread out programs, projects, and events throughout the year. Be sure to assign a lead staff member and a due date.

7. Track and Evaluate Progress

Keep track of your progress. Determine if you have any reporting requirements that need to be considered, such as membership and engagement rates or other operational goals. Periodically evaluate your mission statement and goals. Adjusting these as your company evolves will ensure your group stays relevant. 

8. Meet Regularly

Schedule a recurring meeting to brainstorm new initiatives and make sure you are staying on track. Try meeting once a month or once a quarter. You can always schedule additional meetings to plan for specific initiatives. Publicize these meetings through the company newsletter, flyers, or other methods – it’s a great way to attract new members to your group.

9. Host Special Events

Host learning and volunteer opportunities for the larger workforce, beyond those who attend regular meetings. It’s a great way to get the word out about the green team and encourage action on specific sustainability initiatives. Ideas for special events include: 

• Host webinars or Lunch and Learns on a specific topic. Invite an external speaker or someone within the organization who can speak on the topic.

• Organize volunteer events, such as litter cleanups, tree plantings or other hands-on activities that relate to your mission.

• Organize collections for items that are harder to recycle, including batteries or plastics. 

• Host a topical event or conduct outreach to coincide with a national or global awareness day, such as Earth Day (4/22), Bike to Work Day (3rd Friday in May), National Drive Electric Week (September/October), Energy Action Month (October), or America Recycles Day (11/15). 

• Organize an educational tour of a facility or site where employees can learn about sustainability initiatives taking place in the area. Consider visiting a local green roof, solar installation, stream restoration, recycling facility and more.

10. Celebrate and Publicize Successes

After you achieve a goal or host a successful event, make sure to pat yourselves on the back and thank everyone who was involved. Publicizing an achievement is a great excuse to promote your cause. You can promote both internally (e.g., an employee newsletter) and externally (e.g., a press release or on your website). Try to accomplish some simple, quick wins right away to build momentum.