Assembling a group of interested and responsible employees can be a great first step toward establishing a culture of sustainably 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. Based on our experience, we are pleased to share some tips for how to start a green team and outreach ideas that we’ve found successful.
Figure 1: Members of FEEE and the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) Host a Composting Tent at the DPWES Annual Picnic
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.
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. Two example statements are provided below.
To promote environmental awareness, engagement, and action.
To operate sustainably through programs and projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs.
You can also consider working with management to weave sustainability into your company’s overall mission statement.
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 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. 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 your progress.
Keep track of your progress in a spreadsheet or something similar. Determine if you have any reporting requirements that need to be considered.
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.
9. 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.
10. Repeat!
In addition to tracking the progress of your plan, be sure to periodically assess your management support, membership, team leader, mission statement, and goals. Adjusting these as your company evolves will ensure that your group stays relevant.
For more ideas, check out ENERGY STAR’s Teaming Up to Save Energy guide.
Green Team Outreach Ideas
Booths
Whenever your company holds an event, try to host a table. As long as employees are the target audience, the event doesn’t need to be related to sustainability. Your goal is simply to raise awareness. Giveaways can be popular, but try to choose ones that are reusable and/or made from recycled materials.
Figure 2: FEEE's Table at a Library Staff Day Event
Lunch and Learns
Lunch and learns are a great way for interested employees to learn more about a subject in an informal setting. Topics can range from sustainability at the office to sustainability at home.
Figure 3: FEEE Lunch and Learn about Native Plants
Awareness Days
National or global awareness days are the perfect excuse to send an email, write a blog post, or host an event for a particular cause. Examples include Earth Day (4/22), Bike to Work Day (3rd Friday in May), World Environment Day (6/5), Car Free Day (9/22), Energy Action Month (October), and America Recycles Day (11/15).
Figure 4: America Recycles Day Table Display and Contest
New Hires
New hires are often eager to learn more about where they are working. Try to get information about the green team and sustainable practices included with new hire orientation information. Ensure that new hires know things like where recycling bins are, what to recycle, and to turn off their computers and lights at the end of the day.
