Easy Steps for Businesses to Go Green and Promote Employee Engagement

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
Jul 7, 2011 12:00 PM ET

Taiga Company blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Compa…

Small businesses may not have the funds to go green or even implement a comprehensive corporate sustainability plan but that doesn't mean that resources and measures aren't available to help the business and employees embrace business sustainability.    As it is, today’s companies face greater pressure than ever before from shareholders, customers, and employees to become more sustainable.  But how do you engage workers within your business to personally integrate sustainability into their everyday actions and decisions - especially if funds and resources are limited?      It makes sense to start with areas that are easiest to implement and create lasting behavior change in the workplace, at home and in the community.  Areas to consider include energy efficiency, alternative transportation and recycling programs.   For example, energy efficiency can be a gateway to wider business innovation and engage stakeholders in broader process evaluations.  The post, Cut Cost and Engage Employees through Energy Efficiency Explores ways to do just that.  Other ways to extend sustainability concepts beyond the workplace and into employees living more sustainable lifestyle include:   Education: Offer ongoing workshops, training, lunch and learns, and educational activities to educate workers on the environmental issues (energy, water, waste, and others) and the associated actions causing the problems.  Identify new behavior and eco actions that individually workers can take to create new patterns of behavior and choices that support environmental solutions and are aligned with the company's vision for a sustainability plan.   We've learned in our eco friendly training classes, the first part is educating; the harder part is changing the behavior. Ongoing education helps create lasting change.   Click here to learn more easy steps to green your business and engage employees.   

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".