People

The workplace can be an influential community. Because sustainability is a mindset, people who lead in sustainable thinking at work inadvertently teach others to follow. And that can leach into thinking at home. If employees are shutting lights off, chances are they will at home. It’s a ripple effect and has a huge circle of impact on supporting your efforts at work.

Employers should support staff who act sustainably. And reward them:

• Webcrafters, a 2009 ChaMpion, designed a lottery for vacation hours for employees who biked, carpooled or bussed to work.
• DesignCraft Advertising, a 2009 ChaMpion, developed their Bike Bucks Program - providing 50 cents per mile to employees who bike to spend at a local bike store for gear.
• Sergenian’s Floor Coverings and Capitol Insurance Companies, both 2009 ChaMpions, are drop off points for Community Supported Agriculture shares so employees can easily access healthy food and support local producers. Offer financial incentives for purchasing CSA shares by finding out about health insurance rebates.
• Tap into your staff and colleagues’ hidden skills and talents - this also creates bonding and increases morale. Create an atmosphere that encourages exchanging ideas. EnAct is a great place to start or include something in employee communications. You never know what you’ll learn: The guy in marketing cans his tomatoes for the winter; the woman in payroll winters over her root vegetables; the head of finance got a Focus on Energy rebate for insulating her house.