In the first part of PeopleProfitPlanet's Green Champions series, we will discuss the importance of Green Champions in the workplace. Each business may have a nominated person or team of Champions, sometimes called Energy Champions, Environment Champions, Environment Team, Green Team etc. What you call your Green Champions is not as important as how your organisation benefits from their enthusiasm and role in the workplace that will help you increase staff morale, reduce your business carbon footprint and importantly, save costs.
There are now lots of organisations focussing on developing “Green Champions” in the workplace. Just what are Green Champions and how are they important in engaging your staff? We know that they can help your organisation through motivating your staff to take environmentally friendly action but they can also help you boost your bottom line and go greener.
What makes a green champion?
A good Green Champion is enthusiastic, have great communication skills, the ability to motivate, and the organisation skills to coordinate activities and be credible at all levels of the organisation. For example, your green champions could implement energy saving activities, from educating and encouraging staff to turn off monitors and photocopiers to evaluating energy usage in the office and identifying opportunities to reduce it.
Staff are more likely to listen to their peers so your green campaign will be more effective through organisation by your Green Champion team. Having a Green Champion who is in close contact with staff in your organisation will also mean that the bottom up push will meet with a top down approach from supervisors and managers.
It's also a good idea to let your green champions generate ideas relevant to their departments and teams. Don’t box in their creativity – give them the freedom to fly. In some cases, this means that your green champions may need allocated times to fulfil their role. However, keep in mind that they will also be developing and improving skills that will be beneficial for the organisation and to the individual.
Remember, it is not just directors and managers that affect your organisation's Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability policy, it's everyone! Make sure you have engaged all your employees for a successful Green Policy.
Don't forget our second part in our Green Champions series out on Monday on How to maximise the effect of your Green Champions in the workplace.
Follow us on Twitter- we are green champions. If you want to find out more about how to engage your staff to environmental behaviour change or have successful Green Champions in the workplace, call us now on 0845 2799 837.