Engagement within the team is indispensable for the success of sustainability initiatives. After all, who else but the employees will play a leading role in the implementation of the sustainability strategy, achieving goals and taking action? More and more C-level executives and decision-makers are focusing on strengthening team engagement as a strong foundation for implementing ESG. We are taking on this challenge with firm resolve. With the right expertise and a fresh approach, we support the active involvement of employees in achieving ESG goals.
Increasing the level of engagement
As a manager, you understand the value and strategic importance of ESG initiatives for your organisation. The numbers, the reports, the long-term goals; they make sense and are crucial for doing business in an environmentally friendly, socially responsible and sustainable way. Therefore, at first, you think the implementation of ESG initiatives will go seamlessly. You are confident that your team – no doubt – shares the same vision. ESG initiatives are the future and everyone sees it like this, right?
Employee engagement is not so straightforward
But it turns out that encouraging engagement is no easy task. Some employees may be reluctant. They may wonder why they should be involved in ESG-related matters, or they may not understand why it is important. Others may feel that they simply do not have the time; they are already so busy with their daily tasks. In addition, ESG can be a jungle of acronyms and reports. Employees can be put off by this. You get a barrage of questions.
Simply informing them is not enough. Practical steps are needed to really inspire and activate the team. Working together on ESG targets and being able to create a broadly supported strategy – a strategy that is supported by the whole organisation.
This is how we do it
Translating complex sustainability concepts into practical steps that employees can take. Steps that go beyond ‘engagement’ alone, where employees become the driving force behind sustainable success. So that a sustainable culture is actively built and every employee discovers their power to make a difference. This is where we help. And this is how we go about it.
Your own approach in three steps
Step 1: Baseline assessment
Every organisation is unique, so we analyse the company in two ways through a baseline assessment: organisation-wide (what is the current level of engagement?) and at a specific target group level (what types of target groups are there?). We then plot the level of engagement for each target group.
Step 2: Engagement plan
We identify which departments have priority. How far along is a particular department and what needs to be done to get it to the next stage? We involve Human Resources, Business Development/Innovation, Procurement, Communications (internal/external), Operations and Finance, among others. This is how we come up with a finely tuned engagement plan with concrete actions for each target group – and prioritised.
Step 3: Implementation
We roll out the engagement plan in three stages, whereby ‘end goals’ lead the way:
Inform
Through clear communication, we will ensure that employees are aware of the importance and focus of the sustainability strategy. We build solid support for the next steps this way.
Inspire
We illustrate how employees individually can make a difference and show that their contribution really matters. We create an infectious energy so that people not only embrace the strategy, but also become enthusiastic about contributing in concrete ways and know what they need to do.
Activate
We help to motivate employees to be proactive in implementing the sustainability strategy. Starting out with small steps that culminate in sustainable impact. What is essential here is to acknowledge and reward the dedication among employees. This creates long-term impact.
Get started with your own team
We firmly believe in teamwork. We tailor our strategic long-term projects together with you to the needs of your business or organisation. We form a dedicated team of three to six experts, diverse and resilient. They work together to guide your organisation from development through to implementation. In this way, we ensure the quality and continuity of your sustainability initiatives. Making an impact together?
A preview of our experts
Meet two of our experts who, together with a dedicated team of fellow experts, contribute to the long-term success of our clients.
Winne Benschop
Excels at creating a sustainable change culture within companies.
Link to Winne
Floor Mooij
Offers a positive and fresh perspective, always focused on the client and the end result.
Link to Floor