Put Your Green Where Your Mouth Is
 Green is here to stay, and businesses of all sizes are taking note. c21’s president Sharon Goldmacher recently spoke at the 2008 GreenBusiness WorksTM Expo in Atlanta to educate companies about launching and marketing a green program that boosts employee morale, improves customer relations and increases public relations opportunities.
The true success of a company’s sustainable or green efforts relies on the commitment of its employees to fulfill the vision. Not only do these important audiences have to know about a company’s green initiatives, but they have to believe in them, embrace them and act upon them. Put your green where your mouth is by considering the following:
Educate
Before announcing any green efforts, lay the foundation of the importance of being a sustainable or green company to get internal audiences thinking about the issues. It’s important to provide statistics on the impact of your green initiatives and the resulting implications for your business and community.
Involve
If employees and partners are involved in shaping a company’s green efforts at the program’s onset, the more invested they are in its long-term success. For example, survey employees for suggestions on ways the company can become green, and use the answers for benchmarking purposes.
Announce
Share the company’s green vision, position and messages with internal audiences before they read it in the news or hear it from a customer. Employees will feel vested in the vision and will know that the company’s efforts are not just “greenwashing” or for publicity, but are a true commitment for the good of the community, and the wellness of employees.
Encourage
Consistent and frequent reminders of green efforts, and encouragement over time will maintain enthusiasm and convey the importance of the program. Make it easy for people to comply by giving them tools, including a mechanism for feedback, incentive programs and more.
Commit
For buy-in, a company must show its long-term commitment to its green programs. Track the efforts and impact, because if the company doesn’t care…why should its employees?
Can you do it? Of course you can. c21 recently launched a dedicated green practice area, c21e, to work with both large and small companies to implement and make the most of green programs. To download c21’s GreenBusiness WorksTM Expo presentation, click here. To learn more about c21e, e-mail Donia Crime.
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