Program on the Environment

Companies are facing challenges in their business structure as more and more consumers and employees are looking for ethical and environmentally friendly places to shop and work at respectively. Companies have started taking a closer look at their external emissions, but they also need to take a look at their internal emissions to avoid greenwashing. External emissions are those that come from transportation and outsourcing. Internal emissions reduction has more to do with company values and culture than greenhouse gasses. The purpose of this study was to figure out how companies can increase employee engagement with sustainability initiatives. To accomplish this task, I worked with a 3rd party gamification app to carry out my project, I conducted research on how other companies were tackling this issue, I conducted in-depth personal interviews with employees, and I met with company stakeholders. Findings show that employee input is most effective in employee engagement and employees were invested in the company’s sustainability initiatives because they aligned with their own values. With real effort, companies can change their internal culture to one that encourages sustainable behavior for employees which will show consumers they’re in it for the right reasons.