Reply To: Exercise 5: 5 People Who Feel the Problem
#5 Five people who feel the problem
Problem: People in general want to make a positive impact in their lives and be part of something bigger. Where they are involved in organizations of all types. They often find themselves frustrated when there is little to no opportunity to participate in the sustainability initiatives of that organization.
Solution: Implement an grass roots sustainability engagement function to provide opportunities for people to learn and participate in such organizational initiatives which motivate them to start their own projects in their personal and work life.
Climate Strategist
Quote: so many people don’t understand and realize how serious the problem is
Georgetown (school) was lacking in sustainability initiatives which is odd because they recruited those with expertise. frustrated and want changes and to be a part of it. In a company small changes can make a big difference. There are incredible PhD’s creating climate models but there is a communication gap between solutions team and sales team. Internal awareness session between functions would help.
Moody’s has a Team Up initiative: volunteers around the world get involved, company matches donations.
ESG reporting
Quote: We should be doing more of these sorts of things
Feeling stuck and want a more senior role than reporting, wondering if I have any ideas, looking for a side projects to extend their role. Dejected that there are cutbacks in sustainability, no opportunity to grow, spoke to a number of people about opportunities. Willing to do some researching on sustainability topics. Stated many talking about wanting to do something on this topic. We should be working on this.
Product Stewardship
Quote: We have to try so hard to get a few different functional people together in the right place to get something started (sustainability)
There is little connection with the formal sustainability department and the day to day operations. People come to product stewardship asking for help because they don’t know where else to go. We only hear about the ESG report. Needs to be more practical for people. There has to be a mechanism for people to act on sustainability in the organization. Have to have guidance/aids in place to enable people.
Sustainability communication manager
Quote: Your problem and solution statement is the same as our water stewardship initiative.
Sustainable dept has a sustainability engagement program with 3 elements; Awareness, Education, Action.Includes what is sustainability and where does it matter. Sustainability seed fund for BU initiatives falling short due to $ and relying on the BU’s to take action.
Don’t have communication sharing empowerment. Bill C-59 (green washing) has cut the ambition to make public statements.
Other examples:
• Employee innovation fund for grass roots (TC energy innovation challenge example) Tracy Karnes
• K & S change makers program; embed people in the divisions, DB of ideas = 2500 to 3000/yr.
Change makers filter ideas, implement them with people who had the idea. Could be little or big, kick start it, get it off the ground.
Fifth person who feels the problem. Couldn’t schedule in time. Will have to catch up next week.