7 ways to boost employee engagement on your sustainability & impact programs

1 – Let your employees take the lead

Empower your employees to play an active role in shaping and implementing your sustainability and impact initiatives. Instead of relying solely on top-down approaches, encourage employee-led campaigns, events, or projects that align with your company’s values and mission. Giving employees a sense of ownership and commitment to sustainability and impact initiatives can lead to identifying new ideas and strategies for achieving your goals.

2 – Connect to Learning and Development

Offer training programs to help employees understand the importance of sustainability and their role in creating a more sustainable future. Provide resources that will help them learn about environmental and social issues, and how your company is addressing them. When employees feel like they are growing and developing, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.

3 – Create an ambassador network

Choose passionate employees and give them the tools and resources they need to share your company’s message with others. These ambassadors can serve as a bridge between your company and the community, building strong relationships and promoting your programs. This strategy can create a sense of purpose and pride among employees, leading to increased engagement.

4 – Include everyone

All employees, including blue and white-collar workers, should be included in your sustainability and impact programs. Consider holding training sessions or workshops on sustainability and impact issues at job sites or other locations where these employees work. Providing clear communication and training in a language that is accessible to everyone, and being open to feedback from all employees can lead to increased engagement.

5 – Team up with Employee Resource Groups

Partner with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) made up of employees who share common interests or characteristics. By tapping into the passions and perspectives of employees who are already engaged and motivated to create change, you can identify and address sustainability and impact issues that are particularly relevant to their communities.

6 – Incorporate into your HR processes

Integrate sustainability and impact goals into HR processes such as onboarding and performance reviews. This reinforces the importance of these initiatives within your company culture and creates a shared sense of purpose. Highlighting sustainability initiatives can attract and retain employees who value social responsibility and promote personal and professional growth opportunities.

7 – Engage employees in goal setting and show impact

Engage employees in goal-setting and help them understand how their individual actions contribute to the company’s overall sustainability and impact goals. This can create a sense of investment and motivation to achieve these goals. Additionally, provide regular reports on progress, key metrics, and the overall impact of your initiatives. Using visuals, infographics, and storytelling can make the data more engaging and accessible to employees.