With these tips, your sustainability strategy will be a complete success

Even before the introduction of a sustainability strategy, many factors determine its success. How do you behave yourself, how do you talk about sustainability in the company and how easy do you make it for your employees to express feedback and wishes? Find out here how to create a long-term solution, motivate the entire workforce and position your company more sustainably without introducing extra work, bans and regulations.

Steven Knaack

October 20, 2022

 - · 

7 min read

For a long time, sustainability was a personal issue. Committed private individuals make efforts to reduce their individual emissions, especially in their private everyday lives. This works through new forms of mobility, a different diet or a change in consumer behavior. In the meantime, however, more and more companies are also addressing the issue of sustainability. For good reason:

In a recent survey, 87% of Millennials said they would take a pay cut to work for a sustainable company. And with Millennials set to make up 75% of the workforce by 2025, companies need to take action in this area.

In addition to the increase in attractiveness on the applicant:inside market, there are several other advantages:

  • You save costs.
  • Your corporate image increases.
  • Your employees are more motivated.
  • They will not be forced into action by new regulations.

Like any change, the introduction of a sustainability strategy takes time, a concrete approach and, above all, collaborative motivation. To make things as easy as possible for you, we have put together 7 tips here. They are easy to follow, quick to implement and increase the impact of your measures:

1. make sustainability visible.

Make it clear that you personally and in the company attach importance to sustainability. The scale can go from the decision for sustainable notepads to an adapted canteen offer to the subsidization of a job bike. So there is something for every balance sheet size. Very important here: Never decide over your employees . Engage in dialog and gather feedback.

2. seek the conversation.

A strategy that is implemented in the form of prohibitions, requirements and instructions for action can have serious consequences for your company. Take the time to talk to your employees. Explain what the alternatives are, what the pros and cons are, and which you prefer. Give your employees a say, try to find compromises and create a good environment for everyone involved. Your employees end up implementing the strategy, be sure they agree and are self-motivated.

3. feel your way in.

You don't have to change the entire supply chain, production process and vehicle fleet overnight. Even small changes in your daily actions can make a big difference. Get started by, for example, setting up a water dispenser, using sustainably produced coffee or supporting your employees in creating a sustainable daily routine.

4. make it simple.

Your employees deliver top performance every day. Don't put any additional strain on them. All measures must be easy and intuitive to implement. If possible, automate or rely on service providers. The easier your strategy is to implement, the higher the participation and the greater the impact. As you saw in point three, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

5 Reward engagement

Reward your employees for sustainable choices. An ideal way to do this is through coupons, benefit platforms, or subsidizing sustainable alternatives such as a bike allowance.

6. celebrate successes.

When your company has reached certain milestones, such as saving 10,000 sheets of paper, 1,000 drinking bottles, or 100 tons of CO2, celebrate! Show that it's a community success and that everyone has contributed. Let everyone know that you are always open to new ideas and always have an open ear.

7. talk about it further.

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Make sure you keep employees informed of progress, new initiatives and opportunities for involvement. Pay attention to feedback, requests and suggestions. This will ensure that everyone stays engaged and committed to your company's goals.

Sustainability only succeeds as a community. In companies in particular, it is especially important to take into account the various interests. Instead of regulations and prohibitions, the sustainability strategy must be seen as a voluntary, simple and desirable change. The benefits must be apparent to all involved.

Do not neglect the potential of a sustainability strategy. In addition to a positive contribution to nature and the environment, the benefits range from motivated employees and a clear differentiation from the competition to increased attractiveness for young professionals. If you have any questions regarding the introduction of an employee benefit platform, please do not hesitate to contact us! More than 300 companies already trust in our ESG Employee Engagement Platform. Book a free initial consultation here and learn more about FutureBens

FutureBens provides a personalized platform. Your employees can select the appropriate discounts from up to 120 fair, sustainable and lucrative offers. This way, you send a clear signal for the sustainable orientation of your company and have no additional effort in the process. We take care of the processing, regularly attract new partners and improve the user-friendliness!

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