Engaging your People in Carbon Management

Written by Network member: Tim Cotter, Awake

Putting a price on carbon would introduce a compelling motive for businesses to make changes to the way they operate in order to adjust to a system which rewards environmentally efficient behaviour and punishes wasteful and unsustainable behaviour. In the absence of this big financial motive, the onus continues to be on organisations to instead make voluntary changes. This article looks at the how businesses can engage people to make these changes.

For a business to make the kind of changes necessary to seriously reduce their carbon emissions, they not only require committed leadership, but they also need to engage and inspire people at all levels of the organisation. This requires that sustainability becomes a core value of the organisation. A "culture of sustainability" is one where people live and breathe sustainability, consider it in all their decisions, and are constantly on the lookout for ways in which to improve energy and resource efficiency, without needing to be constantly reminded.

Many organisations therefore ask how to embed sustainability into their culture. One simple approach is to recognise that there are two main things which people need in order to engage in sustainable behaviour, namely personal responsibility and personal power.

Personal Responsibility
When people feel a sense of personal responsibility for sustainability, they accept ownership for it. They see it as part of their job, they care about the sustainability of their actions, and they are willing to make sustainability a priority in their decisions. In the absence of personal responsibility, people can have all the resources, information and support they need, but they will not take action because they do not see it as important. An organisation which fosters personal responsibility for sustainability is one which incorporates it into people's job descriptions and development plans, and makes it clear to people that sustainability is aligned with the organisation's vision, values and strategy. Beyond just telling people how to behave, real responsibility is fostered by engaging people at a values level and allowing them to explore how sustainability fits for them personally. The key is for people to see for themselves that sustainability is integral to everything they do. If it is seen as just a compliance issue, or a means to an end, it is less likely that sustainability will sink into the culture, and will require constant reinforcement and monitoring.

Personal Power
Personal power relates to the degree to which people feel they have the ability to act on sustainability issues. They need to feel that they can make a difference, and that they have the resources, support and knowledge to take action. If people accept personal responsibility for sustainability, but don't feel like they can do anything about it, not only will action be unlikely, but people may become disillusioned and give up trying. Fostering a sense of personal power involves providing people with education and resources to make sustainability an easy choice. Two practical examples are: a green purchasing policy which provides a clear mandate for choosing green products and facilities encouraging people to use video-conferencing instead of travelling to meetings.

A good first step for engaging people in sustainability is to find out what they think now. Do they care about sustainability? Are they willing to make it a priority in their daily decisions? Do they feel educated, supported and resourced to take sustainable action? Answering these questions, through talking to people and conducting focus groups or surveys, can provide valuable pointers as to what people need in order to act. From there it is possible to choose the most effective approach to increase personal responsibility and personal power, providing the foundations for a culture of sustainability.

Tim Cotter is a psychologist specialising in behavioural change for sustainability.  His consulting business, Awake, provides workshops, assessments and leadership support for people wanting to stimulate sustainable behaviours. You can find Tim on the member directory. For more information and to sign up to the "Wake-up Call" e-zine, go to www.awake.com.au.