You're striving to meet sustainability goals. How do you keep your team motivated and engaged?

Meeting sustainability goals requires dedication and collaboration. We stay motivated and engaged in 5 key ways - 1. Having a Clear Vision and Goals, 2. Empowerment and Ownership of our actions, 3. Recognition and Celebration of our achievements, 4. Continuous Learning, 5. Encouraging Open Communication. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, we work towards our sustainability targets and build a resilient, motivated team. #Sustainability #TeamEngagement #Leadership

Inspiring team includes clearly communicating the urgency of sustainability challenges and demonstrating how their contributions fit into a larger, meaningful goal. Together, we can achieve far more than individuals working alone. A shared vision is essential, as is recognizing and celebrating milestones along the way. By providing opportunities for growth and development within the team, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to the sustainability journey.

To keep your team fired up about sustainability, you have to connect them to the bigger picture. Share a vision that goes beyond just numbers and profits. Show them how their daily grind is actually contributing to a better world - whether it's saving the planet or fighting for social justice. Make it real, make it personal, and make it matter. When your team sees the positive impact they're having, they'll be more invested, more driven, and more passionate about making a difference. So, don't just talk about sustainability goals - live them, breathe them, and make them the heartbeat of your daily operations.

Clearly communicate the impact of their efforts, offering opportunities for ownership and innovation. Recognize and reward contributions, creating a positive and supportive environment. Provide continuous learning and skill development to empower your team. Lead by example, demonstrating passion for sustainability. Celebrate successes together to build momentum and shared pride.

"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." Establishing clear, achievable goals is fundamental to driving progress, focusing on the low hanging fruit initially, demonstrating tangible impact and build momentum for more ambitious targets. This data-driven approach ensures that efforts are aligned with overall sustainability objectives.

Whether sustainability goals are an overlay to-, or underpin the broader business strategy, it's critical to make them: a) Simple: a small # of achievable and quantifiable sustainability goals b) Critical: show how these goals support or accelerate business strategy (1 or more of rev gen, cost reduction, brand equity/reputational risk, morale, & 'impact') c) Empowering: provide the means/support for the goal owner to get them done, while reporting efficiently: aim for 90%+ of time working towards the result and =<10% reporting, evaluating, course-correcting. e) Scalable: shared goals across different teams can unite & deliver a larger x-business outcome; be aware that this takes some skill & coordination to avoid complexity.

Motivating a team to crush sustainability goals requires more than just a pat on the back. You need to ignite a fire within them. Set clear, specific, and achievable targets that your team can rally behind. Break down the bigger picture into manageable chunks, and celebrate each milestone like it's a championship win. Make sure your goals are challenging, yet realistic - you want to push your team to innovate, not get discouraged. And don't be shy about recognizing individual contributions - a simple 'thank you' or public acknowledgement can go a long way in fueling their passion and commitment to the cause.

Quando as metas são claras e são elaboradas de forma mais participativa é natural que as pessoas se engajem mais, uma vez que se reconhecem nelas. É através desse processo construído de forma mais coletiva, com metodologias interdisciplinares e envolvendo diversos níveis hierárquicos, que as metas empresariais, especialmente no que se referem ao campo da sustentabilidade, podem ser conquistadas com motivação e dedicação. Objetivos comuns só são atingidos quando os times conseguem ver os benefícios e resultados não somente para empresa, mas também as pessoas dentro e fora da organização. Além de definir metas participativamente, é importante acompanhar os microprocessos e ter momentos de celebração, fortalecendo o senso de equipe.

1. Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals: Ensure everyone understands their role in achieving sustainability objectives. 2. Break down large goals into smaller milestones: Celebrate progress along the way to maintain momentum. 3. Involve the team in goal-setting: Foster ownership and commitment.

In my experience as a waste reduction professional, it is critical to get employee buy-in on sustainability programs, such as recycling and food waste composting. Many employees never grew up with these services at home or at other jobs, so you I am mindful of their level of knowledge around these topics. I always incorporate gamification into our employee training sessions. Once you make "talking trash" fun and exciting through gamified learning, then people aren't so resistant to changing their own habits around meeting corporate sustainability goals.

To keep your team fired up about sustainability, you should give them the keys to the car. Empower them to make decisions, take ownership of their tasks, and lead projects that drive real impact. When people feel trusted and autonomous, they're more invested in the mission. I've seen it time and time again - give your team the freedom to innovate and experiment, and they'll come up with solutions that blow your mind. So, step back, and let your team take the wheel. Provide the resources, support, and guidance they need, and watch them accelerate your sustainability goals like never before.

Provide necessary resources: Equip the team with the tools and support they need to succeed. Encourage autonomy: Grant employees the freedom to innovate and find solutions. Remove obstacles: Address challenges proactively to prevent frustration.

Podemos aplicar esses aspectos em nossas equipes, fornecendo os recursos necessários para que possam atuar em direção às metas de sustentabilidade. Dando a eles a autoridade para tomar decisões, promovendo um ambiente de autonomia. Incentivando-os a assumir a liderança de projetos ou iniciativas, o que não só fortalece suas habilidades, mas também aumenta seu comprometimento e senso de responsabilidade. Ao empoderar nossas equipes, nós criamos um ambiente de inovação e pertencimento, fundamental para o sucesso sustentável.

Incentivar a autonomia e oferecer oportunidades para os membros da equipe liderarem projetos ou iniciativas é crucial para o sucesso na jornada rumo à sustentabilidade. Ao permitir que sua equipe assuma a liderança, você não só desenvolve suas habilidades e competências, mas também reforça seu papel fundamental no avanço das metas sustentáveis da organização. Esse empoderamento fortalece o compromisso e a responsabilidade individual, tornando cada membro um agente ativo de mudança. Com mais autonomia, a equipe se sente mais valorizada e engajada, contribuindo de maneira mais eficaz para a formação de uma cultura de sustentabilidade e para o crescimento pessoal e profissional de todos.

Aside from building knowledge and constantly learning, I believe this is one of the most important aspects of engaging your team in achieving their sustainability goals. By working together not only are you supporting each other and working towards the same goal but you are talking to each other and fostering positive interactions and discussions.

Create cross-functional teams: Encourage knowledge sharing and diverse perspectives. Facilitate open communication: Promote a culture of transparency and feedback. Celebrate team successes: Reinforce the importance of collaboration.

Podemos sim tornar nossa equipe altamente colaborativa, criando um ambiente que promova a comunicação aberta e o compartilhamento de ideias. Incentivando a equipe a trabalhar junta, discutindo desafios e soluções de forma transparente. Valorizando a diversidade de perspectivas e fazendo questão de incluir todas as vozes nas discussões. Organizando reuniões regulares para troca de insights e experiências, e estabelecendo plataformas ou espaços onde os membros possam colaborar facilmente. Fomentar uma cultura de apoio mútuo ajudará a fortalecer o engajamento e a inovação, aproveitando a inteligência coletiva da equipe.

Offer both tangible and intangible rewards: Appreciate employees' contributions in various ways. Provide timely and specific feedback: Highlight individual achievements and areas for improvement. Celebrate milestones and successes: Create a positive and supportive work environment.

When a Manager extracts work from the team with high pressure, recognition is equally important as a word of motivation. All human beings get motivated on their success but if the goals are beyond saturation, word of appreciation can do wonders. Money doesn't work all the time.

Uma metodologia que usei recentemente foi aplicar o reconhecimento na prática em uma equipe, implementando uma rotina de celebração de conquistas, tanto individuais quanto coletivas. Fazendo elogios verbais durante reuniões ou em comunicações internas, destacando contribuições específicas para as metas de sustentabilidade. Implementei um sistema de recompensas formais, com prêmios e/ou certificados, para reconhecer esforços excepcionais. Sempre busquei expressar que o reconhecimento era sincero, e sempre imediato, para que os membros da equipe se sentissem valorizados. Procurei integrar o reconhecimento como uma prática regular, fortalecendo assim a cultura de apreciação, incentivando a continuidade de comportamentos positivos.

Learning is continuous. At my last company (climate tech) we were all avid readers of highly relevant texts around sustainability. For those who were functional experts in joining from non-sustainabiltiy commercial, fintech, finance roles, getting a rapid domain knowledge of climate change science, climate hazards, and physical risk was imperative. 'Essential reading' was encouraged across the company (articles, books, research topics). Finally, all publications by team members were actively distributed to and through co-workers.

There needs to be more education surrounding sustainability - sorry to sound like a broken record, but learning starts at home, or at school, or both. It should be a part of basic curriculum. I was in my late 30's when I started to learn about the importance of sustainability, and I was lucky enough to be in a position to be able to study a Diploma in Sustainability a few years back. The learnings don't have to be overly complicated - but there is SO little education as to WHY it's important. No, it's not just about a polar bear sitting on a melting ice cap in Antarctica! Although that's a serious thing... Sustainability starts at home. We can make so many tiny changes to our way of life that will have a big impact!

Knowledge is power! Invest in sustainability education for your team. This creates a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities. Empower your team to take ownership of sustainability initiatives. Recognize and reward their efforts, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. By equipping your team with knowledge and empowering them to act, you ignite a passion for sustainability that drives long-term success.

Encourage Learning Invest in employee development: Offer training and opportunities for growth. Promote continuous learning: Encourage curiosity and exploration of new ideas. Share knowledge and best practices: Foster a culture of learning and improvement.

A vida é sempre uma linha contínua de aprendizagem e precisamos ter a humildade intelectual para aprender sempre. Humildade Intelectual é a disposição para reconhecer a própria limitação de conhecimento e a abertura para aprender com os outros. Essa qualidade envolve a aceitação de que nossas próprias ideias e entendimentos podem ser falíveis e que há sempre espaço para novas perspectivas e correções. Pessoas com humildade intelectual: - Reconhecem suas limitações: - Valorizam as opiniões alheias; - Aceitam críticas construtivas; - Estão abertas a mudar de opinião. Nesse sentido, as empresas que estimulam a aprendizagem contínua não só contribuem a formação de uma equipe mais preparada como a formação de seres humanos mais plenos.