The problem

The directors of my firm have recently stated a desire to improve our brand image and reputation by being more environmentally responsible. Following the latest board meeting, passages have been included in our corporate plan referring to the goals of reducing our carbon footprint, encouraging staff to act in a green manner and enhancing the quality of our local environment.

From a recent conversation with our managing director, he appears convinced that embracing the green agenda will give us a PR boost and increase our prestige with customers, potential employees and the media. He has even calculated our carbon emissions, with the aim of setting a target for future reduction. He has made it clear that he thinks facilities management and HR should be taking the lead on this. As head of HR, my remit will be to encourage staff to rethink their transport and energy-saving habits.

These goals are very laudable and I am all for saving the planet, but even at this early stage I am dreading the staff response to any proposals we put forward. It is hard enough to make busy managers buy into HR initiatives at the best of times, let alone when our suggestions could involve an element of self-sacrifice or hassle for no visible reward.

In particular, I know that most of our employees drive to work because our premises are not well served by public transport, and many of our sales reps drive a long way on business. I fear that any move to reduce car use is going to be futile. As for energy use, I am concerned that merely asking staff to turn off lights and not boil the kettle is going to appear rather petty.

How can I generate some ideas to get this initiative off the ground, and get the workforce on side with the board’s aims?

The solution

Mike Cutt

Group HR director, Alliance Boots, and sponsor of PM’s and the CIPD’s HR Goes Green campaign

He says: More and more HR professionals are being asked to implement policies in their businesses similar to yours – and they may also be experiencing some of the anxiety you are feeling. Let me share some thoughts, and the experience Boots has had in reducing its carbon footprint.

My biggest request to you is to be optimistic about how your staff will respond to this issue. Boots found that many employees wanted to do their bit to protect the environment but didn’t know where to start. Using employee committees or forums was a good way to engage staff, generate ideas and position future company policy. Establishing special interest groups and finding natural champions can be a good way to come up with ideas, work through issues and develop activities and targets. Boots set up a cycling user group, found energy champions and set up recycling teams in our offices and factories.

Our HQ’s local council travel planning officer helped us to carry out a survey to understand the travel habits of employees. It identified alternatives to driving to work, such as establishing a car share scheme, promoting cycling and making sure we had considered providing cycle storage facilities and showers for those who cycle or run to work. The travel section of council websites can be a good source of information.

Changing car fleets can be difficult, but there are things you can do – for example, providing only low-emission cars, providing pool cars for incidental journeys, providing only diesel cars and promoting rail use.

A good starting point for reducing energy is to identify which processes have high energy use and thus could deliver the biggest benefit. This will show your staff the company is committed to making significant energy reduction, rather than asking them not to boil the kettle. Depending on the size of your business, two government-funded organisations offer free surveys – the Carbon Trust (www.carbontrust.co.uk) and Envirowise (www.envirowise.gov.uk).

Lastly, harness your managing director’s commitment by asking for a modest budget to get your employees onside. For example, cycle sheds and showers don’t cost much but show your people that the company is serious. Good luck.

Roy Miller

Senior partner at Zense, an environmental consultancy

He says: The key to any successful culture change is the effective communication of your objectives to stakeholders. To achieve a sustainable approach, you will need to encompass your own staff and any partnering organisations that can support your initiative.

Underpin your initiative by developing a creative approach to communicating with your stakeholders, because failing to engage with people can lead to misinterpreted motives and spark an unwelcome backlash against your plans.

You are on the right track by seeking ideas for getting the initiative off the ground – the trick will be how well you promote and sustain stakeholder interest.

It is important you avoid the “fast-food” approach to managing change, ie, seeking quick fulfilment via a rushed and superficial poll of ideas, linked to an attempt to gain engagement through a few well-meant yet ineffective communication techniques.

Use the following steps to help embed a sustainable green culture:

• Check your existing methods of handling change, seeking out any effective tools you may already have available.

• Revisit your green objectives to check that you fully understand how going green will benefit your organisation and everyone who gets involved.

• Adopt an integrated approach, encompassing high-profile communication, motivation and engagement processes, coupled with a long-term and sustainable improvement strategy.

• Don’t get bogged down with details at this stage, as there is plenty of good advice around on how to reduce your carbon footprint.

• Spot the most potent success factor you have at your disposal by applying your resources to managing the people-change element of your initiative.

You have already recognised the risk that simply asking people to “turn off the lights” or “use their cars less” may appear petty, so why not broaden interest by opening up the change process to a more tangible and exciting plane?

Understanding your objectives and having a well-constructed motivation and engagement approach will help to achieve buy-in, ultimately delivering an improved green performance to your organisation, your stakeholders and your local environment alike.

Stuart Thomas

Director of Tom Dunn, an HR and selection consultancy, and sponsor of HR Goes Green

He says: The starting point is to approach the MD’s challenge by thinking commercially, aligning green activities with strategic company objectives.

It would be a mistake to position “project green” as solely an HR initiative: first, because its sponsor is the MD; second, because it sets the wrong tone; third, because being green can be commercial. HR should drive the initiative across the company.

Take company cars. Since 2002, benefit-in-kind on company cars has been linked to CO2 emissions. From 2008-09 company car tax rates will be subject to further green changes, resulting in increased financial burden on company car drivers and higher employer national insurance contribution (NIC) bills.

Increased company car tax diminishes the employee benefit for existing and potential new employees. Increased NIC hits company profitability, which is bad news for the board.

By thinking ahead about the likely impact, green initiatives can enhance the company’s attraction and retention strategies, while lower CO2 emissions from cars will reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

The role of HR is to be at the heart of this activity – aligning board aspirations with strategic actions, driving projects, delivering commercial benefits and changed behaviours, while simultaneously introducing the green agenda. HR can ensure the firm adheres to legal requirements such as the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive, which prescribes responsibilities on firms on how to treat redundant electrical items, such as PCs. Charities such as Maxitech (www.maxitech.biz) can recycle old PCs, thereby discharging organisations’ legal duties, while creating positive PR.

The key is to think commercially and creatively. Turning lights off may sound petty, but with a cost-saving target it could be used to engage staff. Posters saying, for example, “For every £1,000 saved on wasted electricity, the company will donate £100 to a staff party,” can help make being green fun.

If you have any queries or problems, please send them to • troubleshooter@peoplemanagement.co.uk