Engaging employees in sustainability initiatives can have a powerful impact on achieving a company’s net-zero goals. By establishing a culture where employees feel responsible and committed to environmental objectives, companies can see substantial improvements in sustainable practices. Tracking specific metrics helps not only in measuring the efficacy of employee engagement but also in aligning with broader organisational sustainability objectives. Here are five critical metrics to monitor for effective employee engagement in sustainability:
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are one of the primary contributors to climate change. Monitoring these emissions allows companies to understand the environmental impact of their operations and workforce activities.
Why It Matters
Tracking GHG emissions as part of engaging employees in sustainability helps identify areas where employee behaviour can directly contribute to emission reductions, such as in travel, remote work and sustainable commuting options. For example, a reduction in travel emissions due to an increase in virtual meetings may indicate the effectiveness of remote engagement efforts. Organisations that want to involve employees in sustainability efforts must understand the three scopes of emissions. Industry data shows that scope 3 emissions (all indirect emissions that occur in the supply chain of an organisation) represent about 88% of an average company's total emissions. This makes it a vital area that needs employee involvement.
How to Track and Manage Emissions
- Data Collection: Calculate emissions resulting from employee activities, such as business travel, commuting and in-office energy use.
- Automated Monitoring Systems: Using carbon footprint calculators can provide real-time data on GHG emissions.
- Annual Assessments: Many companies also conduct yearly emissions assessments to quantify the reductions achieved through sustainable practices.
- Create a management plan: Based on statistics and data from the tracked emissions, companies can establish clear and achievable carbon reduction targets.
Energy Consumption
Energy management has become essential in corporate sustainability strategies. Reducing energy use not only lowers emissions but also decreases operational costs.
Why It Matters
Engaging employees in sustainability by encouraging mindful energy use can have a significant impact on the company’s overall energy consumption. Studies reveal that energy efficiency investments can cut company energy bills by an average of 30%
How to Track and Manage It
- Monitor Energy Usage: Use automated metre reading (AMR) systems to track energy consumption and manage costs. Organisations may also survey employees on their home-office energy usage if remote work is a factor.
- Promote Energy Efficiency: Encourage energy efficient initiatives like switching off unused equipment and using natural light where possible.
- Adopt Renewable Energy Options: Where possible, companies can adopt renewable energy sources like wind and solar power as opposed to fossil fuel products.
Sustainability Knowledge Score
A Sustainability Knowledge Score measures employees’ understanding of sustainability issues, best practices and the company’s specific environmental goals.
Why It Matters
Organisations can learn about their environmental programmes when they measure their employees' knowledge of sustainability initiatives. Companies can identify awareness gaps and improve their training strategies with a detailed sustainability knowledge score.
How to Track and Manage It
- Employee Engagement Survey: Conduct periodic surveys, quizzes or training evaluations that assess employees’ awareness and knowledge of sustainability concepts. The Tunley Environmental Employee Sustainability Engagement Survey is customised for each individual organisation to obtain data that is relevant for the company’s pain points.
Learn more here: Employee Engagement Survey Service Wrapped Up
- Continuous Learning Programs: Integrate regular lessons, tips and briefs in the operational schedule. Evaluations and adjustments based on performance metrics make these programmes more effective.
Green Commuting Percentage
Environmentally responsible commuting serves as an effective way to measure employee participation in corporate environmental initiatives. This encompasses using eco-friendly alternatives like public transport, carpooling, walking and cycling.
Why It Matters
Commuting choices have a large environmental impact due to fuel consumption and emissions. A higher Green Commuting Percentage indicates effective employee engagement in sustainable commuting options. Organisations can use this data to further promote eco-friendly transportation, such as adding more bike racks or partnering with public transit providers for discounted fares. This metric also aligns with Scope 3 emission reductions, helping companies report on indirect emissions resulting from employee activities. While also engaging employees in sustainability initiatives.
How to Track and Manage It
- Use commuting surveys to assess how employees travel to and from work.
- Track data on carpool program participation, bike-sharing services or the provision of public transit subsidies.
- Potentially offer incentives to employees who choose eco-friendly options for transportation.
- Periodically gather data to measure shifts in commuting behaviour.
Sustainability Project Success Rate
This measures the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives led or supported by employees. These projects might range from energy-saving challenges to biodiversity projects.
Why It Matters
Tracking success rates helps organisations understand which sustainability projects employees are most enthusiastic about and where they can make the most impact. High success rates can encourage the company to implement similar initiatives more broadly, while low success rates may indicate a need for additional resources or improved communication.
How to Track and Manage It
- Conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): This tool evaluates how well sustainability projects could work. It helps teams measure and tackle potential environmental risks before approving projects.
- Define Success Metrics: This could be percentage reductions in waste, energy savings or increased participation in recycling programs.
- Measure Performance: Track these metrics against initial targets to determine the success of each project.
- Collect Employee Feedback: This could offer insights into employee engagement in sustainability and suggestions for improvement.
The Bottom Line
Tracking these five metrics could offer a comprehensive view of how effectively employees are engaged in sustainability efforts and provides actionable insights into areas where the company can improve. Engaging employees in sustainability can not only help reduce environmental impacts but also enhance brand reputation, employee satisfaction and retention rates.