Step 3: Make a plan

After reading Step 2: Where to Start I’m sure you’re fired up. You’ve chatted and asked loads of questions about how your business operates. It’s time to make a plan!

1. Put pen to paper... (or your fingers to your keyboard… you get the idea!)

• Jot down a list of all of the changes that can be implemented within your organisation.

• Start small, pick a few changes from your list or just pick one to start 

• Is there a cost to the business? If so, calculate + communicate + get the approvals required

• Note the benefits of the change. This will come in handy when you are pitching the idea to colleagues and celebrating your successes

Here are a few examples to get you thinking:

Example 1

Let’s take the water bottle example. The office buys four pallets of water every month, for arguments sake let's say $25, depending on how fancy the brand is. With a quick Google I have found that for $15 you can get a jug and 6 glasses. BAM. Win win. Save $ and save the environment. Not to mention the carbon footprint produced by the delivery each month.

Example 2

A super simple win if your employees fly for work, carbon offset the trips. In comparison to the cost of the flight the offset option is nominal, yet it’s not often selected. This should really be common practice within organisations. If there is a third party booking system see how they can make it a pre-selected option. 

Example 3

Purchase a handful of branded keep cups (if you don’t already have a stack sitting in the back of a cupboard or in a storage room). Make a deal with a local cafe, in return for washing them the organisation will promote to employees the sustainable partnership. More business for them and less single use coffee sups in the world. Get them to keep a tally and report back each month.

2. Pick the players…. The decision makers 

• If there is a cost, who does that fall to?

• Identify who has to change their behaviour? You’ll want their buy in.

• Do you need to be strategic with who you speak to first?

• Share the win? Sometimes making people feel included in the process helps them engage and implement the change.

• Build allies and know who you need to have support from to win

Doing it alone is great but it’s always more fun (and less work) if you have a gang to share the load and celebrate the wins. Get the vibe of your colleagues, if they're keen, great but if they are just going to be all talk and no action their probably not the right ally.

3. Shout it from the rooftops

• Because you have started small everything you have implemented has been a success. The joy of the small wins! If you haven’t, then learn and pivot.

• Celebrate and share the success. Make sure you share the big numbers 

  • Example 1 -1152 bottles of water not being consumed by the office each year!

• Ensure that the changes and successes are reported in the senior management meetings. You gain more momentum if the there is senior stakeholder buy in

After all your shouting and celebrating your wins you must be tired… check out our A must watch list. Time to take a load off and let someone else do all the talking.

May you make many small changes that have big and lasting impacts.

Go get ’em!