In our previous article, the first one in our new series on “green talent strategies”, we took a look at why investing in sustainability strategies is not only the right thing to do but how it also provides you with a wise and strategic view of your talent strategy and a way that you can make your business more resilient, attractive and future proof as well. In this second article, we are going to show you why making the first steps towards sustainability doesn’t have to mean significant cost reallocations, and large headcount raises, but with a practical approach, you can begin your journey with smaller, yet nonetheless, important actions that will significantly improve your organization’s future green capabilities and later help you more easily adapt a holistic green talent strategy as well.

The very first thing you can do in your organization is look for people internally who are passionate about ESG and green topics. Many employees may already have a personal interest in the topic and by involving and empowering them to drive these topics internally you are not only able to create momentum in a very efficient and cost-free way, but also provide purpose and mission to those people, thereby creating stronger engagement and connection between them and your organization. And even if you don’t find such individuals (which I would doubt) putting this on the agenda of your next meeting, and opening up a free discussion about it would already be a great thing to do, showing that you encourage a supportive environment on this (and other) topic(s) and foster an open communication culture within your organization.

Building on this first step, another great way to involve decision-makers and employees is by hosting green discussion panels. These can take place once a month or once a quarter and can provide an opportunity to openly discuss and brainstorm ideas on ESG and sustainability initiatives, share progress since the last meeting and address any concerns or challenges that the group faces. You could also consider giving out one or two “green days” per year. On these paid (!) days you would encourage employees to participate in hands-on sustainable activities, such as planting trees, volunteering at a recycling center, or even visiting and learning from local initiatives/experts to educate themselves on ESG topics. Through these experiences and bringing together all employees, you can not only create a better “team spirit” but also a more holistic approach to sustainability, one that is grounded in shared values and goals.

You also don't want to miss out on looking around and seeing what other companies in your industry are already doing. Learning from others is never a sin, in fact gathering best practices and success stories, or even better, studying the obstacles and difficulties that your competitors might face can serve as a great lesson and catalyst for change in your own organization. It can also be a great opportunity to create stronger connections and ties, or form a network on this topic with like-minded business leaders - and we all know the value of networking is one that is unquestioned even during these uncertain times.