Get Ready, Get Set, Get Organised

The essential ingredients to achieve positive change are: 

1. People who care 
2. Time and energy 
3. Diversity in skills, experiences, knowledge and relationships

Your collective voice speaks louder than any of your individual voices when addressing decision-makers, so your primary goal is to build a movement. 

1. Find your first five team members

Your initial goal is to find five colleagues who share the same views as you. It’s safe to assume that you’re not the only person at your work worried about climate change! These people will form the foundation of your group. 

Why

• Have support in the work required
• Build strength in numbers

How 

• Start with people you work with directly – who do you know ? 
• Ask them what role they want to be playing – not everyone will want to play an active role, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be supporters. 
• How to have the conversation: at the coffee machine / virtual chats / lunches etc

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Resource: 
One on One guide from 350 Seattle 
One on One Meeting guide from the Leading Change Network

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2. Organise the first meeting 

Once you found your first supporters, it’s time to organise your first meeting.  

Why

• Get to know each other better 
• Share expectations, goals and needs 
• Build mutual trust 
• Build initial momentum 

How

A face-to-face meeting is likely to be more effective (you can do this over a team lunch for example) however if this isn’t possible, you can run the meeting virtually. 

Here’s an email template you can use to invite people to your meeting: 

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Email Template 

Hello everyone, It was great to chat to each of you individually about our shared interest in keeping the coolest planet in the universe habitable, and motivation to do something about it in the workplace. 

I would like to invite you to an initial meeting, to discuss how we could collectively contribute to [Company] sustainability plans. This meeting will be informal and a great opportunity to:
- Get to know each other better
- Discuss our understanding of sustainability issues
- Share ideas on how to engage and take action

The meeting will take place on [Date + Time] –I hope you can make it !

Please RSVP to the invite before [Date] so we know who is coming. 

Looking forward to seeing you all there. 

Thank you, [Your Name]

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Workshop Agenda

Here is a suggested agenda for your meeting: 

• Introduction & Icebreaker – 10 min. Intro: Ask everyone to introduce themselves: Name + Role in the company + What brings them here today‍

Icebreaker suggestion: Ask everyone to tell a personal story about their connection to climate (could be related to living through an extreme weather event, or how they had an ‘eco-phany’ etc) 

• Personal Goals – 15 min - Ask everyone to share their personal objectives and why they are interested in being part of this group. What motivates them? ‍
• ‍Needs and Expectations – 20 min - Allow for individual reflection (five min) then ask everyone to share their needs and expectations.
• ‍Free Discussion – 15 min - Leave at least 15 min at the end for open discussion – that’s where the magic happens!

Possible prompts for initial discussion: 

“Why is climate change important enough for you to act?”

“Can you remember the first time you stood up for something you believed in?”

“Did you always feel strongly about this problem? Why / why not and what changed that?”

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Resource: 
Facilitation guide by All we can save

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Optional – Find a name for your team!

Whilst ‘Green team’ and ‘[Company Name] for Climate’ are perfectly suitable options, you might want to consider a new, original name for your team – it’s part of the fun! 

Name of other companies employees climate action groups: 

• Amazon Employees for Climate Justice
• Google: Anthropocene (internal group) 
• Pinterest – PinPlanet 
• Salesforce – Earthforce 

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3. Build your communication channel(s)

Now that you’ve had a chance to get together with your team, you need to decide how the group will communicate. Here are some suggestions for tools to use – keep in mind that the best tool is often the one your team is already familiar with and uses the most. 

Suggested tools:

• Slack
• Microsoft Teams 
• Yammer 
• Whatsapp / Facebook Workplace / Signal (Secure + Open-source)
• Notion (more for content management and collaboration than communication) 

Once you’ve chosen your communication platform of choice, you will need to bring it to life. Remember, the channel is only a tool, your success will depend on your collective ability to keep the conversations going. 

Advice: 

• Share content consistently  
• Respond to messages 
• Welcome new people in the group 

Types of content to share:

• News articles : what is happening in the climate/corporate sustainability space? 
• Podcasts/documentaries : helpful educational or inspirational resources
• Training: relevant upskilling opportunities for staff
• Updates – what is happening in the group (new team member added etc)
• Request for contributions 
• Meeting notes and next steps
• Celebrations – share your wins and challenges 

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Representation in your group

‍When forming your working group, think about representation. How representative of the demographics of your workforce is your group? Are you listening to all voices and taking their views to leadership?

A lot of working groups are underrepresented by people of colour, Indigenous people, or non-binary folks. And yet the climate crisis tends to disproportionately impact exactly these communities. Those most impacted by the problem must have a seat at the table.

Invest time in relationship-building to create a diverse team, and to be intentional about how you're organising. Your movement will only be stronger if it has diverse leadership. 

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1. Define your shared purpose

You have a group of people who share common values – that’s a great start! From there, your goal is to create a community of people who are working together to realise a purpose. Ie. you need a commitment to take action to accomplish common goals. 

And for this, your group needs a shared purpose. 

Why

• Define your why and set the direction for your group 
• Align everyone on the commitment to act 

How

Here are two possible templates you can use to organise a purpose workshop:

https://miro.com/miroverse/the-team-canvas/ 

https://miro.com/miroverse/team-purpose-workshop/ 

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2. Research your company’s climate actions 

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Chances are, your company is already doing something about climate change. Understanding existing commitments and policies, and the wider context – what competitors are doing, how the company is positioning itself publicly on the issue, its exposure to climate risks etc –will be key to setting the right goals later on. So you need to do some research! 

This is about figuring out where your company is now, so you can get a clearer picture of where it needs to be. 

Here are some thought starters: 

Renewable Energy

• Has the company achieved or pledged to achieve 100% renewable energy by a certain date? 

Climate Plan 

• Has the company set goals to address its climate footprint? 
• Are these goals in line with the IPCC timeline? 
• Are the goals covering the entire organisation’s emissions, including the upstream and downstream impacts? 
• Are the goals communicated transparently?
• To what extent does the company rely on carbon offsets to meet its climate targets, now and in the future? 

Investments: 

• Is your company offering a default retirement fund option that does not invest in fossil fuels? 
• Has your company switched some or all of its investments to a climate-friendly bank? 

Advocacy & Lobbying 

• Has the company taken a strong public position on climate change and what should be done? 

Scope X

Scope X (coined by the legendary Solitaire Townsend)- where 'X' stands for 'influence' refers to the work professional service industries - such as advertising, PR, management consulting, lobbying, law - and how this work is quietly influencing carbon emissions.

• Is your company enabling the fossil fuel industry to continue harmful extractive activities in any way? This includes: selling specialised products and services to fossil fuels companies and other polluting actors. 

The company – Operating model 

• What is the company responsible for – both from a legal standpoint and a moral standpoint? 
• How could the company’s business practices contribute to a thriving, fossil-fuel-free economy? 

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Once you’ve done the research and understand where your company stands now, you can start figuring out what your team’s objectives are. These objectives should – as much as possible – meet the magnitude and urgency of the challenge.

3. Set strategic goals 

Organising is not about raising awareness, or making speeches – though both can be tactics in your organising efforts –it’s about setting clear goals and mobilising resources to achieve these goals. 

SMART goals is a helpful framework for formulating goals. Your goals must be: 

Specific – something that is clear and tangible 
Measurable – so you can track progress towards the goal
Achievable – something you can realistically achieve based on the resources you have, your target and the balance of power between you and your target. 
Relevant – something that is transformative - it can’t be too easy – if it’s too easy, it won’t achieve the necessary transformation – we need the system to change.
Timebound – something you can achieve in the next 12-18 months – anything more and you will lose momentum. 

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At WorkforClimate, we’ve identified four significant areas employees can make a significant contribution to the global Net Zero goal: 

• Energy - Get your company to switch to 100% renewable energy 
• Emissions - Quickly decarbonize the rest of its business operations, including supply chains
• Money - Advocate for climate-safe retirement funds as the default option 
• Influence - Publicly advocate for climate-friendly policies at all levels of government

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We encourage employees to prioritise these goals at their workplace. Of course, there are other areas of contribution, and employees should not feel constrained by the above. Everyone should feel like their ideas matter and that there is space for them. 

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Smaller actions – such as implementing a recycling program, organising a beach clean-up etc – can be very effective to raise awareness, get people involved,  build momentum and ensure everyone can play a role. However, they should not act as a distraction from the bigger, bolder actions that are necessary to meet the magnitude of the challenge. 

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When deciding how to prioritise, it’s helpful to think in terms of impact on emissions vs impact (cost) to the business: 

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1. Define your governance model 

What is governance? 

Governance is all the structures, systems and processes for making decisions, assigning responsibilities  and setting the right course. 

Here are some of the questions that need to be addressed: 

‍Who does what? 

Who decides what to do? 

Who decides how to do it? 

How do we change a previous decision or way of doing things?

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Decide how to make decisions –see here for more information. 

Setting up a good governance model will set your group up for success and help it move faster. Note that this process isn’t sequential, so you can come back to this step later if needed.  

‍Why

• Provide the foundations for success in the long term 
• Act in the best interest of the group
• Establish trust amongst the group
• Establish credibility when interacting with leadership

How

Brainstorm these questions: 

• How often do you want the entire group to meet? 
• What is the best format for your meetings? (afterwork, video conferencing etc) 
• How to manage information sharing between groups and sessions ?
• How to manage progress across each working group?
• What are the internal rules amongst the group? 
• How are we going to resolve conflicts?

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Here are two examples of rules that are key: 

• No judging – Everyone is free to express their views, and must respect the views of others. 
• Confidentiality – Personal or sensitive information can be shared once a high level of trust is established amongst the team. Confidentiality is important to reach this level of trust. 

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Here is a MIRO template that might be helpful for this step: 

https://miro.com/miroverse/team-work-canvas/ 

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2. Assign roles 

Here are suggestions for key roles to assign in your group: 

• Internal Lead 
  The main internal spokesperson for your group; the one who will lead discussions with leadership and the sustainability team. 

• External Lead 
  The person who will be connected to the wider ecosystem (employees from other organisations, liaison with NGO etc).

• Lead Facilitator 
  The person who will manage the meeting calendar and facilitate the team meetings for the group.

• New Members Lead
  The person who will welcome and on-board new members.

• Working Group Lead 
  The person who will lead a specific working group ; the project manager. 

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3. Form working groups

Why

• To keep your group agile and effective
• To deliver on your strategic goals 

How

A working group usually includes ~six people max and is focused on a single strategic focus or goal, or project. Each working group needs to have a lead. It can be the person who suggested the idea, but could be someone else. 

Here are some examples of possible working groups: 

• Training and Development – Provide upskilling and training opportunities for the group and the wider organisation to empower employees to deliver on the sustainability agenda/
• Goal-specific –ie. get the company to switch to a fossil fuel-free retirement plan, switch to 100% renewable energy etc.
• Employee engagement – Organise climate-related activities to build awareness and engagement within the wider organisation. 
• Business transformation: Engaging with leadership on new products and services that contribute to a thriving future for the company and the planet.  
• Workplace sustainability – Initiatives that will enhance workplace practices – carpooling, EV corporate fleets, working from home, workplace waste, etc

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4. Create shared experiences 

Shared experiences are key to building strong, cohesive teams. 

‍Why

• Enable your team to bond 
• Build momentum by enabling interactions and trust
• Generate conversations and learning amongst the team 

How 

You need to make sure you create opportunities for these experiences. Experiences can be informal, such as monthly afterwork ‘climate drinks’ or a ‘climate lunch’. It can also be activities such as ‘Ride your bike to work’ or a beach clean-up day. Shared experiences need to be purposeful and repeatable. 

There are also opportunities to invite employees who are not part of the group but who may be interested in learning more about its activities. 

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Go further: Tuckman’s Model of team Development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing 

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As your movement grows, you will see different levels of engagement from employees – which can be summarised as a circle: 

At the centre is your core group. They are actively engaged in working groups, and they dedicate a significant amount of time – as part of their core responsibilities or beyond – to the movement. 

Then the next circle are collaborators, who take on specific supporting roles. 

And finally there are allies, who are peers supporting the cause and on whom you can count on when it’s time to raise a collective voice. 

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1. Craft your elevator pitch 

Say you meet the CEO in the elevator, or you talk to a new employee at the coffee machine;  you need to be able to articulate in 30 seconds what your group purpose is, what you do and the value you’re adding to the company. 

It may also be a good idea to build a quick presentation to circulate internally. 

Why

• Spark interest in what your group is doing
• Establish your internal credibility 
• Confidently talk about your group’s actions 

How

Here are some elements to include in your elevator pitch: 

• Introduce the context: why was the group created and who is represented? 
• Articulate the purpose:  what problem are you trying to solve? 
• Share the benefit and value that your group is bringing to the company 
• Provide an overview of the actions the group is working on 
• Hint at what the group might be expecting from leadership, before making a formal ask. 

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2. Communicate internally

Your group will be able to gain traction within the company if you communicate effectively about it. 

Why

• To recruit more people into the group 
• To communicate about your actions; celebrate wins 

How

• Have a mailing list for the group; a newsletter may be a good idea
• Craft a short presentation from your elevator pitch

Why not create a short video for your group to explain its purpose and actions? 

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3. Find allies in the organisation 

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Allies

One of your goals as a climate organiser is to get to know the right people in your company, and learn to discuss climate issues with them, from their perspective. Allies are collaborators that might not be part of your group, but they support your actions and you can lean on them when engaging with decision makers. Finding allies requires extensive communication and relationship skills - 

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WorkforClimate Tip
It makes sense to try and recruit people who already support the cause. But these people may not be the most influential at the company. You may want to invest time and effort in winning over the ‘organic leaders’ – these are the people who already have influence. So instead of finding people who are supportive and work to build their influence, you find people who are influential and work to build their support. This could be the key to scale your movement. 

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Sponsors 

Having one or multiple executive sponsors will help you be ‘official’, legitimise your action, and get access to both monetary and time budgets.

4. Build a relationship with leadership

As your group grows and gains credibility, you will need to start engaging more formally with your company’s leadership. Your objective should be to create an official and direct line of communication between your group and decision makers. Many companies, such as Salesforce’s Earthforce, have embraced employee-led sustainability teams and have enabled true collaboration. 

Why

• Make sure they are aware of the group’s existence, purpose and actions
• Reassure them that you are acting in the best interest of the company 
• Gain their support and negotiate a budget - monetary and time 

How

Here are some principles for successful engagement: 

• Communicate that the primary purpose of the group is to help the company show climate leadership. It’s not about  criticising, it’s about partnering with them to spark positive change (which, ultimately, will be good for business). It’s a win-win situation! 
• Make sure you engage with the sustainability department and/or leadership early on so they feel included 
• Timing tends to be very important. Many systemic factors can affect outcomes, so ask yourself if the conditions for change are there. 
• Be mindful of their time and constraints, and always be constructive. 

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When things are heading in the right direction, be supportive. Be patient and celebrate progress! 

The impact of the group depends on the resources and structure they have available to do their work. Asking for an explicit time and/or monetary budget will help.

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For your strategic and transformational goals, you will need to borrow from the playbook of traditional community organising. Here are some of the tools that will be helpful to you on the journey. 

1. Organising tool: Power Mapping 

Power-mapping is a process to help you  figure out who has the power to create change, and who might have the power and incentive to block the initiative.

Why

• Consider decision makers and all relevant stakeholders in relation to your objective 
• Identify relationships between these stakeholders 

How

Here are the powermap questions to answer: 

Who has the power to make this change?

Who do they listen to?

What do they care about?

What are they most proud of at your company?

Who is opposed to this change and why?

For key players, what is holding them back from adopting your goal?

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Once you have a list of key decision makers, you can map them against an axis of:

(a) Influence over the decision

(b) Level of support for the goal

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It is also helpful to map the key influencers within the organisation, and where they sit on the axis relative to the decision makers; getting their support will help you build your case and create the environment for change to occur.

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You also want to identify known relationships between the stakeholders, and draw lines between them to show connections. This way, you can reach decision makers indirectly: 

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For those stakeholders you don’t have direct relationships with, how will you connect with them?

Are there spots on the map where your actions may have the greatest impact?

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2. Organising Tactics 

The next question is: How will you intervene? Organising involves a wide range of tactics to influence stakeholders to make changes in line with your goals. 

Tactics can be categorised on a scale of disruption vs collaboration, as per illustration below: 

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On the collaboration side of the spectrum, we find tactics such as the “business case for change”, where you articulate the benefits of change to the decision makers. These tactics are usually more effective at catalysing change inside organisations. 

However, if you’ve explored all collaborative options and you’re looking to achieve a particularly transformative goal, you may want to consider the more disruptive tactics. 

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Conclusion

Every company is different, every group will have a unique context but we at WorkforClimate are here to support you along this journey. We can connect you with employees from other organisations who are organising on climate, and together we can achieve amazing progress. 

You can make a difference. The better time to start is now. 

Good luck! 

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Have you started or are you part of an employee climate group? We’d love to hear your story! You can get in touch with us at info@workforclimate.org 

WorkforClimate Resources Pack

Climate activities for the workplace (Icebreakers, Trainings, Engagement Tools)