How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint At Work
Employees play a crucial role in combating climate change. Whether it’s applying our skills and knowledge to climate goals, influencing public opinion, investing in climate solutions, or shaping culture and employee behavior, each of us has the ability to support a more sustainable future.
The non-profit organization Project Drawdown provides a list of actionable guides that can help you understand how to use your expertise and available resources to reduce your carbon footprint at work.
The NGO deals with various professional functions such as finance, government relations and public policy, marketing and human resources and offers simplified checklists to help various professionals keep track of their climate activities.
finance
Finances are a key function when it comes to climate protection. A finance professional can align the company’s finances and investments towards sustainable solutions, divest from problematic sources and reduce financial risk for the company and employees.
A financial analyst can make a case for investing in climate solutions. A treasurer can monitor and reduce the carbon footprint of corporate funds. Cost estimation professionals can take climate targets into account when setting product and service prices.
Government Relations and Public Policy
A government relations and public policy specialist can work with government, the media, trade associations and other stakeholders to advocate for climate action. Shaping public opinion is critical to driving proper policy and regulation, and as a relationship and policy expert, you can influence others and build a community that fosters dialogue and public action.
staff and operations
Human resources and operations specialists have the ability to influence the operations, culture and behavior of the organization’s employees. An HR professional could communicate the risks and opportunities of climate change and ensure the workplace is compliant with sustainability practices. HR specialists also shape the culture in the workplace so that climate goals are at the heart of the company’s actions. According to Project Drawdown, studies indicate that HR practices within the organization increase employees’ overall commitment to climate action, thereby creating an impact that transcends the organization.
legal
In-house lawyers can play an essential role in the implementation of climate targets, as they advise on corporate governance and ensure compliance. A General Counsel, for example, has access to key stakeholders such as board members and can directly influence the company’s climate protection direction. Legal team members can also guide the organization on policies and regulations that ensure climate targets are incorporated into legal agreements.
marketing
As storytellers, marketers play a crucial role and shape the narrative around the climate goals. Marketing professionals can create campaigns that effectively communicate the urgency of the climate crisis and motivate people to take action. The people in the marketing function also handle public relations and can ensure that the company is not associated with heavy polluters and other companies that take environmentally unfriendly actions.
procurement
Purchasing experts have a 360-degree view of the climate opportunities and challenges in their company. They can use their purchasing power to make greener choices and influence climate action across the value chain.
Relevant: Hospitals are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint
Sales and customer side roles
Salespeople and those responsible for customer contact can control who they sell the company’s products and services to, thereby promoting activities that advance climate goals. Vendors also have daily interactions with customers that can help them gain information about their climate priorities and then share that knowledge with the organization.
Regardless of your specific role within the organization, you have critical expertise and available resources to drive climate goals forward. Download Project Drawdown’s checklist for your company role for a daily actionable plan to reduce your carbon footprint.
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