If you’ve already made great strides in reducing your carbon footprint around the house, the next frontier may be tackling emissions at work.
Becoming a climate “intrapreneur” helps push the corporate world to move faster on decarbonisation, says Laure Legros from non-profit group WorkforClimate.
“Climate is the biggest, most wicked problem of all time – one we unfortunately can’t leave to politicians or scientists or activists to figure out,” Legros says. “We all have to get involved – no matter what type of job we work in – and create that big wave of climate action.”
According to a 2023 Deloitte report, 50% of executives surveyed said employee activism had increased sustainability actions within their business.
So how do you go about getting your boss to do better on climate?
Summoning up the courage
Feeling intimidated at the prospect of raising climate issues at work is normal, Legros says. “There might be fear of being perceived as an agitator or a disruptor, or even losing your job.”
Instead of going straight to the boss, consider one-on-one conversations with peers first to gather a support crew. And if your initial ask is fairly simple – such as “why are we not using renewable energy in our offices?” – a quick email or an elevator conversation might be a low-stress way to kick things off.
Don’t be discouraged if you initially encounter resistance. While climate inaction or denial can be frustrating, try asking questions to understand barriers, so you can go away and consider solutions. “Sometimes you have to play the long game. Persistence is key, and every conversation counts,” Legros says.
Doing your homework
When engineer David McGlade set out to persuade his Adelaide firm to switch to renewable energy, he sat down and created a business case.
By sourcing quotes, selecting a rooftop solar system and investigating a switch to GreenPower, he made the decision a lot easier for executives. The company – with approximately 250 staff – is now running almost entirely on renewable energy.
“It wasn’t that difficult to get people on board,” McGlade says. “It had been talked about before but was put in the too-hard basket. It just needed someone to take the reins on it and push it through.”
Legros says McGlade’s experience shows the value of being prepared.
“Your boss is not likely to be convinced by simple arguments like ‘it’s the right thing to do’, or ‘there’s no business on a dead planet’ – although these are both true. It’s about doing your research and trying to connect the dots.”
The easy wins: electricity and superannuation
Electricity produced from fossil fuels is Australia’s single largest source of pollution – accounting for 34% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions. And businesses consume 70% of that electricity.
Switching to 100% renewable energy powered by sources such as wind, solar and geothermal is relatively simple and may even save the business money.
Advocating to change your company’s default superannuation fund to one that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels can also have a big impact, considering Australia’s super savings pool is worth about $3.5tn.
Consider a carbon footprint assessment
For employees in larger organisations, Legros recommends running a carbon footprint assessment, ideally with help from your internal sustainability team.
The assessment measures greenhouse gas emissions generated by your business, broken down into categories, which reveals the size of your company’s emissions impact and helps form a pathway for action.
This might include electrifying vehicle fleets, swapping to more sustainable or recyclable materials, engaging with suppliers on emission reductions, switching to compostable packaging and even phasing out certain unsustainable products or services altogether.
If you’re struggling to get traction on company-wide changes, consider what might be possible within your own role or department, where you may have more direct decision-making power. Project Drawdown has released job-specific action guides for a range of industries, including engineering, finance, HR, marketing and procurement.
For those outside the corporate world
In smaller businesses, it may not be worth the time trying to figure out every carbon footprint line item.
Legros says such operations are likely to be less complex with a smaller footprint – so tackle “low-hanging fruit” internally, such as sourcing green power, then look beyond your own business and advocate for change within your supply chain or via the types of clients you work with.
For extra support, check if your industry has a dedicated climate action group. Several have popped up in recent years, including Doctors for the Environment Australia, the Climate and Health Alliance and even Footy for Climate.
These sector-specific groups might have already developed useful tools and maps catering to a company like yours.
Vets for Climate Action, for example, have created an interactive digital toolkit to help vet hospitals, zoos and animal rescue shelters halve their greenhouse gas emissions. “It’s designed to be realistic and workable in a busy veterinary practice,” the CEO, Stefany Goldring, says. “We have over 40 practices subscribed to our climate care program.”
Further resources
WorkforClimate has developed an academy, and a free taster, to “greenskill” workers on how to influence stakeholders at every level of a business.
The free Hurd app allows workers to anonymously rate their company’s climate crisis response and access resources to help lobby for more action.
Change by degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint. Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com
