The Business Case for Environmental and Sustainability Employee Education

A study by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) finds that environmental and sustainability (E&S) employee education and engagement initiatives help companies achieve a range of business objectives from attracting and retaining employees to boosting the bottom line.  

“While in the past, most environmental education programs were primarily for environmental safety and health employees, many companies now realize that to achieve their sustainability goals, they need to involve the entire workforce (or all their employees),” said Diane Wood, president of the National Environmental Education Foundation. “Successful employee engagement programs motivate employees and can be an asset in recruitment and retention.”

The publication takes an in-depth look at examples where companies saved money, improved efficiency, built stronger customer relations — or succeeded in doing all three — through E&S education programs, presenting a compelling business case for environmentally literate employees. Company examples indicate that while there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to E&S education, engaging employees at every level of the company is essential to successful initiatives.