Emissions Reduction Toolkit

Engage Employees Around Waste Management

What Is It?

“Software vs. hardware” is a good metaphor for engagement versus facilities. Examples of facilities or hardware include waste receptacles and working with a waste hauler to offer single-stream recycling. Facilities (hardware) alone do not do the job. A campaign to change behavior (software) also has to be implemented so that the facilities are used properly. For example, just putting a green recycling bin under office desks does nothing besides take up floor space, but adding an awareness and education campaign about what goes in the bin increases recycling rates.

Benefits

The benefits of an engagement campaign around waste can be different for different properties or cultures:

1. Cost: reduction in waste hauling, janitorial labor and supply purchasing.
2. Employees: gives employees a higher purpose as well as attracting top young talent that demands programs like this.
3. Environment: reduced environmental impact associated with business, but even more impactful is the employees’ behavior taken home to family, friends and community.

NEWS

• "4 Steps to Move Your Company to Zero Waste," GreenBiz, July 2, 2015

RESOURCES

• EPA: Managing and Reducing Wastes
• Community-Based Social Marketing
• Guardian Sustainable Business: Employee Engagement
• Recycling @ Work: Engaging Employees in Reducing Waste with Glad “One Bag Challenge” (case study)