Introduction

The Green Champions scheme encourages city council employees to act more sustainably by making small changes to their everyday lives and encouraging others to do the same.

Objectives and target audience

Green Champions was devised as a way of coordinating the work that many staff were already doing to improve sustainability in the council’s everyday business, and also to inform and enthuse new members of staff to think and act differently. The aim is to improve the sustainability of the Council’s operations through a bottom up approach of small actions made everyday at the local level.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The project was included in the work stream of an existing post and has an allocated budget of £4000 per year. In developing the concept we looked at similar projects – including Environmental Champions schemes run by Nottingham County Council and Global Action Plan – and built on these to create a scheme that would be right for Manchester. Following on the initial success of the project, the scheme has been packaged for local Businesses to use and has been promoted to them through Defra’s BREW  (Business Resources Use and Efficiency) programme.

Process

The project consisted of distinct delivery phases.
The initial launch involved raising awareness and signing people up to the scheme through attending road shows and training events, and through Green Champions being encouraged to sign up like-minded colleagues. Champions were provided with a handbook and posters to encourage sustainability in their workplace.
Once 400 Champions had been recruited a conference was held to encourage, thank and inform the volunteers and to let them share best practice. It was also an opportunity to hear their ideas for the development of the scheme, and for them to let us know any blockages that prevented increased sustainability in their workplace.
The consolidation phase has involved keeping Champions informed and enthused through a mix of events – like film screening – and weekly emails. There has also been a formalisation of recruitment with inclusion of the scheme in departmental induction schemes.

Results

• Over 900 members of staff across the organisation have volunteered to be Green Champions

• Since January 2007, 56 offers of used office items have been posted on the Green Champions swap shop.  If purchased new from our stationary supplier these items would have cost over £17000.

• Staff feel engaged and empowered to positively influence environmental performance

• Staff now have a communication channel to raise any concerns, comments or ideas regarding the organisation’s sustainability.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

One of the major aspects of the scheme is its voluntary nature. Staff volunteer to be Green Champions and are free to become as involved in the project as they wish. This helps to prevent the negativity and resentment that could be generated by a compulsory scheme.
The scheme could easily be transferred to another organisation. A pack has been created that guides an organisation through introducing it’s own scheme. This pack is promoted through the Environmental Business Pledge (see case study 02) and through targeted marketing at events.