Sustainability is a team sport
A Positive Impact Playbook (University Version)
Why forming or leading a green team can transform your career
Why are green teams so vital to organizations who wish to not only survive the rapidly changing and competitive world we are in but who wish to thrive and be a place the most passionate and talented people seek out?
A green team eradicates the barriers that prevent growth and innovation, improves teamwork and culture, and delivers social, environmental, AND economic results.
This is the relaunch of a course that has already helped more than 120 people start and manage green teams!
Curriculum
This course is a step-by-step roadmap for recruiting and launching a green team, prioritizing initiatives, gaining traction, and overcoming objections. In this course, Learners are Doers! If you follow the playbook you will launch a sustainability team!
The course contains 19 lessons with bite-sized content (videos 10 minutes or less); a 90+ page workbook with team and leader exercises and activities, tips, tools, and resources; and exercises that help you take a Sustainability Team Toolkit spreadsheet that accompanies many of the lessons. There is also bonus content including interviews with sustainability experts.
Course outcomes
NOTE: your college professor will provide you a syllabus indicating which lessons and activities you should complete, according to your institution's academic calendar.
Lesson 2 Outcome and Description
FREE PREVIEWLesson 2 Checklist
FREE PREVIEWLesson 2 Video: Sustainability Overview
Team Discussion: SDG Preferences and Priorities
Lesson 2 Workbook Section
Lesson 2 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Sustainability Status and Inventory
Lesson 3 Outcome and Description
FREE PREVIEWLesson 3 Checklist
Lesson 3 Video: The Sustainability Team
Lesson 3 Workbook Section
Lesson 3 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Green Team History and Current State
Lesson 4 Outcome and Description
Lesson 4 Checklist
Lesson 4 Video: The Sustainability Business Case
Lesson 4 Workbook Section
Lesson 4 Practice Quiz
Sustainability Team Toolkit
Leader Activity: Business Case Brainstorming
Lesson 5 Outcome and Description
Lesson 5 Checklist
Lesson 5 Video: The Sustainability Stakeholders
Lesson 5 Workbook Section
Lesson 5 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Stakeholder Inventory
Lesson 6 Outcome and Description
Lesson 6 Checklist
Lesson 6 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Strategic!
Lesson 6 Workbook Section
Lesson 6 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Strategic Sustainability
Lesson 7 Outcome and Description
Lesson 7 Checklist
Lesson 7 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Popular!
Lesson 7 Workbook Section
Lesson 7 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Draft a Pitch to Launch the Green Team
Team Discussion: Organizational Culture and Employee Engagement
Lesson 8 Outcome and Description
Lesson 8 Checklist
Lesson 8 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Actionable!
Lesson 8 Workbook Section
Lesson 8 Practice Quiz
Leader and Team Activity: Plan the Steps for an Initiative
Team Discussion: Greenwashing
Lesson 9 Outcome and Description
Lesson 9 Checklist
Lesson 9 Video: Team Characteristics
Lesson 9 Workbook Section
Lesson 9 Practice Quiz
Leader and Team Activity: Assess Departments for a Cross-Functional Team
Lesson 10 Outcome and Description
Lesson 10 Checklist
Lesson 10 Video: Team Characteristics
Lesson 10 Workbook Section
Lesson 10 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Collaborate with Human Resources
Team Discussion: Representation Matters
Team Activity: Personal Assessments
Lesson 11 Outcome and Description
Lesson 11 Checklist
Lesson 11 Video: Team Recruitment
Lesson 11 Workbook Section
Lesson 11 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Engaging Communication
Leader Activity: Announcement and Recruitment Communication Plan
Leader Activity: Targeted Recruiting
Team Activities: Recruitment Video and Event
Lesson 12 Outcome and Description
Lesson 12 Checklist
Lesson 12 Video: Mission and Charter
Lesson 12 Workbook Section
Lesson 12 Practice Quiz
Team Activity: Create a Team Charter (External and Internal)
Team Discussion: Mission Statement
Lesson 13 Outcome and Description
Lesson 13 Checklist
Lesson 13 Video: Roles and Responsibilities
Lesson 13 Workbook Section
Lesson 13 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Team Roles
Leader Activity: Team Roles and Responsibilities
Team Activity: Research Assignment
Lesson 14 Outcome and Description
Lesson 14 Checklist
Lesson 14 Video: Priorities and Causes
Lesson 14 Workbook Section
Lesson 14 Practice Quiz
Team Activity: Organizational Priorities
Leader ADVANCED Activity: Weighted Decision Matrix
Lesson 15 Outcome and Description
Lesson 15 Checklist
Lesson 15 Video: Meetings and Activities
Lesson 15 Workbook Section
Lesson 15 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Meetings Best Practices
Team Activity: Initiative Assignments
Team Activity: Volunteer Outing
Lesson 16 Outcome and Description
Lesson 16 Checklist
Lesson 16 Video: Resources and Rewards
Lesson 16 Workbook Section
Lesson 16 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Giving Gratitude
Leader Activity: Document a Rewards and Recognition Plan
Team Activity: Prepare a Budget for Team Activities
Lesson 17 Outcome and Description
Lesson 17 Checklist
Lesson 17 Video: Managing Expectations
Lesson 17 Workbook Section
Lesson 17 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion: Brainstorm SMART Goals
Team Activity: Baseline Metrics
Leader Activity: Set up a Reporting Dashboard
Lesson 18 Outcome and Description
Lesson 18 Checklist
Lesson 18 Workbook Section
Lesson 18 Practice Quiz
Leader Activity: Get Empowered!
Team Activity: Put Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes
Team Discussion and Activity: Trade-offs
Lesson 18 Video: Overcoming Objections
Lesson 19 Outcome and Description
Lesson 19 Checklist
Lesson 19 Video: Maintaining Momentum
Lesson 19 Workbook Section
Lesson 19 Practice Quiz
Team Discussion and Activity: Troubleshoot Lack of Momentum and Commit to Action
Leader Activity: Sustainability Learning & Development Plan
Leader Activity: Deal with Turnover
Sustainability is a Team Sport Complete Workbook
Sustainability Team Toolkit spreadsheet
Activity Supplement: Team Strengthening
Course Acknowledgments, Disclaimers, and Additional Information
Collaborating with HR (Interview with Dr. Melonie Boone)
Inspiring with a long-term vision (Interview with Joan D. Plisko, PhD)
Engaging customers in sustainability initiatives (Interview with Vivian Belzaguy)
Multi-organizational Green Team - Part 1
Multi-organizational Green Team - Part 2
Multi-organizational Green Team - Part 3
Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton