Do you need a green team?

  • Is your organization on a sustainability journey and struggling to get traction?
  • Or maybe you haven't even started the journey because you're unsure what step to take first?
  • Maybe you have made excellent progress on your sustainability journey but want to know how a more cohesive strategy and team organization can propel you further.
  • Or are you a leader and want to learn how to better attract the best and brightest to your organization?
  • Perhaps this is more personal. Do you think there's no place in your organization for your passion for social and environmental issues?


If you answered yes to any of those questions, this course is for you.

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

Participants receive 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

  • Develop a business case and strategic justification for a green team.
  • Build a cross-functional, representative, and productive sustainability team.
  • Prioritize social and environmental issues for the team to address.
  • Plan and implement sustainability initiatives, such as volunteer outings, waste audits, and more.
  • Set goals for both team performance and triple bottom line performance.
  • Manage expectations and lead the team through obstacles and objections.

See the full curriculum below and preview most of the first 3 lessons for free.


Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the Course!

  • 2

    Lesson 1: Course Overview

  • 3

    Lesson 2: Sustainability Overview

  • 4

    Lesson 3: The Sustainability Team

  • 5

    Lesson 4: The Sustainability Business Case

    • Lesson 4 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 4 Checklist

    • Lesson 4 Video: The Sustainability Business Case

    • Lesson 4 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 4 Workbook Section

    • Lesson 4: Business Case Data Information Exchange

    • Leader Activity: Business Case Brainstorming
  • 6

    Lesson 5: The Sustainability Stakeholders

    • Lesson 5 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 5 Checklist

    • Lesson 5 Video: The Sustainability Stakeholders

    • Lesson 5 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 5 Workbook Section

    • Leader Activity: Stakeholder Inventory
  • 7

    Lesson 6: Green Team Benefit - It's Strategic!

    • Lesson 6 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 6 Checklist

    • Lesson 6 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Strategic!

    • Lesson 6 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 6 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Strategic Sustainability
  • 8

    Lesson 7: Green Team Benefit - It's Popular!

    • Lesson 7 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 7 Checklist

    • Lesson 7 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Popular!

    • Lesson 7 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 7 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Organizational Culture and Employee Engagement

    • Leader Activity: Draft a Pitch to Launch the Green Team
  • 9

    Lesson 8: Green Team Benefit - It's Actionable!

    • Lesson 8 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 8 Checklist

    • Lesson 8 Video: Green Team Benefit - It's Actionable!

    • Lesson 8 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 8 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Greenwashing

    • Leader and Team Activity: Plan the Steps for an Initiative
  • 10

    Lesson 9: CREATE the Team

    • Lesson 9 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 9 Checklist

    • Lesson 9 Video: Team Characteristics

    • Lesson 9 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 9 Workbook Section

    • Leader and Team Activity: Assess Departments for a Cross-Functional Team
  • 11

    Lesson 10: Team Characteristics

    • Lesson 10 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 10 Checklist

    • Lesson 10 Video: Team Characteristics

    • Lesson 10 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 10 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Representation Matters

    • Leader Activity: Collaborate with Human Resources

    • Team Activity: Personal Assessments
  • 12

    Lesson 11: Team Recruitment

    • Lesson 11 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 11 Checklist

    • Lesson 11 Video: Team Recruitment

    • Lesson 11 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 11 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Engaging Communication

    • Leader Activity: Announcement and Recruitment Communication Plan

    • Team Activities: Recruitment Video and Event – Share Examples!!

    • Leader Activity: Targeted Recruiting
  • 13

    Lesson 12: Mission and Charter

    • Lesson 12 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 12 Checklist

    • Lesson 12 Video: Mission and Charter

    • Lesson 12 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 12 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Mission Statement

    • Team Activity: Create a Team Charter (External and Internal)
  • 14

    Lesson 13: Roles and Responsibilities

    • Lesson 13 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 13 Checklist

    • Lesson 13 Video: Roles and Responsibilities

    • Lesson 13 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 13 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Team Roles

    • Leader Activity: Team Roles and Responsibilities

    • Team Activity: Research Assignment
  • 15

    Lesson 14: Priorities and Causes

    • Lesson 14 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 14 Checklist

    • Lesson 14 Video: Priorities and Causes

    • Lesson 14 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 14 Workbook Section

    • Team Activity: Organizational Priorities

    • Leader ADVANCED Activity: Weighted Decision Matrix
  • 16

    Lesson 15: Meetings and Activities

    • Lesson 15 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 15 Checklist

    • Lesson 15 Video: Meetings and Activities

    • Lesson 15 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 15 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Meetings Best Practices

    • Team Activity: Initiative Assignments

    • Team Activity: Volunteer Outing
  • 17

    Lesson 16: Resources and Rewards

    • Lesson 16 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 16 Checklist

    • Lesson 16 Video: Resources and Rewards

    • Lesson 16 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 16 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Giving Gratitude

    • Leader Activity: Document a Rewards and Recognition Plan

    • Team Activity: Prepare a Budget for Team Activities
  • 18

    Lesson 17: Managing Expectations

    • Lesson 17 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 17 Checklist

    • Lesson 17 Video: Managing Expectations

    • Lesson 17 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 17 Workbook Section

    • Team Discussion: Brainstorm SMART Goals

    • Team Activity: Baseline Metrics

    • Leader Activity: Set up a Reporting Dashboard
  • 19

    Lesson 18: Overcoming Objections

    • Lesson 18 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 18 Checklist

    • Lesson 18 Reflection Questions

    • Lesson 18 Workbook Section

    • Team Activity: Put Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes

    • Leader Activity: Get Empowered!

    • Team Discussion and Activity: Trade-offs

    • Lesson 18 Video: Overcoming Objections
  • 20

    Lesson 19: Maintaining Momentum

    • Lesson 19 Outcome and Description

    • Lesson 19 Checklist

    • Lesson 19 Video: Maintaining Momentum

    • Lesson 19 Workbook Section

    • Lesson 19 Reflection Questions

    • Team Discussion and Activity: Troubleshoot Lack of Momentum and Commit to Action

    • Leader Activity: Sustainability Learning & Development Plan

    • Leader Activity: Deal with Turnover
  • 21

    Resources and Extras

    • Sustainability is a Team Sport Complete Workbook

    • Sustainability Team Toolkit spreadsheet

    • Activity Supplement: Team Strengthening

    • Activity Supplement: Sustainable Procurement Audit

    • Course Acknowledgments, Disclaimers, and Additional Information
  • 22

    Interviews with Sustainability Experts

    • 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

Choose from Three Options

Self-paced to guided coaching- which best fits your style and needs?

About the instructor

The Change Maker

Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton

Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton is Founder and Chief Change Agent of Astrapto LLC, which offers courses, coaching, and consulting to advance sustainability in hospitality, events, travel, and other services industries. Her passion is to make sustainability practical and positive for people whose job title is not sustainability, but who have a passion to drive positive impact in and through their organizations and supply chains. Aurora loves helping people realize their potential while discovering a greater purpose for good in business. She has helped over 120 young professionals launch green teams and perform sustainable procurement audits. Her clients include World Wildlife Fund (Hotel-Kitchen), Centerplate, Baltimore Convention Center, Green Seal (hotel eco-certification), the Events Industry Council, and various hotels and restaurant groups. She has been a thought leader and volunteer in industry organizations, including the Events Industry Council and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Aurora has a doctorate degree in Social Impact Management.

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