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14
I
Nonprofit
Performance
Magazine
T
here was a time when environ-
mental sustainability practices
were relegated to environmental or-
ganizations. Only green groups, the
thinking went, had time to care about
costly and difficult sustainability mea-
sures that distracted from other orga-
nizations’ missions.
That time is over. Social benefit
organizations of all sizes and flavors are
embracing sustainable practices. Why?
Because environmental sustainability and
organizational sustainability are linked.
This is true for large and small sustainable
practices. For example, at more than half
of organizations recently surveyed, paper
documents create headaches for workflow,
collaboration, version control and auditing,
not to mention the costs of paper and
ink. Yet online document services are
cheap (sometimes free!) and easy to use.
Videoconference quality, options and cost
have improved dramatically in recent years,
allowing organizations to cut travel expenses
and employees to work from home. Office
cleaning products emit harmful chemicals
that increase employee sick days and
reduce productivity. Greener options are
now available, often at comparable prices,
especially when the savings from reduced
absenteeism are factored in.
Do you own your own building or office
space? Even more savings abound. Next-
generation programmable thermostats cost
about $200 each, but save anywhere from
$25-$41 per employee per year, without
affecting comfort. A building energy audit
can save $170 per employee per year by
identifying cost-effective ways to cut your
use. Better yet - make your own energy.
The cost of solar photovoltaic (electricity)
and solar thermal (hot water) systems has
dropped dramatically. New financing options
make these systems not just affordable, but
profitable, even for small organizations.
Many installers now offer no money down
and loans with 0% interest.
The most important reason for organizations
to care about sustainability, though, is more
fundamental to their long-term existence:
Millennials. In poll after poll, Millennials
show strong support for environmental
issues, including where they work. Since they
will soon be more than half of the workforce,
this matters. More than 80% want to work
for organizations that care about their impact,
and 75% say they would take a reduction
in salary to work for a more responsible
organization.
Many nonprofits will look at these figures
and think, We already provide social benefit
to the world - we’re doing enough to attract
their talent. But Millennials care as much
about what happens inside the company as
they do about what it does for the world. 64%
will not accept a job from an organization
that does not have significant corporate social
responsibility policies. 60% are committed
to implementing sustainability practices in
their work. Nearly 90% want their employer
Double Dividend Sustainability
KYLE GRACEY
to provide hands-on activities in the
workplace that support sustainability.
An equal number want their bosses
to share company progress and goals
toward greater sustainability.
Many also expect their employee
benefits to be green, too. Interest,
and choice, for sustainably-minded
investments are growing. Millennials are
leading the charge to divest portfolios,
including pensions and 403(b)s, from fossil
fuels. And as Millennials choose bikes and
buses and trains over cars, free parking is
no longer the perk it used to be. Bike racks,
transit subsidies and centrally located offices
are. Human resource officers, take note.
Managers, too, should take heed.The biggest
barrier Millennials report to implementing
sustainable solutions at work isn’t cost.
It’s the reluctance of their managers, who
are often Baby Boomers. Listen to your
employees. They’ll repay you with greater
loyalty, productivity and, ultimately, a more
sustainable organization in every sense.
Are Millennials’ green glasses a passing
fad? Not likely. Post-Millennials (so-called
Generation Z) report similar levels of
sustainability concern. That includes their
choice of employer. If organizations want to
ensure long-term health as the generational
balance shifts, embracing environmental
sustainability must be part of their strategy.
Kyle Gracey is a nonprofit professional who focuses on
Millennial issues. He served as the executive director
of two social benefit organizations, and joined his first
board of directors at age 24. He now serves on four
nonprofit boards of directors, where he is the chair of
three. Kyle is based in Pittsburgh.
kgracey@eswusa.org