Category: Sustainability

9 Tips for Compelling Competition Entries in Sustainability

~ jo-anngarbutt ~ Leave a comment

Entering the project you are most proud of into an excellence competition is an exciting opportunity to showcase your hard work and achievements. But let’s face it, the competition can be stiff—especially when sustainability is a key judging criterion. Don’t worry, though; this post will guide you through how to focus on the right elements and tell a compelling story that highlights your project’s success without making things up. The secret? It’s all about having the right data, understanding what it means, and explaining why it matters.

Here are nine ways to make your project stand out and be memorable and remarkable:

1. Start With the Basics: Read the Rules

Before drafting your entry, carefully review the competition guidelines, especially sections on sustainability or innovation. These often hint at what judges value most—energy efficiency, water conservation, carbon reduction, waste avoidance, community impact, or even all of these. Align your entry with these priorities. And don’t stress over word limits—stay within 10% of the specified count, as they’re there to keep entries focused, not to demand a full thesis.

2. Tell a Story, Not Just the Facts

Before you start writing your entry, read the competition guidelines carefully. Pay special attention to any sections about sustainability or innovation. Competitions often provide clues about what the judges are looking for—energy efficiency, water conservation, carbon reduction, waste avoidance, community impact, or maybe all of the above. Tailor your entry to match these expectations.

3 Focus on Measurable Outcomes

Judges love numbers, so don’t shy away from sharing your data. If your project saved energy, reduced emissions, or cut costs, include the specifics. Here are some examples:

  • Energy Efficiency: “We installed energy-efficient lighting and reduced electricity usage by 30%, saving EUR 10,000 annually.”
  • Waste Reduction: “By reusing materials on-site, we diverted 95% of construction waste from landfills.”
  • Sustainability Impact: “The project’s solar panels now produce 20,000 kWh annually, enough to power 10 homes.”

Don’t have all the data? That’s okay—start with what you do have. Just be sure to explain how you measured these outcomes and why they’re meaningful.

4. Highlight What Makes Your Project Unique

Competitions are about standing out. Did you try something new that hadn’t been done before? Did you find a way to make the project faster, cheaper, or more sustainable? Maybe you combined existing methods or approaches in creative ways. For example:

  • “We used prefabricated components to speed up construction, reducing on-site waste and emissions.”
  • “Our landscaping included native plants, which cut water usage by 40% and boosted local biodiversity.”

Be clear about how your approach sets your project apart.

5. Talk About What You Learned

No project is perfect, and judges appreciate honesty. Talk about what went well but also acknowledge what didn’t. Maybe a new method didn’t work as planned, or you realized late in the process that a different approach would have been better. What’s important is that you show you learned from the experience.

For example:
“We underestimated the time required to train staff on the new energy management system, which delayed implementation. In the future, we would schedule training earlier to avoid this issue.”

6. Sustainability: More Than Just Energy

When we think of sustainability, energy efficiency often comes to mind first. But there’s more to it. Judges might also look for:

  • Circular Economy: Did you reuse, upcycle or recycle materials?
  • Water Conservation: Did your project reduce water usage?
  • Community Impact: Did the project benefit local communities or create jobs?
  • Biodiversity: Did your landscaping include native plants to support local ecosystems, or did you create green spaces that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies?
  • Positive Local Community Impact: Did you partner with local schools for educational programs or support community groups through funding or volunteer initiatives during the project?

By broadening your perspective, you can show how your project goes beyond energy savings to create lasting, meaningful impacts. Be sure to cover these aspects if they apply to your project.

7. Be Honest—Don’t Fake It

It’s tempting to stretch the truth to make your project look better but resist the urge. Judges have likely seen it all, and they’ll spot exaggerations a mile away. Instead, focus on presenting your project’s real achievements as clearly and confidently as possible.

8. Make It Easy to Follow 

A clear, well-organized entry can make all the difference. Judges don’t have time to untangle cluttered submissions, so present your work in a way that flows logically and is easy to digest. Use clear headings, concise bullet points, and short paragraphs to guide the reader. 

Think about your structure: 

  • Timeline Approach: Are you walking judges through processes, events, or project phases step by step? 
    • Top-Down Method: Are you starting with a big-picture overview and then zooming in on specific achievements or highlights? 
    • Comparative Lens: Are you showcasing measurable improvements by comparing past performance to present outcomes and projecting future benefits? 

If you’re including technical data, don’t let it overwhelm the narrative. Break it down into simple, relatable terms that anyone—even those without technical expertise—can understand. For example, instead of saying “airtightness of 0.6 ACH at 50 pascals,” explain how that translates into better energy savings or indoor comfort. 

A polished, intuitive format not only keeps the competition judges engaged but also ensures they don’t miss the full scope of your project’s excellence.

9. Think About the Future

Judges often like to see how your project has inspired or informed future efforts. Did it set a standard for your company or industry? Has it led to new ideas or processes? For example:

  • “The success of this project has prompted us to roll out similar solar energy systems at three other sites.”
  • “We are now working to integrate lessons learned into our next project to achieve even greater sustainability.”

Conclusion: Show the Big Picture

Entering a competition isn’t just about winning—it’s about showcasing what makes your work exceptional. By focusing on measurable outcomes, sustainability, and what you’ve learned, you can create a compelling entry that stands out.

Remember: the judges aren’t looking for perfection—they’re looking for impact, innovation, and integrity. Follow this approach, and you’ll not only improve your chances of winning but also demonstrate why your project truly matters.

Now go tell your story—sustainably, of course!

Streamline Your Workflow: Start, Stop, Change Strategy

~ jo-anngarbutt ~ Leave a comment

Feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list? It’s time for a fresh approach. Whether you’re figuring out what new tasks to start, which processes to stop, or where to make improvements—including sustainability initiatives—this simple method will help you cut waste and boost efficiency. Think of it as a game-changer for your workflow, empowering your team to work smarter, not harder, while making real progress. Change doesn’t have to be overwhelming; it’s about making strategic, impactful adjustments that lead to better results, smoother workflows, and more sustainable outcomes.

A Fresh Approach to Tackling Chaos

Ever feel like your to-do list is out of control? This simple method helps bring clarity, meaning, and direction to your tasks. Whether you’re deciding what new actions to take, which processes need tweaking, or which habits to drop, this approach will streamline your workflow, boost productivity, and make your routine more manageable.

Even the best processes lose their effectiveness over time or fail to take advantage of the improved availability of better tools and templates, signaling the need to reassess. While big changes can be costly, small adjustments often get things back on track. The method I’ll share is perfect for team brainstorming, making it easier to identify areas for improvement together.

Think of it like tidying up a familiar room. Some things need to go, while others just need a small fix. This tool helps you do the same with your work, identifying what needs to change, what new actions to start, and what habits to stop.

Importantly, it’s also about working smarter with sustainability in mind. Rethinking processes to reduce waste, conserve resources, and adopt eco-friendly practices not only improves efficiency but also builds a more sustainable work environment for the future.

What to Start

Think of yourself as a gardener, planning to refresh and revive your garden. To improve a process or outcome at work or in a volunteer setting, you need to plant new “seeds”—ideas and actions that hold the potential to bring positive change. These are the things you want to start doing to make a meaningful impact.

Ask yourself: What new tools, strategies, or approaches could help streamline work, solve problems, or improve how people experience your organization or team? It might be a fresh approach to a recurring issue or an idea that could make things more efficient. Like planting new flowers in a garden, these initiatives will need your time and attention to grow and flourish.

By starting these key actions, you create opportunities for improvement and success and build an environment that thrives on new ideas and growth.

What to stop

When we talk about what needs to stop in the workplace, we’re focusing on behaviors and habits that hold everyone back. Think of gossip—it’s like a poison that erodes trust and divides teams. Then there’s micromanagement, which stifles creativity and leaves people feeling frustrated and demotivated. And multitasking? While it might seem productive, it often leads to mistakes and burnout. By eliminating these negative behaviors, we can create a more positive, collaborative, and efficient work environment.

Stopping isn’t just about behaviors, though; it’s also about simplifying how we work. This means cutting out unnecessary steps, avoiding redundant processes, and leveraging technology to make tasks easier and faster. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

The key to success is getting everyone involved. When the team collaborates and shares insights, it becomes easier to identify which tasks or processes don’t add value—and figure out the best ways to eliminate them. This not only streamlines workflow but also helps the entire team feel more aligned, motivated, and connected.

What to change

When identifying what needs to be changed, it’s about finding those processes or tasks that work to some extent but aren’t quite hitting the mark. These are not things you want to stop completely, but they could benefit from refinement or improvement. The goal is to enhance their efficiency or effectiveness rather than overhaul them entirely.

This step is about finding out with your team where bottlenecks occur, where confusion arises, or where inefficiencies creep in. Perhaps you uncover small tweaks that make a big difference. For example, a task might be taking longer than necessary because of an outdated step, or perhaps communication between teams could be improved to streamline a handoff.

Other possible candidates for change may lie in opportunities to improve: Are there tasks that could be automated? Is there a process that could be shortened or simplified without sacrificing quality? Sometimes it’s as simple as adjusting timelines or reallocating resources to better fit the demands of a project.

The key is not to throw out processes that have potential but to fine-tune them. By making small, thoughtful adjustments, you can improve the overall flow and outcomes. Involving the entire team in identifying these areas for change ensures that the solutions are practical, realistic, and beneficial for everyone.

Setting up time with the team

To kick off improvements, start by gathering input from everyone involved in the workflow. Set up a dedicated meeting where each person can share their unique insights. By involving the whole team, you’ll gain a diverse range of perspectives, helping you identify opportunities for improvement far more effectively than if you were working alone.

To make the session productive, team up with coworkers and dedicate about an hour to look for ways to enhance how you work, the environment you work in, or how your organization delivers value—whether it’s to customers, clients, or those benefiting from your volunteer efforts.

Here’s how to structure your session for success:

  1. Define the Focus: Clearly outline what the session is about. Are you looking to improve a specific process, boost safety, streamline workflows, or enhance customer/recipient satisfaction? Make sure everyone understands the goal before diving into discussions.
  2. Encourage Open Dialogue: Create a safe space for everyone to share their ideas, frustrations, and suggestions. Emphasize that all feedback is valuable and will contribute to positive change.
  3. Brainstorm Together: Work as a group to explore ways to make things better, smarter, and safer. This could involve improving the way tasks are done, optimizing the workspace, or enhancing the delivery of value to customers or the community.
  4. Capture Ideas: Use Stop, Start, and Change flipchart pages to organize ideas. After brainstorming, categorize the suggestions:
  • Stop: What isn’t working and needs to stop?
    • Start: What new actions, processes, or tools should be introduced?
      • Change: What existing processes could be improved with a few adjustments?

5. Assign Actions: Once ideas are gathered, assign ownership for each action. Ensure there’s follow-up so the insights gained from the session translate into real improvements. Also, set up a follow-up recurring meeting to review how things are going to discuss if you need to change or improve how you are implementing actions to be more successful and avoid obstacles to success.

By following this structure, you’ll ensure that your team collaborates effectively and walks away with actionable steps to make meaningful changes.

Keep Stakeholders in the Loop

After the meeting, it’s important to keep key stakeholders, such as your supervisor or others involved in the implementation, informed about the progress. Provide them with an update on the discussions, including the proposal for items to start, stop, or change. This transparency ensures they are aware of the team’s efforts and can offer support as needed. Additionally, ask for their feedback and suggestions. This will help ensure that no key opportunities for improvement are missed and that the plan is as comprehensive as possible. Engaging others in this way enhances collaboration and strengthens the overall success of the initiative.

Now It’s Your Turn to Change the Game

Taking a structured approach to what you start, stop, and change can really improve how your team works and help you reach your sustainability goals. I encourage you to take a fresh look at your team, your environment, and how you get things done. Find ways to not only make customers happier and save money, but also to reduce waste, save resources, and lessen your impact on the planet. Involving your team in this process will help everyone work smarter and feel more motivated as they see their ideas making a difference. Whether you’re working or volunteering, these changes can lead to a more rewarding and sustainable experience. Now is the time to act—start looking for where you can make a real difference for your team and the environment.

Timing is Everything: Save with Smarter Energy Use

~ jo-anngarbutt ~ Leave a comment

Looking to lower your electricity bill? It starts with understanding when and how you use electricity. By reviewing your energy usage, you can spot the times when you use the most power and which appliances consume the most. This information is key to cutting costs.

Below is an example that shows how much electricity a household uses each hour. The taller the bar, the more energy is used during that hour. You can see a spike around 8 AM, likely because people are getting ready for work or school. In contrast, early morning hours, when the household is asleep, show much lower energy use. This example might also reflect a home using efficient heating during winter, resulting in lower usage overnight.

Cut Costs with Time-of-Use Rates

Think of the electricity grid like a busy road. During rush hour, traffic slows down because everyone is on the road at the same time. The same thing happens with electricity—during peak hours (like afternoons and early evenings), lots of people are using power, which puts stress on the grid.

In the chart below, you’ll see the household’s energy use in two colors: green and orange. Green represents times when electricity is cheaper, while orange shows when it’s more expensive. As you can see, most of the electricity is being used during the orange (expensive) hours. If the household shifted some tasks, like running the washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher, to the green (cheaper) times, they could save money. Even small changes like this can make a big difference on their electricity bill.

Understanding Time-of-Use Tariffs for Electricity

Some utility companies offer plans that charge you based on when you use electricity. The rates vary depending on the time of day—electricity is cheaper during certain hours and more expensive during others. By understanding how these time-of-use tariffs work, you can adjust your habits and save money on your electric bill.

Why Do Power Companies Offer Variable Electricity Rates?

Variable electricity rates work like offering different prices to drive on the roads at different times of day. When more people use the roads at quieter times, traffic flows smoothly. Similarly, when more people use electricity during off-peak hours (when the grid is less busy), it helps utility companies avoid overloads and keep the system running smoothly.

By charging higher rates during peak hours, utility companies encourage people to shift their energy use to less busy times. This reduces strain on the grid and helps prevent blackouts or other issues during periods of high demand—like when everyone is cooking dinner or watching TV. During off-peak times, such as late at night when most people are asleep, electricity is cheaper because demand is lower.

This pricing system, known as Time-of-Use (TOU) tariffs, means that electricity costs vary throughout the day, giving you the opportunity to save money by using energy during cheaper, off-peak hours.

Example: How Variable Rates Can Save You Money

Let’s look at an example to show how time-of-use tariffs can impact your electricity bill. We’ll compare two scenarios: one where a household uses a variable rate plan, and another where they don’t. In both cases, the household uses 150 kWh of electricity in a month, so the only difference is the plan they’re on. This will help illustrate how using the same amount of energy can cost less when you take advantage of variable rates.

A Time-of-Use Electricity Tariff

For this example, let’s assume that electricity costs €0.18 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) during the day, from 8 AM to midnight. At night, from midnight to 8 AM, the cost drops to €0.10 per kWh.

Now, if your total electricity usage for the month is 150 kWh, and you use 100 kWh during the day and 50 kWh at night, your electricity bill would be calculated like this:

  • Daytime usage: 100 kWh x €0.18/kWh = €18
  • Nighttime usage: 50 kWh x €0.10/kWh = €5
  • Total bill: €18 + €5 = €23

Without a Variable Rate for Electricity

If there’s only one flat rate for electricity throughout the day, the cost is often higher. Let’s say the rate is €0.21 per kWh. In this case, the family’s monthly bill would be:

  • Total bill: 150 kWh x €0.21 = €31.50

As you can see, the household with a time-of-use plan pays less (€23) compared to the flat-rate plan (€31.50). This shows that variable rates can save you money, even though the peak-time rates are sometimes higher than a flat rate.

What can you do?

If your utility provider offers time-of-use or variable tariffs, where you pay less during certain times of the day, here are some steps you can take to maximize your savings:

  1. Install a Smart Meter: A smart meter tracks your electricity use hour by hour, so you can see exactly when and how much energy you’re using. Many utility companies offer free installations, giving you better control over your energy habits.
  2. Adjust Your Daily Habits: Shifting energy-heavy tasks like laundry or dishwashing to off-peak hours can significantly reduce your bill. Even small changes can add up over time.
  3. Monitor Your Usage: If your utility offers an app or online portal, check your electricity usage regularly. Look for patterns and try to match high energy use with specific activities (e.g., running the washing machine). This helps you identify when to shift energy use to cheaper times.
  4. Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Appliances: When it’s time to replace appliances, choose energy-efficient models. These not only use less electricity but can save even more if run during off-peak hours.
  5. Use Smart Appliances: Some appliances can be programmed to run during off-peak times automatically. Set them to start when rates are lower, and enjoy the savings without having to think about it.
  6. Install a Programmable Thermostat: Adjust your thermostat to lower the temperature during peak hours to reduce heating and cooling costs.
  7. Invest in Energy Monitoring Devices: These devices show real-time energy usage, helping you identify which appliances are using the most electricity. With this information, you can turn off unnecessary devices or shift their use to cheaper times.

Taking these simple steps can help you cut costs and make the most of your time-of-use tariff plan.

In conclusion, saving on your electricity bill is easier than you might think. By simply shifting your energy use to off-peak hours and being mindful of when and how much electricity you use, you can make a big difference in your monthly costs. Small adjustments, like running appliances at cheaper times or using energy-efficient devices, can lead to significant savings over time. With just a little effort and smarter energy habits, you’ll not only reduce your bill but also take control of your household’s energy use.

The Secret Life of Your Vacation Pictures

~ jo-anngarbutt ~ Leave a comment

Remember that idyllic family vacation – sandcastles, stunning sunsets, and endless movie nights? Every memory captured, every photo snapped, contributes to a hidden cost: a growing mountain of data. We’ve ditched bulky photo albums for high-resolution cameras, amassing gigabytes in the blink of an eye.

Sure, modern technology is fantastic. We access work documents from anywhere, stream music on a whim, and capture travel moments with ease. But have you considered the environmental impact of this constant connectivity and data storage?

The Unspoken Footprint of Our Memory Mountains

Our digital lives require a physical home – data centers. They house several bustling servers to store our information 24/7, and while they’re not inherently bad, their energy consumption creates a significant environmental footprint.

Why? Because we crave constant access. We want to view vacation photos from anywhere, edit documents on the go, and stream movies on airplanes. Data centers make this possible, but accessibility comes at a price. Cooling massive server rooms and powering them around the clock requires a lot of energy, especially if sourced from fossil fuels.

The more data we generate, the bigger the data center footprint becomes. Every photo, movie, and document we store contributes to this ever-growing mountain. The more data, the more energy is needed to keep it accessible.

From Vacation Snaps to Server Saps

The good news is you have the power to make a difference! Here’s how to lower your data footprint:

Family Fun with a Digital Detox Twist

  • Organize Family Photo Cleanup Sessions: Turn deleting photos into a fun family activity! Let your children participate in selecting the best shots and discuss what makes a good picture.
  • Discuss the Impact of Data: Talk openly about the environmental impact of cloud storage and how responsible data habits can make a difference. Encourage them to think critically about their downloads and storage.

These small changes, multiplied by millions of families, can create a substantial positive impact. By being mindful of your data habits, you’re not just decluttering your digital life, you’re setting an example and making a positive contribution to the environment.

The good news continues! Data center operators are constantly seeking ways to be more energy-efficient. From better cooling technologies that don’t rely on freshwater to renewable energy sources and sustainable data center designs, these efforts not only reduce operating costs but also lighten the environmental footprint of these facilities.

So, let’s embrace the convenience of modern technology while taking responsibility for our digital footprint. Together, we can create a greener future for our planet, one byte at a time.

Do you really need to print that?

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“”Is there a better way? Can you avoid printing that page?”

Photograph by Annie Sprat, Unsplash

Many project teams use tablets and television screens to project information during meetings for meeting participants to consider and discuss. And while we have cloud storage and the ability to access and edit or markup files from multiple devices, it appears that printing has not yet lost its appeal for some. If you are not yet ready to consider a working day without a printer, here are some ways to be more sustainable with the way you work on a day-to-day basis.

Removing Waste: Recycling

Have you considered what the end-of-life would be for that page you just printed and may be ready to throw into the trash bin soon? Why not set up a special bin for just collecting paper to be recycled? In some locations, secure bins are available which ensures that sensitive papers are securely stored until they are collected by the supplier and recycled.

Refills

Are you making use of a printer cartridge refill scheme? Instead of throwing used cartridges away, there may be suppliers in your area where you can get refills for your used cartridges.

And talking about printing cartridges – can you use only one colour – black? Having multiple colours may generate additional waste and perhaps you can save the colourful displays for virtual online documents?

Materials used

The paper you use for printing, is it made from environmentally-friendly recycled processes? Why not ask your local suppliers to advise you about recycled paper options available to you?

Habits

If you print on both sides of a page, you could be saving on paper usage and you could be lowering the weight of printed documents being shipped to recipients of your printed materials!

Fewer printers

Do you really need so many printers in your office? Or could you lower the ongoing electric power needs of printers and also encourage more physical movement of people during the day. Asking them to walk a little further in order to retrieve printed pages may be a great way to ensure they move out of a sedentary posture and increase blood circulation. Regular breaks and physical movement are great ways to improve physical and mental well–being at work.

Lower energy usage

Ensure that printers are turned off completely at the end of the working day and over weekends and periods of office closures. This ensures that no power is used in standby mode.

Consider digital solutions

Looking at the processes you use in your office – are you printing notifications or informational posters and is there a way to instead share it with colleagues, suppliers or customers digitally? For example – could suppliers download an electronic file from your website showing how you would like invoices prepared?

Understand your data and set improvement targets

Do you know who prints the most pages in the office? Is there an opportunity to engage with someone on printing more sustainably? Not everyone has been exposed to ways they could lower energy usage or how to avoid creating waste.. It could be great to have a discussion with someone about this.. Improving awareness is often the first step towards more sustainable practices at the office.

Getting together to set targets in your office like “We track our number of printed pages, and we strive to lower it by 10% this month compared to the previous month!” can be great ways to keep everyone focused on lowering your environmental footprint as an office..

In most cases, becoming more aware and conscious of ways that we can become less wasteful and generate less waste can be the first step toward being more innovative and finding new ways to positively impact the world and those around us. What will you do today to lower the waste you generate?

Sustainability Awareness Workshop

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– Getting creative instead of trashing items –

Single-use packaging is intended to be used only once before being thrown away or recycled. Included in this kind of trash would be food packaging, bottles for laundry detergent and other household goods, straws and boxes for tea bags, etc  From a global perspective, over 90% of trash is estimated to come from single-use materials. The good news in some countries is that over 50% of packaging is recycled.

The upside-down pyramid for waste shows the more preferred ways to deal with it.

When it comes to waste, the best option is preventing the waste from coming into our homes or office buildings, the 2nd best option is to reuse items somehow, and then comes recycling. Increasing awareness in your team is important – of being more responsible with their purchasing choices and choices regarding trash that passes through their homes or at the office. This workshop can improve awareness of how to reuse items instead of discarding them.

Participating in this workshop will show participants how to look at packaging trash from the perspective of reusing it, and creating a new purpose for single-use packaging. You can open the workshop by reflecting on trash and recycling in your city/location and how they could all help to improve those statistics by being more mindful of the items they bring into their homes (avoiding single-use packaging as much as possible) and also to not be so fast to throw away items that had only been used once at the office.

If you are passionate about having a positive impact on the sustainability habits and thinking of others in your organization, in your family, or among friends, why not get 4-6 people to join you in being creative with packaging that would have otherwise been discarded.

Items you can use in the workshop:

Most households would be easily able to collect some items like small carton boxes and items, printed pages that are no longer needed like advertising leaflets thrown in through mailbox slots, and paper-based packaging used for supporting fruits purchased in supermarkets. In the office, there could be boxes that contained pens and pencils or paperclips.

Two ideas to consider for the activity:

Paper Mache (papier-mâché)

You can make the paste using flour and water (see https://kinderart.com/kitchen/papier-mache-recipes/) tear the collected sheets of paper into strips about 1 inch wide and dip them thoroughly into the paste mixture. Strip off the excess mixture from each strip before applying it. It works well if you pull the strip of paper through to the other side between two fingers. Build up the desired new object by applying only one layer at a time and waiting for that to dry before going to a new layer. Dried objects can be sanded to improve the smoothness of the finished project before you apply an environmentally friendly paint design on top. Ideas of items that might be useful include containers for jewelry, organizing loose containers into a neatly contained area, or creating a container for paperclips and other office items that could be cluttering up desk drawers.

Coffee Stirrers

Make sure the used stirring sticks are free of coffee remains that could interfere with the gluing process.  Design ideas could include coasters for cups, glasses, or mugs at the office or at home. You could also build containers for pens or other office supplies. Remember to wait until the glue had dried before putting items on your built items to avoid breakage! And again you might use environmentally friendly paints to finish your coffee stirrer design items.

To limit the space and supplies needed for your workshop team activity, it may be wise to pick one type of project to work on vs trying to cover several types of projects in one space.

Workshop Programme

Welcome, and introductions – if not all participants know each other, allow time for everyone to introduce themselves.

Overview – talk about the reason for the workshop and focus participant attention on sustainability and how sustainability principles relate to the way we think about and how we deal with the packaging associated with purchases. Give them some trash generation and recycling statistics for your local area to help them understand the scale of the issues faced environmentally with how things are going in your area. Introduce the workshop as a way to become more aware and get creative with packaging waste that comes from homes and offices. Creative activities in groups are also great ways to improve the mental health of individuals and feelings of belonging in a team or group.

Activity – introduce the chosen activity and explain the materials available to participants. Make sure people know how much time you have planned for the activity and if there will be follow-up opportunities to complete projects or whether they could take any half-finished projects home to finish them there. Walk around while participants work on their projects and support them with advice where needed. Always make sure that safety is a priority and be sure to explain any dangers such as using cutting devices or opening and closing drawers and cupboard doors in the workshop area.

Closing – when the workshop time is at the end. Thank everyone for participating and being willing to learn new ways of looking at single-use packaging as small steps to help improve the generation of trash in your area. Remind participants of how they could finish up their projects and encourage them to share pictures of completed items with the team/group.

Awareness

The first step to improving any situation is awareness. This kind of team or group activity is a great way to increase awareness of the issues at hand with local trash generation and how each person can make a difference in small ways. Using creative endeavors to address this issue is also enjoyable and can be a great way to improve feelings of mental well-being, which is something we all can use in today’s world.

Smarter after Covid

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Finding better ways forward

Before Covid most companies with international interests had several people flying and traveling to other offices and locations to attend meetings, lead initiatives, or train others. While most of us have pretty much remained “grounded” in our countries without the option to travel, company activities continued (as far as it was possible). Something seems more obvious now than perhaps in 2019: We are getting pretty good at training, meeting and mentoring remotely using technology and internet connections. Yet, when we can, will we continue previous practices of sending our leaders and experts to remote locations on a regular basis like we did before? It is said that Ireland lowered carbon emissions by at least 6% during 2020 and some companies have seen business travel costs more than halved over 2020!

Some challenges that companies try to address by flying in leaders and experts from HQ:

  • We do not have people in all locations with the right experience and skills and HQ experts are needed to support local teams on a regular basis.
  • We are not exactly sure what the true status of projects are and we would feel more comfortable having one of our trusted staff regularly visit remote locations.
  • We are not sure that local people understand our strategies and truly commit to realizing performance targets, which means someone needs to visit with them on a regular basis to ensure they do understand our strategies and then review with them how their efforts support these.
  • We are finding it tough to source local people with the right skills and experiences and those we can find are too expensive in terms of compensation expectations.
  • The local people speak a different language and their English language skills are not great, which makes it hard to know for sure what they are trying to convey during our calls. We need to see the project/work to understand more clearly what is really happening there.
  • The local people may not be forthcoming with bad news relating to projects in remote locations and they may possibly favor being cordial over risking our dismay.

The list is not exhaustive, but it does highlight some of the opportunities to find better ways going forward to avoid going back to the level of business travel we previously considered normal.

The term Glocal means to Think Global and Act Local and it is said that Akio Morita of Sony Corporation was the first person to use the term which became popular in the business world in the 1990s. How to think about the big picture and over-arching strategies goals and still be sensitive to local conditions and needs when you implement those big picture ideas? A balance would have to be created and it would be an ever-adjusting type of balance which is not fixed in place. To incorporate (for example) shifts in local legislation or new diversification strategies from HQ. Finding a way to keep this balance in place may lower the need to return to pre-covid business travel levels.

There are at least three ways to address this:
  1. Focus leadership development in a few key areas,
  2. Better teams – adjusting selection and development of staff, and
  3. Better use of technology – making more use of technologies to facilitate remote collaboration.

Better leadership

Having the judgment, problem-solving and decision-making skills to navigate in the space where one has to constantly balance global strategies and goals with local situations and conditions means leaders have to be comfortable with ambiguity, be constantly on the look-out and actively engaged in learning new skills and understanding how others have succeeded or failed in addressing what lies before the leader. Learning how to proactively include all team members including those who are “different” and to do this successfully leaders at HQ and remote locations need to understand their own biases and stereotyping. This will ensure that the skills of the entire team is leveraged in achieving performance goals. Lastly, leaders also need to have the ability to easily shift their perspective from global thinking to local acting and back in order to maintain the balance needed for the decision they need to make at that moment.

Better teams

Working on a diverse team with some team members in remote locations is something we have learned to do successfully over the last year. And this new skill has brought opportunities to get better results through teamwork without having to be present in an office or with the entire team. Will we ask – does this person have to be in the office every day of the week? Or will we consider hiring talent where we find it without feeling he or she needs to be relocated to HQ in order to be an effective member of our team?

To help existing teams be more inclusive and effective some specific or additional training may be needed around diversity. This training can include developing an improved understanding of cultural differences and perspective differences (for example among provinces or states in a country). It often comes down to increasing awareness of own biases and stereotypes that may have settled in our perspectives about groups of people who are very different from our own backgrounds.

Recruiters and hiring managers also have to start including additional skills in requisitions to fill vacancies. Skills like additional language skills – not only English – experience such as having lived and/or worked in a country other than their home countries.

When creating teams to work on performance improvement projects (action teams) – why not include people from different functions, locations and cultures on the team? It is a great way to increase your internal network of employees collaborating and communicating across locations.

All of these aspects can help a team become more global-minded and inclusive while making smarter choices working on local projects which impact broader strategies or targets in the company.

Use technology

In addition to tools for video-conferencing, there are tools which can help monitor progress or quality without having to travel to a location.

1. Hololens2: click this link to see short video of what it can do across various industries – there are ways for clients and HQ personnel to connect with someone using this technology at a remote location.

2. Realwear: click this link to see a short video of how it can be used to get input and advice from a person located remotely.

3. Some locations use drones to get an understanding of general progress on large construction projects and provide overall updates to managers at HQ. Drones can also be used to inspect hard-to-reach places safely.

4. Use a centralized electronic storage solution for files meaning all local files can easily be viewed from remote locations without needing to travel to a site.

While working smarter in these ways is also a way to lower pre-covid GHG and carbon emissions, many employees appreciate the flexibility of remote working options and combined with lower business travel needs it adds to having a better work-life balance. The amount of quality time spent with families and friends has also increased for most. All of which adds greatly to employee well-being. Looking for ways to leverage what we have learned by having to work remotely during 2020 can benefit companies and employees in greater ways than we may be able to realize now.