The Arbor Day Foundation encourages companies to find creative and innovative ways to engage their employees throughout the year and especially in April as this month is the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day. Because April has other environmental observances, it provides an opportunity for companies and organizations to engage employees about issues surrounding the environment.
“One of the best things about environmental holidays like Arbor Day is that they look toward the future instead of the past,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “April is a great month to take the time to reflect on how best we can give back to the planet, and a time for companies and corporations to engage their employees around environmental issues meaningfully.”
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The Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement study found that 64 percent of millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments when accepting a job. Here are a few ways the Arbor Day Foundation recommends engaging employees on environmental causes:
- Coordinate a tree planting event on a corporate campus or at a local park, trail, or green space. This is an opportunity to engage employees through a mental wellness boosting outdoor activity.
- Develop social media content to get both customers and employees engaged. Then organize a tree scavenger hunt, host a tree photo contest, or share educational content about tree planting and care.
- Recognize employees and customers by planting trees in their honor or providing them with trees to plant in their yards.
- Organizing a tree walk is an opportunity to team up with a wellness department. Search for the biggest tree, the oldest tree and different tree species at a nearby forest, local park or city streets. Also, contact the local parks and recreation department, city forester or extension office coordinator to inquire about tour guides.
- Put together a gift basket that includes items that encourage more sustainable practices or contribute to an earth-related cause.
- Bring in a speaker to educate employees about ways to contribute to the earth in the community. Local tree planting or beautification organizations, parks and recreation agencies and businesses promoting environmentally friendly or carbon-neutral products are all places to find speakers.
- Encourage earth-friendly donations from customers and employees. Then consider matching donations to nonprofit, environmentally-focused organizations.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle. Save money and trees by creating a campaign to reduce paper usage. Be sure to encourage recycling of anything used.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly popular with people entering the workforce. Engaging employees during the month of April can serve as a primary starting point for companies wanting to get involved with environmental issues. Celebrating environmental holidays such as Earth Day and Arbor Day at work can mean different things for different companies, but the goal is the same, which is to get employees meaningfully engaged with issues they are passionate about.
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