Programs for the Workplace
Workplace courses, brown bag lunch programs, corporate, organization courses, employee education, sustainability education, employee engagement tools
Our newest discussion course, Sustainable Systems at Work, is designed specifically for the workplace setting.
The Northwest Earth Institute offers ready made employee engagement programs designed to foster high-quality and effective sustainability education that inspires personal, team and organizational engagement in a variety of topics pertaining to enhanced human and environmental health.
NWEI programs serve to align organizational values with employee actions, moving employees towards greater internal consensus on sustainability innovations. Hundreds of businesses and organizations have benefited from incorporating NWEI programs into their sustainability initiatives, including corporate leaders such as Standard Insurance, Intel, Hewlett Packard, HDR, Nike, Microsoft, Heifer International and Starbucks.
“NWEI has simply created the most amazing, enjoyable and best put-together curriculum for motivating and empowering individuals to become part of the solution towards a sustainable future. The delight of being able to break the default office-mindedness and spend time with like-minded people is both fun and invaluable.”
Benefits of Participation
- Employers can use NWEI to inspire action and self-directed engagement from their employees, improve morale and team building, as well as develop leadership skills.
- Employees can use NWEI to experience new ideas, collaborate and share best practices.
- Teams can learn how to engage in sustainability efforts and topics in order to improve operational planning.
- Participants can learn how to link social, economic and environmental priorities together into a a more sustainable framework, as well as how to create a shared vision that can be translated into collective action.
Why Employee Engagement Now?
- Environmentally Educated and Engaged Employees Pay Dividends. Read National Environmental Education Foundation's 2010 Business Case for Environmental and Sustainability Employee Education Report
- Over 90% of employees want more sustainability training. Read Sustainable Life Media's article on the importance of employee engagement and education.
- The more an employer has a system for employees to share ideas and best
practices, the more likely the initiative is to succeed, almost 3 to
1. Read Scott Cooney's article summarizing Brighter Planet's 2010 Survey Results
Download NWEI's Introductory Packet for Businesses
Contact us to learn more about the support services we offer in implementing NWEI programs, such as customization of course materials, site specific training, course pilot training and roll out training and supports.
What people are saying
“NWEI courses complement Starbucks commitment to sustainability by enriching internal discussions and giving participants a clear understanding of their direct role in the conservation of natural resources. As a result, these individuals are better equipped to assess environmental issues and embrace innovative solutions in the workplace and in their personal lives. We highly recommend NWEI programs to organizations that believe in driving change from the inside-out.”
Corporate Social Responsibility
"The tangible benefits of offering NWEI programs at Intel include greater employee awareness of sustainability as an issue, greater employee participation in our employee sustainability network, and increased employee ability to discuss the changes necessary for a more positive ecological impact by our business. After participating in NWEI discussion courses, Intel employees want to get more involved in creating positive change across our business, from commuter habits to workplace recycling to natural resource consumption. Some specific examples include paper cup reduction, car free commuting options, and investments in alternative energy sources like wind and solar.
The motivating factor for offering NWEI discussion courses at Intel is the long history of success we have had inside Intel with these courses. They are very popular, their popularity is growing, and the feedback from participants is very positive. The discussion courses are an integral component of our employee sustainability network."
“Participating in NWEI courses has changed who I am. The discussion groups are an excellent format for sharing your ideas in a safe environment. It lets you know you’re not alone. Sometimes it’s hard to actually make a life-changing commitment based on the new ideas you’ve encountered, but it’s easier to take that step when you know others are taking it with you. I feel like I am a stronger global community member as a result of the thinking, discussing, and acting that the NWEI courses facilitate.”
"The Standard has been a supporter of NWEI and is excited to provide opportunities for our employees to engage and learn about creating a sustainable environment. The Standard is committed to pushing forward in creating the forum where individuals can work together in making our community a better place to live and do business. Our company is proud to support NWEI and encourages others to do the same."
-The Standard
Interested in Corporate Giving? Email kerry@nwei.org
Download NWEI's Tips for Creating a Successful Sustainability Plan
