The Northwest Earth Institute offers ready made programs requiring minimal input from management, designed to foster high-quality and effective sustainability education.  NWEI programs serve to align organizational values with employee actions, moving employees towards greater internal consensus on sustainability innovations.  NWEI discussion programs have been offered in businesses and workplaces throughout North America, including Standard Insurance, Intel, Hewlett Packard, Adidas, Nike, Microsoft, Heifer International and Starbucks. 

Whether offered in conjunction with company wide sustainability initiatives or as part of informal brown bag lunch series, NWEI small group employee education programs are both informative and engaging, and play an essential role in both sustaining and aligning organizational commitment with sustainability initiatives.

NWEI courses began in and were initially designed for the workplace setting.  The first course was created for law firms in the Portland area by founder Dick Roy, a corporate attorney of 23 years. 

Read more about NWEI's beginnings

Learn about specific study guides for small groups available through NWEI as programs for your workplace.

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.”

“The NWEI discussion groups have opened my eyes to numerous environmental and social issues and have also given me tools for being a part of the solution. The discussions are the highlight of my week! I look forward to them as I read through the session material, and I always come out of them feeling energized.  The people that participate in the courses are passionate, intelligent, articulate, and very concerned about the future of the world. It’s been wonderful to find there are so many people like that, and it’s been a privilege to be able to connect with them over lunchtime each week."

-Julie Fleischer, Standards Architect, Digital Health Group, Intel Corporation

“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 since April 2004 and is excited to provide opportunities for our employees to engage and learn about creating a sustainable environment. To date, over 130 employees have participated in the NWEI discussion courses. 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 Insurance Company

Interested in Corporate Giving? Email jane@nwei.org