Inspiring Metro Inc Employees

Inspire Enterprise supports Metro Inc’s internal envrionmental week activities: Leave It Greener Week 2010

Metro Inc. contracts services of Inspire Enterprise to assist in developing concepts and communications campaign to engage and empower employees to make a difference.

NELSON, BRITISH COLUMBIA – In a 2009 poll, The National Consumers League found that over 70% of people feel it is important to buy from and/or work for a company who has similar values and principles to their own. As part of their Leave It Greener program, Metro Inc. ran a survey with their employees and found that 93% of them felt it was important that Metro take action to reduce environmental impact.

The survey marked the beginning of the Leave It Greener 2010 campaign. Leave It Greener is Metro Inc.’s employee program to inspire action that has a positive impact on the environment. The survey was one of the recommendations that Inspire Enterprise made when engaged by Metro Inc. to support the development of this year’s internal program.

“We were impressed by Inspire’s combination of strategic thinking along side their creative, hands-on approach. They are passionate about creating communications strategies that deliver on the set objectives.” said Gillian Kerr, Senior Director of Marketing, Metro Ontario Inc. “Inspire helped us engage our employees through Leave it Greener week in a fun and educational way.”

The Inspire Enterprise methodology is founded on research done by a number of preeminent psychologists and change management leaders, including Professor William O. Dwyer, and Professor John Kotter. Inspire focuses on six touch-points to create a successful sustainability program:

1. Start small
2. Get a passionate team together to drive the program
3. Involve everyone, get personal commitment and get top management support
4. Create a communications campaign that engages, inspires and empowers
5. Provide concrete feedback
6. Celebrate and reward

It is also founded on experience. Paul Edney, Executive Director of Inspire Enterprise elaborates, “We’ve run a number of campaigns for organizations across Canada that confirm the research. The fundamental message is that it is not what you communicate, but how you communicate it. Affecting behavioural change requires engaging communication, delivered strategically with feedback and positive reinforcement.”

For Metro Inc. Inspire Enterprise came up with a number of simple actions the company could engage employees in to reduce paper use, greenhouse gas emissions, landfill use and water consumption during Leave It Greener Week, April 19 to April 23. The activities of the week varied from ‘Re-usable mug day’ to ‘Double-Sided Day’ etc.

“Double-sided printing is a good example to illustrate the business case for inspiring action,” said Mr. Edney, “if everyone does it, the savings for any organization are substantial. The fact is, changing the world makes business sense.”

Inspire Enterprise

Inspire Enterprise works with companies to develop communication strategies that connect, empower and inspire people to change the world at work – with turn-key or custom programs, unique tracking mechanisms, books, campaigns and inspiring speakers.

Contacts:

Paul Edney, Executive Director, Inspire Enterprise

paul [DOT] edney [AT] InspireEnterprise [DOT] com

250.551.1844