EPA supported National Green Teams Programme
Green Teams

EPA supported National Green Teams Programme

By September 12, 2017

EPA supported National Green Teams Programme launches for organisations looking to motivate their staff and improve performance

Enhancing performance through green teamsEPA supported National Green Teams Programme launches for organisations looking to motivate their staff and improve performance

Green team members and environmental and sustainability champions have a new opportunity to help make a positive impact on their organisation’s environmental, social and financial bottom lines, through the new certified National Green Teams Programme www.greenteams.ie from the EPA’s Green Enterprise initiative. The National Green Teams Programme – the first of its kind in Ireland – is a training and support programme which helps green team members or those appointed as champions, to gain key knowledge on sustainability and resource efficiency and play a central role in running their green teams. This taught and online programme ultimately aims to help participants get fellow staff on board to continually improve their organisation’s performance on the environment, the community and its own long term viability.Developed by Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and environmental consultants Consulteco, the programme was launched with Rosderra Meats and WIT’s internal green team candidates. It offers a robust all-round approach which weaves together sustainability and resource efficiency along with practical advice on running green teams and how to get fellow staff engaged through behaviour change. On successful completion of the programme, participants are awarded a Certificate of recognition from WIT.

Tom O’Brien, Lecturer in the Environmental Performance of Buildings at WIT, who was involved in the design of the programme, commented “One of the aims of the programme is to put green teams on a more formal and professional footing within their organisations, providing them with training and recognition to enhance their position and avoid the pitfall that after the initial enthusiasm, green team momentum and commitment fades away.”

Designed for staff members of green teams or sustainability/environmental champions within organisations, the programme helps participants:

  • Gain basic technical knowledge on resource efficiency.
  • Develop skills to promote sustainable action in the workplace.
  • Improve the running of green teams.
  • Access support and resources, including peer support.

The support through the programme consists of:

  • Workshops covering sustainability, resource efficiency, running employee green team networks and getting staff buy-in.
  • A Handbook for environmental champions.
  • Web pages with resources for green teams.
  • Supervision of a sustainability project carried out by participants.
  • An online peer-to-peer networking forum for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge and experience among Green Team members.

On completion of the workshops, Shane McHugh of Rosderra Meats maintenance team was very satisfied with the outcome “I found the three workshop series very beneficial, I have gained a lot of knowledge and ideas.” Terry O’Brien from WIT’s Library Services also endorsed the programme “It opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities and I found it worthwhile personally and professionally.”

For more information about the programme, visit www.greenteams.ie and see how you can maximise the environmental savings for your organisation through staff engagement.

Source: Greenbusiness.ie