Team members are resisting sustainability principles. How can you effectively address their resistance?

Sustainability is not an individual or a particular team’s responsibility. It would need to be an organization wide philosophy – requiring all hands on board. In my experience, the only way to get past the initial resistance is to have an absolutely open and honest dialogue. Only when we’re willing to hear, will we know the underlying reasons for resistance. Why are the teams resisting - is it a message not communicated/ cascaded well enough? Do they feel threatened by the principles laid down? Very often, having a culture of inclusivity, listening to all inputs & suggestions, enables better ownership & participation!

When the team members are resisting sustainability principles, I would like to actively listen to them about what is their point of view and why are they hesitating, I will prepare a table for both the section their unwillingness and then I can retrospect it to understand if they are right or wrong, as sustainability is very crucial for us and as a human being we all owe a responsibilities towards it. I will express my opinion to theirs and then we can see the comparison and clearly understand the important it is trying to bring on the table. These kind of discussions or debate can bring healthy environment and without hurting anyone it would be easy to visualize it.

I implement kind of projects which automatically all team members get appreciated while doing the same and that gives results to the organisation. A key point is in every organisation that anybody gets motivated with identifying postive vibes in the team and announce it openly.

One important point is to hear out and address the concern raised by the team members provoking resistance to sustainability. There couldn't be a good cause to resist this global program. Sustainability is not an individual's responsibility but it's team effort. More and more corporates are getting involved and contributing to this agenda. The sweet fruits of sustainability are not quickly or too easily available but when we see from a long term perspective, indeed it's worth it to everyone. In the beginning the sustainability initiatives might be on cost but now a lot of innovative ideas are available in the market to adopt these as cost effective models.

By implementing following points we can overcome resistance to sustainability: 1. Raising Awareness 2. Building Consensus 3. Demonstrating Value 4. Addressing Concern 5. Providing Training

Sustainability has to be owned & driven collectively by entire Organisation. It’s a shift in your Ways of working in order to make our processes/ systems more sustainable. Best strategy is to create a shared Vision among the Leadership peers first & then involve all People Managers to understand their perspectives. Once all are on same page it can be driven in a wholistic manner. Just beating the drum from the top may not yield desired outcomes. In times to come every individual of the Society has to imbibe sustainability in every walk of life if we want to pass on a better planet to next generation.

Sustainability is crucial for all coming products. Therefore, explaining the benefits for reputation, the environment, the next generations and so on is essential. It will happen, that after many trials to explain and many talks about the topic, the resistance is still there. Mostly there will be another thing boiling in the background and shown as resistance but the cause for resistance is elsewhere, maybe overload. We can try to find out what it is. To be realistic, it will never happen, that we convince all shareholders, as also our time and our resources are limited.

Harnessing creativity and technical expertise, instill a shared vision among your team, illustrating how sustainability enhances product innovation and customer value. Empower them to embrace sustainable practices, driving forward-thinking solutions that align with your organizational goals and resonate with market demands.

Gradual Transition to Sustainability Introducing sustainability practices through incremental changes can make the transition smoother for your team. Instead of making drastic overhauls, begin with small, manageable steps that showcase the practicality and benefits of a sustainable approach. Start with simple actions such as reducing office waste or optimizing resource use in product design. As these minor victories add up and the team witnesses the positive effects, resistance is likely to fade, creating a more supportive environment for larger sustainability initiatives.

Implementing gradual changes fosters sustainable practices by demonstrating their feasibility and benefits to your team. Start with small, achievable steps to integrate sustainability practices gradually and effectively into your team's workflow and culture.

Any changes is challenging to accept but if you explain and break into small steps it would help you in implementation and execution.

If the team has been part of the process in developing the goals for sustainability, they would be the first to practice what they preach to others; the strategy developed for sustainability roll-out across the organization would have clarified the timelines for each department's compliance and guidelines on how, where and when specific actions will be taken to meet departmental sustainability goals.

Sustainability is a must for the world to survive, but developing countries cannot be expected to do as much as developed countries at the cost of not being able to make a liveable wage and to profit as a company. Sustainability needs a long term plan laid down as a roadmap for the team to agree the best and most efficient way forward in a manageable way

Build small changes in the office , set up goals that can be achieved ! Put down a timeline and a plan !!!! Reward members when achieving the goals

Implementing incentives and rewards is crucial to motivate teams towards sustainability. Recognition programs, financial incentives tied to goals, professional development opportunities, team challenges, public acknowledgment, and innovative projects all play key roles in fostering commitment and driving sustainable practices within organizations.

Some ways to get started: 1. Start at the top. If managers practice eco-friendly habits, employees will follow. 2. Add simple changes. Sort waste, reuse paper, switch to reusable cups. 3. Engage employees. Let employees help shape your sustainability initiatives. Discuss their ideas for a greener workplace. Simple actions lead to big changes. Let's build a greener future together!

Naming outstanding individuals contribution along with giving to the communities things that help sustainability. Plaque on a tree, names mentioned in sustainability manuals, financial rewards etc

Tangible rewards , bonus, discounts and coupons !!! Get the to teams so that they work together to achieve targets !!!! Ask the to put a timeline

From behavioural psychology, as far as I understand, incentives and rewards are manipulation and not motivation. Incentives and rewards are important but keep in mind, they last just for a short time. So, it has to be combined with explaining the benefits for the environment, people, reputation and the advantage for each single individual. This too gain real motivation.

Continuous learning and development in sustainability for product development is like nurturing a garden. Just as diligent care and attention yield vibrant blooms, providing workshops, webinars, and conferences cultivates knowledge and expertise in sustainable practices among your team. This approach not only enriches their skills but also cultivates a culture where innovation and environmental responsibility thrive, ensuring your products blossom with purpose and resilience in an increasingly sustainable world.

Setting down previous mistakes of the company, the community and globally and planning positive action to counter these mistakes and get progress back on track

First of all what is real sustainability, experts please answer without adding any marketing gimmicks,without the clear definition of sustainability in terms only cannot do any good for the environment .

continuous learning can lead employees to become more invested in helping the company achieve its larger goals. They'll gain a better understanding of their role in the company — and can then channel this knowledge into focused action moving forward.

Educate and train them !!! Ask the to put down in writing their suggestions!!!!! Set their own reward plan !!!!! Timely me

Transform the principles into SOPs for sustainable product or service delivery by the teams. This coupled with some positive reinforcement (incentives) or negative reinforcement (failed KPIs), can be the quickest way to implement company sustainability principles.

In the digital realm, consider focusing on low-hanging fruit like code optimization and server efficiency. These optimizations can significantly reduce a product's environmental footprint without compromising functionality. Highlighting these wins can quickly demonstrate the value proposition of sustainability in the development process. As Product Development Consultant & Owner of Software Development Company, I would say, by articulating a shared vision that illustrates the significance of sustainability in the organization's mission, you can inspire team members to embrace incremental changes towards sustainable practices.