Green-ON promotes eco-innovation by providing tailored training and resources to organizations, aimed at spreading a green mindset and fostering better corporate culture.
Context
In recent decades, environmental issues, ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste management, have become mainstream topics in Europe. This is largely due to the European Green Deal, a set of European policies on climate, energy, transport, and taxation aimed at reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. For this transition to occur, all segments of society must collaborate: companies, schools, teachers, communities, and individuals. Eco-psychology and innovation science experts suggest similar approaches as necessary steps: promoting understanding, perspectives, and real possibilities regarding environmental issues, offering positive and stimulating visions, and encouraging changes that make our actions sustainable. Promoting ecological responsibility is thus a common goal, but it must be pursued sustainably, without compromising organizations’ competitiveness. According to the 8th European Environmental Action Program, “eco-innovation is an important tool to support environmental protection while positively contributing to the economy and society.” However, one of the main barriers hindering this process is organizational culture, namely the lack of awareness and/or inclination to adhere to green and circular economy principles.
Objectives
- Assist organizations in rediscovering and identifying the potential and resources available internally that can be valued and transformed into eco-innovation.
- Contribute to mindset change and improve corporate culture through skills development and the transfer of theoretical and practical knowledge (on topics such as green innovation thinking, motivation, and change management enhanced by eco-psychology) through a comprehensive training package for organizations (Handbook, online Self-Assessment Tool and Gamified training tools)
Activities
- Planning and development of training materials for the Green-ON Management Handbook, the first of three tools in the Green-ON training package, qualifying as the basic training tool for organizations, containing theoretical and practical elements on sustainable management and organizational innovation for individual use (definitions, key elements of sustainable management, best practices, etc);
- Development of an online self-assessment tool that, thanks to immediate feedback, will allow users to identify their performance and facilitate the identification of tangible environmental goals, both at the individual and organizational levels. The evaluation of results will include suggestions and cross-references with the Green Management Handbook. This will be the second tool in the Green-ON training package.
- Design and development of the third training tool, the SUS-TrAIN Out of the Box Duo, which will take on a dual form, namely a card game to strengthen problem-solving and innovative thinking skills with a focus on sustainability and cooperation, and an “Eco-Coaching” method to enhance environmental awareness through critical thinking, goal setting, and a sense of connection to the environmental cause. Both tools are based on research findings in the field of eco-psychology and apply concepts of gamification, game-based learning, positive psychology, mindfulness, innovation management, and problem-based learning; this will facilitate the internalization of the previous learning process and generate a positive psychological process of motivation, curiosity, and launching innovative ideas regarding sustainable management.
- Development of a project website, which will host, in addition to project information, all developed training materials (downloadable as e-books, downloadable and printable game, game description, coaching brochures), as well as a green glossary with videos of best practices.
Resources
- Green Management Handbook (Green-ON Management Handbook) – a theoretical-practical manual on Sustainable Management and Organizational Innovation.
- An online tool for self-assessment of one’s organization’s performance regarding Sustainable Management and Organizational Innovation.
- Gamified training tools, “SUS-TrAIN Out of the Box Duo,” for the development of soft skills (environmental awareness, innovative thinking, self-awareness, creative problem-solving, cooperation, effective communication, and resilience), in the form of:
- A card game for training purposes to strengthen problem-solving and innovative thinking skills with a focus on sustainability and cooperation.
- An “Eco-Coaching” method to enhance environmental awareness through critical thinking, goal setting, and a sense of connection to the environmental cause.
Impact
- Improvement in the ability of managerial staff to promote eco-innovation within their respective organizations, as well as towards their clients, partners, beneficiaries, and customers.
- Significant improvement in understanding and awareness of sustainable management models and green methods and techniques in organizational innovation and decision-making processes.
- Increased awareness, interest, and responsibility regarding environmental protection and sustainable development among European citizens
- New methodological knowledge and experiences related to game-based learning, gamification, problem-based learning enhanced by ecological psychology, and positive psychology.
In particular, Green-ON will have a direct and indirect impact on approximately 1000 people:
- At least one representative per country will participate in the internal testing process of the Handbook, Self-Assessment Tool, and Gamified Training Tools.
- At least 120 representatives (20 per country) will participate in the external testing process of the Handbook, Self-Assessment Tool, and Gamified Training Tools.
- At least 250 users will visit the Green-ON website, and 500 will receive newsletters.
- At least 160 people will participate in the multiplier events organized in each country.