The challenge at hand: how do we convince more than 100 independent, busy entrepreneurs to take time away from their business, dig out their 2009 tax returns to provide some of the answers to travel-related questions, and voluntarily provide personal information through an online questionnaire without any personal financial incentive? The answer: Green Karma. (And a few polite reminders.)
When we first sent out our greenhouse gas emission data collection questionnaire to our 150 agents and staff, approximately one-third responded within the first week. Not a bad response rate, but not the 80 percent we needed to ensure sufficient data to make reasonable companywide estimations of our greenhouse gas emissions. In some cases, we received some questions and comments from our agents in lieu of a response. One wanted to know how it was that we could simultaneously have an anonymous questionnaire while also tracking who had responded and who hadn’t. Fortunately, the SurveyMonkey tool offers that level of technical sophistication, and Indigo answered the agent’s question by sharing that functionality with him. Another agent was less than enthusiastic about our request, labeling it a “waste of time.” Rather than talking up the social and environmental rationale for measuring our greenhouse gas emissions, Indigo deftly handled this response by sharing the direct business benefits that measuring our greenhouse gas emissions could bring, and was rewarded with a respectful acknowledgement.
After two reminders and with the deadline looming, we reached our 80 percent goal. In the end, the majority of our agents spent the time to answer the questions with the hope that their responses would lead to some good green Karma for all. But the end of the submission process will be just the beginning of Indigo’s work. Her next step will be to compile the data into our greenhouse gas emissions inventory and get it submitted to an external third party verifier by the processing deadline.
Categories:
Sustainability
Post: http://www.realtytrust.com/blog/posts/green-karma.htm
Permalink: http://www.realtytrust.com/blog/blog-post.html?post=127987635069
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