Ten Environmental Sustainability Initiatives for Implementation in Human-Service Organizations

Abstract

Climate change is happening at an escalating rate. Every organization, including human-service organizations, needs to determine how their policies and practices positively and negatively affect the environment and enact a plan for reducing their negative impacts. There is no targeted guidance for leaders of human-service organizations, like applied behavior analysis organizations, to reduce their negative impact on the environment. This article provides 10 initiatives human service organizations can implement toward this goal.

There is no doubt that the climate crisis is happening (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2021). There is growing concern about climate change with 72% of people in the largest economies saying that they believe it will affect them personally (Bell et al., 2021) and evidence showing that vulnerable populations will be the most negatively affected by climate change and natural disasters (Benevolenza & DeRigne, 2019). Addressing the climate crisis will require action and adaptation by every person and system, including organizations. Organizations can have far reaching impacts, not just through the products or services they provide, but also on the supply chains they support, people they employ, consumers they serve, and communities where they are located. Organizational leaders should develop adaptive and resilient systems to handle more extreme natural events (e.g., fires, drought, tornados, hurricanes, flooding), while also focusing on reducing their negative environmental impacts.

Many organizations have recognized that they play an important role and have begun to take action. For example, almost “one-fifth of the world’s 2,000 largest publicly traded companies have net zero commitments” (Project Drawdown, 2021). To support organizations committed to change, there is growing guidance available (e.g., website, podcasts, projects, organizations). For example, one evidence-based approach is called Project Drawdown (n.d.-a). Project Drawdown’s goal is to reach the point of “drawdown,” which is “the moment when atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations stop climbing, and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping future climate change” (Project Drawdown, 2021). The creators of this project review various climate solutions (e.g., smart thermostats, solar water heaters) and determine how much adoption of the approach would make a meaningful change in CO² emissions. Although not focused on organizations in particular, these solutions are organized around broad industry sectors (e.g., industry, health, education, electricity). Another source of guidance for both organizations and consumers is certification or accreditation organizations, such as B Corp (n.d.). B Corp’s (n.d.) mission extends beyond environmental sustainability to “transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet” by providing standards, certifications, and resources to for-profit organizations. These are just two of many examples of support provided to organizations; however, most of it is geared toward industries with a clear impact on the environment (e.g., agriculture, manufacturing, energy generation). To our knowledge, no guidance is directed toward human service organizations like those providing applied behavior analytic services. This article aims to provide human service organization leaders and employees with some ideas for initiatives they can implement in their organization to positively affect the environment and their community.

Benefits for Human-Service Organizations

Sustainable practices can benefit the environment and the organization in several ways. First, research suggests that companies that engage in socially responsible practices are often more profitable (e.g., Hategan et al., 2018). This can be partially explained because some sustainable practices (e.g., reduced energy and water consumption, reusing materials) reduce business expenses (Green Business Bureau, 2019). Human-service organizations typically operate on thin margins, and sustainable practices offer an additional strategy to manage costs. When organizations implement lean strategies and streamline processes, they can simultaneously improve business operations and reduce waste (Erdil et al., 2018; Kumar & Mathiyazhagan, 2020). Of course, some sustainable practices require initial expenses (e.g., HVAC and lighting improvements), but a number of those investments might be offset by tax credits or grants, and could result in long-term savings for the company.

Environmentally sustainable practices promise other benefits for human-services organizations, too. For example, having a reputation as an organization that values the environment and local community can help recruit clients, secure community donations, and raise funds. Growing concern about climate change has resulted in consumers actively choosing businesses based on their sustainability practices. Therefore, incorporating sustainability into an organization’s operations and mission could improve its reputation (Wagner, 2013). It can also be a meaningful initiative for hiring and retaining staff. For instance, a 2021 Gallup poll found that a company’s environmental record played a big part in the job seekers’ decision to take a job for 69% of the respondents (McCarthy, 2021). In addition, it may offer enriching opportunities for staff to be engaged with pro-environmental activities in their workplace, connecting their personal values to their work.

Finally, human-service organizations reach many facets of their community, including families, schools, and healthcare providers. Human-service organizations, behavior-analytic service providers in particular, have an opportunity to embed sustainable practices into teaching academic content, and daily living skills. Learning about making more sustainable choices could also influence clients, staff, and the community to take action, improving awareness and impact. Thus, human-service organizations may enjoy financial, reputational, cultural, and educational benefits when incorporating environmental sustainability into their business practices.

The remainder of this article will be focused on suggested actions or initiatives human-service organizations may want to take and guidance on implementing initiatives. We hope readers will share this article with their leaders and staff as a jumping off point to create short- and long-term plans to advance their sustainability efforts.

Sustainability Initiatives

This section provides organizational and process-level initiatives or practices that your organization can consider as a starting point to incorporate environmental sustainability into your human service organization. These initiatives are guided by empirical guidance around meaningful actions to address climate change (e.g., Project Drawdown) and the mission and operations of most human-service organizations providing behavior-analytic services. Human-service organizations can vary widely in size, structure, mission, clients, etc., so it is important to keep in mind that some of these initiatives might not be relevant in a particular organization or might require modifications to be effective while still providing high-quality services. In addition, with increasing research and technology innovation, the specific examples and techniques to accomplish the goals will likely change, but the overarching strategies (e.g., reduce and reuse) should be evergreen. The initiatives are organized into three sections: strategic practices, operational practices, and community outreach.

Strategic Practices

1. Embed social and environmental sustainability into the organization’s goals, values, and/or mission. This strategy is perhaps one of the most challenging practices to accomplish, but when done judiciously, it could be one of the most powerful. Incorporating social and environmental sustainability into the organization’s strategic core will demonstrate that sustainability is not a minor project, but part of how the organization conducts business. Clear environmental goals and strategies can cascade through each level of the business, making sustainability a consideration in decision making at all levels (see McGee & Crowley-Koch [2019] for guidance around making systems changes in human-service organizations). When developing sustainability goals or values, determine what would make a meaningful difference in sustainability and how your organization can make a unique and valuable contribution.

2. Invest in socially conscious companies. Another way organizations can use their power for good is by considering where and how they invest their money. This might not be applicable for all organizations, but organizations that invest money in stocks, should buy stocks that have a track record for positive environmental and social causes (e.g., companies with higher environmental, social, and governance [ESG] ratings are one option; see Napoletano & Curry [2022]’s article for an overview of ESG investing). Another investment consideration is setting up employee retirement funds that invest in climate-positive companies or allowing employees to choose funds that do (e.g., Fossil Free Funds, n.d.).

Operational Practices

• 3. Reduce the impact of employee travel. Transportation, including car and airline transportation, is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and is one area that many human service organizations can eliminate or limit their impact (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA], n.d.-a). This could happen in several ways. For instance, organizational policies could limit work-related airplane travel and incentivize staff to attend local professional development opportunities (e.g., regional conferences) or virtual conferences where possible. Attending regional conferences has the added benefit of connecting people in the community and supports regional professional associations who focus on regional concerns. When employees visit clients, scheduling systems can be arranged to reduce the distance traveled and telehealth may be employed when there can still be meaningful client progress (e.g., parent trainings). Organizations could also consider investing in electric company vehicles or installing electric charging stations at their building. In many regions, there are grants for organizations to install charging stations at little or no cost to the company (e.g., Charge Point, n.d.). In the United States, these types of programs are likely to increase with the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021). Organizations may also consider opening these charging stations to the public as another source of revenue. Research also suggests that interventions that encourage carpooling could also reduce fuel consumption in some settings. For example, Jacobs et al. (1982) used reserved parking spots and merchandise coupons to increase carpooling on a university campus. Finally, employers might consider providing incentives, goals, or feedback around more efficient employee driving patterns and habits (e.g., Foxx & Shaeffer, 1981; Newsome et al., 2021).
• 4. Reduce and reuse. Single-use plastics (i.e., products made of fossil fuel-based products and thrown away after a single use, such as plastic bottles, candy wrappers, etc.) account for half of the 300 million tons of plastic produced worldwide each year (National Resources Defense Council, n.d.). Human-service organizations could inventory all the products used and regularly purchased including paper, cleaning supplies, programming materials, and reinforcers to identify opportunities for improvement. Consider ways that the items may be reused with other clients (e.g., furniture, binders, toys), can be used in unique ways (e.g., alphabet puzzle with missing pieces can be used as program materials for letter recognition), or reused by others (e.g., donated to a local consignment store) to avoid adding items to landfills. Also, identify items that have a lot of packaging and investigate whether there are alternative versions of the product with less packaging (e.g., soap that is refilled instead of buying a new soap container every time it runs out) or orders that can be combined in fewer packages. Finally, evaluate which products are single-use items that could be replaced (e.g., instead of buying plastic water bottles, use reusable water containers; use reusable storage containers or bags). Due to health and safety concerns, eliminating all single-use items (e.g., personal protective equipment) might be difficult, but make those exceptions, not the standard.

  Another area where human-service organizations can focus is reducing food waste. Food waste is unfortunately common in the United States, with 30%–40% of the food supply thrown away (U.S. Department of Agriculture, n.d.). Although it will be difficult to remove all food waste in human service organizations due to health and safety measures, there are practices that can help. For instance, ensure that there are good food storage practices and containers that can extend food shelf life (e.g., air-tight containers, refrigeration, appropriately storing specific food items; Seattle Public Utilities, n.d.). Organizations can also monitor the amount of food that is needed and avoid buying too much or not initially putting a lot of food on the client’s plates (of course, this needs to be considered in the context of client needs and goals). Organizations could also develop a composting program, so unused food is not thrown away (see initiative no. 6 for more information about composting).

• 5. Plant-rich food options. Human-service organizations that offer snacks and food could provide plant-rich options that include reduced quantities of animal-based protein and more locally produced food (e.g., fruits, vegtables; Project Drawdown, n.d.-e). Project Drawdown (n.d.-e) reported that if 50%–75% of people changed to a plant-rich diet, it would result in a reduction of emissions by at least 54.19–78.48 gigatons. Human service organizations might accomplish this by purchasing from local suppliers or establishing a garden to provide healthy plant-based choices. In addition to environmental benefits, having more healthy, whole-food choices readily available and consumption modeled by others will likely create more healthy eating habits for clients. Heath et al. (2011) found that children were more likely to eat healthy foods after repeated exposures.
• 6. Recycling and composting. Recycling is one of the first initiatives many think of when they consider what they can do to help the environment. This is a valuable practice; however, many recyclable containers are still thrown away. In fact, there are estimates that 91% of plastic cannot or do not get recycled (Cho, 2020; Parker, 2022), so the best first option is to reduce and reuse. That said, organizations can develop recycling programs to ensure that all appropriate items are recycled correctly (see Waste Management, n.d., for helpful guidance). It should be noted that the items that are most effectively recycled are cardboard, paper, and items that have PET #1 or HDPE #2 labels (Hocevar, 2020). In addition, the recycling program could extend to other items that are perhaps less known for being recycled. For instance, electronics and batteries can be recycled (Grauer, 2021; USEPA, n.d.-b). In an ideal situation, organizations can both ensure they are recycling these company-owned items appropriately and extend the recycling program to employees and clients to recycle their personal batteries and electronics. Antecedent interventions, such as salient signage with clear recycling information and making recycling bins more readily available, can substantially improve accurate compliance (Austin et al., 1993; O’Connor et al., 2010).

  Human service organizations might also want to have composting options available. Composting is the “natural recycling system” that keeps waste out of landfills and returns it back to organic material that could be used in garden beds or landscaping (Young, n.d.). Composting could be done on-site or, depending on the services in the area, may be picked up by your waste company or specialty composting companies (e.g., Compost Now, n.d.). There are resources available online for setting up composting systems in schools and in an office setting (Clean River, n.d.; Young, n.d.).

• 7. Buy products from local organizations or those with demonstrated positive social and environmental impact. One way that organizations can have a broader impact on sustainability (and their community) is by requiring that their supply chains make meaningful progress toward zero emissions, are local, and/or are women or BIPOC-owned. Human-service organizations do not have extensive supply chains as compared to, for instance, companies that create products such as computers. For that reason, this might be a more manageable target for human-service organizations than for other types of organizations because the supply needs are lower. It is difficult to parse out the companies that are “greenwashing” from those that are making a genuine impact, so it might be helpful to look for companies that have had third-party evaluations of their practices. For instance, products with Fair Trade certification, Energy Star, Sustainability Forestry Initiative, B certification are likely to meet sustainability standards. Plaza (2020) provides guidance about various certifications that are currently available for products.
• 8. Facility improvements. Similar to other areas of sustainable practice, there are regular innovations around ways to reduce emissions in buildings. Project Drawdown has a full section of evidence-based solutions for buildings (n.d.-b) and electricity (n.d.-c). Of note, the solutions that are likely most relevant to human services, whether leasing or designing a building, are using smart thermostats and automated sensors to decrease energy use when it is not needed, low-flow fixtures to reduce unnecessary water consumption, improved building insulation to reduce the need for heat and cooling, green roofs (i.e., covering a roof with plants) and cool roofs (i.e., a white roof that reflect light) to reduce energy use, using solar panels as a renewable source of energy, and the use of LED lighting to more efficiently light spaces. Close attention can also be paid to landscaping that fits the facility's local ecosystem, such as xeriscapes in more arid climates. Finally, if new buildings are built, they can be designed to purposefully use daylight and passive solar design (Project Drawdown, n.d.-d) and to achieve LEED certification. Building improvements can be coupled with behavioral interventions to ensure maximum benefit. For example, Pandey et al. (2016) emailed prompts and feedback to college students to encourage reduced energy consumption on campus. Frazer and Leslie (2014) used goal-setting and feedback to reduce energy consumption by almost 10% in residential houses in Ireland. Feedback and incentives have also been used to reduce energy consumption (Bittle et al., 1979; Clayton & Nesnidol, 2017; Hayes & Cone, 1977). In many cases, the reduced cost of energy use can offset the cost of incentives.
• 9. Client programming. Teaching sustainable concepts and behaviors can be included in client programming from early learners to those learning independent living skills (e.g., Benson & Kimball, 2022). Programming must be designed to fit each learner, but environmental topics and sustainable skills can be embedded into behavior plans for learners at a variety of skill levels. For example, discrimination training targets could include identifying materials that can be recycled or composted and categorizing types of trees, plants, or animals (Bolanos et al., 2020). Independent living skills could include how to conserve water while washing hands and dishes or brushing teeth, and creating habits of turning out the lights when leaving a room not in use. Academic skill development could include books and writing assignments on sustainable topics and the scientific method, and curriculum on career paths could include environmental jobs. Naturalistic teaching could incorporate gardening or indoor planting, community outings to nature sanctuaries and gardens, practice repurposing materials for holiday decorations, and plant-based food preparation. After snacks and meals, clients with the appropriate prerequisite skills can be taught to recycle and compost their waste, and wash and reuse their plastic containers. Environmental curriculum and teaching materials are available and can be modified for client needs.

Community Outreach

• 10. Community outreach. Human service organizations can work with their employees, client families, boards, and local partners to support community sustainability initiatives. For example, some organizations sponsor staff volunteer activities to promote community engagement and team building. Staff could volunteer during a community clean-up event, planting trees, helping with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, or building and growing a community garden. Partnerships with local organizations could create opportunities for adult clients to prepare for green jobs. Clients could have the opportunity to teach the community about a practice used at their center (e.g., during an open house). Finally, organizations should consider climate justice in their advocacy efforts. Research demonstrates that vulnerable populations will be more negatively affected by climate change (Benevolenza & DeRigne, 2019). Just like practitioners might advocate for better insurance coverage and health-care support through fundraising, awareness campaigns, and policy initiatives, they can include climate justice in the advocacy efforts.

Implementation Considerations

Embedding sustainability into the fabric of an organization requires a focus on implementation and systems. Behavioral safety is an example of a flexbile and dynamic system that instills a set of values-driven behaviors into an organization through employee engagement. (McSween, 2003; Sulzer-Azaroff & Austin, 2000; Tuncel et al., 2006). Maintenance and generalization are achieved by having designated employees responsible for maintaining and improving the system, and a process for measuring and providing feedback to the workforce. Thus, sustainability and broader social justice efforts within an organization could use an implementation strategy similar to a behavioral safety process. For that reason, it will be used as one example of how environmental sustainability can be incorporated into the organization’s culture and everyday activities.

Sustainability Committee

Most behavioral safety systems launch by forming a safety committee or identifying safety champions, so, in a similar vein, an organization could set up a sustainability committee. The committee or champions typically represent a cross-section of the organization to ensure a range of perspectives are included. The initial sustainability committee should include volunteers who have a general interest in sustainability and have already incorporated some practices into their lives. This committee could be a standalone committee or a subcommittee of another group. Committee members typically serve on the committee for a fixed amount of time and then rotate off to offer other employees the opportunity to learn more about the topic and bring new ideas to the group. The sustainability committee might want to pursue education or certification (e.g., see Kenlon, 2021) before creating changes to ensure the group has basic knowledge about sustainability and other progressive practices.

The sustainability committee can learn from other components of behavioral safety as well. Behavioral safety systems are voluntary programs focused on positive approaches to increase meaningful behaviors (McSween, 2003; Sulzer-Azaroff & Austin, 2000). It is not necessary for all employees to be engaged for it to be successful, but, as stated above, with 72% of people showing concern about the impacts of climate change (Bell et al., 2021) interest and engagement in the sustainability initiatives is likely to be high. On-the-job safety and sustainability activities are similar in that organizations could use a punitive and mandated approach to changes, but the behavioral safety system is a reinforcement-based approach that encourages employees to be involved rather than imposing additional requirements on staff who are already likely burned out (Plantiveau et al., 2018).

One way to better embed the initiatives into the organization’s culture is to align the initiatives with the organization’s values and mission (Alavosius & Burleigh, 2021; McSween, 2003). If, for instance, a company value is improving the lives of the children who are receiving services, the initiatives could align what they are doing with making the world a better place for children now and in the future by improving their air quality or making the children better stewards of the environment. Similarly, support from at least a few members of leadership who champion, model, monitor, and provide positive feedback around initiatives and environmental sustainability values would also help ensure it is embedded in the organization’s culture (Komaki, 1998). These leaders could publicly recognize the work of the sustainability committee or those who participate in the various initiatives, advocate for infrastructure changes (e.g., apply for electric vehicle charging station grants), and engage in the behaviors themselves (e.g., recycle and compost the appropriate materials). Creating a sustainability committee, aligning the goals and plans with personal and organizational values, and having engaged leaders will help create conditions for successful program implementation and change.

Measurement, Monitoring, and Implementation

Most safety committees begin their work by assessing current safety practices and establishing meaningful measures that link to injury outcomes. It would be ideal if the sustainability committee begins by setting up systems to measure, monitor, and publicly report important variables such as the organization’s greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative, 2015; International Organization for Standardization, 2018). Although human-service organizations will likely not have many emissions to report, that could make this a simpler task than it would be for other types of organizations, especially with the increased availability of freely available emissions calculators (e.g., Greenhouse Gas Protocol, n.d.). Calculating and monitoring these metrics would also provide a way for the organization to report one part of their environmental impact, carbon emissions, in a standardized way that allows for comparison with other organizations. This data could then guide priority areas for the organizations.

A newly formed sustainability committee could also evaluate current company policies and practices to identify any efforts already underway that could be learned from and expanded. For example, the committee could check for adherence using observation checklists or consider expanding the recycling program to composting and waste reduction if recycling bins are already available. The committee could also establish measures to evaluate sustainable practices over time. For example, they could measure energy consumption, waste, single-use products purchased, company car and plane travel, number of community outreach events, and employee participation.

In behavioral safety systems, the initiatives and measurement checklists are often customized by area or job with the support of the committee. This customization enables area specific measures, goals, and recommendations based on the concerns and needs of the group.

Likewise, a sustainability committee could meet with employees within each area or job function to identify opportunities for sustainability within their specific context. Each area could commit to their own goals and projects and report their progress to the sustainability committee quarterly. For example, Project Drawdown’s “Climate Solutions at Work” report provides examples of sustainability activities by common job functions, like human resources (Project Drawdown, 2021). In human-service organizations, case managers and behavior technicians could research and help develop ideas for incorporating the initiatives. For instance, they could identify responsible sourcing of session materials, ideas for reducing emissions for in-home visits and community outings, strategies for reducing waste in session, or incorporate sustainability into programming. Finally, the sustainability committee could be responsible for identifying ways to inform staff and the public about the initiatives that the organization has in place around environmental sustainability, ways staff can get involved, and track progress toward their goals. For instance, publicly posting data, providing information email campaigns of actions they can take at work and at home, and mentioning the initiatives during employee onboarding could all be included in the communication plan.

Although research on sustainability within behavior analysis is still emerging, a limited set of studies offer insight into interventions the sustainability committee could use to encourage more sustainable practices in the organization. We caution against practices that give the illusion of addressing sustainability but provide little benefit for the environment. Furthermore, offering training without making changes to the physical environment or an accountability plan are also not likely to affect the environment. Thus, organizational leaders hoping to make a tangible impact should use evidence-based practices to reduce environmental impact and keep employees and the company accountable. For more detailed reviews of the sustainability research in behavior analysis, see Gelino et al. (2020).

Conclusion

In sum, human-service organizations have the power to make small and large changes that can protect the environment, and in turn, teach employees and clients to do the same. Human service organizations already exemplify social justice by bringing valuable services to consumers that help them lead more fulfilling lives. We can further that mission by protecting the environment so future generations can lead healthy, fulfilling lives as well.

Funding

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Data Availability

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study

Declaration

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.