There are many best practices out there which demonstrate that company activities are most successful if they are actively supported by its employees. This is definitely true for HP´s sustainability employee networks at 20 major HP sites around the world. One of the main tasks of these self-organised local sustainability teams is to actively contribute to strengthen HP´s green company strategy. 

Last Saturday, HP organised a picnic for 3,000 employees and their families at the HP site in Boeblingen/Germany. HP volunteers of the Boeblingen Sustainability Network organised a booth to educate  visitors  of  the picnic on environmentally sound  practices.

For example, in the invitation to the picnic employees where asked to take the train or to cycle instead of coming by car. Everyone who followed this advice received a  cup as a a gift to decrease the usage of plastic cups in the office. Or on a bike connected to a generator, employees could experience the different amount of energy required for various  light  bulbs or for running a TV. Children where invited to fill in an environmental quiz and to participate in a painting competition on the environment. 

The winners received prizes related to environmental projects like an adoption package for a WWF p olar  bear. At the same time the employees from the sustainability network were able to advertise  their activities and invited new members to contribute to the network with other bright ideas.

It has been pretty amazing to see the high interest of HP employees in the work the volunteers had done as part of the Boeblingen Sustainability Network. While I was at the booth I had many inspiring conversations with employees who have provided many additional ideas to further increase the impact of the work of the sustainability network. 

My feeling is that due to the motivating spirit of the sustainability team at the Boeblingen site  we can expect quite a few follow-up environmental projects along the lines of "there is nothing good, except you do it".

Jeannette Weisschuh, Head of Corporate Affairs, HP EMEA