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Earth Day (April 22) was founded in 1970, and for over half a century the international observance has inspired individuals, companies, organizations, and grassroots movements around the globe to coalesce around environmentalism.
While many corporations now have robust, year-round sustainability initiatives such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments baked into their mission statements, Earth Day — and more recently, Earth Month — is a prime time to celebrate our planet by making a positive community impact.
From volunteering events to educational workshops, workplace environmental experiences can put a company’s sustainability values to action.
Here are four creative (and fun!) ideas to celebrate Earth Day and Earth Month at your company.
1. Beach or park clean ups
An estimated 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which has a devastating impact on marine ecosystems and human health alike. Removing plastic pollution from the ocean and wild spaces is obviously a monumental task. But intentional acts repeated over time add up.
Beach, park, or river cleanups are a tangible way to raise awareness about plastic pollution and reduce litter in your community. Plus, hands-on volunteering outside in nature is a great way to foster connections between colleagues.
2. Personal sustainability workshops
Every one of us has a responsibility to understand how our actions contribute to climate change. But calculating a carbon footprint is complex. From the clothes you wear to the food you eat to the car you drive and more, nearly every action has an environmental impact.
That’s why organizing an expert-run workshop is a top way to help employees decipher whether their personal habits are helping — or hurting — the fight against climate change. Visit.org believes that leaders from nonprofit organizations are the best expert educators to ignite employees around a cause. Such nonprofit-led social impact experiences empower employees to mitigate their carbon footprint at home and beyond.
Book now: Explore the Language of Sustainability
3. Empower employees to boost sustainability from within your company
The results are in: Research confirms that employees care about working for a business that takes sustainability seriously. According to a 2021 IBM survey, 71% of employees report that environmentally conscious companies are more attractive employers.
Equipping employees with the tools to strengthen environmental initiatives within your company improves retention rates and empowers your team. Consider hosting a workshop aimed at helping your employees develop an environmental business plan.
A bottom-up approach to sustainable values will also hold your company accountable for its environmental commitments, and prevent greenwashing — described as touting environmentally conscious practices for marketing purposes without notable sustainability efforts.
4. Support regenerative food systems
The bad news: The United Nations reports that about a third of all human-created greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food production.
The good news: Not all food systems are environmentally destructive. Regenerative farming practices such as USDA Organic, biodynamic, and silvopasture — an ancient practice that integrates trees into grazing pasture — can actually sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Community gardens are excellent resources to learn more about sustainable food systems — and many are also 501(c)3 organizations that need your help. Whether your team is interested in getting their hands dirty pulling weeds or learning gardening tips from the experts, your company can make a meaningful impact by supporting community food programs.
Scale your employee programming in April
This April, celebrate your company’s year-round dedication to environmentalism by engaging your colleagues with hands-on volunteering, workshops, and more.
Visit.org’s team of experts and extensive library of global social impact experiences can enable you to easily scale sustainability programming around the world — so every employee can support environmental initiatives in their community.
Learn how Visit.org can support your company’s environmental initiatives with social impact experiences by scheduling a demo with our team.