The Corporate Sustainability Collaborative’s sold-out (but still free!) June Quarterly meeting brought together sustainability pros from businesses of all sizes and sectors.  Some highlights for those who couldn’t be there:

First, big thanks to KPFF for hosting the meeting space AND a delicious lunch. It’s sponsorship like theirs that keeps the Collaborative running dues-free!

Jody Foster and Kymm Nelsen, co-founded Conscious Capitalism Portland, a chapter of a global movement dedicated to elevating humanity through business.  Anyone, or any company, committed to embracing Conscious Capitalism in their business, can learn more and join at www.consciouscapitalismportland.org.

Meghan Humphreys from EarthShare Oregon introduced a new system for planning and understanding employee engagement in your company, a “Cycle of Engagement”. EarthShare Oregon, a Portland-based nonprofit, is using this Cycle to help partner companies engage more employees more fully in sustainability improvements in the workplace and in their daily lives.

The headliner at June’s meeting was Wendy Gibson with CLEAResult.  Wendy works with businesses on energy efficiency improvement projects – work that often is only successful when businesses get their employees to make wise energy choices on an individual basis.  She walked through a useful system for inspiring, driving and reinforcing behavior change in groups of workers called ADKAR, which was originally developed by Jeff Hiatt.  ADKAR stands for:

• Awareness
• Desire
• Knowledge
• Ability
• Reinforcement

See the event slides for more on the ADKAR concept.  Attendees used the ADKAR framework to generate ideas on how they might tackle each stage in their office, coming up with everything from company memos posted in bathroom stalls (Awareness) to creating an awards ceremony for participants (Reinforcement).

Learn more about how to use ADKAR to drive sustainable behavior in your office through the book “ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government, and Our Community” by Jeff Hiatt.  A simple online search of “ADKAR sustainability” will provide a wealth of additional resources!

Want to get in on the next Quarterly meeting in September?  Make sure your business is signed up as a member (just fill out our online survey and then RSVP here.)