Climb The Green Ladder

Research for Climb The Green Ladder: Make Your Company and Career More Sustainable, included an extensive research programme.  We had the pleasure of interviewing over 80 brilliant and inspirational sustainability specialists and people who bring sustainability to life in the workplace. We also conducted an online survey which 430 people completed to provide their views of sustainability in the workplace.

This research enabled us to develop the six key principles that underpin all successful sustainability strategies and provided a wealth of case studies to bring these principles to life.

Qualitative study: 80+ sustainability experts and champions from business, education, government and nonprofit organizations participated in in-depth telephone, Skype or in-person interviews. They all shared some expertise in implementing sustainability strategies in the workplace.

• Professor Tim Jackson, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey; Sustainable Development Commission; Director of Resolve Research Group
• Sara Parkin, OBE, Founder Director and Trustee of Forum for the Future
• Professor Ian Christie, Associate, Green Alliance; University of Surrey, The OWL Enterprise for Sustainability
• Yacob Mulugetta, Deputy Director (Research), Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey
• David Vincent, Director, Projects, The Carbon Trust
• Anthony Kleanthous, Senior Policy Advisor, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF)
• Trewin Restorick, Global Action Plan
• Scott Davidson, Global Action Plan
• Jo Confino, The Guardian
• Victoria Hands, Environmental & Sustainability Manager, London School of Economics
• Roger East, Green Futures Magazine
• Ed Gillespie, Creative Director and Co-founder, Futerra
• Jeff Melnyk, Head of Engage, Futerra
• Martin Horwood, Shadow Environment Minister, Liberal Democrats
• Sophie Hanim, Energy Saving Trust
• Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A, Marks and Spencer
• Guy Watson, Founder, Riverford Organic Vegetables
• Richard Ellis, CSR Manager, Boots
• Neil Turner, Business Development Manager, RES
• Matthew Hawtin, Careers Development
• Dr Paul Toyne, Bovis Lend Lease
• Shelley Rowley, Speechly Bircham LLP
• Vicky Forster, Sherborne School for Girls
• Camilla Flatt, Africapractice
• Simon Graham, Commercial
• Sarah Daly, Heath Avery Architects
• Ian Barnes, Boots
• Charlie Browne, IKEA
• Wood Turner, Climate Counts
• David Stangis, Campbell Soup Company
• Tony Gale, Ecology and Environment
• Martin Smith, JustMeans
• Bruce Lowry, Skoll Foundation
• Michael Passoff, As You Sow
• Frank Dixon, Global Systems Change
• Maria Figueroa Kupcu, Brunswick Group
• Kathee Rebernak, Framework:CR
• Alex Salzman, VizCapital
• Natalia Oberti Noguera, New York Social Women Entrepreneurs
• Peggy Connolly, Boston Center for Corporate Citizenship
• Veena Ramani, Ceres
• Ryan Mickle, Companiesandme.com
• Julie Chang, Ecology & Environment
• Erika Vandenbrande, City of Redmond
• Coral Rose, Eco Innovations
• Rich Liroff, Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN)
• Yalmaz Siddiqui, Office Depot
• Melissa Perlman, Office Depot
• Kristen Thomas, The Phelps Group
• Jennifer Schramm, Society of Human Resource Management
• Don Carli, Institute for Sustainable Communication
• Jennifer Woofter, Strategic Sustainability Consultants
• Freya Williams, Ogilvy and Mather, Ogilvy Earth
• KoAnn Skrzyniarz, Sustainable Life Media
• Birgitte Rasine, Lucita
• Bonnie Nixon, HP
• Debbie Ledbetter, HP
• Michael Dupee, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
• Sandy Yusen, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
• Sara Ellis Conant, Deloitte
• Lynn Frosch, Microsoft
• Gil Friend, Natural Logic
• Holly Fowler, Sodexo
• Sofia Bustamante, Turn Up The Courage
• Amy Hall, Eileen Fisher
• Mark Gough, Reed Elsevier
• Anne Roos-Weil, Peisnet
• Mike Jones, Open Minds Consulting
• Chantal Cooke, Passion For The Planet Radio
• Gwyn Jones, Association of Sustainability Professionals
• Alistair Fuad-Luke, Co-design Services for Sustainability Transition
• Helen Trevorrow, Green Row PR
• Mark Parker, Aztec
• Tensie Whelan, Rainforest Alliance
• Joel Makower, GreenBiz
• Lisa Landone, United States Post Office
• Will Rowberry, Monitor
• Randy Boeller, HP
• Ken Bosley, HP
• Martin Blake, Royal Mail
• Perry Abbenante, Whole Foods
• Libba Letton, Whole Foods
• J.B. Schramm, College Summit

Quantitative study: A 7-minute online survey was conducted among 430 people. Participants represented a wide range of industries, sectors and job roles. Participants were drawn mainly from the UK and US, as well as from countries including Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia and India.

Survey results can be found here:  Climb the Green Ladder_Survey Results Nov 2009_final