Working together for change
We need to create a new hopeful narrative of our future, and the strength of this change lies in working together.
KI as a university has the opportunity to influence societal development and make a difference through both education and research. To review the department's own work on sustainable development is a good start, but it might also be beneficial that employees try to live as they learn by for example trying to reduce their own climate footprint where possible. Our common solutions and hope for sustainable development then need to permeate all our activities at KI.
We hope that you will allow some time at the workplace meetings to be devoted to sustainable development. Maybe good examples from your division will be the start of a success story at KI?
Tips on activities to carry out at the divisions
- Read through the NVS action plan for environment and climate 2023-2026 (currently in Swedish only) and then discuss together how your department can work to achieve the goals. Which parts are particularly important and what strategies are needed for achieving them? Is there anything the department needs (e.g. skills, opportunities, motivation, etc.)?
- Watch the short movie about planetary health at the starting page of Sustainable Development at NVS. Discuss in groups what feelings it evoked and how you as a department can address the topic within your organization. Don't be afraid to come up with many different ideas, worry less about feasibility in this first step. Think outside the box and dare to innovate! Start with the vision first - where do you want to go?
- What kind of culture do you want to create around sustainable development issues in your department? What is important to you? How do you talk about sustainable development in the department? Raise and reinforce positive sustainability norms. Why not encourage each other with theme weeks/months where you put extra focus on different behaviors such as leaving the car at home, eating plant-based lunch a few times a week. Encourage each other and reflect on how it feels to try or increase a behavior.
- Discuss and reflect on whether there is any department within or outside NVS you could collaborate with on a sustainability issue.
- Create small working groups for areas in your department that may need a positive push forward on aspects of sustainable development. You don't have to think that everything must change - sometimes a small behavior is the first step towards a bigger one. Feel free to select a few areas and behaviors to focus on first. Too many can easily become too much. What are the barriers to overcome to change the behavior? What activities or incentives are needed to facilitate the behavior?
- Share good examples with each other. When an individual makes a change, it can feel more motivating if it is visible to others. Why not create a visual bulletin board that sits up in the lunchroom where everyone who wants to can put up small notes with tips for sustainable development. You can also choose to highlight the effect or result of a particular action.
- Acknowledge each other if you see that someone has made a change.
- Be positive and curious about the fantastic opportunities a sustainable transition can provide.