Title: Sustainable behaviour at work and in private life: the contribution of enterprises

Authors: Manfred Klade; Wilma Mert; Ulrike Seebacher; Irmgard Schultz

Addresses: Inter-University Research Centre IFZ, Schloegelgasse 2, 8010 Graz, Austria ' Inter-University Research Centre IFZ, Schloegelgasse 2, 8010 Graz, Austria ' Inter-University Research Centre IFZ, Schloegelgasse 2, 8010 Graz, Austria ' Institute for Socio-Ecological Research ISOE, Hamburger Allee 45, D-60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Abstract: The overall issue of the research presented is to use the workplace for achieving a more sustainable and climate aware behaviour of employees. Research on sustainable consumption indicate that the workplace is a suitable setting to organise daily practices and behavioural routines in a more sustainable and climate friendly manner. An integrated view has been taken in concrete company settings. It brought a first understanding about sustainable provisions offered by companies, mutual learning about sustainability issues at work and spillover into private life. So far companies have predominantly engaged in reducing emissions in their production and service processes. This project aims at raising awareness of companies regarding their contribution towards green transition by motivating their employees. Although scientific research has fairly underpinned the importance of the work-place as context for behavioural change, this is one of the first empirical works to prove the theoretical concept.

Keywords: companies; employee behaviour; workplace; green transition; proactive environmental strategies; sustainable behaviour; sustainable lifestyles; corporate social responsibility; CSR; sustainability strategies; sustainable development; climate aware behaviour; sustainable consumption; behavioural change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2013.057035

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2013 Vol.7 No.4, pp.321 - 332

Received: 16 Feb 2012
Accepted: 24 Oct 2012

Published online: 06 Oct 2013 *

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