Together with my colleague Babette Brinkmann I have written “The green handprint at work: How to be an employee activist for sustainability“ (Bristol University Press) which aims to empower employees to change their workplaces from within.
Short Summary
Our future is being dismantled in real time. Ecological collapse, climate breakdown, rising inequalities – and at the heart of it all: business as usual. More and more employees are beginning to realise – sometimes with quiet unease, sometimes with outright fury – that the organisations they work for, and often even the tasks they perform each day, are part of the problem rather than the solution.
They ask themselves – and they have asked us – how to respond. The Green Handprint at Work is our answer. It is intended to guide those who want to leave a positive environmental impact at their workplace by becoming an employee activist: someone who cares deeply about the environment and wants to create change from within their organisation.
Whether it’s product design, HR, IT, or finance; whether social and care work, consulting or research – we’re all part of processes and decisions that matter. That means we can push for better practices, improve policies, question assumptions, and spark new ways of doing business, education or care.
The Green Handprint at Work offers tools, not just inspiration. It provides employee activists with insights into how power works and how change spreads. It covers theoretical foundations, hard-won lessons, and encouraging stories from people who sparked environmental action from within. Here are some of the most important takeaways:
- Build a team. You’ll go further with others. Find allies, share the load, and stay motivated. A group is harder to ignore than a lone voice.
- Know your stuff. Understand the issues, the solutions, and your company’s footprint. Speak the language of strategy, risk, and opportunity.
- Understand power. Change isn’t just about logic – it’s about influence. Learn how decisions are made, formally and informally.
- Pick your battles. You can’t fix everything at once. Choose high-impact, achievable goals. Early wins build credibility and momentum.
- Frame it wisely. Speak to what decision-makers care about – cost, innovation, reputation, compliance. Offer solutions, not just criticism.
- Be creative. There’s no single formula. Every workplace is different. Sometimes the way in is culture; sometimes it’s policy or process.
- Stick with it. Resistance is normal. Stay focused, adapt as needed, and keep going. Small, persistent actions can lead to big shifts.
- Look after yourself. This work can be rewarding – and exhausting. Rest is part of your strategy. You’re in it for the long haul.
The book is here to show that we don’t need to be in charge to make a change. We don’t need to be perfect. But we can act. Because if we act from within, even business as usual can be challenged and organisations can contribute to a just and sustainable future.
The book is based on research findings, interviews with more than 30 employee activists, and experiences from our own consulting and coaching practices.
Dr. Barbara Kump 