Scaffolding sustainability to change employee behaviour.

Most companies try to force sustainability through compliance policies and rules. But people don’t respond well to being told what to do. Instead, we need a smarter approach that makes sustainable choices feel easier and more appealing.

This is where the concept of scaffolding serves as a helpful framework to change employee behaviour on sustainability.

Imagine sustainability as a building project and your employees as the construction team. Just like physical scaffolding supports workers as they build, organisations can create support systems that help employees embrace sustainable practices more effectively.

Three Key Ways to Build Sustainability Scaffolding

Scaffolding makes doing the right thing simple and intuitive, and creating an environment where sustainable choices feel natural, not like a chore.

Here are three ways to build sustainability scaffolding in an organisation:

1. Changing How People Think

The first step is helping employees see sustainability differently. This means creating powerful narratives that connect individual actions to bigger environmental and organisational impacts. Organisations must work to make sustainable choices feel less complicated and help people understand the deeper significance of their actions.

When employees genuinely see how their daily decisions can create meaningful change, they become intrinsically motivated. It is about transforming sustainability from an abstract concept to a personal mission that resonates with their values and sense of purpose.

For example, Interface, a carpet manufacturing company, introduced the concept of “Mission Zero” to employees. It is a commitment to eliminate any negative impact on the environment. This was not just a corporate slogan, but a narrative that transformed how workers viewed their daily tasks and as guardians of environmental restoration.

2. Designing Supporting Systems

Organisations need to make sustainable choices the easiest path. This requires a comprehensive redesign of work processes that naturally encourage sustainability. By creating clear pathways for employee contribution and providing immediate, meaningful feedback, companies can demonstrate the tangible impact of sustainable actions.

The goal is to remove friction from sustainable decision-making. When the most responsible choice is also the most convenient choice, employees are more likely to adopt sustainable practices without feeling like they are making a significant extra effort.

Companies can also integrate sustainability directly into employee performance metrics and career progression. Teams are now evaluated not just on financial performance, but on how they help customers reduce environmental impact.

3. Creating Emotional Connection

Sustainable behaviour is not just about logic, it is about feeling motivated and inspired. Organisations can achieve this by sharing compelling sustainability stories that touch employees’ hearts. By celebrating individuals who make a difference and creating a sense of shared purpose, companies can transform sustainability from a corporate mandate to a collective passion.

When people feel emotionally connected to a goal, they move beyond compliance and become genuine champions of change. This emotional scaffolding turns sustainability from a requirement into a source of pride and excitement.

For example, one way to create an emotional connection to sustainability is by empowering employees to propose and implement sustainability innovations. Companies could organise an internal innovation challenge where employees can suggest ideas for reducing environmental impact. The most impactful ideas receive funding and recognition, turning sustainability into an exciting collaborative effort.

Leadership Matters

Leaders can’t just talk about sustainability. They must embody it through their actions, understanding how human motivation truly works. This means being open to new ideas, constantly learning and adapting, and communicating with genuine transparency and vulnerability. Effective leaders create environments where sustainable thinking is valued, rewarded, and seen as a critical component of organisational success.

Most organisations struggle with deep-seated resistance to change, unclear incentives, and limited understanding of human behaviour. Successful companies solve these challenges by adopting a patient, experimental approach. They bring together experts from different fields, create safe spaces for innovative thinking, and commit to continuous learning and improvement.

Traditional metrics also fail to capture the nuanced journey of sustainable transformation. Organisations need more holistic approaches that examine how employees feel about sustainability, the quality of sustainable thinking, and long-term behavioural changes.

The Bigger Picture

Organisations that master this approach of behavioural sustainability scaffolding unlock remarkable advantages. They create more engaged workforces, foster innovative thinking, develop greater organisational adaptability, attract top talent, and implement sustainability strategies more smoothly and effectively.

Sustainability is not about following rules or ticking boxes. It is about creating workplace environments where making positive choices feels natural, exciting, and meaningful.

The future of sustainability lies in building cultures where employees are motivated not by external pressure, but by a genuine desire to create positive change.