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1 Considering Organizational Culture when Engaging Employees in Corporate A Case Study of Baxter International Inc. This case study focuses on the importance of considering existing corporate culture 1 when engaging employees in sustainability initiatives , using Baxter International, Inc. as an example . and aligned considering the company’s specific culture are generally more successful than those that are less aligned with a culture. According to a recent study: “ It is important for companies to understand their culture and plan sustainability initiatives that are consistent w ith that culture. Company culture is difficult to change and typically develops over a long period of the long run, managers can seek to grow culture and su stainability initiatives together ” ( Coldham and Whisnant, 20 10 ). 1 Organizational culture refers to the values, behaviors and assumptions shared by the majority of the members culture impacts its performance, productivity, quality and concern for social and environment issues. By considering the results of an assessment of a company’s culture in its sustainability initiative planning process, a company can frame and position its efforts to succeed so they are more likely to engage employees and their energy in sustainability initiatives. Below are e xamples of tactics for engaging employees in sustainability initiatives depending o n a company’s cultural orientation (Figure 2). For example, i f a company has evaluated its culture and knows that it is strong in the compete quadrant ; it m ight consider using contests or awards to motivate employee participation. This approach may increase the likelihood of success of the initiative. Figure 2: Four Company Cultures and Associated Employee Engagement Tactics ( L., Coldham, A., Whisnant, R., 2010). ology This case study was produced based on information shared at the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) Business Sustainability Education Roundtable meeting /conference call on October 25 , 2010 , as well as interviews with Susan Camberis, Di rector, Human Resources , and Elaine Salewske, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications at Baxter. Business Sustainability Education Roundtable Profile The NEEF Roundtable, which includes 20 corporate members and six nonprofit and academic members, serves as a leading forum for sharing and advancing best practices for employee environmental and sustainability ( E&S ) education and engagement . The members of the Roundtable represent a variety of sectors, each with varied experience in E&S education and engagement programs. Roundtable members participate in bimonthly webinars using 3 WebEx technology , donated by Cisco, that explore employee education and engagement programs, best practices, challenges and the defining the bu siness case for workplace environmental and sustainability education. Baxter Case Study : Engaging Employees through Collaboration in Baxter’s annual global World Environment Week Activities. Company Profile: Industry: Healthcare Headquarters: Deerfield, Illinois Number of Employees (2009): 4 9 , 7 00 Total Revenue (2009): $ 12 . 56 billion Baxter ’s company culture is shaped by its leadership expectations and vision . The Baxter Leadership Expectations clarify what Baxter expects of all employees. This framework includes the following:  Shared Values - the beliefs and standards employee s bring to their work;  - the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve goals; and  Personal Attributes - the characteristics and behaviors that enable employees to be successful at Baxter. These expectations are integrated into recruiting, hiring, training, p erformance management, and development processes. leadership expectations and vision. When Robert L. Parkinson Jr., c hairman, CEO and p resident of Baxter , holds quarterly town hall meetings for all employees , he highlights sustainability achievements consistent with Baxter’s leadership expectations and the company’s vision. 4 Baxter Healthcare Vision Like many large companies, Baxter is generally oriented towards the “control” and “collaborate” quadrants (see Figure 2) , but it also shares many characteristics of the “compete” quadrant. The corporate culture also varies by department and region, and Baxter’s sustainability program leaders use a number of different tactics when educating and engaging employees in sustainability initiatives. Although Baxter does not use a formal framework , such as the CVF , for assessing culture , the company does take culture into consideration when planning global sustainability initiatives. Examples in Practice: Control Oriented Tactics for Employee Engagement in Sustainability Initiatives at Baxter Baxter uses several “control” strategies to analyze existing processes and environmental impacts. For example, with an I nternet - based information management system to track numerous EHS aspects, including energy and water use, and waste management. Another Baxter sustainability initiative typical of the “ control ” aspect of its culture is its energy conservation efforts . It is estimated Baxter’s global energy management initiatives involve nearly 500 employees , many of whom participate as part of their day - to - day jobs. In 2009 Baxter achieved a combined income, savings and cost avoidance from the company’s environmental program of approximately $ 10 . 9 million (see Environmental Financial Statement for detail). Baxter’s corporate energy management group o versees the company’s global energy conservation activities and reports energy usage, cost and (facility and company) efficiency improvements quarterly to senior management. Since 2005, Baxter has increased the number of annual facility energy reviews, est ablished and provided training on facility “ l ean” energy As one of the most respected companies in healthcare, Baxter is committed to being:  Recognized and trusted worldwide  A preferred partner in improving the quality of and access to healthcare  An innovator in science and technology   A high - quality investment  A rewarding place to work and devel op  A socially responsible member of our communities 5 standards and promoted best practices in energy management across the company. In addition, to encourage the implementation of energy efficiency and energy - related greenhouse gas reduction projects, Baxter gives special consideration to certain energy projects. According to the company, the energy management initiatives have received more traction with employees because they are framed in terms of conservation and savings, appealing to the “control” oriented culture, and not solely as just the right thing to do. Examples in Practice: “Collaboration” Oriented Tactics for Employee Engagement in Sustainability Initiatives at Baxter Baxter’s vision includes a commitment to being a socially responsible me mber of the community. Consistent with this vision, Baxter has a long history of being active in the communities in which it operates, and volunteerism is an important aspect of its organizational culture. In many cases, Baxter employees’ volunteer efforts are leveraged and directed toward environmental initiatives. A leading example of this is Baxter’s success ful implementation of its annual global World Environment Week. Now in its second year, Baxter World Environment Week, scheduled t o coincide with the United Nation's World Environment Day each year on June 5, encourages facilities worldwide to promote earth - friendly activities and sustainable living while teaching employees about Baxter’s commitment to creating a more sustainable wor ld. The “collaborative” nature of the tactics used to promote employee involvement during Baxter’s World Environment Week are consistent with a well - recognized teamwork element of Baxter’s corporate culture. The company uses its internal website to provide ideas, tools, and resources for facilities to use to plan their events. In 2010 the following resources were created for employees to reference when planning their activities:  How to Organize an Event – started, how to determine a budget and how to communicate about the activities to increase participation.  Ideas to Commemorate Baxter World Environment Day at Your Fac ility – provides examples of the prior year’s events that occurred at facilities worldwide.  Suggestions to Promote Your Events Internally – includes a variety of ideas including ronment Week logo that can be translated. 6 Employees are encouraged to log volunteer hours so that the company can track, recognize and celebrate employee volunteer efforts. In 2010, Baxter employees in more than 70 facilities in 25 countries sponsored loca l events for Baxter World Environment Week . For 2010, the theme was water conservation. Handouts were created that could be translated into different languages, covering topics like ways to conserve water at home and in the office as well as water efficien cy checklists. In 2010, a variety of events were held, including the following:  Buenos Aires, Argentina – distributed information to employees each day during the week on topics such as the importance of biodiversity, water and Baxter’s global and local efforts in environmental stewardship;  Cherry Hill, New Jersey – encouraged employees to calculate their water footprint and shared a Water Quiz to raise awareness about water consumed during everyday tasks;  Mississauga, Canada – organized a Baxter Stewards hip Day at The Riverwood Conservancy to educate employees on water systems and conservation, with employees helping with a water con s er v ation project;  Tianjin, China – promoted the importance of environmental protection and how people can help during an ac tivity held at Hai River; and  United Kingdom – supplied and fitted Save - a - Flush devices i n applicable facility locations. Conclusion Baxter’s use of “control” oriented tactics to engage employees in energy conservation appeals to its process - driven culture. The use of collaborative tactics to engage employees in Baxter’s global World Environment Week empowers employees to conceive, plan and hold events , supported by their location and management team. This demonstrates how sustainability initiatives, when aligned with corporate culture, can successfully engage employees and produce desired results that benefit the company and community from a social and environmental standpoint Over the past decade the company has been successful in incorporating sustainability into its culture and has been recognized for its sustainability leadership. In 2009, 78 percent of employees worldwide indicated in a corporat e survey that Baxter's sustainability programs were important to them . As a result of employee initiatives and efforts, Baxter has been recognized as one of “The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” for six years in a row. 7 Re sources Abb Organizational Culture and the Success of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives , University of Michigan http://www.erb.umich.edu/Research/Student - Research/2010/Culture_Sustainability_FINAL.pdf Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2006). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework . San Francisco: Jossey - Bass. Wheeland, M. (2010). CEOs Can Embed a Culture of Sustainability Beyond their Departure, GreenBiz.com http://www .greenbiz.com/news/2010/12/13/ceos - can - embed - culture - sustainability - beyond - their - departure?utm_source=GreenBuzz&utm_campaign=e52968dfc3 - GreenBuzz - 2010 - 12 - 13&utm_medium=email Images from Baxter Sustainability Priorities Report (2009) : http://sustainability.baxter.com/documents/sustainability_report_2009.pdf Acknowledgements The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) would like to tha , Program Manager, Value Chain Compliance & Social Responsibility, Cisco Systems, Inc. and Ryan Whisnant, Director of Sustainability, SunGard , and Baxter Healthcare Corporation , especially Susan Camberis, Director, Human Resources , Ronald Meissen , Senior Director, Sustainability , and Elaine Salewske , Corporate Communications . About the National Environmental Education Foundation The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) provides knowledge to trusted profession als wh o, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmen tal problems. Together, we generate lasting positive change. NEEF works with professionals in health, education, public lands and the media to connect the enviro nment to everyday choices and actions so the public can live well while protecting and enjoying the environment. Through our programs, such as Classroom Earth, National Public Lands Day, National Environmental Education Week, Earth Gauge® and our Pediatric Environmental History Initiative, we offer Americans knowledge to live by. To learn more, call (202) 833 - 2933 or visit www.neefusa.org. For more information about the National Environmental Education Foundation’s Business & Environment program to http://www.neefusa.org/business