Please imitate: Success story "Impact Team"

If you want to embed sustainability at an operational level, you have to start with your employees. And here, voluntariness always comes before compulsion. This is why Zurich Convention Center launched the "Impact Team" last fall and asked employees to get in touch if they were interested in joining the team. Fortunately, eight volunteers were immediately interested in joining the team. And all departments and levels were already represented - the perfect mix. All members of the team share an interest in and commitment to sustainability issues.

The team is in place - and now?

The task for the Impact Team is big, but achievable: the team is tasked with ensuring that sustainability is taken for granted at Zurich Convention Center and thus actually put into practice. To this end, specific deficits and challenges are addressed and solutions are sought. In addition, the individual team members act as role models and ambassadors for their departments. Here is a brief list of the Impact Team's tasks:

• Discuss and define measures in a joint exchange twice a year.
• Discuss deficits in the departments and find solutions.
• Sensitize the environment and your own team in everyday life.
• Be a role model for other employees in the departments.
• Be a knowledge carrier for sustainability topics in the company.
• Develop project and measure proposals for the attention of management.
• Implement or help implement measures and projects.

On an equal footing

There are no hierarchies in the team, as the focus is on specific day-to-day challenges and solutions. This requires uncomplicated, barrier-free collaboration on an equal footing. Acceptance in the departments is much higher when it is clear that the content and measures come directly from the impact team and have the goal of improving sustainability - without strategic or financial interests.

First measures

The team's first meeting took place at the end of 2022. Numerous measures were discussed, 40 of which were proposed to the Executive Board for implementation. 16 of these are already being implemented. But what are these measures and what do they involve? For example, it was decided that the number of business cards will be greatly reduced, menu cards will be supplemented with QR codes with information on CO2 emissions per dish and light settings will be programmed with shorter switch-on times. In addition, all billers are being asked to send invoices digitally instead of printing them out on paper. The measures also include, for example, the Zurich Convention Center taking part in "Clean-up Day" and the "Bike to work" campaign. "There are so many good ideas - and the vast majority of them are not only sensible, but also absolutely feasible," says initiator Maria Hess, adding: "The work and impact of the Impact Team are really effective. Everyone is involved with conviction and enthusiasm - you can just feel it."

The measures decided upon are either implemented by the responsible individuals or departments, or they are driven forward directly by the members of the Impact Team - depending on what makes the most sense. In addition, the measures are approved in advance by the Executive Board, which is kept informed of the status on an ongoing basis. The implementation of the measures also serves as a regular reminder that sustainability is being taken into account in all areas. "I'm always delighted to hear about the ideas and the positive impact of the Impact Team - it's really inspiring. This is how we reach our goal together," says Roger Büchel, Director / CEO of the Zurich Convention Center, confidently.

We are also excited and will be happy to report on further developments: Go Impact Team!