Four Smart Steps to Social Intrapreneurship

From Greenbiz, August 2009

'In "Making Your Impact at Work: A Practical Guide to Saving the World from Inside Any Company" (PDF), Net Impact outlines why social intrapreneurship makes sense for you and your company even in the current economic climate. As an employee, you can gain valuable leadership skills, advance your career, and find ways to bring your ideals to work by producing concrete social, environmental and economic benefits for your organization. Companies, in turn, can gain from increased employee engagement, new market opportunities, reduced costs and waste, enhanced recruitment and retention, and a host of other benefits that come from having active social intrapreneurs amidst their ranks...

...sometimes even after an initial trial period, your coworkers might still be throwing recyclables in the trash bin. When this happens, as it inevitably will, be persistent. There are times when a lack of management support, low volunteer sign-ups, and diminished budgets confront every social intrapreneur. Expect these challenges and keep moving forward.

Staying resilient and committed pays off in the end. Take it from Lisa Neuberger-Fernandez at Accenture, who eventually received an offer for a full-time sustainability position based on her work coordinating internal green teams: " Who says that your work cannot further your personal passion and commitments? If you are creative, driven, and flexible, you will be able to find a way for your interests to converge with your job."...

Not everyone in your company is going to be as concerned about or motivated by sustainability as you are. And many in your company may not even think that social and environmental principles apply to their work at all.

For that reason, Suzanne Henricksen of Clorox advises that "education is crucially important, so don't just surround yourself with like-minded people…bring people along for the ride by talking with them about your vision, not at them."'