By Theyo Team
Many companies talk about how they have a social purpose, how they have certain values, or how much they care about their employees and stakeholders. Now it is time for these commitments to be honored. Studies show that employees only take company values and promises seriously if they see that management regularly stands up for them. To make this easier when choosing sustainable employee gifts - especially at Easter - we have put together a few suggestions.
Sustainability: More than a buzzword 💥
The pandemic has once again shown us how globalized and interconnected our world has become and what disadvantages this has, especially for nature and biodiversity. Nature and people have become too close and it is more important than ever to pursue a comprehensive approach to sustainability. Instead of superficial green-washing, it is high time to tackle sustainability at all levels. Especially when it comes to gifts for employees and teams, with a few tricks this isn't that difficult and can have a lasting positive effect on the working atmosphere ;-).#1 Ask: Less is often more ✌🏻
Whether sustainable employee gifts, merchandising or sustainable team events: ask your employees what they really want. Ultimately, no (physical) gift is always more sustainable than something that sits in the corner and is ultimately thrown away. Especially with company merchandising but also with care packages or employee gifts, it makes sense to ask those who should receive the gifts. The surprise may be a little smaller, but hand on heart: word like this usually gets around anyway and the joy is even greater afterwards when everyone gets the gifts they wanted. Almost like Christmas ;-)! So use digital options such as Typeform, Menti etc. and ask your colleagues what sustainable gifts or activities they would really be happy about. By the way, it's worth not just asking the recipients. You should also look carefully when choosing your gifts. There are more and more “free riders” who are taking advantage of the sustainability boom and using a little marketing to make themselves greener than they actually are. It's best to speak to potential gift providers directly, then you can quickly see whether everything is just "green smoke" or whether there really is something behind it.
#2 Taste: Sustainable and fair snacking 😋
Of course, we can't leave our own offerings - sustainably produced, fair and fine chocolates - unmentioned at this point. Whether as a sustainableemployee gift or care package or even a team event : really good chocolate is always a good idea. And because they are naturally mostly vegan and alcohol-free, this type of gift is also suitable for a diverse workforce. In general, we think: fine food, a restaurant voucher or a voucher for a local food box is always a good idea. Of course, the same applies here: if in doubt, ask your colleagues for their opinion. On the other hand, when it comes to food – especially fine chocolate ;-) – there is actually something for everyone. Here's another note on your own behalf: Don't be blinded by the "loud" marketing of some chocolate manufacturers. Wanting to be sustainable is not the same as actually being sustainable. If you are not sure about a chocolate supplier, please contact us. We are happy to advise you honestly, even with chocolate suppliers that we do not have in our range.#3 Regrowth: Can be sown 🌱
No matter whether trees on your own doorstep or as part of a global reforestation project . The appreciation of your employees does not always have to be expressed in the form of a physical gift. Similarly, your colleagues will probably be happy to receive a symbolic gift in the form of a tree or project sponsorship. But be careful: you should think carefully beforehand about what the purpose of this gift is. If it's a gift for the employees, let them vote on it and don't exploit it for PR purposes, because then the gift could quickly backfire.
Whatever you decide, don't forget to acknowledge the handover appropriately. This way you could have the gifts or vouchers delivered by a certain date and then everyone can get together. You can also organize a digital get-together in your home office. By the way, you can find out how you can make this nice here .
Header photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash
