Testing Scenarios to Achieve Workplace Sustainability Goals Using Backcasting and Agent-Based Modeling

Pro-environmental behaviors have been analyzed in the home, with little attention to other important contexts of everyday life, such as the workplace. The research reported here explored three categories of pro-environmental behavior (consumption of materials and energy, waste generation, and work-r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment and behavior 2017-11, Vol.49 (9), p.1007-1037
Main Authors: García-Mira, Ricardo, Dumitru, Adina, Alonso-Betanzos, Amparo, Sánchez-Maroño, Noelia, Fontenla-Romero, Óscar, Craig, Tony, Polhill, J. Gary
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agent-based models
Autonomy
Behavior change
Behavior modification
Commuting
Computer simulation
Consumption
Environment models
Environmental behavior
Environmental behaviour
Environmentalism
Everyday life
Organizational policy
Policy making
Questionnaires
Simulation
Staff participation
Sustainability
Worker participation
Workplaces
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Summary:Pro-environmental behaviors have been analyzed in the home, with little attention to other important contexts of everyday life, such as the workplace. The research reported here explored three categories of pro-environmental behavior (consumption of materials and energy, waste generation, and work-related commuting) in a public large-scale organization in Spain, with the aim of identifying the most effective policy options for a sustainable organization. Agent-based modeling was used to design a virtual simulation of the organization. Psychologically informed profiles of employees were defined using data gathered through a questionnaire, measuring knowledge, motivations, and ability. Future scenarios were developed using a participatory backcasting scenario development methodology, and policy tracks were derived. Dynamic simulations indicated that, to be effective, organizational policy should strengthen worker participation and autonomy, be sustained over time, and should combine different measures of medium intensity for behavior change, instead of isolated policies of high intensity.
ISSN:0013-9165
1552-390X
DOI:10.1177/0013916516673869