Transcending corporate boundaries to change behavior. What is "employee-driven" decarbonization action?

As climate change intensifies, achieving a decarbonized society has become an urgent management challenge for companies, with stronger demands for initiatives as a social responsibility. However, corporate efforts alone have limitations. The key lies in changing the awareness and actions of each individual consumer—in other words, "behavioral change."

In 2024, Dentsu Inc. conducted a "Consumer Survey on Carbon Neutrality" targeting 50,000 people nationwide. It highlighted both the broad interest in decarbonization and the difficulty consumers face in making it personally relevant.

This series features discussions with companies and organizations participating in the Ministry of the Environment's national "Deco-Katsu" movement, which supports behavioral change. This time, our guests are Yoshiro Miyata and Kohei Fujita from NTT Communications. The company is actively working towards the societal implementation of decarbonization through initiatives like the "ONE TEAM CHALLENGE," which starts with employee actions and aims to drive behavioral change involving businesses and communities. Dentsu Inc.'s Takeshi Araki asked them what kind of changes are emerging through these projects.

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(From right) Kohei Fujita and Yoshiro Miyata, Digital Innovation Department, Solution Services Division, Business Solutions Headquarters, NTT Communications; Takeshi Araki, Public Account Center, Dentsu Inc.

Behavioral change starting with employees. How to expand decarbonization initiatives from the workplace to society

Araki: First, could you tell us about the decarbonization projects NTT Communications is undertaking and the initiatives related to the "Deco-Katsu" collaboration?

Miyata: We currently provide GX solutions spanning four categories: environmental management support (including visualization), provision of energy-saving equipment and facilities, utilization of carbon credits, and recycling/waste disposal.

As part of this, we are developing activities in collaboration with the "Deco-Katsu" initiative promoted by the Ministry of the Environment. For example, the "ONE TEAM CHALLENGE" initiative, co-hosted by NTT Communications and NTT Comware, is an employee-participation event where multiple companies join forces. Employees from different companies come together as one to engage in environmental actions, transcending corporate boundaries.

Araki: It's precisely a mechanism to spread "behavioral change" from within companies.

Miyata: Exactly. This project started in fiscal year 2023 and will continue in fiscal year 2025. A key feature is our "Green Program® for Employee" app, which visualizes the actions employees take and the resulting CO2 reductions. Participants share progress with each other, fostering a positive atmosphere for the initiative.

Additionally, after the event concludes, we organize gatherings for corporate representatives to review the initiative's outcomes with quantifiable data. These sessions foster discussions with other companies, sharing challenges and innovative approaches, which I sense is creating a momentum of "we want to do more." Multiple companies are currently considering participation, and we are actively recruiting more.

Araki: What is the intent behind the "starting with employees" approach?

Miyata: Changing the behavior of every individual consumer is no easy task. That's why we focused on the collective group of corporate employees. We feel that people in Japan are sincere about social norms, and when a company raises the banner saying "Let's do this," many employees take it seriously and engage diligently. We aim for environmental actions to start in the workplace first, gradually spreading to the home. This step-by-step approach is how we envision behavioral change progressing.

Araki: I see. So you're creating a structure where environmental awareness grows by starting with easy actions at work, and environmental behavior naturally spreads to homes and society.

Miyata: Yes, we envision that changes in individual employees will develop into company-wide initiatives, eventually rippling out to society as a whole. Another key point is the ability to visualize results—like CO2 reduction amounts and action outcomes—through data. Companies can leverage this data not only for internal communication but also for external outreach, such as through the Ministry of the Environment's "Deco-Katsu" website. We believe sharing these "visible results" is crucial for sparking a movement of behavioral change across society as a whole.

Visualizing actions leads to the next steps

Araki: Could you share any tangible changes or feedback you've received regarding how employees at participating companies have changed through these initiatives?

Miyata: In fiscal year 2024, participating companies' employees took approximately 30,000 environmental actions, reducing CO2 emissions by 14 tons. We achieved tangible results in terms of numbers. What was particularly striking was that nearly 80% of participants reported "increased environmental knowledge and interest" and "being able to take eco-friendly actions." We saw clear changes in both awareness and behavior.

Araki: So there was a tangible sense of overcoming the hurdles of "awareness" and "action."

Miyata: Yes. I believe one key point was designing a system where participants could immediately feel the effects, even for environmental actions where results are often hard to see. With the "Green Program® for Employee," participants learn environmental knowledge through quizzes, choose eco-actions suited to them, and instantly visualize the resulting CO2 reduction.

Araki: So it creates a flow where people don't just receive knowledge, but genuinely understand and act upon it.

Miyata: Exactly. We included an annotation feature explaining why each action benefits the environment, creating a mechanism that fosters personal conviction in their actions. Furthermore, it allows analysis not only of individual data but also departmental participation rates. For instance, identifying a department with low participation enables targeted outreach or campaign design.

Araki: It seems like this enables data-driven behavioral change.

Miyata: When we surveyed participating companies, the most common reason cited for sustained motivation was "seeing their growth and contributions reflected in numbers." The next most common reason was "the abundance of easy-to-implement eco-actions." We also heard from managers struggling with defining success metrics that they appreciated "being able to report using standardized data."

Araki: For example, visualizing company-specific characteristics like "high reusable bottle usage" or "more stair use than elevator use" could also contribute to branding.

Miyata: We're definitely mindful of that. In fact, the app includes a feature to add custom actions, allowing companies to incorporate initiatives that reflect their unique identity.

Araki: Integrating initiatives with workplace culture could significantly lower the barrier to behavioral change.

Co-creation Models for Decarbonization Initiatives in Areas and Regions

Araki: I understand you're focusing not only on workplace-based initiatives but also on collaboration with areas and regions. What specific activities are you undertaking?

Fujita: Let me share the example of the " Eco Action Campaign " in the Shinagawa-Kounan area. While past initiatives were mainly company-based, this project was implemented at the area level, centered around tenant companies in the office building "Shinagawa Season Terrace" and surrounding businesses. We aimed to foster community building and strengthen engagement beyond company boundaries by having employees from multiple tenant companies participate, creating cross-company connections among people working in the same location.

Araki: That's an interesting approach—promoting behavioral change centered around a "place."

Fujita: Beyond standard eco-action registration, we integrated cleaning activities as a unique initiative by linking with the existing "Shinagawa Clean-Up Campaign" beautification efforts.

Furthermore, we facilitated offline interactions, including a pre-event kickoff party, an interim report session featuring a tour of solar power generation facilities, and a wrap-up meeting. The initiative yielded significant results: approximately 18,000 total actions, with the number of actions per person increasing by 34% compared to the previous ONE TEAM CHALLENGE.

This initiative consciously aims to create a "triple win" model: providing individuals with a "trigger" for environmental action, offering companies an accessible "challenge platform," and bringing "value enhancement" to the community.

Araki: Did a sense of competition emerge among the companies?

Fujita: It was relatively subdued this time, but we have plans to incorporate healthy competitive elements in the future, such as area-based competitions. The app already allows viewing of each company's action count and reduction volume, and we recognized companies with outstanding per-person action counts and reduction volumes.

Araki: So you've established a system that naturally boosts motivation.

Miyata: Allow me to also introduce our collaboration with local governments. In 2024, we conducted a pilot project in partnership with four cities in Saitama Prefecture—Tokorozawa, Hanno, Sayama, and Hidaka—involving 43 local companies and 395 employees. Beyond reducing approximately 5.9 tons of CO2, over 60% of participants reported "increased environmental awareness," indicating we achieved tangible results here as well.

Araki: What challenges prompted this project?

Miyata: Local government officials promoting eco-activities had long recognized the challenge that "direct approaches to residents have limitations," understanding the importance of public-private partnerships. Therefore, by having private businesses within the administrative area utilize the "Green Program® for Employees," we built a model where environmental actions spread from employees to their households and communities, while also promoting the Green Transformation (GX) of local businesses. Participating companies span diverse sectors including regional financial institutions, manufacturing, and retail. Yet they all shared the common need to "raise employee environmental awareness."

Araki: The significance of having companies with local networks, like regional banks, participate is substantial. By involving such local businesses and support organizations, we can likely expand the circle of participating companies further. Also, in terms of communicating the activities outward, the power of local newspapers and regional TV/radio stations is crucial. If we can work together with these media outlets, I feel we can go beyond mere implementation and create a sense of excitement throughout the entire region.

Miyata: Exactly. At the results presentation we held in Sayama City, local media representatives participated, generating considerable interest. It was covered in the newspaper too, reinforcing how significant local media is for outreach. While this time it was about sharing results, collaborating with media from the initiative's early stages to disseminate information would likely make it easier to engage participating companies and local residents. We want to actively incorporate that approach moving forward.

Change begins with someone's action. How information is delivered is key.

Araki: I'd like to introduce the consumer surveys we conduct here.

We have been continuously conducting the "Consumer Survey on Carbon Neutrality" since 2021. Within this survey, we ask about actual behaviors and future intentions regarding various decarbonization actions. What was particularly striking was how workplace colleagues serve as triggers for behavioral change.

For instance, regarding relatively familiar actions like Cool Biz or waste separation, many respondents cited "information shared by their supervisor" as a reference point. A significant number also mentioned they "started after seeing others around them doing it."

Miyata: So, the workplace community is indeed where the triggers for action are emerging.

Araki: Exactly. What we're focusing on is how people's perceptions and levels of concern about climate change vary surprisingly widely. Looking at the free comments, the reactions of consumers to the news that the 2023 temperature rise reached 1.5°C were truly diverse.

That's precisely why we feel the accumulation of small, individual actions in concrete settings like daily life, the workplace, and local communities is so important.

Miyata: I agree completely. When we surveyed employees about environmental actions and product choices within the company, many responses indicated a passive stance, such as "I don't actively participate, but I do pay attention to activity reports" or "I buy environmentally conscious products when I notice them." However, looking at it another way, this suggests that "if information is provided, people can take action."

Araki: It's true. Just knowing that "that person is doing it" can sometimes make you think, "Maybe I should try it too."

Miyata: In that sense, I think refining how we communicate information becomes crucial. Companies often assume they're sharing information, but it frequently doesn't reach employees. We want to focus on designing and supporting effective communication methods.

One person's actions can change the future. To turn small actions into a big movement.

Araki: Regarding promoting behavioral change across Japan, I'd also like to hear about the challenges and hurdles you currently perceive.

Fujita: From my personal experience, I feel a persistent mindset among Japanese consumers that "decarbonization is something companies do." There's this underlying feeling that "what difference can one person make?" Companies can achieve significant CO2 reductions all at once. The gap between that reality and the small actions individuals can take feels too vast, leading many to question the point of trying.

Miyata: The difficulty of maintaining continuity is also a major challenge. While apps and campaigns can generate temporary interest, getting that to take root as a daily habit is proving quite difficult.

Araki: It seems crucial to create mechanisms that help individuals perceive decarbonization as a societal challenge that directly concerns them. Finally, could you share your thoughts on future prospects?

Miyata: We will hold the "ONE TEAM CHALLENGE 2025 Summer" in June-July 2025. This time, by utilizing the "Deco-Katsu Database" from the Ministry of the Environment's Deco-Katsu initiative, we plan to implement standardized actions and CO2 emission reduction effects, executing it as a more precise initiative.

We will also continue expanding our collaboration with local governments and area-based initiatives. At the same time, we intend to flexibly accommodate customized initiatives tailored to each company's specific needs.

Another key pillar we are focusing on is "Carbon Credits." We are particularly concentrating on credits in the agriculture and forestry sectors. Through initiatives such as extending the mid-season drying period in paddy fields to suppress methane emissions and activities leveraging the CO₂ absorption capacity of forests, we aim to achieve both the revitalization of primary industries and environmental contributions.

We intend to continue promoting this dual approach of solving social issues and building sustainable business.

Araki: Thank you. Since we have this opportunity, could you both share your thoughts and sense of mission regarding the decarbonization movement?

Fujita: I strongly believe that the gradual accumulation of individual actions holds immense significance. Take Cool Biz, for example. It wasn't immediately accepted by society; it gradually gained traction as more people adopted it, until it became commonplace. In that way, I want to contribute, even in a small way, to increasing the number of environmental actions that gain societal acceptance.

Miyata: I've worked in the IT field for a long time, and actually, the IT industry is one of the sectors that emits a significant amount of CO2. That's precisely why confronting environmental challenges is a critical issue for us too. Using the power of IT to solve both societal and corporate challenges. Making that future a reality is a major motivation for me.

Araki: There are no companies left that can remain unaffected by CO2. Today's discussion reaffirmed how crucial it is for every company and every individual employee to maintain a high level of awareness. Thank you for today.

Thelatestresults of theCarbon NeutralConsumer Survey are available here.