Small Changes, Big Impact: Nudging Employees Toward Sustainable Behaviors

We designed and conducted three randomized control trials in partnership with a large biopharmaceutical company operating over 160 plasma donation centers, with the aim of promoting sustainable behaviors in a workplace setting. Specifically, we focused on reducing operational errors that led to dropped collection materials, long freezer door open times, and improper recycling practices. To achieve these goals, we employed social norms to nudge employees towards 1) reducing wasted collection materials, 2) minimizing the duration of freezer door openings, and 3) improving recycling practices. We found an average reduction of roughly 70 percent in plastic waste from dropped collection materials and the costs associated with these materials. The frequency of freezer door alarms decreased by over 80 percent, and the duration of alarms decreased by over 45 percent, depending on the empirical specification. We also observed a roughly 40 percent reduction in uncollapsed cardboard, with no statistically significant results for other types of contaminants. Importantly, for each of the interventions, we do not find evidence that the treatment effects waned over time or affected business operations. Our study provides significant implications for promoting sustainable behaviors in a workplace setting, filling an important gap in the literature on the effectiveness of nudges in the workplace.