There is no question that being environmentally responsible is important, but it is also important to be managerially responsible. In that latter category, your manager has fallen short. Employees should always have a clear understanding of the criteria that will be used in evaluating their performance. It makes sense to include environmental responsibility in the evaluation process, but it makes no sense to spring this on employees without advance notice, standards, or support.
Your best step at this point is to look to the future. Ask your manager what he specifically expects of you in terms of environmental responsibility, and also ask how your performance will be measured. At the same time, there are several steps you can take on your own to be more successful in this area. For example, you can probably find ways to use less paper, cut back on electrical power, and make better use of recycled products. If you take these steps, be sure to let your manager know.
Environmental responsibility at work is more than throwing a term into the employees’ evaluations. If companies want to do well in this area, they need a well-defined and well-supported program.
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