Gamification for Sustainability L&D, Engagement, and Fostering Ownership
Recently, we wrapped up a collaboration with EncompassHK, a HK-based social enterprise that pioneers SDG, DEI and biodiversity education. The collaboration focused on celebrating 🌎Earth Day and 🐞Biodiversity Day, and comprises three games.
Read on to hear from a participant her first-hand experience about each of the three games and key learnings - and read til the end to see our recommendations for even more games!
🎲 2030 SDGs Game
“Did you know that achieving the SDGs (UN’s sustainable development goals) could lead to economic benefits of $12 trillion by 2030? Our game night was more than fun - it was a simulation of the economic and social prosperity that awaits us if we commit to sustainable development. We were able to overcome real-world challenges and ultimately collaborate to help each and every one achieve our goals. This is a testament to collective intelligence and cooperation! It’s not just about saving the planet; it’s about collaboratively creating a thriving future for all!”
Check out the official website of the Game for more information: 2030sdgsgame.com
🎨 Human Factor Mural
“[The game was] our exploration of cognition revealed that quasi-automatic emotional responses and cognitive biases often sway our ability to act when it comes to environmental initiatives. However, through understanding and awareness, we can hack our minds by leveraging a range of human factors and therefore leading to more effective sustainability transitions (e.g. creating pleasant emotions for anchorage, turning cognitive biases into nudges, and constructing selected human factors to become levers of change - consider language and habits as examples). For instance, the “status quo bias” can hinder waste reduction initiatives, but by leveraging “nudges”, we can steer behavior towards greener habits. It’s all about rewiring our brains for the planet’s sake - which is uneasy but not impossible!”
Here’s the official website of the game if you’d like to know more: universitedufacteurhumain.com
🐝 Biodiversity Collage
“We pieced together the intricate web of life, guided by the IPBES report. The takeaway? Every species has a role, and every action has a ripple effect. We learned that biodiversity sustains human life, but we also acknowledged that the five causes of biodiversity loss are mainly human-led and lead to dire consequences such as famine, desertification, conflict and more. Our collage was a call to awareness and action.”
More information about the Biodiversity Collage is available on its official website: fresquedelabiodiversite.org
Why gamification for sustainability L&D and engagement?
At Better Futures, we believe in the power of social and experiential learning. We know well as savvy change journey designers and consultants that to lobby the ❤️ hearts and 🧠 minds, and to mobilise the ✊hands and 💰resources of cross-function teams and colleagues (many from outside of the sustainability team and have other targets to chase), it takes the deliberate design of engagement and onboarding programs that can effectively foster a sense of ownership.
And, the aforementioned fun and interactive games are such wonderful tools, all of which are based on existing recognised and scientific reports and frameworks, champions collective intelligence and are biased for action - all the essential qualities to accelerate any sustainability transition journey.
Other game examples include: Climate Fresk, Digital Collage, 2tonnes, Diversity Fresco and more.
The Better Futures team is experienced in delivering high quality and engaging workshops for a wide range of corporate and public sector clients, to induce and sustain their effective change journeys towards sustainability, including but not limited to: the United Nation’s Learning Planet Festival, the Hong Kong Airport Authority community as part of the HKIA Carbon Capacity Building Programme, Veolia Asia, property developers, banks, retail and product multinationals, and more.
Get in touch if you’d like to experience them or organise a session for your leadership and team!
