Membership

Membership Hack: Sustainability Pledge

The American Public Transit Association challenges members to take a pledge that they will operate sustainably, creating support for a key policy issue and building community within the organization.

How to hack it? Sustainability is a key issue for the American Public Transportation Association, and it encourages members to develop greener transit systems and operations by taking a sustainability pledge.

Here’s how it works: Members sign on to take the pledge, then work toward continuous improvements on social, economic, and environmental sustainability, including effective ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions

Why does it work? There are no set requirements for members to support the sustainability pledge, but APTA provides incentives to act by awarding top performers with a special designation of bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. Members can work at their own pace to reach new goals over several months or years.

What’s the bonus? The pledge has provided a way for APTA to build a community around the sustainability issue and engage members at a deeper level. Those that take the pledge can attend an annual sustainability workshop and access a private online community where members share best practices.

(Agaten/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Tim Ebner

By Tim Ebner

Tim Ebner is a senior editor for Associations Now. He covers membership, leadership, and governance issues. Email him with story ideas or news tips. MORE

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