Why engagement still matters in 2025

There is a powerful but silent majority within our workforce, waiting to be empowered to take sustainable action. Sustainability remains a defining concern for organisations and their people. Yet, while awareness is high, action often lags behind. Ahead of our upcoming Sustainability Engagement Trends 2025 report, where we’ll explore the trends among sustainability champions, we’re taking a look back at our previous report, about everyone else.

Last year’s Sustainability Engagement Trends 2024 report revealed that people care, they just need help turning awareness into action. Among 1,500 UK employees surveyed, 82% agreed that it is important to them to work for an organisation that prioritises sustainability. This aligns with broader research, such as a Deloitte’s recent Gen Z and Millennial Survey, which found that 70% of Gen Z’s and Millennials consider a company’s environmental policies to be important when evaluating a potential employer.

But caring isn’t the same as contributing. To cross the awareness-action gap, organisations have to look beyond those that are already engaged, and tackle the silent majority.

Who are the silent majority?

We define the “silent majority” as those employees who support sustainability in principle but haven’t yet turned that support into regular, visible action. They’re not disengaged; they’re often the ones nodding in agreement during team updates or forwarding the sustainability newsletter. But they’re also not logging actions, joining initiatives, or leading change.

This group is sizeable. In our 2024 report, 79% of employees said they would like to do more to contribute to their organisation’s sustainability goals. The desire is clearly there, so what’s getting in the way?

Interestingly, the data reveals a gap between general awareness and connecting that awareness to their role in the organisation. While 76% agreed they were aware of their organisation’s sustainability strategy, 73% of respondents were aware of how their role contributed to said sustainability objectives.. This distinction matters. Passive awareness may generate goodwill, but to make a change, you have to really hammer home how each individual contributes to the bigger picture.

Motivation isn’t the problem

When the silent majority don’t act, it’s rarely because they don’t care. It’s often because they don’t know how to. Sustainability can feel abstract, especially in roles that don’t obviously connect to carbon or consumption. Bridging this gap means helping employees understand the link between their daily decisions and your organisation’s environmental impact.

For example, procurement teams might not realise how supplier choices influence Scope 3 emissions. Office workers may not connect their digital habits to server energy consumption. Making those connections explicit is a first step in activating more consistent behaviour.

You can also see this awareness-action gap in recent research by Gallup, which found that only 21% of employees globally are engaged at work, even though the majority say they want their work to be meaningful. When engagement levels are already low, sustainability can’t be treated as an optional extra—it needs to feel integrated and achievable.

Recognition turns interest into action

One of the simplest ways to bring the silent majority on board is to make sustainable behaviours more visible—and more valued. As our previous blog post explored, rewarding climate action doesn’t require a large budget. Verbal recognition, peer nominations, and even digital shout-outs can create a culture where positive actions are acknowledged and replicated.

Even among those who already consider themselves aware of their organisation’s sustainability vision, the appetite for engagement remains high. In fact, 84% of this group told us they still want to do more to contribute. Recognition is one way to meet this energy and guide it in the right direction.

Our research showed that 80% of respondents agreed that rewards and recognition would motivate them to contribute more towards their organisation’s sustainability goals. External research supports this approach too. A recent found that social norms and peer visibility are among the strongest motivators for pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace.

Practical friction holds people back

For many employees, the barrier to climate action is a practical one. Competing workloads, unclear expectations, or simply not knowing where to start can all limit engagement. That’s why simplicity and habit-forming design are crucial.

Offering low-barrier, high-frequency activities can lower the threshold for participation. When you embed simple actions into your team’s daily workflow, they become the norm and turn into a culture of sustainability.

Our programmes supports people changing their habits by making actions visible, repeatable, and trackable. But technology alone isn’t enough. People need to feel that their effort is valued and that it contributes to something bigger than a checklist.

Communication needs to go deeper

Finally, the data shows us that sustainability comms need to move beyond high-level messaging. Only 28% of employees strongly agreed they were aware of their organisation’s sustainability strategy and vision, a figure that suggests many are being missed by existing communications.

To connect with the silent majority, messaging must be clear, consistent, and relevant to individual roles. It should include real examples, success stories, and practical steps. The most effective strategies use a mix of incentives, norms, and education to influence behaviour across different employee groups.

Making it easier to act

There’s a massive opportunity in front of us. The majority of employees are aligned with your sustainability values. Many want to be more involved. But they need the tools, visibility, and support to take action consistently and confidently.

If you’re ready to engage your silent majority, it starts with clarity, recognition, and ease of participation.

Want to see how Team Jump helps organisations motivate behaviour change and make sustainability fun, visible and measurable? Book a demo and find out how we can help you unlock the full potential of your people.