Businesses are crucial for making the future sustainable, but it’s the passionate folks inside these companies who often lead the charge. They go by different names like tempered radicals, social intrapreneurs, or champions. These insiders push their companies to tackle social and environmental problems.

A new study from King’s College London looked at these insider change-makers to learn more about what they do.

Inside changemakers

These insiders are people within companies who try to make their organizations act on social and environmental issues. The study looked at over 400 articles to answer questions like “What makes an insider change-maker? What kinds of issues do they work on? How does their workplace affect what they do? What exactly do they do? And what happens as a result?”

The study suggests a model to understand these insider efforts better. It also says that past studies focused too much on small wins and not enough on big, lasting change.

Insiders are key to helping businesses become more sustainable. Employees want to see their values reflected in their work, but companies aren’t doing enough to make that happen. The study offers six tips for businesses and the people trying to make them better:

1. Insider change-makers can be found anywhere in a company. Businesses should encourage this by making social and environmental goals part of everyone’s job.
2. Collaboration is more effective than one person trying to be a hero. Companies should support insiders by helping them work with others.
3. Insiders need support from their communities. Businesses can help by connecting insiders with groups who share their goals.
4. Change needs to make sense for a business, but it also needs fresh ideas. Businesses should help insiders find ways to make a business case for social change.
5. Insiders need to stay true to their values, but they also need to be practical. Companies should create an environment where insiders can do the right thing without getting preachy.
6. Small victories are important, but they should add up to big change. Companies should help insiders see how their small wins fit into the bigger picture.

In short, insiders are crucial for making businesses more sustainable. They’re not just pushing for change—they’re leading the way.