Promoting green change: The influence of green insider activists on the environmental sustainability efforts of Dutch health insurers

Abstract

Green insider activism has become increasingly relevant within many organisations. Green insider activists can utilise persuasive tactics to convince decision-makers of the merits of their claims. Yet, literature on how green insider activists pursue sustainable change by means of persuasive tactics appears to be lacking. The aim of this research is to explore how green insider activists pursue sustainable change by means of persuasive tactics and how this influences the environmental sustainability efforts of Dutch health insurers. Therefore, the following research question will be addressed: ‘How do green insider activists influence the environmental sustainability efforts of Dutch health insurers?’. Data is collected through 11 semi-structured interviews and a documentary analysis. The results of this research contribute to the limited literature on how green insider activists pursue sustainable change by means of persuasive tactics. Moreover, this research provides guidance to the examined health insurer to ensure the continuity of the environmental sustainability efforts. The utilisation of persuasive tactics by green insider activists could also apply to other Dutch or possibly even international ‘green’ health insurers.