Under Pressure! Nudging Electricity Consumption within Firms. Feedback from a Field Experiment

Many economists and psychologists have studied the impact of nudges on households' pro-environmental behaviors. Interestingly, private nudges'' can be imagined for companies. Yet, studies focusing nudging employees' energy use are rare. The objective our paper is to explore this issue with help a field experiment conducted at 47 French companies' sites. Using difference-in-difference methodology, effects three conservation tested. first nudge, moral appeal'', stresses responsible energy. second one, social comparison'', informs employees consumption other firms participating in experiment. Finally, third stickers'', alerts about good practices. Our results stress complementarity these nudges. When implemented alone, no significant consumption. However, when appeal comparison combined stickers they become effective.