Carbon Literacy Training for SMEs
Learn how to reduce your business's greenhouse gas emissions and inspire employees to take action with accredited Carbon Literacy Project training.
How we can help
Carbonscope provides training and business mentoring to help enterprises meet their sustainability goals and take positive steps toward Net Zero targets.
Net Zero for business
If you're a small business, looking for straightforward advice on how to achieve Net Zero, our accredited Carbon Literacy Project training designed for SMEs is a great place to start. Run online over two short sessions it provides all you need to know to get started with your Net Zero journey.
Carbon Literacy for SMEs and Micro-enterprises.
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what steps your business should take to achieve Net Zero and how your business will benefit.
The training provides insight and knowledge around;
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Climate science, carbon literacy, and the costs and impacts of carbon use.
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Setting goals and targets that align with the UN's ambition and pathway to reduce global warming to less than 1.5degree warming.
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How to measure and reduce your business carbon footprint using freely available resources.
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Identify 'Hot Spots' for energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction, along with transition plans.
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Be business prepared to benefit from sustainability focussed procurement policies of organisations you may supply to.
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Educate and empower employees to integrate climate and nature considerations into all processes and decision-making.
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Links to wider sustainability reporting.
Participants gain Carbon Literacy Project certification.
Why businesses of all sizes need to act
Sustainability is now becoming a business imperative rather than a nice-to-have issue. Whatever the size of your enterprise, there are numerous benefits to be gained from becoming more sustainable and reducing your business's greenhouse gas emissions.
By taking action your organisation is more resilient to future climate change and is set to benefit from increasing consumer demand for more sustainable goods and services and the green procurement policies of larger organisations that you potentially supply to. Transitioning to Net Zero will always be an ongoing process and adopting a low-carbon culture can pay dividends in more ways than you expect.
Action scaled up across the nation can add up
Taking action to reduce your business carbon footprint may be easier than you think. There is always something that your business can achieve, whether that simply switching to a renewable energy supplier or revising a travel policy to become 'greener'. Plus if you share your successes with other businesses you can use your influence to bring about wider change.
Business Net Zero Support
If you're a larger business looking for help to motivate and educate employees to take positive action and embed a low-carbon culture within your organisation bespoke Business Net Zero Training along with mentoring can also be provided. Attendees gain a comprehensive overview of how to transition to Net Zero, what resources are required, who needs to be involved, and how your business will benefit.
Key areas covered
Climate science and the bigger picture - legislative and economic drivers for change
Carbon accounting and reporting tools - choosing the right tool and framework for your business. (Dependent upon size and sector)
Scope 3, supplier engagement and procurement
Carbon reduction/transition plans - identifying significant areas or 'hot spots' for energy-saving
Communicating responsibly
Employee and stakeholder engagement
Links to ESG and sustainability.
Global resources available - where to go for specialist advice.
To find out more about bespoke training and mentoring please get in touch.
What is Carbon Literacy?
"An awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community, and organisational basis." Carbon Literacy Project.
What does Net Zero mean for business?using the science-based definition, which aligns with a pathway or ambition to limit global warming to to less than 1.5 degrees, this means reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from all your business operations to the bare minimum and offsetting any emissions you can't feasibly reduce by using a certified scheme for ideally Permanent Greenhouse Gas Removal .
Business Carbon Scopes? As a business, reporting on your emissions will involve looking at the GHGs emitted from
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Scope 1. Own buildings and vehicles you own
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Scope 2. Purchased electricity, heat, or steam
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Scope 3. Supply chains, business travel, and commuting.
Source: Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Develped by World Resources Institute (WRI) and land World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD),
CO2e? means Carbon Dioxide equivalent. To measure your total carbon footprint you will need to measure all your greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and convert this to the carbon dioxide equivalent. The main GHGs are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and various refrigerants. The varying global warming potential, or strength, of each gas, is converted into its Carbon Dioxide equivalent.
Why take action?
Meeting Net Zero targets to keep atmospheric warming below 1.5 degrees is a global challenge. Action is required by all nations and across all sectors.
Adopting a low-carbon culture can pay dividends in more ways than you expect. In addition to lower energy and business running costs, being prepared means that you're more likely to benefit from the ever-increasing procurement policies of larger organisations, looking to lower their emissions from their own supply chains.
Other benefits include a cleaner environment and a healthier workforce. Action also supports wider sustainability goals and reporting.
For help with getting to Net Zero please get in touch.
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ABOUT
Why choose Carbonscope?
Carbonscope aims to help businesses meet sustainability goals and take positive steps towards UK Net Zero targets.
It was founded by Fiona Swan in response to the Climate Emergency. During the Pandemic Fiona undertook the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership course Business Climate Change - Transition to Net Zero which highlighted what businesses should be doing to make the transition. The course had numerous representatives from large global brands, all with significant resources to enable action to be taken. This made Fiona think, well what are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME's) doing in this area?
SMEs make up 99% of all businesses in the UK and contribute to 25% of UK emissions. Currently, only 1 in 10 firms are measuring their Carbon Footprint. British Chamber of Commerce.
“If the UK is to stand even a chance of hitting the net zero target by 2050 then businesses must be put at the heart of the strategy to achieve it. They will be the ones who create and produce the technology to allow us all to live greener lives and will be vital in driving the consumer behavior required to reach net zero. It will also be business that provides one of the biggest dents in CO2 emissions by making the transition themselves." Shevaun Haviland, Director General British Chamber of Commerce.
We aim to support existing provisions such as the UK SME Climate Hub, with business mentoring and bespoke training.
Fiona Swan has an MSc in Thermal Energy Processes from Cranfield University and a BSc in Environmental Science from Coventry University. She has worked extensively in the energy/climate change industry since 1995 on various projects and initiatives for Energy Saving Trust, The Centre for Sustainable Energy, and the European Commission. Fiona is also interested in climate adaptation and has worked as Regional Climate Change Adaptation Co-ordinator at the Environment Agency.
As a qualified teacher in further and adult education Fiona now provides Carbon Literacy Training for SMEs and Micro-enterprises which the Carbon Literacy Project endorses.
For an initial chat to discuss your requirements