Be Carbon Literate network underway
A new network of professional trainers is offering carbon literacy training across Greater Manchester.
Be Carbon Literate is providing advice and training services to help businesses convert growing environmental costs into competitive advantages.
Launched at the annual conference of Manchester's climate change action plan, Manchester – A Certain Future, the network is a delivery group for the Manchester Carbon Literacy project.
The Be Carbon Literate network will be helping to deliver a city-wide target of reducing Manchester's carbon emissions by 41% by 2020, a key aim of the city's climate change action plan.
According to the Department for Environment, businesses in the North West could save £713m every year through no-cost and low-cost resource efficiency improvements. Increasing energy costs and carbon taxes are also making efficiency investments increasingly attractive to businesses, whilst accountancy firms are seeing pension funds starting to screen their potential investments against an organisation's sustainability credentials.
Be Carbon Literate is attempting to raise employees awareness of the power they have to act on these issues.
Nicola Percival, founder of the network, said: "Be Carbon Literate believes there has never been a better time to bring businesses up to speed on how they can reduce their growing exposure to energy prices and carbon taxes.
"It's simple stuff, but our experience has shown that many businesses are missing out on significant operational savings because they are unaware of the opportunity.
"Raising awareness amongst staff has consistently shown to generate an ongoing cycle of efficiency savings for business. We're seeing staff becoming more motivated too and finding new efficiency savings businesses had never thought of before."
The Be Carbon Literate team has a pool of cross-sector commercial experience from across the North West, having previously held senior positions in design and construction, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, healthcare, mining and minerals, waste, administration & government, utilities, the arts, retail and property management.
The team includes Nicola Percival, director, Soul Sustainability, Damian Burton, director, SmartGreen, Rosie Lewis, director, Carbonhalo, Laurie Wills, director, Element Sustainability, Helen Ridgwick, director, Think Sustainability, Clare Macintosh, director, Think Sustainability and Paul Sutcliffe, operations director, Sustainable Commercial Solutions.
Be Carbon Literate is now offering bespoke and targeted advice and training, from developing organisational-level learning strategies, through to designing and delivering fully-facilitated courses.
Attendees can join a general course for a flat delegate fee of £200, or organisations can arrange for more tailored options, with a one day, in-house course starting at £750.
For more information, visit the Be Carbon Literate website at www.becarbonliterate.co.uk , or email contact@becarbonliterate.co.uk
