Workshop will explain carbon crisis

A free carbon literacy workshop to help businesses across the region prepare for looming climate challenges is to be held in Shrewsbury.

The programme, led by Business Net Zero’s sustainability consultants and trainers Sue Burnell and Kevin Oubridge, is provided by the Marches Growth Hub Shropshire in partnership with Business Net Zero and CREST.

The workshop and online sessions are free to attend for businesses based in the Marches area of Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin.

Emma Chapman, Marches Growth Hub Shropshire manager, said: “The weather extremes suffered in Shropshire and beyond this summer has brought home to most of us the need to take positive steps to reduce our climate impact.

“The climate crisis isn’t going away, and we need to find practical ways to reduce our carbon use as well as cope with the consequences of the planet getting warmer. It’s a huge subject and we know it can be daunting. The workshop will explain the science you need to know to identify the risks and will help you make informed decisions on planning and adaptation.”

The full-day interactive workshop takes place on November 9 at University Centre Shrewsbury and will be followed by two hour-long online sessions on November 23 and December 7.

Topics covered will include understanding what carbon literacy is, the impact of climate change on how we live and work, identifying the risks to your value chain and how to make changes within your company to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

The programme will also cover practical, positive, steps that you and your teams can take and a positive message on how you can put climate change at the forefront of what you do. Benefits of the course will include building resilience into your operations, improving efficiency, reducing waste, making financial savings and preparing for up-coming government guidelines and legislation.

Completion of all three sessions qualifies participants for certification from the Carbon Literacy Trust at a cost of £10.

Sue Burnell, from Business Net Zero, said: “All businesses will need to transition towards becoming a net zero carbon, resilient enterprise – doing nothing is no longer an option. Joining in with this free workshop is a good first step towards achieving complex change and developing the leadership capability needed to adapt to the risks associated with the climate and nature crisis.”

The Marches Growth Hub is the business support arm of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, which works to drive economic growth across the region.  

Business Net Zero helps SMEs with their transition to becoming a net zero carbon, resilient enterprise and CREST, based at University Centre Shrewsbury, is the Centre for Research into Environmental Science and Technology which offers free support to SMEs who want to reduce their environmental impact, or to innovate and develop new products or services. 

Pictured: Emma Chapman