A group of CPL One colleagues spent a day learning how they can have a positive impact on sustainability in the workplace and at home.
How carbon literate are you? This was a question a group of CPL One journalists were encouraged to face up to when they took part in a recent training course.
The day course was organised by Lead With Sustainability, an expert group that focuses on helping businesses like CPL One reduce their environmental impact by helping employees raise awareness and take action.
“The day course was a really useful mix of presentations and discussions,” says editor Louise Parfitt, who took part in the training along with colleagues Ian Farrell and Helen King.
“We were all asked to think of two pledges – one professional and one personal – to take from the course. A professional ambition might be to research energy suppliers to find more environmentally friendly alternatives, or to consider what financial products your company uses to see if it could make more sustainable financial investments.”
Helen says that considering more sustainable options for business can also have a positive impact on the content CPL One creates for clients.
“Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a major topic for pretty much all the organisations we work for. Carbon literacy training helps us understand the challenges their businesses are facing, and the opportunities available to them.”
Ian agrees: “As editor of Circular magazine for the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), I’m always exploring issues around sustainability and the journey to net zero, so I’m keen to learn as much as I can.
“In the workplace, that could be about how we can nudge colleagues into improving our collective recycling behaviour or ensuring we power down appliances at the end of the day. At home, it could be about switching to a green energy electricity tariff.
“The training was really valuable. It showed how we, as individuals working in companies, can really make a difference.”