Our two-part programme provides you with a certificate in carbon literacy, giving you the knowledge and skills you’ll need to identify where you can make changes; changes to help your business be more cost-efficient and better prepared to meet both customer expectations and new regulations, in a net-zero Scotland.

Please Note: Both sessions plus self-study must be completed to be eligible for certification, so please ensure you can commit to both dates – 2nd and 9th August; 10:00 – 12:30.

About the course

This free online training is certified by The Carbon Literacy Project and delivered by their official partner in Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful.

You will learn about the challenges of the climate emergency and be provided with effective tools to take back into your organisation, to help create focus on sustainability and decarbonisation.

What is carbon literacy and why is it important to me?

Carbon Literacy is the knowledge and capacity required to create a positive shift in how mankind lives, works and behaves in response to climate change. The Carbon Literacy Project’s definition of it is:

‘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.’

It’s important because a shift is already happening amongst consumers and businesses, as they look for reassurance from retailers and suppliers that efforts are being made towards sustainability and minimising carbon emissions. Not only will it be important for organisations to be able to provide that reassurance to customers but soon, regulations will be introduced that will need to be met legally.

Being carbon literate means you will be better equipped to help your organisation identify where changes might be required, what changes can realistically be made, and find opportunities to make your organisation more resilient and responsive to the impacts of climate change. With a plan in place, ready to be implemented, your organisation can continue to attract sales from customers in a world where expectations will be high.

What will I get out of the course?

After around 8 hours of learning (see course structure below), you will be eligible for an individual Certrificate in Carbon Literacy, independently verified by The Carbon Literacy Project.

You will find the training empowers you to take practical action on climate change and develop skills and experience you can apply in the workplace, no matter what your role or what level of an organisation you work at.  If you and your organisation are in the early stages of considering your climate change impacts and planning for net-zero, this training provides a fantastic opportunity to get you started.

Course structure

The training uses a mix of delivery methods over two weeks, including live, interactive webinars and self-study. The total time commitment for the course is 7-8 hours of learning, structured as follows:

Session One – 2.5hr online workshopAn introduction to climate change
Climate impacts and adaptation
Session Two – 2.5hr online workshopReducing emissions
Climate action and communication
Self-study material between the sessions

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand the basic science and impacts of climate change
Know what’s being done locally, nationally and internationally
Be able to identify impacts, risks and opportunities for Scotland
Be able to reflect on your organisation/sector’s role and what you can do