Training

A rising tide lifts all boats - The power of business sustainability education

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:23:48 +0000

A rising tide lifts all boats - The power of business sustainability education

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Business Sustainability

Sustainability

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Business Sustainability

Fireside chat with Máire Fay, Head of Sustainability, Education & Development, Dublin Chamber

Here at Dublin Chamber, our role, first and foremost, is to represent and support businesses of all sizes from all industries. We speak and lobby on their behalf, but we also listen – meaning we can offer a wide range of services relevant to the needs of businesses today.

I research, develop and lead new sustainability projects and continually innovate on existing ones, such as the Sustainability Academy, which was established in response to these needs.

Our classes are virtual but in a live classroom, taking leaders through all the critical areas of ESG, otherwise known as Environmental, Social, and Governance factors.

Máire Fay, Head of Sustainability, Education & Development, Dublin Chamber

From workshops on sustainability 101 to carbon strategy, from carbon footprint to the circular economy and green public procurement, our courses form a pathway that participants can follow from start to finish – or pick and choose what areas they wish to focus on.

It can seem like such an enormous undertaking, but Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither is a good sustainability strategy.

We undertook extensive research, including our 2022 Sustainability Survey, conducted with Amárach Research and learned that many of our member companies wanted to take action but didn’t know where to start.

Many could see the benefit of having a roadmap but were unclear about how to do that on a practical level and where to start.

We wanted to demystify business sustainability and offer tangible support to help businesses through the process one step at a time.

That’s why we also offer one-on-one support along with the workshops, as we are keen to strip back the complexities and encourage action, not confusion.

We also see the separation of priorities as a barrier somewhat since organisations should embed sustainability into core business strategy as opposed to it being a separate policy.

All classes are held live online, allowing participants to learn from experts while discussing and brainstorming relevant issues with their teacher's assistance.

We see representation from all industries of all sizes with various motivations to take the courses, which is wonderful as it leads to diverse discussions and great idea-sharing.

One of the most valuable assets at Dublin Chamber is our network, so members can access our award-winning workshops, a robust community and various supports that will help them push forward in their efforts to be more sustainable.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

Sustainability Survey 2022 by Dublin Chamber.

It can be deliberating to find a community, a tribe of those in the same position or those who might be already on their journey. This is where the power of collaboration can never be underestimated. Especially when you are starting, it is good to know that you are not alone.

One of the biggest revelations during our course is that ‘it is doable’!

All these things will help you be honest about your sustainability journey – with yourself, your customers, employees and other stakeholders.

You can create a sustainability strategy to be as truthful and realistic as possible, making your objectives and timelines more achievable and strengthening your position towards reaching your goals.

We are delighted to see more companies choosing to upskill in this area based on market needs. This happened with Cpl, Ireland's most prominent and longest-standing recruitment agency.

They noticed a significant increase in supplier requests for sustainability criteria and were unsure where to begin answering them.

Since 2020, Cpl has made significant progress and has gone from a limited knowledge of sustainability to developing their first sustainability strategy and report, establishing baseline data and disclosing it to the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).

While they did bring in external support to execute their plans, they gained a strong foundation of knowledge.

Looking at our progress and seeing companies going through transformational changes, I have noticed that once you are in, you are in. Once you care, you care.

It certainly has been a challenge to raise awareness of the importance of running greener businesses, but I can honestly say that it’s also been so rewarding.

Word of mouth has been so valuable to us, and it is also a great vote of confidence to know that our participants are happy to recommend their experience.

Besides, we also use various channels to communicate sustainability topics to our members, aiming to make it as easy as possible to understand the relevance and access support.

Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more informed your decisions will be.

It is a challenging landscape out there at the moment, and the recently published IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Synthesis Report offered some very sobering data.

However, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool optimist and believe we can achieve astonishing change as a global community.

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New program preparing Dublin-based businesses for rapidly growing Green Economy

Business Spirit News reporting — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 12:51:15 +0000

New program preparing Dublin-based businesses for rapidly growing Green Economy

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Micro and small enterprises in Dublin can join a new Circular Economy training program to become more sustainable and unlock business potential.

The MODOS Circular Economy training and mentoring program provides practical knowledge and networking opportunities to SMEs in the Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown areas in March and April 2022.

With business trends shifting rapidly towards sustainability, it is inevitable for all shapes and sizes of enterprises to take up this challenge and turn it into an opportunity for innovation and growth.

The four interactive online training modules are designed to help embed sustainability into business strategy efficiently and effectively while fostering innovation and profitability.

Up to twenty participants per program will learn from highly renowned experts about Circular Economy, carbon management, resource efficiency, supply chain sustainability, and engagement.

“MODOS helped me to apply circular economy principles in my business. I was able to appraise in real terms how small changes in processes can yield big results (and higher margins). Completing the MODOS program was an important step in working towards the goal of carbon neutrality for my company,” says John Burke from Burke’s of Rathnew Homevalue business about his experience of the training.

Besides the learning sessions, enterprises can benefit from networking, mentoring and an opportunity to promote their sustainability credentials.

Free to join online information sessions will be held on 2nd and 3rd February 2022, where businesses can learn more insights.

The program is designed for businesses active in all sectors who have been trading for a minimum of 6 months, with 1 to 250 employees.

Kate Purcell from Green Aware, who participated in a previous MODOS training, said that

’the information and guidance provided during MODOS were instantly practical’ and that ’the course resources are relevant to every organisation, no matter where they are on their sustainability journey.’

Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council brought the program to life in response to the challenges facing micro and small enterprises in building their capacity and understanding of Green Business and the Circular Economy.

With funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the cost of the programme is subsidised, making the course more accessible.

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Circular Economy training program for SMEs in Ireland to inspire green recovery

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 14:11:04 +0000

Circular Economy training program for SMEs in Ireland to inspire green recovery

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Irish businesses can upskill to become more resilient and sustainable by adopting circular economy principles

The innovative circular economy training programme, called MODOS, will be available nationwide for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Ireland from September 2020 to help businesses to become more resilient by integrating sustainability elements into their post-COVID recovery.

Moving to a circular economy, where materials are continuously reused and recycled, is essential if Ireland is to meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets under the national Climate Action Plan.

Research by the Ellen McArthur Foundation revealed that around 45% of GHG emission reductions would come from applying a circular approach in production and supply chains.

“With SMEs making up to 99% of Ireland’s economy, it is vital that these businesses embrace the circular thinking. The MODOS training gives SMEs the practical advice and support they need to do this,” says Dr. Joanne Rourke, Regional Resource Efficiency Officer at the Waste Management Plan Lead Authority.

The MODOS training is a joint initiative of Dublin City Council and the Waste Management Plan Lead Authority. The course aims to empower SMEs to apply circular economy principles in their business, helping them reduce waste and carbon emissions while creating opportunities to save money, increase resilience and boost competitive advantage.

The circular economy is a sustainable economic model that replaces the current linear ‘take-make-waste’ model and creates ‘closed-loops’ supply and production chains where materials are kept in use for as long as possible.

This strategy allows organisations to operate cost-effectively while reducing their environmental impacts.

New business models based around leasing, remanufacturing, recycling and upcycling are already emerging on various markets.

In Europe alone, creating a circular economy could save 450 million tonnes of carbon by 2030, create 580,000 jobs and save €600 billion for EU businesses according to the European Commission.

EU Green Deal, European Commission

With the European Union introducing new policy and regulations for transitioning to a low-carbon economy as part of the EU Green Deal, and the Irish government bringing in new Green Procurement standards, Irish businesses must understand and apply circular economy principles.

Doing so will help to future proof their business and enable them to become part of a new economy.

The MODOS circular economy training will be delivered online by experts in September-October 2020, and participants will be charged a nominal fee to make this course as accessible as possible to everyone interested in joining. It is suitable for businesses from all industries.

Still, the following sectors are likely to find it particularly relevant: construction and the built environment, food, retail, manufacturing, textiles and fashion, electronics, plastics and packaging.

To give potential participants a sense of what is involved in the training and what the benefits are, free one-hour taster session will be available on Friday 28th August 2020.

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Circular Economy training for SMEs

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Accelerating Investment Readiness programme for social enterprises

Szilvia Szabó — Wed, 20 May 2020 10:59:52 +0000

Accelerating Investment Readiness programme for social enterprises

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Responsible Innovation

International pitch competition and learning programme is open for social enterprises.

With a pitch competition and a blended learning opportunity, the ‘Accelerating Investment Readiness’ (AIR or #AirMOOC) programme offers a unique chance for social enterprises to gain knowledge, build their network and connect with impact investors at one go. This innovative programme is managed by 14 partners from 12 European countries as part of the ‘Finance4SocialChange’ EU Interreg project.

The pitch competition is open only for social innovators from the Danube region. Selected finalists will receive one-on-one mentoring, and each winner will get at least 10,000 € in prize money and exclusive access to an extensive impact investor network. Deadline for online application is 31st of May, 2020.

The learning course is free and open to anyone who wants to learn and get insights on social entrepreneurship, impact investments and scaling a value-driven enterprise. Besides the learnings, it offers a networking opportunity to connect with peers and impact investors from all over Europe.

“We have gathered leading experts in impact investing, purpose-driven business and progressive policy-making to provide inputs for reflection, share their experiences and co-create more sustainable and pro-social organizations,” says Dr Gorgi Krlev, who works at the Centre for Social Investment (CSI) of the University of Heidelberg and lead partner of the AIR project.

The aim of the ‘Accelerating Investment Readiness’ and #AirMOOC learning programme is to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between stakeholders in the social innovation space, such as entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.

The learning course will be launched on 25th of May and run for 6 weeks and offers six modules focusing on topics at the intersection of social entrepreneurship and impact investing with a specific focus on Measuring and managing Impact, Strategy, Finance, Governance, Scaling and Communication.

Participants in the #AirMOOC can learn practical skills about:

How do you best measure and manage social impact?
How do you build an integrated organizational strategy to create impact?
What is social and impact finance?
How do you master the specific governance features social ventures have?
What are the different pathways to scaling impact? How do you communicate (for) impact?

Experts involved in the #AirMOOC programme as speakers and contributors come from an impressive range of high-profile organizations and institutions, including SEIF Driving Impact Innovation, TEDx, Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany (SEND), the German Ministry of Economy in Baden-Württemberg, ResponsAbility Investments, Impact Collective Social Venture Accelerators, Enactus, PHINEO, European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA), Cambridge Social Ventures, Impact Hub, OECD, and Erste Bank.

The Coronavirus pandemic has revealed the need to create ventures that are creating values at the social and ecological level besides contributing to the economy. The support offered by the ‘Accelerating Investment Readiness’ (AIR) programme could empower innovators to join forces and build back a better ecosystem and tackle the devastating impact of the Covid-19.

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Open call: Finance4Change project

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