Despite recent efforts to improve, the hospitality industry continues its struggle to find a more sustainable future. Due to high levels of water, energy and consumable goods usage, less than half of consumers believe the North West’s hospitality industry is actually reducing carbon emissions or reaching a more sustainable solution, research from Electricity North West reveals. To accelerate change and help the industry lower its environmental impact, business development consultancy start-up, Elevate, today announces a FREE Carbon Literacy training workshop for up to 20 hospitality businesses on Tuesday 9th November 2021, during the much-anticipated COP26.
The training will provide businesses with the tools and knowledge needed to achieve net-zero and stay on track with Greater Manchester’s ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2038, 12 years ahead of the rest of the UK.
Having provided training to over 30 businesses to date, the Carbon Literacy course will be hosted by Elevate Co-Founder and Director Ilona Alcock to help the industry curve public perception and shine a light on the low-carbon initiatives businesses can adopt to create positive change.
As the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, now presents the perfect time for many business owners to reflect and implement positive changes to ensure a more sustainable future. However, research from UKHospitality found that smaller hospitality business owners feel unable to invest resources in sustainability measures. Keen to demonstrate its commitment to driving sustainable change in the region, Elevate’s free training will aim to ensure businesses of all sizes have equal opportunities and understanding when it comes to investing in a greener future.
The course will cover a range of topics to help those in attendance upskill in Carbon Literacy such as:
• What climate change is and how we know it’s real
• The current and projected impacts of climate change
• What needs to be done locally, nationally and internationally
• Climate justice
• How hospitality venues and organisations can reduce their environmental impact
• The links between carbon reduction and the economy
Hoping to inspire real change across the industry in the North, Ilona said:
“With COP26 approaching, we know the conference will cover a lot of ground, but not necessarily lead to enough results. COP26 may be a common term within some industries, but for many it’s not – we want to involve the wider community in the North, ensuring they understand the point and ambitions of an event like this, allowing them to contribute towards the end goal of achieving net zero across the UK.
This will only happen if we all try to make a positive change, which requires significant investment and upskilling across sectors. We know that the hospitality industry needs a lot of work, but could be one of the sectors that has the biggest impact – so we believe offering the free Carbon Literacy training will really support businesses, showing them how making small changes can lead to big results.”
Already working with some hospitality businesses in the North West, Elevate’s session with Manchester’s Common & Co, saw the business make a number of immediate sustainable changes.
Charlotte Heyes, Co-Founder, Common & Co, said: “The carbon literacy training came at the right time. Our impact on the planet was an issue which was very much on our minds, but it can be quite overwhelming knowing where to start. The training really helped to focus and give us some achievable first, practical steps to take. The journey towards being a more responsible, low carbon business is exactly that, a journey. The training helps you to establish where you are and how to plot your route forward. It’s a fantastic opportunity and valuable kick up the posterior to make those first steps.”
Places on Elevate’s free Carbon Literacy training for the hospitality sector will be first come, first served and take place at Cornerstone in Manchester on the 9th November.
