Support Businesses to be Climate Ready

Supporting Businesses to be Climate Ready

Garrett O’ Rourke, Training Network Manager shares his insights on the training support opportunities available for businesses to become more sustainable.

The impacts of climate change are becoming ever clearer both in Ireland and globally. No matter the region or industry, businesses are taking action to ensure their resilience in a changing world by analysing their levels of sustainability and their impact on the environment, underpinned by the Governments Climate Action Plan 2019. It is my firm belief that businesses who proactively address environmental challenges such as climate change will safeguard our natural resources and environment while driving lasting competitive advantage.

Here at Skillnet Ireland we are proactively delivering programmes that will enable businesses to be Climate Ready. Minister Simon Harris T.D. and Minister Eamon Ryan T.D. recently launched Climate Ready, a five-year national climate initiative designed to equip businesses with the skills they need to respond to climate change. It was a welcome move for those in the training industry as we had been calling for an initiative like this to assist our members in making the transition to a more sustainable way of doing business, now and into the future.

At a local level we at Cork Chamber Skillnet have been working to identify opportunities to provide practical and accessible supports for SMEs in Cork. We have recently engaged the expertise of Real Insights, Market Research Agency to conduct further research into the Sustainability Training needs of SMEs. The report, to be launched soon, will analyse trends, identify obstacles that businesses are facing on the journey to becoming more sustainable and explore the sustainability training currently on offer. The second phase of this research will incorporate a survey where we reach out directly to YOU, our members, to help us identify potential sustainable skills gaps where we can support you with the training you need. Keep an eye on your inbox and social media. Your participation in this survey is crucial and we encourage you to engage with us.

Cork Chamber Skillnet are delighted to co-sponsor the Sustainable Cork Programme Webinar Series. Initiated by Cork Chamber in 2020 at the height of the Covid Pandemic, the Sustainable Cork Programme set out a vision for a more sustainable and resilient Cork. The sectoral Think-Tanks along with a public survey that garnered over 800 responses formed the basis of the Building Economic Resilience report where a clear and progressive vision for a better Cork was identified. Within this report climate action, innovation, skills and training feature strongly, which is where Cork Chamber Skillnet and Skillnet Ireland through Climate Ready can play a formative role. In my view training is the key to future proofing our region and this report, in the context of the pandemic, highlights the need for that type of support from progressive leaders in the community. Cork Chamber is well-positioned to assist in this regard.

Along with my colleagues in Skillnet Ireland and Cork Chamber we are here to support you on this journey and move forward with ambition and purpose to drive what we know will be a thriving Cork city region in the coming years.

For further information on Cork Chamber Skillnet activity and the Sustainable Cork Programme visit www.corkchamber.ie

Climate Ready

Equipping businesses for the Green Economy

Climate Ready, an initiative from Skillnet Ireland, offers leadership and skills support for enterprises who want to develop their operational and strategic sustainability, includes:

• Training on how to reduce energy waste, deliver cost savings and protect the environment.

• Expansion of the Water Stewardship Programme, which helps businesses reduce water consumption.

• Online courses.

• A series of educational engagements with sustainability experts.

For further information on this exciting national climate initiative from Skillnet Ireland visit: https://www. skillnetireland.ie/climate-ready/