Workshops
Complete all 5 workshops to receive the Bedford Borough Sustainability Champion Certificate.
Carbon Footprint Management
Tuesday 10th September - AM
Environmental Literacy: Understanding the environmental landscape is crucial for all participants. Tailored training programs or workshops focusing on industry-specific regulations and sustainable practices. Tools including online courses, webinars, and industry forums to keep teams informed.
Carbon Accounting: Understanding and managing your carbon footprint is essential. Providing training on carbon accounting methodologies. Tools include carbon calculators or software for emissions tracking to help SMEs effectively measure and reduce their carbon footprint.
Topics covered:
- Green House Gases overview
- Carbon footprint overview and terminology
- Net Zero and Carbon Neutrality
- Measuring Carbon Footprints
- Creating a Net Zero carbon reduction plan
A 2 hour online workshop
1 Hour Business Kickstart
Do you have that business idea?
Are you asking yourself – where do I start? How do I turn those dreams into reality? Is my idea good enough and will it work?
Whether you’re just exploring that idea or have already taken those first steps to starting your own business.
This relaxed, conversational hour-long group session is designed to give new potential entrepreneurs an introduction to our programme for running your own business.
Whether you’re looking to start a small lifestyle business, or you have big ambitions, join us for FREE!
Dates
- Monday 14 August, 12pm - 1pm
- Thursday 17 August, 7pm - 8pm
Location
- Online
Cost
- FREE
Recruitment and Retention: Best practice for hiring your workforce
FREE Workshop
Whether you’re an early stage business or just starting up, understanding the hiring process and challenges faced with hiring in 2023 is key.
This FREE bite-sized 3-hour session will give you an introduction to the considerations needed to set up your recruitment in the right way, at the right time to get the right outcomes.
We will provide you with the tools to assess your current practices or set up new ones. So Join us for
Resource Efficiency Strategies
Tuesday 24th September 2024 - AM
Resource Efficiency: Optimising resource use and minimizing waste is impactful for SMEs. Implement practices such as energy-efficient initiatives or recycling programs. Training programs on sustainable procurement or resource efficiency tools tailored to SMEs can enhance these skills.
Sustainable Innovation: Fostering green thinking is vital. Encourage creative brainstorming sessions within the team. Tools including innovation workshops, design thinking sessions, or collaboration platforms can stimulate sustainable idea generation.
Circular Economy Thinking: Adopting a circular economy mindset is feasible for SMEs. Exploring ways to reduce waste and extend product lifecycles. Training on circular economy principles and tools including lifecycle assessment software can help SMEs embrace a circular approach in their operations.
Topics covered:
- Maximise renewable and recycled inputs
- Understand biodiversity impacts from material source to factory gate
- Minimise transport
- Optimise emission from transport
- Provide end of life disposal; routes
- Design for circular economy
- Develop processes and infrastructure for circular economy
A 2 hour online workshop
Strategic Green Planning & Effective Communications
Tuesday 8th October 2024 - AM
Green Strategy: Developing a comprehensive green strategy is essential for SMEs committed to sustainability. Training on strategic sustainability planning, including goal setting, risk assessment, and integration into business operations. Tools including sustainability strategy frameworks or workshops to assist SMEs in developing and implementing a robust green strategy aligned with their business objectives.
Communications: Effectively communicating sustainability efforts is key to engaging stakeholders and building brand reputation. Training on sustainability communications, covering messaging, storytelling, and engagement strategies. Tools including communication planning templates, social media management platforms, or stakeholder engagement software to help SMEs convey their green initiatives transparently and effectively.
Stakeholder Engagement: Building effective alliances is crucial for SMEs. Equip the team with communication and negotiation skills. Training programme covering stakeholder engagement or tools (e.g. CRM systems) to help SMEs maintain strong relationships with suppliers, customers, and local communities.
Topics covered:
- Stakeholder mapping
- Topic list creation
- Materiality assessment
- Risk and opportunity identification
- Metrics & Targets
- Strategy Development.
A 2 hour online workshop.
Business Model Canvas: A Single Page Business Plan
FREE Online Workshop
Whether you’re an early stage business or just starting up, the business model canvas gives a clear and concise picture of the company’s value proposition, target customer segments, revenue streams, cost structure, and key activities.
It enables entrepreneurs to focus on the most critical elements of their business plan and identify potential flaws in their approach before launching or growing their venture.
Sustainability & Environmental Action Plans
Tuesday 22nd October 2024 -AM
Biodiversity Conservation: Preserving biodiversity is a meaningful contribution for SMEs. Assess how a business impacts local ecosystems and explore sustainable sourcing. Training on biodiversity conservation with tools; (impact assessment frameworks) to guide SMEs in supporting local biodiversity.
Environmental Planning: Strategising ways to address climate change is practical. Developing tailored strategies to reduce waste or adopt energy-efficient technologies. Tools including environmental management software or sustainability planning workshops to guide SMEs in effective environmental planning.
Topics covered:
- Plot impacts across the value chain
- Quantify impacts
- Identify opportunities to improve
- Identify appropriate beyond value chain mitigation opportunities
- Create risk and opportunity register
- Build an action plan
A 2 hour online workshop.
Got Something to Sell?
Fully Funded Workshop
Whether you’re launching a new business or it’s in it’s early stages, our FREE* “Got Something to Sell?” workshop is your key to mastering the essentials of retail entrepreneurship.
Join us for a dynamic 3-hour workshop to uncover the Core Elements of Retail Success: Gain Insights into the intricacies of retail operations and effective sales strategies. Access the pros and cons of diverse retail models: own premises, wholesale, concession, or marketplace.
Acquire practical tips and insider tricks to supercharge your retail profits. Work together to construct a Retail Profile and Loss account, ensuring your business not only survives but thrives. Join our workshop and become a master in the art of selling for unparalleled success!
Dates
- More Dates Coming Soon
Location
- Garon Park, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4FA
Cost
- FREE
Trainer
Greening Your Supply Chain: Strategies & Tools
Tuesday 5th November 2024 - AM
Sustainable Procurement: Adopting sustainable procurement practices is crucial. Training the team on sourcing responsibly and supporting ethical suppliers. Tools include supplier sustainability assessments and procurement platforms to assist SMEs in making environmentally and socially responsible procurement decisions.
Green Supply Chain: Ensuring sustainability across their supply chain is paramount for SMEs. Providing training on green supply chain management, topics include ethical sourcing, transportation efficiency, and waste reduction. Supply chain sustainability assessment frameworks or software can help SMEs identify areas for improvement and track progress towards a greener supply chain.
Topics covered:
- Supplier Mapping
- Sustainable Sourcing Criteria.
- Ethical Procurement Policies
- Supplier Engagement
- Performance Monitoring
- Sustainable Logistics
- Waste Reduction Strategies
- Continuous Improvement
A 2 hour online workshop.
What our delegates say...
Workshop booking
If you would like to attend any of our workshops, please complete the form and we will get back to you to confirm.
Alternatively, if you have any other questions, please contact out team at:
Greening Your Supply Chain: Strategies & Tools
Our Trainers
Rondi Allen
Rondi Allan is the Co-founder and Director of Sustainable X, a UK consultancy helping businesses to benefit from being more sustainable. Before founding Sustainable X, Rondi was trained as a Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountant and went on to steer international Supply Chains and manufacturing businesses. Originally from Australia, she has worked extensively on 4 continents and been a Board Member in 6 countries. She has recently been announced as one of the Top100 Female Entrepreneurs in the UK with the #ialso program.
With a proven track record of enabling businesses to do well from doing good, Rondi is passionate about accelerating business contributions to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. A regular contributor at events and to media, including the BBC, she believes businesses can profit from mobilising and sharing knowledge, expertise, technology and resources for everyone’s benefit.
Nick Reilly
Nick Reilly is the Co-founder and Director of Sustainable X, which supports businesses of all sizes to move forward on their sustainability to support their business objectives. Nick is a Practitioner of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment and comes from a Civil Engineering background. He is a multiple innovation award winner. Originally from Northern Ireland, he has extensive SME leadership experience as an MD and CEO in the construction and utilities sectors.
With a focus on strategic thinking and embedding best practices in all business functions, he supports businesses to measure and communicate, authentically, what they are doing on Sustainability. He believes collaboration and sharing will drive not only positive outcomes on all aspects of sustainability, but businesses who adopt these practices will see financial benefits too.
