Carbon Literacy - training our workforce to support residents

During 2024/25, 67 Sunderland City Council staff took part in Carbon Literacy training. The training is about raising awareness of climate change and providing information on how to reduce emissions.

The training is crucial to continue meaningful and effective climate action by equipping and empowering teams to be able to incorporate appropriate low carbon and climate adaptation practices into their service areas. Similar training has also been rolled out via I-Learn and made available to all staff across the council, Together for Children and Sunderland Care and Support.

The staff from various service areas, took part in a range of activities aimed at inspiring new ideas and initiatives, developing innovative new learning processes, enriching their current understanding of climate change matters, and making pledges to reduce their carbon footprint in both a personal and professional capacity.

The staff who completed the course, are now recognised as 'carbon literate', meaning they have the appropriate knowledge and skills to deliver lasting impact, and the 'ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis'.

This is supporting the council's ongoing and ambitious efforts to deliver lasting organisational and city-wide change to benefit residents from across our communities as well as future generations to come.