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Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Tuesday Training
Yesterday I was on the trains again, this time down to York to train environmental champions for a public transport company. It was another beautiful early morning - this time misty where Monday was crystal clear, Durham Cathedral appeared lit golden behind the rising and evaporating trails of fog. The two sessions went well and the feedback good.Since Monday, I've been mulling on an insight from Martin Blake of Royal Mail - what book value will high carbon buildings and infrastructure have in 5 or 10 years? Who will want to buy a 'dirty legacy'? This applies to today's client as well, although I'd thrown so much new stuff (ecological footprinting, carbon footprinting, climate change, sustainability, energy management etc) at the poor attendees that I thought this was one driver I would omit. As I write The Green Executive, I'm finding that sustainability is running deeper and deeper into the core of every organisation - everytime I think I've got it, there's another new angle. That's what I love about this job!
Labels: finance, green executive, training, transport
# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00
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Friday, 13 November 2009
Low Carbon Business Seminar - 3 December 2009
The Low Carbon Best Practice Exchange is running in Harrogate on 3rd December - a whole day of round table discussions and one-to-ones - a delightfully powerpoint free zone. I'm leading two sessions on staff engagement and environmental strategy and there are loads more. I know I've said it before - these are probably the best events of their type.To book your place, visit the LCBPE website.
Labels: low carbon best practice exchange, training, workshops
# posted by Gareth Kane : 12:22
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Monday, 21 September 2009
Monday Morning Training Tips
I'm taking a coffee break between client meetings on Teesside. I've just been with a world class engineering company, mapping out the content of two training seminars I'm doing for them, one on CSR and one on Sustainability & Design. While they're fresh in my mind, here are three top tips on sustainability training:1. Sell the course to delegates
Many people are cynical about training. Many people are cynical about sustainability. You need to sell the purpose of the course to the delegates, both at the start and at points through the session. In this case I'll be pointing out how 'green' can win tenders and the business opportunities for this company in the low carbon agenda.
2. Mind the gap
If you leave a gap between the content of the course and the implementation of those ideas back at the desk, most of your hard work will fall straight through it. I always get delegates to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning to their day job during the session - closing the gap up before it occurs.
3. Make it thought provoking
Challenging your delegates is more effective than lame attempts to make the session fun. Ask questions, puncture myths and put people on the spot. If you can do fun too, then do it.
I think these are the most important three. Do you have any more?
Labels: csr, design, sustainability, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 10:36
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Friday, 5 June 2009
Don't forget...
...I'll be facilitating those two sessions at the Low Carbon Innovation Network, next Thursday, 11 June at the Olympia, London.Just to remind you, the sessions are:
1. Long Term Environmental Strategy, 10:00am
2. Empowering staff to take action, 3:30pm
My summaries of previous events can be seen here and here. Of course, I'll be posting a summary of next week's sessions here after the event.
Labels: environmental strategy, low carbon innovation network, staff engagement, training, workshops
# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:58
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Monday, 18 May 2009
More low carbon workshops with yours truly
Once again I'll be facilitating two sessions at the Low Carbon Innovation Network, this time on 11 June at the Olympia, London.The sessions are:
1. Long Term Environmental Strategy, 10:00am
2. Empowering staff to take action, 3:30pm
These events are really good and I always learn loads during the sessions. If you want some info about previous events, see here and here. Highly recommended.
Labels: low carbon innovation network, staff engagement, strategy, training, workshops
# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:30
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Friday, 17 October 2008
Never work with children or animals...
Yesterday I was doing some pro bono work to persuade 120 twelve-year-olds of the joys of engineering and, in my case, that engineering and a passion for the environment could go together. The event was organised by the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and sponsored by the Institute of Engineering and Technology. I am a member of both.With each batch of 20 youngsters I talked them through major environmental issues before focussing on climate change, its causes and the role of engineers in the causes (eg designing vehicles and power systems). We then switched to solutions and how engineers have a critical role (renewables, efficient vehicles etc). For the second half I split them into 4 teams and got them to redesign something. We got everything from a manure-powered car to solar powered hair straighteners. The best insight was from one lad who realised you could design the shape of a building to funnel wind through a turbine, but my favourite moment came from a young lad who had simply put some solar panels and a wind turbine on a building.
"What happens if the sun doesn't shine and the wind isn't blowing?" I asked.
He fixed me with a steely look and said:
"Then you're really knackered."
Quite.
Labels: climate change, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:00
0 Comments
Friday, 12 September 2008
Low Carbon Products & Services Seminar - 22 October 2008
I'm giving another seminar on developing, marketing and selling low carbon products and services next month, this time in lovely Harrogate. The seminar is part of the Low Carbon Innovation Exchange event which is certainly the best of its kind that I've ever attended.At my midday seminar you will:
Plus you will benefit from all the other seminars, panel sessions, one-to-one meetings and round table discussions in the Exchange. Oh, and there's a great lunch included.
Here's The Deal
If you register for my seminar, you will also get:
But, to get these offers, you must register via this link. You can see the whole programme for the day here, but you must use this registration link to get the freebies.
Labels: carbon footprint, carbon management, seminars, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 13:53
1 Comments
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
New CSR Training Course
We're pleased to announce our new one-day Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) course. Aimed at businesses who want to understand the most pressing driver in the world today, the course explores the CSR and its underlying concept, sustainable development.We deliver our courses at our clients' sites or at a mutually agreed venue. Roughly speaking, the morning is spent on theory and the afternoon on application.
This course is based on our "An Introduction to Sustainable Development" course, but the theory, case studies and exercises are applied to the business world.
Previous Delegates’ Comments:
“Great day! Touched on the right issues in the right way. Thought provoking exercises – would recommend.”
Government Office attendee
“Facilitator very knowledgeable and confident.”
Local Authority attendee
Contact us to book a course or for more details.
Labels: corporate social responsibility, csr, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:00
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Wednesday, 31 October 2007
New Course: Sustainable Development for Local Authorities
We are proud to announce that we have created a special version of our Introduction to Sustainable Development course for Local Authorities.The new one-day course has all the technical content of our standard Sustainable Development course, but the case studies and exercises are concerned with local government practice. It is suitable for council officers across all departments and functions and, indeed, councillors. Topics include:
- What is Sustainable Development?
- Environmental Sustainability
- Socio-economic Sustainability
- Planning & Delivering Sustainability
We guarantee that you will not be disappointed!
Labels: local authorities, sustainable development, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 06:00
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Thursday, 25 October 2007
Reminder!
Those free eco-design sessions in Gateshead are today & tomorrow.Labels: eco-design, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:39
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Monday, 1 October 2007
Free Eco-design Sessions
Over the last year Terra Infirma has provided technical input and training sessions to the Dott07 programme, or Design of the Time 2007 to give it its full title. Dott 07 is "a year of community projects, events and exhibitions based in North East England that explore what life in a sustainable region could be like – and how design can help us get there". This month Dott is cumulating in a large design festival on the Gateshead Quayside by the famous Baltic 'art factory' and the Millennium Bridge. The festival runs from 16-28 October and highlights the various projects undertaken from the School's Eco-design Challenge to the Community Food project.On 25th and 26th October, I'll be running some free eco-design workshops for novices, children (13+) and families. There will be two workshops on each day, starting at 10:30am and 1:30pm. The sessions will be fun and light hearted, but informative. If you are interested, simply drop in and take part.
More details of this and other Dott07 Festival highlights can be seen here. The location of the festival can be seen here.
Labels: dott07, eco-design, terra infirma, training
# posted by Gareth Kane : 20:23
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A highly accessible, practical guide to those who want to introduce sustainability into their business or organization quickly and effectively.
