Delivering impactful change,
at scale.
Our Portfolio.
Research has shown that on-going sustainability training and development is critical to ensuring that industry can play a leading role in achieving climate action objectives.
Our programmes specifically address this need. The principle of design by industry, for industry is a key pillar on which we create, as we bridge the gap between national policy and operational impact.
Skillnet Climate Ready Academy
The Skillnet Climate Ready Academy is a flagship national initiative to support Irish businesses in developing the skills and talent required to mitigate the effects of our changing climate and environment.
The Challenge
Climate change presents a growing threat, and businesses must play a pivotal role in reducing emissions and transitioning to sustainability. However, many Irish businesses face challenges, including a lack of skills and knowledge in sustainability. 91% of businesses recognise the need for change but struggle to turn ambition into action. This skills gap is further highlighted by Ireland’s lag in setting climate goals compared to the EU.
The Solution
The Skillnet Climate Ready Academy, launched in 2021, was created to address these challenges by providing green, sustainability and climate skills programmes for the workforce. A collaboration between Skillnet Ireland and 20FIFTY Partners, the Academy offers micro-credential programmes that are stackable and lead to a University accredited Level 7 Certificate. The courses help businesses develop the skills and competencies needed to meet climate action targets and embed sustainable practices.
The programmes focus on areas like energy, waste, biodiversity, and transport, and are designed to meet the practical needs of businesses, particularly SMEs, in reducing their carbon footprint and achieving measurable sustainability goals.
The Academy has successfully engaged over 1,000 businesses and 3,500 individuals, who have committed to over 2,500 actions across sustainability areas.
The programme has demonstrated strong participant satisfaction, with many businesses developing sustainability plans and integrating their learning into operations.
Water Stewardship Ireland
Water Stewardship is the use of water that is socially and culturally equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder-inclusive process that includes both site and catchment-based actions.
Our network now has over 500 members, including leading Irish and European businesses, environmental stakeholders and international agencies, all working to address water-related challenges, collectively.
The Challenge
As businesses face mounting water-related challenges affecting their operations and supply chains, they find themselves under growing scrutiny from investors, customers, and other stakeholders. Issues such as water quantity and quality, regulations, and risks associated with vulnerable catchment areas are increasingly disrupting operations and supply chains, thereby affecting both profit margins and reputation.
The Solution
Water Stewardship Ireland is an industry-led, collaborative network of leading businesses, agencies and international stakeholders. It supports businesses from all industry sectors to collaborate, benchmark and share best practices at their facilities and across global supply chains. Water Stewardship Ireland has designed a clear pathway that enables businesses to access peer-to-peer expertise, turn-key water stewardship innovations and programmes, international certification and cutting edge research insights. The Water Stewardship Programme helps businesses lower their water use and operating costs while protecting the environment.
Uisce Éireann Water Stewardship Programme
The Uisce Éireann Water Stewardship Programme is a partnership with Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) to support key business customers and non-domestic users both large and small across Ireland through an innovative suite of water stewardship and conservation practices.
The Challenge
Globally, industrial water use is expected to grow dramatically by 2050, with a 400% overall increase expected across manufacturing sites alone. The quality and cost of water increase the complexity of this significant global issue. Protecting national competitiveness through greater industrial water efficiency is a challenge to be addressed.
The Solution
Recognising the unique role that water plays in our climate, Uisce Éireann partnered with us to develop an innovative suite of water stewardship and conservation programmes. This suite of programmes supports Irish organisations as they seek to improve their water practices and impacts.
Water Stewardship UK
In partnership with Yorkshire Water, Business Stream and funded by the Market Improvement Fund administered by MOSL, the market operator for the retail water business market in the UK, we have worked to identify opportunities to strengthen engagement with Non-Household Businesses through the implementation of water stewardship practices.
The Challenge
As water demand continues to grow, the UK is already facing water scarcity issues, which will start to impact businesses’ operations and supply chains. Coupled with this reality, is the growing pressure on businesses to respond to the climate emergency and demonstrate the action they’re taking to reduce their environmental impact. The project aims to Identify Opportunities to Strengthen Engagement with Non-Household Businesses, through the implementation of water stewardship practices.
The Solution
The applied research project is a collaboration between Business Stream, Yorkshire Water, 20FIFTY Partners and Water Stewardship UK to support participants in implementing water stewardship plans for their business. It helped participants to understand and reduce their water use, which will help reduce financial cost relating to water and energy. It also helped businesses to help address and mitigate shared water challenges.
HSE Academy
The HSE Academy enables healthcare staff across Ireland to develop the skills and competencies to deliver sustainable healthcare services and improve patient experience while building a culture of operational excellence.
The Challenge
The Solution
- Upskilling of staff across multiple disciplines
- Tangible cost savings through project-based improvements
- Delivery of a standardised suite of Operational Excellence programmes
- Over 800 staff trained to date, with results including sustainable and digital transformation initiatives
The Origin Green Academy
Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme is a sustainability initiative that collaborates with food companies and farms across Ireland to promote sustainable food production.
We partnered with them to offer innovative programmes which provide Ireland’s food, drink and horticultural producers with knowledge and training to embed sustainability into their business.
The Challenge
Ireland’s €13 billion food and drink export industry has established a hard-earned global reputation as a leading producer of high-quality sustainable food and drink. As highlighted in Food Vision 2030, Origin Green has been instrumental in monitoring and driving improvements in environmental sustainability, and demonstrating this to trade customers and consumers, both at home and abroad.
The Solution
We partnered with Bord Bia to establish the Origin Green Academy. This programme provides Ireland’s food, drink and horticultural producers with knowledge and training to embed sustainability into their business and so develop industry leading talent. The Academy provides a platform for members and leaders to exchange new ideas through knowledge-sharing events and foster new thinking around the most pressing sustainability related challenges of today.
Some of the organisations that have benefited directly from our programmes.
Our expertise transcends industries and borders, enabling us to deliver impactful change on a global scale.
