Over 5,000 industry professionals certified in carbon literacy through industry toolkit

More than 5,000 professionals from 260 businesses across the sector have achieved Carbon Literacy certification via the Automotive Carbon Literacy Toolkit since its launch at COP26 in November 2021.

The toolkit which was developed in collaboration between Auto Trader and The Carbon Literacy Project to foster sustainability practices across the industry has today provided carbon literacy training to participants from a wide array of businesses, including retailers, manufacturers, finance houses, leasing companies, parts suppliers, EV charge point operators, and trade bodies.

The initiative’s adoption by key players such as Lookers, Nissan, Marshall Motor Group, and Volkswagen Group has helped underline the industry’s commitment to meeting its sustainability goals.

Participating organisations span the industry, with representation including:

Retailers: Carbase, Drive Green, TrustFord, and others.

Manufacturers: Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, Volkswagen Group.

Finance houses: Ford Credit, Santander Consumer Finance, Volvo Financial Services.

Leasing companies: Alphabet GB, Zenith.

Parts suppliers: SYNETIQ, Ring Automotive.

EV charge point operators: Co Charger, Zest.

Industry bodies: BVRLA, IMI, NFDA, SMMT.

Commenting on the milestone, Ian Plummer, Auto Trader’s commercial director, said: “Since the creation of the first of its kind Automotive Toolkit three years ago, we remain committed to supporting the wider automotive industry on our shared sustainability journey. We’re delighted that through industry wide collaboration, more individuals and organisations have leveraged Carbon Literacy to help achieve their sustainability goals, especially as the industry continues to rapidly evolve.

“However, we’re also aware of the size of the challenge – 5,000 people and 260 organisations is brilliant from a standing start, but a drop in the ocean when you consider the size of our industry. There’s more work to be done and we need as many people as possible to come on board so we can drive change together responsibly.” 

The Automotive Carbon Literacy Toolkit offers a flexible and comprehensive training solution for in-house carbon literacy education, making it accessible for organisations of any size to equip employees with the knowledge to drive sustainable change.

Typically delivered over a one-day seminar, either virtually or in person, the toolkit provides all necessary materials and support to facilitate carbon literacy certification. This includes a full suite of tailored training content, a comprehensive trainer guide, resources, and access to expert support from the Carbon Literacy Project team.

The course covers a range of climate change topics specifically designed for the automotive industry, including:

Climate science and impact: Understanding the fundamentals of climate change and how it affects the automotive industry.

Current policies and guidance: Insights into industry regulations and environmental policies.

Sector-specific solutions: Practical strategies for reducing carbon emissions within the automotive field.

The training aims to deepen awareness of the carbon impacts of daily actions, motivating participants to reduce their emissions at individual, community, and organisational levels.

One of the toolkit’s strengths lies in its adaptability, allowing organizations to tailor the content to reflect their unique environmental initiatives and goals. This flexibility has proven invaluable, with some businesses training small teams initially and others planning to introduce the toolkit across their entire workforce.

Nissan, which has engaged staff in the UK and beyond, commented: “Having employees across Nissan’s vast Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region complete the Carbon Literacy training has been highly effective in supporting our vision to create a sustainable company and drive towards a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world.

“We are focused on achieving our carbon neutrality goals by 2050, and educating and empowering our teams on the big differences small changes can have in helping achieve these ambitions. In the UK alone, more the 3,000 employees have completed the training, providing skills and knowledge as we drive forward with our EV36Zero hub at our Nissan Sunderland plant and build the cars of the future.”

Commenting on the impact the Toolkit has already had, Ruth James, automotive coordinator at The Carbon Literacy Project, said: “We have seen a huge acceleration in the delivery of the toolkit across the automotive sector this year. Thanks to the support of key individuals, we have grown from hitting the 1,000-learner milestone in May 2023, to now exceeding 5,000 learners. There is growing consumer interest in sustainability and partners and stakeholders are becoming increasingly inquisitive about the environmental credentials of a business.

“The Automotive Toolkit provides a way for each employee in the organisation to engage in and contribute to the sustainability strategy, allowing businesses to extend their strategy beyond their sustainability team while providing a tangible way to demonstrate continued progress.”