Climate Academy Teaches Leaders About Biodiversity
Leaders Programme aims to guide and empower businesses to adopt responsible and sustainable practices, writes
Corporate training that comes under the broad rubric of ‘climate change’ has extended to biodiversity, with the Climate Ready Academy in Limerick delivering Ireland’s first Biodiversity Leaders Programme. The eight-week course, led by Anja Murray, aims to guide and empower businesses to adopt responsible and sustainable practices that can promote and enhance biodiversity.
“The reality of the biodiversity crisis in Ireland is all too clear,” says Murray. “Many of our most valuable habitats are in ‘unfavourable’ or ‘poor’ condition, half of our rivers are polluted and 60% of Ireland’s wild bird species are in decline. Safeguarding the health of the natural environment has never been more crucial. Putting biodiversity high on the agenda of businesses across Ireland will foster the sea-change we need and help reverse the loss and restore ecosystems.”
The Climate Ready Academy is operated by Central Solutions Ltd, trading as 20Fifty Partners. The company was established by Paul Conheady and Ken Stockil in 2015 and booked a net profit of €490,000 in the year to March 2022. Net worth at period end was €1.3m, with 15 people on the payroll.
The Academy offers a wide range of green-themed courses, including ‘Energy Essentials’, ‘Net Zero Essentials’, and courses for leaders in biodiversity, energy, transport and sustainability, and waste and the circular economy. Climate Ready Academy also organises masterclasses that connect business owners and managers with thought leadership and expertise in the areas of climate action and sustainability.
The Academy is an important
training partner for Skillnet Ireland’s Lean & Green Skillnet. Skillnet channels EU funding into subsidising green-themed training, and Climate Ready is a €10m five-year national climate upskilling initiative developed in partnership with industry to equip businesses with the skills they need to respond to climate change.
Paul Healy, CEO at Skillnet Ireland, explains: “The EU Year of Skills is a pivotal commitment from European Commission that enshrines the value of skills and talent development throughout the member states. Core to this commitment is a focus on green-skilled jobs and powering the green transition through talent development. Skillnet Ireland is working with multiple industry sectors, and directly with companies, to ensure they have a pipeline of the in-demand
green skills. We are committed to expanding cutting-edge programmes that will drive the sustainability agenda across the enterprise sector.”
Ken Stockil, CEO of 20Fifty Partners, emphasises the rewarding impact of the Lean & Green programmes. “Last year we worked with 700 Irish companies, helping to upskill more than 1,700 professionals in the areas of sustainability, water stewardship and resource conservation. It has been hugely encouraging to hear about the positive impact that so many sustainability practitioners have made,” says Stockil.
“The lesson for other companies is to build their capabilities in-house quickly to ensure they can embrace responsible and sustainable practices for the decarbonised economy and prepare for the opportunities that CSRD will bring.”