The Clean Technology Centre is part of a Sustainability Food Training Programme which will run from April until November 2021 for food businesses across South and West Cork. The course is designed small, micro and artisan food (and beverage) producers to train them in more sustainable, low-carbon and waste-free practices.
The SECAD Sustainable Food Training Programme has been commissioned by SECAD Partnership CLG and will be delivered by CTC with partners SustHub and Change by Degrees.
Having identified challenges faced by food and beverage producers in relation to sustainability such as: sustainable sourcing and supply chain practices, packaging, energy, water and waste, consumer education, carbon emissions, renewable energy and climate change, CTC trainers James Hogan, Colum Gibson and Keeling Tobin will provide training to companies based on their expert knowledge and advice after professional experience in these areas.
In line with the Global Sustainable Development Goal 12.3: “By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” Ireland has committed, through the Food Waste Charter, to take responsibility and actions towards achieving this goal. Businesses, Industry leaders and individuals are encouraged to prioritise the prevention of Food Waste at every point within the supply chain.
With that in mind, SECAD have developed this training programme which will give practical guidance to food business owners, so that they can further pursue environmentally conscious actions within their business operations.
The modules covered in the training programme will include:
- Sustainability – The What and The How (To include green finance and green procurement)
- Our Food and Our Environment
- Resource Efficiency (Managing energy, water and waste)
- Climate Change – Measure your Carbon Footprint
- Communication – Engaging the Marketplace – Understanding Consumer Behaviour and Sustainable Consumption
- Circular Economy Proposition Design
- Managing Food Waste
- Building a Sustainability Culture – Engaging Employees & Suppliers
- Packaging, Storage, Transport & Distribution: Sustainable Supply Chain Design
- Design Thinking, Innovation & Sustainability