From Carbon Literacy to action: how whg is embedding sustainability across the business

At whg, a social housing association in the West Midlands, sustainability is shaped by everyday decisions.

It can mean a development colleague considering how a new home will cope with hotter summers, a procurement team reducing waste, or a housing officer helping a customer understand low-carbon technology.

That is why whg has invested in Carbon Literacy training, delivered by Change Agents UK. It gives colleagues a shared understanding of climate change and the confidence to identify where they can make a practical difference.

Demand for green skills is increasing faster than supply, and they are no longer limited to specialist roles. Finance teams need to understand climate risk, maintenance teams are working with new technologies and housing providers must prepare homes for challenges such as overheating and flooding. More efficient homes and green spaces can also reduce energy use, heat and flood risk.

For whg, the aim is not simply to increase course completions. It is to make sustainability part of everyday decisions and ensure actions agreed during training are carried through.

“Carbon Literacy training has created a culture in which colleagues are motivated to reduce emissions and talk with confidence and pride about the work they are doing." Jo Shields, Head of Sustainability & ESG at whg

Building skills that lead to action

Carbon Literacy is an interactive one-day course that helps people understand climate change, carbon footprints and the difference they can make through their work and personal choices.

Change Agents UK has supported whg to deliver accessible sessions for colleagues with different levels of knowledge. The team has trained more than 1,000 people across several sectors to support upskilling and action.

Every participant commits to two practical pledges before becoming certified, so action is built into the course rather than left as an optional next step.

Those pledges are already influencing work across whg. Examples include stronger sustainability standards for new homes, reduced fleet emissions and new ways to reuse furniture and appliances left in empty properties. Participant estimations suggest that these pledges could collectively save over 6150kg of carbon dioxide, equivalent to planting around 100 trees.

An independent review found that 94% of respondents would recommend the training. Confidence in taking climate action increased from 29% before the course to 92% afterwards.

Jo Shields, Head of Sustainability and ESG at whg, said: “Carbon Literacy training has created a culture in which colleagues are motivated to reduce emissions and talk with confidence and pride about the work they are doing.

“It shows that sustainability is relevant to every role and helps people identify where they can make a difference.”

“Carbon Literacy should not be a course that is forgotten a week later. By combining high-quality learning with personal pledges and effective follow-up, organisations can build green skills, resilience and confidence across every team. whg’s new process is sector-leader in maximising the benefits of this.” Eleanor Wills, Education & Skills Manager at Change Agents UK

Keeping momentum after the course

whg recognise that training can lose momentum if people are not supported afterwards so our live sessions are the start of our participant journey.

Some colleagues completed the learning but did not submit the final pledges needed for certification. Others needed more time or guidance to put their ideas into practice.

Tracking this previously meant bringing together information manually from different teams and systems. whg has now introduced a joined-up process showing who has registered, attended, submitted pledges and achieved certification, as well as details of all pledges made as part of this.

The reporting shows participation across the business, helping whg target further training and support.

Colleagues with outstanding pledges receive regular reminders, while managers are included so they can help remove barriers. That may mean setting aside time, shaping an idea or linking a pledge with work already under way in the team.

Once certified, a colleague’s action can be added to whg’s performance management framework and discussed during one-to-one conversations. The aim is not to penalise delays, but to keep the commitment visible and create opportunities for support.

The review found that 81% of reported individual actions had been completed, started or were ongoing, while almost 60% of group actions were happening or complete.

Eleanor Wills, Education and Skills Manager at Change Agents UK, said: “Carbon Literacy should not be a course that is forgotten a week later. By combining high-quality learning with personal pledges and effective follow-up, organisations can build green skills, resilience and confidence across every team. whg’s new process is sector-leader in maximising the benefits of this.”

whg holds Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status, with 18% of colleagues certified, and is working towards the 30% needed for Silver.

By linking training with pledges, reporting and manager support, whg is making Carbon Literacy the starting point for lasting action.

This article was written in collaboration with whg.