Taming the Carbon Monster

A short sustainability programme focused on helping business leaders to make progress towards Net Zero.

What is 'Taming the Carbon Monster'?

OB2 - a partnership between OBBS and Oxfordshire Business First to support SMEs in Oxfordshire - is organising a short sustainability programme focused on helping business leaders to ‘Tame the Carbon Monster’ and make progress towards Net Zero.

This programme builds on the success of the Oxfordshire Business First Carbon Monsters event held in April 2022 and is delivered by the Oxfordshire Greentech, a network with over 100 members to stimulate and grow the low/zero carbon agenda across business, public sector and academia.

The programme is being supported by Oxford City Council under their ARG #Buildbackbetter Grants project. Eligible organisations will be able to benefit from reduced programme fees (discounted from £100 to £50 for all sessions).

SMEs are responsible for nearly half the UK’s business-related emissions, and large companies are increasingly focusing on their supply chain to reduce their environmental impact. If you lead an SME, it will help you learn how to:

Clarify your environmental priorities
Implement carbon reductions
Use data to make decisions
Build the business for investment
Engage staff and suppliers

The workshop sessions are being run in conjunction with Oxfordshire Greentech and will be delivered by experienced local sustainability practitioners and Brookes academics. You will receive a certificate of participation on completion of the workshop sessions.

All sessions will be held on the Oxford Brookes Headington Campus (subject to availability). We encourage all participants to use public transport or cycles etc to reach the venue.

Programme Overview

The programme will be delivered through 6 progressive sessions fortnightly. Each session will run from 10am to 1pm, including an optional hour for networking after the formal session finishes at midday.

Session 1: Gaining insight into your carbon emissions
Session 2: Creating an action plan, frameworks and accreditations
Session 3: Reducing operational carbon and environmental impacts
Session 4: Innovating with products and services
Session 5: Engaging your workforce and tracking progress
Session 6: Communicating sustainability with stakeholders

What is covered in the sessions?

Session 1: Gaining insight into your carbon emissions

How to calculate your footprint
Using footprints to make decisions
Methods and pitfalls of carbon offsetting

Session 2: Creating an action plan

Creating a vision for your company
Short-to-long-term action planning, integrating your net zero target
Using a framework to guide action

Session 3: Reducing operational carbon and environmental impacts

Implement quick wins to save money and improve efficiency
Energy use/tariff, insulation, renewables, smart meter, employee behaviour, employee travel, waste, WFH policy, environmental policy
What your policy should cover

Session 4: Innovating with products and services

How to change your product/service to make it lower carbon/greener
Considering circular business models
Identify your environmental impacts

Session 5: Engaging your workforce and tracking progress

Embedding a net zero culture
How to incentivise action
Sharing ownership and progress

Session 6: Communicating sustainability with stakeholders

How suppliers impact emissions and resilience
Embedding net zero into your relationships
Effective methods of engagement
How to market/communicate your sustainability goals with customers

Who’s invited?

We are inviting all business leaders from small to medium sized organisations who are motivated to take their organisations towards a Net Zero goal to join.

The programme is designed to help you put in place a plan to cut your carbon footprint, reduce costs and review your supply chain.

Cost

Price is for all 6 sessions

£50 - Oxford City-based organisations. These places are discounted and sponsored by the Oxford City Council grant. .
£100 - Organisations outside the Oxford City area

How to apply?

We will be releasing information about the next course soon.

Helpful Resources

What is Oxford Brookes University doing in Sustainability?

We recognise the key role we play in delivering sustainable operations, development programs, and the global reach of our research and teaching programs.

Sustainability has been identified as a key enabler in the new 2035 University Strategy. Our latest Annual Sustainability Report highlights the progress we have made in key areas of Environmental Sustainability.

Our Sustainaibility video outlines our achievements from the last academic year.

For more information visit https://www.brookes.ac.uk/sustainability/

Our sustainability report with Small Business Britain

Small Business Sustainability Basics programme delivered by Small Business Britain in collaboration with Oxford Brookes Business School with more than 150 businesses celebrating their sustainability journeys on the day, and more than a 1300 businesses having completed the programme now!

Key insights of the report include:

A large proportion of small businesses are progressing with some form of sustainability activity, including optimising energy consumption and increasing recycling (56%) and reducing use of plastic packaging (53%).
69% of businesses were actively lowering their carbon emissions, where 23% said they were fully active in doing so and actively investing in reducing emissions and a further 46% said they are taking some action but could do more.
91% of respondents said it was either ‘likely’ (55%) or ‘very likely’ (36%) that they would do more to reduce carbon emissions in the next two years.
42% of small businesses are aware of the Government’s Net Zero agenda and 12% are not aware of it, suggesting there is scope to do more to reach small business to engage them in this aspect of sustainability.

The report makes recommendations for small businesses, business support practitioners, big business and government on next steps.

Download report here >>

Business for Good: Green Skills for Small Business Programme

This is another collaborative project between Oxford Brookes University and the Small Business Britain

The programme will be delivered over six weeks entirely via digital channels, with an end of programme event to celebrate the participants’ success.

At the end of the course, all participants will receive a virtual award and digital “badge” to say they have completed Business For Good: Green Skills for Small Business for their business.

Download the Brochure and Register your interest here

Additional Resources

We partnered with Oxfordshire Greentech to deliver Taming the Carbon Monster Programme.

Here is their recommended List of Support for you and your business to:

understand sustainability basics
measure and report carbon footprint
guide your energy reduction
give ideas and solutions on general climate change
connect with local networks

Download here

FAQs

I can’t attend one session, can I still apply?

Yes, you can, however only the businesses which complete 80% of the programme will receive a Certificate of Participation.

I'm based outside the Oxford City, can I still apply?

Yes, although your registration will not be eligible for 50% discount and you will be required to pay the Full Price. Please, see the Costs tab for more information.

How is this different to other sustainability programmes?

Practicality, Locality and Networking

This programme is designed with locality in mind and it will offer you practical solutions for your business challenges, specifically for Oxford City and Oxford County. You will be able to build a support network with fellow participants and hopefully long standing partnerships in your local area.