Highlights
- Six Magenta employees have been certified as Carbon Literate.
- The certification is given by the Carbon Literacy Project, which was named at COP21 as one of the top 100 worldwide Transformative Action Programmes.
- Magenta will now be working towards being accredited as a Carbon Literate Organisation.
Carbon Literacy accreditation
Climate change isn’t just a topic we communicate about for clients. It’s also something we’re actively working to address within our own operations.
Just before Christmas, six Magenta team members achieved Carbon Literacy certification through the Carbon Literacy Project (CLP). This marks another step in our ongoing commitment to responsible ESG practices and demonstrates that we’re serious about walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
What is Carbon Literacy?
The CLP defines Carbon Literacy as “an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis”.
Our training involved a day of learning about climate change and carbon emissions, followed by practical action. But the goal isn’t to tick a box or hang the certificate on the wall. The training challenges you to understand your carbon footprint, recognise the urgency of the climate crisis, and commit to meaningful change.
The day covered everything from the science of climate change to practical ways we can reduce emissions in our professional and personal lives. We completed homework assignments, engaged in group discussions, and each submitted individual pledges that go beyond what we’re already doing.
Why this matters to Magenta
We’ve always been committed to sustainability. We use 100% renewable electricity, operate gas-free, and our hybrid working model (two office days a week) naturally reduces our carbon footprint. Those were just some of the reasons that we achieved B Corp status last year.
But we wanted to go further. Carbon Literacy certification ensures our team understands the climate challenge and can make informed decisions about how we work, travel, and advise clients.
The certification process wasn’t as easy as you might think. Our trainer specifically challenged us pledge actions think more deeply about our climate impact. Saying “I’ll recycle more” doesn’t cut it. The pledges needed to be meaningful and even measurable. Our pledges involved actions such as eating less meat, reducing car use, and exploring more sustainable pension funds.
What comes next
Achieving individual Carbon Literacy certification is just the beginning. Our next goal is to get Magenta certified as a Carbon Literate Organisation at bronze level. This requires embedding Carbon Literacy across our entire business, demonstrating that climate considerations are part of how we make decisions every day.
We’ll be working towards this certification in the coming months, building on the foundation we have established. Our ambition is to create a culture where everyone in the team can confidently discuss carbon impacts and champion responsible practices.
Leading by example
As a communications consultancy, we have a responsibility to understand the topics we’re helping clients communicate about. Many of our clients in the built environment sector are tackling their own sustainability challenges. They’re looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact and are ultimately working toward net zero.
By developing our own Carbon Literacy, we’re better positioned to support them. We can ask the right questions, identify the stories that matter, and communicate their progress in ways that are authentic, accurate, and avoid greenwashing and greenhushing.
This certification reflects our broader approach to ESG – consistent, meaningful action that aligns with our values and makes a genuine difference.
A commitment to continuous improvement
Our Impact Report demonstrates the range of work we’re doing across ESG. From championing ethical employment practices with Corps Security to promoting DEI initiatives with property services business Bellrock, we’re using communications to drive positive change.
Carbon Literacy is another piece of that puzzle. It’s evidence that we’re continually working to improve ourselves as individuals and as a company, with a dedicated commitment to responsible ESG work.
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but we’re not complacent. There’s always more to learn, more to do, and more ways we can use our platform to champion change.
Experts in responsible carbon comms
If you’d like to know more about what we do and how we’re using communications to support businesses working towards a more sustainable future, get in touch to discuss how we can support you with responsible carbon communications.
