Carbon Literacy Training

Marketing and communications teams are increasingly asked to tell their organisation’s sustainability story, often without formal climate training and under growing scrutiny of green claims.

This Carbon Literacy course closes that gap. It has been accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project and is built specifically for marketing and communications professionals in the built environment. It gives attendees a confident grasp of the science and the practical skills to communicate climate action honestly and effectively.

It is delivered by Greg Bortkiewicz, an account director at Magenta who is certified as Carbon Literate. It can be delivered online or in person (or a mix), as a single day or two half-days. Every learner submits a form to be certified as Carbon Literate on completion.

What is Carbon Literacy, and why does it matter?

The Carbon Literacy Project 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.” In short, it is climate action where you are.

For the built environment, that awareness is increasingly urgent. The sector is both exposed to a warming climate and holds some of the largest opportunities to cut emissions. Embodied carbon alone accounts for around 20% of UK built-environment emissions and is currently unregulated, while the physical risks are mounting.

Annual flood damage is estimated at around £3.3 billion and projected to reach £4.5 billion by 2050, and on current trends up to 92% of existing homes could overheat by mid-century.

Communicators sit at the point where this understanding turns into action, at a time when clients, audiences and regulators are paying close attention to green claims.

What the course covers

The course moves from the science to impacts and fairness, then on to policy, personal and organisational footprints, and communicating climate action, before everyone plans their commitments:

• Climate knowledge. A confident, accessible grasp of the science, without the lecture.
• Climate impacts. From global to UK to the built environment, made local and real.
• Climate justice and co-benefits. Fairness handled honestly, and the everyday upside of taking action.
• The policy landscape. The policies shaping the sector, kept relevant and current.
• Role of the individual. Personal footprints, plus the digital and AI angle for communicators.
• Role of the sector and organisation. Where the big levers are, from scope 3 to embodied carbon.
• Motivating others. Credible communication, greenwashing, greenhushing and how to pitch action.
• Action and the evidence form. Drafting your two commitments and completing certification.

What you will gain

By the end of the course, every learner commits to one significant individual action and one significant group action within their work remit, and completes an evidence form to be certified Carbon Literate. You will leave with:

• Certification as Carbon Literate, awarded by the Carbon Literacy Project once you complete the training and submit your evidence form, a credential you can share with confidence.
• A clear, jargon-free understanding of climate change and its impacts, globally, in the UK and across the built environment.
• Practical skills in credible climate communication, including how to avoid greenwashing and greenhushing.
• Insight into the biggest opportunities for the sector, from scope 3 to embodied carbon, and the role you can play.
• Two meaningful commitments, one individual and one group action, each with a what, a by-when and a way to know it happened.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed for marketing and communications professionals in the built environment, whether in-house or agency-side.

It is equally valuable for sustainability and environment teams who want to communicate their work more effectively, and for managing directors and senior leaders shaping how their organisation acts and communicates. It suits teams right across facilities management, workplace, construction, property, security and cleaning.

How becoming Carbon Literate to will help your business

Beyond the individual credential, the course builds in-house confidence to communicate climate action credibly and avoid greenwashing, and strengthens your organisation’s sustainability credentials with a recognised certification.

It equips your people to make better, lower-carbon decisions in their day-to-day work, and demonstrates genuine commitment to the clients, employees and stakeholders who are increasingly paying attention.

Why Magenta?

• An accredited course delivered by a peer, not a generic climate briefing. Carbon Literacy is designed to be taught by someone who understands your world, and we deliver it from lived experience.
• Your trainer is certified as Carbon Literate, and five of our six full-time team are certified Carbon Literate.
• We practise what we teach. Magenta is a Carbon Literate Organisation at Bronze level, so we hold ourselves to the standard we deliver.
• Built environment specialists. A certified B Corp and employee-owned communications consultancy, working with leading organisations across the sector.
• Trusted on responsible communication. A signatory of the Anti-Greenwash Charter, with a published Green Claims Policy, so you can trust our guidance on communicating climate action honestly.

Bring Carbon Literacy to your team

Whether you are an in-house team, an agency, or looking to certify a group of colleagues, get in touch to talk through dates, format and pricing.

Email greg@magentaassociates.co to enquire about training.