EVENT: Train-the-Trainer capacity building workshop for Africa

“It is necessary to translate the wishes expressed in the SDG 12 into concrete actions”. That is how Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, the Director of Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management Division of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has confirmed the need of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns in Africa at the beginning of this year (Source).

The continuous urbanization, the rising middle class, and the increasing income levels are just a few of the factors that are guiding some African countries towards a path of increased production and consumption. In this context, taking action now to establish more sustainable consumption and production patterns in the region is essential to reduce environmental and social costs, and to strengthen economic competitiveness.

Bearing this in mind, the One Planet network Consumer Information Programme organized a capacity building workshop with the aim of building a network of trainers that can guide African companies, retailers, and standard setting bodies to assess sustainability claims against UNEP’s Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability and guide businesses towards more credible communication on the sustainability performance of products and services.

On the 8th of November, representatives of business organisations, universities, consumer organisations, standard setters, and CSR consultancies gathered to learn more about the importance of providing credible sustainability information and how to apply the Guideline’s ten principles for building reliable and transparent sustainability claims.

In break-out groups, participants were able to exchange their knowledge, ideas, and perspectives on how these Principles can be applied in a concrete example. To complement the workshop, Akatu Institute, a Brazilian non-profit organization and MAC member of the Consumer Information Programme, presented which lessons were drawn from a pilot project developed in Latin America that provided technical assistance to eight companies regarding the communication of sustainability information.

WATCH THE RECORDING OF THE TRAINING

Are you also interested in training companies in communicating clear, transparent, and trustworthy sustainability information? Would you like to deliver a workshop and/or training about the application of the ten Principles of the Guidelines? You can watch the Guidelines video below and read our Training-the-Trainers Toolkit to support your current or future deliveries.