Local food businesses gain carbon literacy certification
Six East Staffordshire food business professionals have achieved nationally recognised Carbon Literacy certification following free training delivered through a partnership between East Staffordshire Borough Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the Carbon Literacy Trust.
The successful training session, held at the South Derbyshire and Burton College’s Mulberry Bistro in Burton upon Trent in November, equipped local food and hospitality businesses with practical knowledge about climate change and actionable steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
Participants included restaurant owners, caterers, and food producers who completed the intensive one-day course and have now pledged concrete actions to reduce their businesses' environmental impact whilst gaining recognised certification.
Councillor Dennis Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change at East Staffordshire Borough Council, said: "It's fantastic to see our local food businesses taking meaningful action on climate change and gaining recognised qualifications in the process.
“These newly Carbon Literate business owners are now equipped with the knowledge and tools to make real change in their operations, and we're proud to support them on this journey."
Following the success of the Burton session, two additional training opportunities are now available.
The Newcastle‑under‑Lyme Carbon Literacy training session will take place on Tuesday 17 February 2026 at Keele in Town, located in Newcastle‑under‑Lyme (ST5 1PE).
The in‑person course will run from 9.30am to 4.30pm, providing attendees with a full day of practical, focused learning. Click here to book.
In addition, a new online session will be delivered via Microsoft Teams on Monday 10 March 2026.
This virtual option will run from 9.00am to 4.30pm, offering greater flexibility for participants who are unable to attend in person while still delivering the full training programme. Click here to book.
The training will be delivered by Tom Guilbert-Newell, sustainable environment officer from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and accredited Carbon Literacy Facilitator, who brings extensive experience in helping organisations understand and reduce their environmental impact.
Participants will gain a nationally recognised Carbon Literacy certificate, an understanding of climate change impacts on the food sector, tools to calculate business carbon footprints, practical emission reduction strategies, cost-effective sustainability opportunities, and skills to communicate environmental actions effectively.
Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Food businesses interested in attending can register by clicking here.
