eBay launches training initiative ‘Carbon Academy’ to help businesses reduce emissions

E-commerce giant eBay is set to launch ‘Carbon Academy’, which is a line-up of sustainably-focused courses for small businesses to improve their knowledge on the subject.

This training scheme is part of eBay’s strategy to keep its 200,000-plus sellers up to date on sustainable initiatives by improving their understanding of the topic and reducing their carbon footprint.

Some SMEs (small to medium enterprises) are struggling to cut emissions, due to barriers such as a lack of budget or lack of expertise. Therefore, eBay’s Carbon Academy has been co-created with sustainability consultant Climate Partner to guide businesses to lower their carbon footprints during day-to-day operations.

The courses include carbon offsetting, the circular economy, climate strategies for businesses, carbon accounting and communicating climate action. Each module comes with its own checklists to simplify carbon-minimising solutions, with an emphasis on "practical" and tangible information.

Eve Williams, General Manager of eBay UK, commented: "Most small business leaders know that reducing their carbon impact should be a priority; becoming a more environmentally conscious business will ultimately help all businesses to become more commercially sustainable in the long run. But in reality, when you are a small team, it can be really difficult to know where to start and to navigate some of the jargon.

"Small businesses have the potential to make a huge impact. After all, 99% of businesses in the UK are SMEs, so they have a critical part to play when it comes to reducing carbon emissions. We see our role as an enabler to support small businesses to build the skills and knowledge they need to take action.