At a time when the digital and technology sectors are under growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, Auto Trader and Manchester Digital have launched the first ever Digital & Technology Carbon Literacy Toolkit in partnership with The Carbon Literacy Project.
This unique industry partnership, between one of the UK’s most admired technology companies and the membership organisation behind Greater Manchester’s thriving tech and digital sector, recognises the importance of improving sustainability in the sector, and the need to address it collectively. Indeed, the Toolkit, which is the first of its kind for the industry, has been designed in close collaboration with a number of other leading UK technology businesses, including: Mony Group; Nexer Digital; Littlefish and GlobalLogic UK&I.
The Toolkit was carefully designed to address the unique environmental challenges facing the technology industry, which in 2022 alone accounted for 62 billion kg of e-waste globally, the equivalent of 1,110 laptops thrown into landfill every second. It is available to anyone in the industry, and free for internal use, helping to support both individuals and businesses in their journey towards reducing their carbon footprint.
It was launched yesterday at Auto Trader’s head office in Manchester during a ‘sustainability in tech’ event, which as well as panel sessions with leading sustainability experts and thought leaders, included an inspirational talk from Alex Beasley, Regional Manager, Northern Europe at Patagonia, around the company’s extensive action to reduce its environmental impact.
Its introduction follows the huge success of a bespoke automotive toolkit, which was funded and developed in partnership between Auto Trader and The Carbon Literacy Project. Since its launch in 2021, over 5,000 people from 260 businesses spanning the whole of the automotive industry have become Carbon Literate, helping to save over 18,000 tonnes in carbon emissions.
Nathan Coe, Chief Operating Officer at Auto Trader, which was the first FTSE 100 company to achieve Platinum Carbon Literate Organisation status, commented: “As well as reaching our own ambitious targets of becoming net zero by 2040, we’re equally committed to supporting the wider technology community in meeting its sustainability objectives. Having seen the significant benefits within our business, and the automotive industry before it, we wanted to extend Carbon Literacy training to the technology sector where we believe it has the potential to make a very meaningful and lasting contribution to reducing its carbon footprint.
“We’re very grateful to our partners for their time in creating the toolkit; this huge collaborative effort is testament to a shared determination to address the industry’s sustainability challenges, and our collective responsibility in reducing it.”
Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director at Manchester Digital, said: “This national toolkit is a vital step for the tech industry at a time when climate action is critical. We’re especially proud that it’s been developed here in Manchester—a reflection of the forward-thinking businesses and partnerships driving innovation in our region. We encourage tech companies to make Carbon Literacy a priority in 2025 and put their teams forward to become certified. Huge thanks to Auto Trader and all our partners for their hard work in bringing this toolkit to life.”
Dave Coleman, Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, added, “The launch of a new Carbon Literacy Toolkit for the Digital and Tech Sector is a really significant initiative from the tech industry. With the accelerating implementation of AI and cloud computing, the tech sector is quickly becoming aware of its need both to understand its own rapidly growing carbon footprint, but also the greater opportunity to use tech as a climate solution, and adapt its products and solutions to help others reduce their carbon emissions and grow and support the low carbon economy.”
Dave Coleman, Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, speaks at the Digital & Tech Sector toolkit launch event.
The Toolkit is designed to support accredited in-house Carbon Literacy training, which is typically delivered during a one-day seminar and can be conducted virtually or face-to-face. It contains all of the tools and materials an organisation requires to educate and accredit its employees in Carbon Literacy, including tailored training content, a trainer guide, detailed resources, and dedicated support from a member of the Carbon Literacy Project team which makes it accessible to anybody with good facilitation skills not just experienced training professionals.
Carbon Literacy can help a tech organisation put the brakes on carbon and kick-start their sustainability journey. With every colleague successfully accredited (each of which will receive an individual certificate of accreditation), the organisation can progress towards becoming a fully accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, achieving key milestones (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) along the way.
For more information, please contact ellie@manchesterdigital.com. Or to join the next Carbon Literacy Training Day, hosted by Manchester Digital on February 20, please click here.
Alex Beasley, Patagonia, delivers an inspiring talk on their mission to save Planet Earth.
Ellie Powell, Community Executive at Manchester Digital, shares insights on the toolkit.
Christos Tsaprounis, Head of People and Culture at Auto Trader UK, discusses their involvement in the project.
