Global Skills anticipates becoming the first Australian Government funded employment service to achieve Climate Active certification

With support of EnergyLink services, Global Skills is excited to announce we continue the assessment process to achieve carbon neutral certification through Climate Active. Global Skills anticipates becoming the first Australian Government funded employment service to achieve Climate Active certification.

Climate Active certification is awarded to Australian businesses which have met rigorous requirements to achieve net zero emissions by credibly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting any remaining emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets.

Climate Active is an ongoing partnership between the Australian Government and businesses, to drive voluntary climate action and is Australia’s only government backed carbon neutral certification scheme. Global Skills expect to be certified in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Global Skills Managing Director, Rebecca Nicholls said, “Our organisation has held a long-term view that we have a responsibility to limit our business impact on the environment and on our local communities. Voluntarily choosing to be certified by Climate Active authenticates and drives our ongoing commitment to lesson our impact on the environment.

“Several years ago, we commenced our journey to reduce our emissions footprint including a company-wide LED lighting upgrade through the NSW Energy Savings Scheme.

“We are proud of the changes we continue to make in our business to reduce our environmental impact on the community. We believe that decisions are easy when they are the right thing to do, so as an organisation, our staff want to set the standard and deliver a sustainable business for all our stakeholders.

“By working to achieve Climate Active certification with the support of EnergyLink Services over the coming months, we hope to join some of the most prominent companies in Australia to send a clear message that we are also committed to calculate, reduce, and offset carbon emissions to reduce the impact of climate change on the environment. We will strive to achieve this in collaboration with our staff, job seekers and supply chain.”

In seeking this certification, Global Skills will be offsetting residual emissions by investing in two carbon offset projects, a native bush regeneration project in Western NSW and a cookstove project in Malawi, East Africa. Both projects deeply align with Global Skills sustainability values including land restoration, gender equality and improved health and education outcomes for women and children.

Human Induced Regeneration – Goonery & Trigadee, Bourke NSW Australia

The project is located roughly 150km west of Bourke, NSW within the Mulgalands bioregion and is a collaboration between two farmers whose properties were suffering the effects of overgrazing and feral animal invasion. The project was established in February 2018 and covers an area of 20,745ha.  

Revenue generated from the sale of carbon credits has enabled the property owners to upgrade existing fences and install new internal fences and water points that allow rotational grazing across the properties. Repairs to boundary fences have restricted the movement of feral goats and trapping efforts have been increased to keep the population under control. This, along with a small reduction in stocking numbers, has allowed native vegetation to regenerate including Mulga, Gidgee, Leopardwood, Rosewood, Hop Bush and Turpentine.

Malawi Cookstove Project – Malawi, East Africa

Most people in Africa cook on a three-stone cooking fire which typically uses three large bundles of firewood per week and is a cause of the devastating deforestation in much of Africa. Ripple Africa has developed a simple fuel efficient cookstove which is referred to by locals as a Changu Changu Moto (Fast Fast Fire). The cookstove is made out of mud bricks and mud, and the householder is taught how to make it and maintain it. Each cookstove saves two bundles of wood per week and so far, Ripple Africa has provided 40,000 households with this simple technology helping save 80,000 bundles of wood per week, helping tackle deforestation.

Not only does the Changu Changu Moto save wood, but it also improves the health of women and children as it produces less smoke and reduces injuries from burns. According to the World Health Organisation, close to four million people die prematurely each year from illness attributable to smoke inhalation from inefficient cooking methods.

The improved burning efficiency of the stove means that time and money are saved, freeing up time to tend to other matters such as education, house maintenance and other activities.