Consultancies’ carbon handprint is 1300 times larger than their footprint!

On Friday, I learned that consultancies’ carbon handprint is 1300 times larger than their footprint! which SKOL – Finnish Association of Consulting Firms released at the COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference, see full report: https://bit.ly/31LKPE8.

This came up in the final panel discussion at the Finnish Conference on Vocational and Professional Education Research at Turku University of Applied Sciences. In the panel, we discussed the role of #education in promoting #sustainabledevelopment, with Mervi Friman from Häme University of Applied Sciences, HAMK, Saku Lehtinen from AMKE ry and student Sanna Leinonen from Raseko, Raision seudun koulutuskuntayhtymä. 

At the conference, many topics came up, among others, the need to educate educators. But what are successful ways? One keynote of the seminar, Dr. Jon-Erik Dahlin, lecturer at the Royal Institute of Technology CEO of Snowflake Education, mentioned applying cards for the SDGs. Another keynote at the symposium, Professor Rodrigo Lozano from the University of Gävle said the advantage of bringing educators from different disciplines together. In one parallel session, the Manager Director of Suomen ympäristöopisto SYKLI OyMia O’Neill mentioned that you ought to allow experimenting and apply the ways that work. At the panel, Mervi emphasized asking the students what they want and need. Sanna answered that educators should consider which sustainability aspects are the most central for different topics. Saku answered that educators could cooperate with companies by attending upcoming national educations for educators and projects we have heard about during these days.

What is your suggestion, of concrete action for educating educators, in education for sustainable development?

Tove Holm, November 15th, 2021