Delegates to this year's World of Learning Conference will be able to off-set their carbon footprint with a tree planted in their name.
The move is aimed to highlight the issue of the role of learning and development in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and carbon footprint reduction.
On day one of the November conference, Cathy Ham, general manager at BT Conferencing, will offer practical steps to reduce the environmental impact of training. Delegates will be asked to consider how “green” their training is and be given guidelines on utilising resources to make a positive impact.
Ham will also look at how organisations can create an environmentally-conscious workforce and communicate CSR policies through learning and development.
Each delegate to the conference will also have a tree planted in their name within a dedicated UK forest project, to help reduce the travel and venue carbon emissions generated by the event. They will also receive a “Dedicate a Tree” gift pack including a certificate and map of the chosen forest indicating where their tree is planted.
This year’s conference, which takes place on 14 & 15 November at the NEC in Birmingham, will include case studies from organisations including Barclaycard, BBC, Dorchester County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Reuters and STA Travel.
The opening address will come from Hilary Chadwick, director of the National Employer Service department within the Learning & Skills Council who will look at how organisations can enhance their business through effective learning and examine the effect of issues such as the increase in mobile and remote working and the impact of government initiatives.
The conference will also feature a number of interactive workshops designed to equip delegates with the skills that will enable them to be more influential within their organisation. These hands-on sessions will include how to become a better leader, developing influencing skills and methods of motivating staff to undertake learning and development.
Consultant Donald Clark, one of the original founders of Epic Group plc, will round off the Conference by exploring how to inspire high performance in others through leading cultural change and influencing upwards to the board.
