Foundational Economy Community of Practice

The foundational economy community of practice started in July 2020 as part of the Welsh Government’s Foundational Economy Challenge Fund. Its aim was to share learning and innovation, build relationships and encourage collaboration.

The Challenge Fund provided support to projects looking to try out new ways to address challenges – some emerging, some age-old – faced by foundational economy businesses or those relying on their services.

These included:

  • the recruitment, retention and skills of the workforce
  • the delivery structures and design of services
  • the recruitment, retention and skills of the workforce
  • the delivery structures and design of services

The aim was to explore a range of solutions that could potentially generate viable, adaptable models that could be scaled up and spread to strengthen local economies and community wealth-building.

Staring in 2019 with an initial 52 projects, it was always expected that some experiments would not succeed and conditions were made even more challenging by the impact of the pandemic.

A community of practice was also however put in place to help capture some of the rich learning and insights generated by all the projects taking part. The examples in the case studies below give a flavour of the projects supported by the Fund – their successes, challenges and above all learning, about how best the foundational economy in their area or sector can be supported. The Fund closed in March 2021 but, at the request of members, the community of practice has continued. Its role continues to be to share learning, encourage and expand dialogue and facilitate collaboration.

Foundational Economy Community of Practice Read More »

Doing the little things in Cardiff on St. David’s Day

This St David’s Day, we are asking organisations across Cardiff to think about the little things they can do to ensure a fair day’s pay for their workers, whether it’s understanding how to become an accredited Living Wage employer, or reaching out to other organisations to encourage them to consider the real Living Wage, or helping us share the positive messages about the difference that paying the real Living Wage can make.

Cardiff Council is currently the only accredited real Living Wage local authority in Wales. The Council and partners are championing Cardiff as a Living Wage city which is having positive impact on the city and its employees. As of 1 February 2021, 45% of Wales’ total accredited employers were based in Cardiff and Cardiff employers had contributed to 69% of total uplifts in pay. Recent research by Cardiff University has shown that real Living Wage accreditation by 124 Cardiff employers has resulted in 7,735 workers receiving a pay rise which has added over £32m to the local economy in just over 8 years.

To hear more about the benefits of the real Living Wage from employers and employees in Cardiff please watch this video.

Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Huw Thomas, said:

“The seemingly small things really can make a big difference, and I know the significant impact paying the real Living Wage has had in the lives of our own staff. We’re pleased to be supporting organisations across the city to enable them to do the same for their own employees, and this St David’s Day I would encourage any Cardiff business interested in paying the real Living Wage to get in touch to find out more.”

Cardiff Council understand the wider benefits that the real Living Wage can bring to individuals and employers, as well as to the City; and they have made a commitment to reimbursing accreditation fees for SME employers based in Cardiff through their accreditation support scheme. For more information about the real Living Wage in Cardiff please visit the website.

Cardiff Council also encourages local employers to provide a Payroll Savings and Loans Scheme to their staff, enabling their employees to save directly from their salaries and if needed, access affordable credit from an ethical provider. More information can be found on this on the Cardiff & Vale Credit Union’s website.

Cynnal Cymru is the accrediting body for the real Living Wage in Wales and are here to help you through the accreditation process. Get in touch, join the movement, do the little things.

We wish you all a happy St David’s Day. Diolch yn fawr!

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NetRet Group: Helping Welsh SMEs lead the Net Zero transition

Project outline

NetRet Group Ltd aimed to deliver PAS 2030:2023 certification to 20 Welsh SMEs, providing full support through digital onboarding, pre-audit assistance and the audit process to boost the retrofit supply chain in Wales.

PAS 2030:2023 is the UK British standard that sets out the required processes, quality management, and installation rules for adding energy-efficiency measures to existing homes.

Positive outcomes

NetRet exceeded its target by supporting 24 Welsh SMEs in preparing for PAS 2030:2023 certification. The project positioned Welsh companies to lead the market in retrofit and decarbonisation services.

NetRet assisted contractors in developing quality management systems, conducted pre-audits, and delivered customised training plans. The project also facilitated supplier engagement through online briefings and direct outreach.

Participating SMEs anticipated workforce growth of six additional employees on average. NetRet commissioned two self-employed inspector roles to support increased audit capacity.

Looking ahead

NetRet will promote success stories and expand support through a new Foundational Economy funded Renewable Membership Programme, helping Welsh contractors achieve MCS or Flexi Orb certification and strengthening the renewable energy supply chain in line with Wales’ Net Zero goals.

“The Foundational Economy grant let us take Welsh SMEs from interest to audit-ready for PAS 2030. Through digital onboarding, pre-audit reviews and practical training, firms reached PAS 2030 readiness and adopted a quality-first culture.”

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Cyfle Building Skills: Supporting future talent for a low carbon Wales

Cyfle Building Skills has been at the heart of construction training and employment in South West Wales. Their Shared Apprentice Scheme has been running since 2013 and has grown into the largest Shared Apprentice Scheme in the UK. In 2020, they received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility and in September 2025, they proudly celebrated supporting their 1000th apprentice.

Project outline

Cyfle Building Skills secured Foundational Economy funding in September 2023 for a project that aimed to help create a pipeline of future talent of green skills, encouraging and promoting new green technology opportunities for electrical and plumbing employers to deliver Net Zero/Low Carbon Work Experience activities for young people across the South West Wales Region. The project had a specific focus on engaging young people who were far from the employment market.

Positive outcomes

Interest in the Cyfle Work Experience Scheme was apparent from the start, with over 200 applications received. With funding, Cyfle were able to take on 120 electrical and plumbing learners with hands-on, low carbon training placements, supported by 60 engaged employers.

The training was tailored to address specific skills gaps and trainees were able to quickly contribute to live projects and gain experience. All participants completed a comprehensive programme including onsite placements, mentoring, and employability workshops.

After completing the scheme, 89% of participants secured apprenticeship or employment opportunities. Cyfle also employed two new members of staff to assist with project management and retained them after funding ended.

The project increased workforce capacity, improved project delivery for employers, and promoted net zero awareness and carbon literacy among young people. One candidate received a Youthbuild Award in London in 2024 for outstanding achievement.

Looking ahead

Cyfle aims to expand its impact by training even more apprentices and further supporting the construction industry and Wales’ net zero ambitions.

“The Foundational Economy grant, which supported work experience opportunities for young people, has enabled Cyfle to expand the scheme across the Region, supported by Clients, Colleges and SME Contractors.”

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Building a resilient food system for Wales as we adapt to a changing climate

Food availability, one of our basic needs, is expected to undergo significant changes in the coming years. In Wales and the UK, our food travels from soil to plate through supply chains that are particularly vulnerable to some of the most pressing challenges we face today. Climate change, biodiversity loss, the rising cost of living, and public health are all interconnected with food systems, posing considerable risks to their stability and resilience. However, Wales has been taking great strides to tackle the complex challenges within the food sector.  

Our current food system in Wales is highly dependent on global food systems. In the UK, 45% of food supply is reliant on imports, leaving our food systems at risk of global shocks. However, a recent report from Sustain looked at the resilience of local food chains and found that not only can local food supply chains be resilient to shocks, but they will also strengthen local economies. The food system as a whole, one of the main pillars of the Foundational Economy in Wales, will benefit from local food systems, leading to ‘higher incomes for producers and greater job creation’, with more wealth being retained within local communities instead of being distributed to what Sustain refer to as ‘shareholder-driven supermarkets’. This work of localising food systems is well underway, with local food partnerships set up to develop a more sustainable food future specific to the local area and its needs. We highly encourage you to see what is going on in your local and regional area and get involved.  

A National Food Strategy for Wales

At the Royal Welsh Show in August 2026, the Welsh Government announced the National Food Strategy with plans for a whole system approach from farm to fork. This new strategy will cover the entire food system and will be informed by an expert group established to shape the future of Welsh food. Wales’s food and drink supply chain, as a key part of the Foundational Economy, is worth over £28 billion and employs one in six workers across the country. The Soil Association’s 2026 Election manifesto sets out a good summary of the changes needed for a sustainable food system, prioritising healthy food, investing in nature-friendly farming, and stepping up action on climate and nature. 

We have all experienced the increasingly drastic heatwaves this summer (2026) as a direct result of climate change. Speak with any grower or farmer this year, and you will hear that yields have been incredibly low due to the prolonged drought, especially following the last three years of poorer and poorer yields. These challenging conditions have meant that, now more than ever, it is important to support local suppliers. The likelihood of extreme weather is only set to rise as a result of ongoing climate change, and instability in global affairs has only driven food prices up and up. Our food systems need to become more resilient and integrated with other policy areas such as health, energy and education.  

Actions you can take towards improving your own food resilience

Localising our food systems is the best way forward to build resilience and food security in Wales. Alongside the policy changes we will see, we can also recommend actions anyone can take to help food resilience: 

  • Research local community gardens – not only great for community fruit and veg growing, but also fantastic for well-being, learning skills and growing your community connections. 
  • Compost food scraps – healthy soil is the basic building block of growing food; if you can make your own fertiliser, you save money and introduce a circular system that can sustainably reduce your raw food waste whilst improving soil quality for growing crops (even in urban areas!) 
  • Support local growers – with veg box schemes, at the farmers’ market, or directly with growers. Producers tend to grow a wider variety of crops than what is available in the supermarket; this helps spread out the risk of crops failing for the supplier and helps you to explore different fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses that are seasonal, fresh and often pesticide-free.  
  • Grow, forage and preserve your own food – this can be as simple as picking blackberries and sticking them in the freezer, turning them into jam, or planting out spring onions, used lettuce stems and tomatoes. There is a lot of food that doesn’t need to be grown from seed and can be grown on a windowsill. Looking into how to preserve food we have grown or bought can help reduce food waste, a major source of carbon emissions. 
  • Use apps such as Olio and Too Good to Go – these help shops and restaurants give away unsold food for free, or s at reduced prices to fight food waste. 

The challenges facing the food system in Wales are complex and wide ranging but the solution we need will produce not just better outcomes for our plates and our farmers but also for our communities and our wider economy. Individuals can play their part in this transition too: stay involved, keep informed, shop locally and seasonally when you can, have a go at growing something new, build resilience for our food supply chains and keep an eye on Wales’s progress. 

Five resilient food system projects in Wales

Since 2023 Cynnal Cymru have been supporting a network of projects in Wales working towards resilient food systems on behalf of Welsh Government. This network brings together Welsh projects that focus on strong local and regional food networks for reduced reliance on imported products whilst also ensuring that local supply chains includes farming systems that support healthy resilient soil with diverse climate resilient crops. Read about just some of the many inspiring projects here:

Social Farms and Gardens – Future Farms project works to help small‑scale, environmentally friendly horticulture growers in Powys unlock land for local food growing.

Food Sense Wales – Welsh Veg in Schools programme aims to increase the production and consumption of organic Welsh-grown vegetables by supplying them directly to primary schools.

Castell Howell – 2 projects working to improve Welsh vegetable supply chains and provide schools and hospitals with locally sourced, nutritious meals.

Menter Môn – Larder Cymru, working to increase the use of Welsh food products in public sector school meals.

Carmarthenshire County Council – Future Generations Menu, redesigning primary school menus and embedding local, seasonal produce into public sector food provision.

PLANED – Enhancing rural access to fresh food through community vending machines.

If you are interested in getting involved with our Food Network or learning more about our work on the Foundational Economy, email: shwmae@cynnalcymru.com

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How Cardiff Council are delivering their vision for a One Planet Cardiff

New Green Growth Proposition

To accelerate progress towards a carbon neutral future, the Council has developed a Green Growth Proposition (Feb 26) —a focused programme built around two major areas where the Council can directly influence change.

Expanding local renewable energy

Subject to funding and business case approval, the Council will progress:

  • A 14MW Lamby Way Solar Innovation Hub with battery storage and EV charging for its waste fleet.
  • A city wide renewables pipeline, identifying sites suitable for large scale solar and wind investments.
  • An expansion of the Cardiff Heat Network, with plans already in development to extend into the city centre.
  • A programme to deliver solar PV and energy technologies on industrial and commercial buildings, starting with those that the Council owns.

Scaling up domestic energy retrofit

With around 91,000 homes across the city in need of retrofit, the programme also sets out proposals, subject to funding and business case approval, to:

  • Expand the Switch Together collective buying scheme (previously known as Solar Together) to increase installation of domestic solar energy systems, with Phase Two of this initiative already active.
  • Roll out a new Warm Homes for Health partnership with NHS colleagues to support residents whose health conditions are worsened by cold homes.
  • Deliver a citywide retrofit engagement hub to give residents clear, trusted advice.

Cardiff Heat Network

The Cardiff Heat Network is a low-carbon district heating system designed to supply heat to public and private buildings across the city, initially in Cardiff Bay. It captures heat that would otherwise be wasted, from Viridor, an energy-from-waste facility in Cardiff Bay. It then distributes it through insulated underground pipes. The network helps reduce carbon emissions for user by approximately 80%, improve energy efficiency, and support Cardiff’s ambition to become a carbon-neutral city.

The first phase of the heat network provides heating to Wales Millenium Centre, the Senedd, Tŷ Hywel, the new Scott Harbour Council flats, Cardiff & Vale college main building and Tresllian House as well as a number of smaller buildings.

There is a significant opportunity to expand the network towards the north and some to the south. If combined with retrofit measures and additional heat supply sources, there could be further growth potential or even opportunity to establish a heat network zone.

Mary Immaculate food growing pilot

Food growing polytunnel and greenhouse

Pupils at Mary Immaculate High School have received funding from One Planet Cardiff small grants scheme, to help run their very own polytunnel to grow fresh produce for use in their school meals.

The polytunnel has become a vibrant teaching hub within the school’s enrichment programme and curriculum, building practical skills, supporting wellbeing, and connecting young people with nature. Usage of the garden has now expanded as some pupils on an alternative curriculum next year will be spending more work experience time in the garden. This is alongside the pupils on enrichment and the gardening club – therefore more engagement and more food.

The garden goes from strength to strength. All of the beds are now producing vegetables and flowers – food from the garden is a regular staple in the canteen and the flowers are a lovely addition around the school. Once the heavy cropping items like tomatoes and strawberries come into season, they will be sending resources down to the local foodbank. They are already planting foods for the school Christmas dinner! Outside beds are now coming into their own with herbs, vegetables and potatoes and runner beans. The composting is also going well with a lovely sustainable pattern of food to compost to growing.

The funding has also paid for their very own beehive, with the first batch producing some honey which the pupils have been having on their morning toast.

A small project making a big difference for learning, wellbeing, and the planet.

Visit the One Planet Cardiff website.

How Cardiff Council are delivering their vision for a One Planet Cardiff Read More »

Creating change at scale with Carbon Literacy

This year Senior Sustainability Advisor, Farah Lodhi-Jones ran our first Train the Trainer: Carbon Literacy Course. We asked Farah who our new course is for and what are the added benefits in designing and delivering your own Carbon Literacy Course.

First, tell us a little bit about your own Carbon Literacy journey and what led you to becoming a trainer?

I was living in China for a number of years and I had experience of their industrial growth and development, and the terrible air quality. I was living through that daily, so I started to question how people lived and what the cost was of socio-economic development vs environmental impacts. I was able to travel around Asia, and became more aware of how more people were being affected by the environment, in the name of development. This led me to,  an MSc certification in climate change and water resource management policy from SOAS and subsequently worked on projects in Indonesia with local farmers, using legacy funding from BAT and Fauna and Flora conducting their biodiversity risk assessment on key island watershed.  I then moved to Italy where someone mentioned the Carbon Literacy Project to me in 2021. With starting a family, and changing the pace of work, I volunteered with them and then joined them in Advocacy, using all the skills I’d learnt on the ground to create courses for clients. 

Can you tell us why Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales developed this new course?

Good question! I think it was just the right time! Cynnal Cymru is so experienced in this field and has seen how companies and organisations roll out this training to some of their staff, but can then be at a bit of a loss what to do next. The knowledge just “sits there”, unless you’ve got a passionate person who is going to take that up or different teams to drive it forward. We’d received requests to do Train the Trainer courses, so we needed to help people learn how to run peer-to-peer learning in their own organisations.

Who is this course for and what can they hope to gain from the course personally and professionally?

This course is for anyone who’s already Carbon Literate and who is ready to take the next step. Whether that’s leading, delivering, or supporting Carbon Literacy training sessions in your organisation or community. It’s ideal for senior managers, team leaders, board members or volunteers and is a space where they can get sort of reflections and peer-to-peer conversations and collaborations with other people in the room as well.

What practical training skills can participants expect to gain from the course?

This is a highly practical course where trainers gain hands-on experience in delivering Carbon Literacy training that works for all kinds of audiences. Traditionally it’s spread across three half-days and looks at the Carbon Literacy standard, how to find your confidence and skills in being a trainer and finally a hands-on session where we look at a section the trainer has prepared and give peer feedback. So, it’s very dynamic. It… can be quite challenging. It’s quite an intense few days, but also, I think, quite rewarding for people when they have been through that process and they can reflect. It also teaches the trainers flexibility and how to think on their feet, as every course is different.

What do enjoy most about supporting new Carbon Literacy trainers, and what impact do you hope participants will go on to have after completing the programme?

I love seeing the passion that people bring, and people really wanting to believe that they can make a change. It’s about unlocking feelings within that room – people do feel like they can unlock a little bit of positivity for themselves personally. Some trainers have been tasked by their leadership to do this sustainability training work, while still doing another full-time job on the side, so it can be daunting. So, a huge part of my enjoyment comes from unlocking that passion in people again and seeing them recognise their growth over the three sessions.

Finally, when is the next course and how do people sign up?

The next open course starts in June, with three sessions taking place on the 29th June, 1st and 6th July

You can find out more about the course and how to book on out Train the Trainer web page.

Creating change at scale with Carbon Literacy Read More »

Sustainability Guide: How to save water in the workplace

Water is essential to all business activities and operations. By understanding what you use, you can not only operate more efficiently but also cut costs, strengthen resilience and reduce your environmental impact. In this guide we look at the challenges facing businesses, practical ways to improve your water use, and the benefits you’ll see as a result.

As SMEs account for 99.4% of all enterprises in Wales, your business can play an important role in reducing your water use and minimising your local environmental impact.

The challenge

The changing climate, to warmer winters and drier summers, is putting Wales’s water supply under pressure. Businesses, particularly those that rely on water-intensive processes, need to manage their demands to ensure that enough clean water is available for communities and the environment.

Steps to reduce your water use:

  • Measure and monitor your water use to better understand where you can reduce waste. This could include monitoring your water when it is not being used to help identify leaks.
  • Educate your team on the importance of water efficiency so they can contribute effectively to your water-saving goals.
  • Work with your water supplier and ask if they can help assess your water usage or help to design a water efficiency plan.

If you own any buildings or premises, you could also consider:

  • Investing in green infrastructure such as green roofs to allow for better water management and rainwater harvesting. This could include smaller scale projects such as bike storage.
  • Installing water-efficient devices such as waterless urinals, efficient flush toilets and automatic sensor taps.
  • Installing leak detection on all water services in the building, including pipework and pumps.
  • Harvesting rainwater by collecting rainwater on-site to reuse in your business. This could be simple as installing a rooftop gutter and storage tank.

You can also look at making changes along your supply chain to reduce your indirect water use. This will have the added benefit of reducing your indirect energy use too.

The benefits for business

Reducing water consumption can have tangible benefits for your business, as well as to the community and the environment. Using less water can help your business to:

  • Save money by managing your water use effectively.
  • Enhance your reputation by demonstrating your commitment to wider sustainability goals.
  • Bring your staff together to make positive changes improving team cohesion whilst raising awareness of environmental issues.
  • Improve your resilience – by using fewer resources and implementing measures that help your efficiency, you can more easily manage supply disruptions and challenges, and help future-proof your business.

📑Resources

Water efficiency

Water efficiency in business: a guide to saving water at work | Waterwise

How to develop a water efficiency plan | Business Wales

Water efficiency for business | Dŵr Cymru

A guide to improving the water efficiency of your business | Business Wales

Water-saving practices for offices | Waterwise

Rainwater harvesting | Business Wales

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Cynnal Cymru train the trainer course

November | Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy

Whether you want to create your own Carbon Literacy course, build on an existing one, or support others to do so, these sessions will give you the tools, confidence, and structure to make it happen.

This online Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy course is designed for individuals who are already Carbon Literate and are ready to take the next step: leading, delivering, or supporting Carbon Literacy training sessions within their organisation or community.

For more information on the course structure and learning, visit our Train the Trainer course page.

To book your place or to find out more, please email training@cynnalcymru.com

Cost and group size

Online open course £750 plus VAT (cost per person)

This course is designed for four participants and will only go ahead once all places are booked.

Interactive and practical

This is a highly practical course. You’ll not only learn how to deliver Carbon Literacy training, but you’ll practise delivering it, receive feedback, and build confidence in a supportive environment. By the end of the sessions, you’ll be better equipped to train others, engage meaningfully, and inspire action.

Timetable

Our standard course runs over three morning sessions, 9:00am-12:30pm plus 1.5 hours of homework. A total of 12 hours, typically across a two to three week period.

The courses starts on Course starts on 2nd November with tutor-led sessions take place on:

SessionDate
Session 1Monday 2 November 09:00am – 12:30pm
Session 2Wednesday 4 November 09:00am – 12:30pm
Session 3Monday 9 November 09:00am – 12:30pm

You will need to attend all sessions to receive your Cynnal Cymru Train the Trainer certificate.

November | Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy Read More »

03 June | Carbon Literacy webinar: From pledge to practice

You’ve completed your Carbon Literacy training and committed to your pledge. So what now?

In this webinar we’ll be inviting you to share your progress following your training. From the practicalities of implementing your pledge to the small actions that are making a difference, we’ll be sharing some of the challenges and achievements of taking action.

Join Senior Sustainability Adviser, Farah Lodhi-Jones for a conversation about the next steps you can take to put your pledge into practice.

Who is this for:

This webinar is suitable for those who are already certified Carbon Literate.

When:

It will be taking place online via Microsoft Teams from 10-11am GMT

Book your free place

Farah Lodhi-Jones

Farah has been delivering Carbon Literacy and sustainability training to multiple sectors and is an officially recognised Carbon Literacy trainer with the Carbon Literacy Project. Having worked with global brands and organisations on developing their sustainability climate education and training, Farah is passionate about connecting global climate action with local initiatives. She speaks multiple languages and has a lived global experience of working on environment projects across Europe and the global south.

03 June | Carbon Literacy webinar: From pledge to practice Read More »

Top tips for supporting nature, biodiversity and well-being at work

Supporting nature in the workplace, has multiple benefits for people, plants and pollinators.

A recent report in Harvard Business Review demonstrated that even small interventions to increase access to nature – in offices from Canada to China – increased staff creativity, productivity and helpfulness. Natural England’s “Links between natural environments and mental health” 2022 paper also affirms that spending time in natural environments is associated with positive outcomes for mental health, stress and psycho-social wellbeing.

Both reports indicate that increasing access to nature need not be large-scale, expensive or onerous to generate these benefits. Whilst not every organisation can invest in a green roof or living wall, even micro spaces can become ‘stepping stones’ to connect up habitats and provide feeding stations for wildlife. For staff too time-pressed to fit in a regular nature walk, daily glimpses of nature at work and a chance to see, smell or hear our incredible biodiversity are also effective in boosting mood and performance.

Public bodies already have a duty, under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, to maintain and enhance biodiversity and their partners and suppliers are being asked to showcase their biodiversity commitments too when they tender for public contracts.

With all these reasons to incorporate nature more in both our personal and professional lives, we are delighted to share some top tips to help!

How you can take action for nature

Let it grow!

Take part in No Mow May and Let it Bloom June – Plantlife’s annual campaign urging everyone to pack away the lawnmower, let wildflowers grow freely and help nature. By letting it grow, we can support pollinators and help to restore pockets of species-rich grassland. So, whether you’re in a city, town or the countryside, let it grow!

Adopt a green space

Adopt a verge or a green space near your place of work. Download Plantlife’s ‘Road verge and green space management best practice’ guides and learn how to transform verges and green spaces.

Small is beautiful

No lawn or green space is too small! Even the smallest wild patch can provide vital food needed by bees and butterflies, connecting us with nature and giving nature the best start to summer. 

Tall colourful wild flowers growing through a crack in the paving

‘Nature isn’t neat’

Check out the MonLife’s ‘Nature isn’t Neat’, approach to establishing joined-up green space management to create wildflower-rich pollinator habitats across Gwent local authority areas. This includes a comprehensive toolkit to support organisations and community groups.

Turn a neglected space into a vibrant garden

Keep Wales Tidy are giving away free garden packs to community groups, schools and other community-based organisations to turn neglected spaces into vibrant gardens. Whether you want to grow fruit and veg, create a green community hub, or boost local biodiversity, there are several packs to choose from.

‘Biodiversity Basics’

If you are a community or town councillor, you can take part in One Voice Wales Biodiversity Basics (Module 25 – Biodiversity basics Part 1 and Module 26 Part 2) designed by the Cynnal Cymru training team. This course teaches the basics of biodiversity, nature recovery and ecology to enable good decisions and effective Biodiversity Action Plans.

Citizen science

If access to land in your work place or at home is limited, why not explore biodiversity in your local area by using the LERC App, contributing to nature conservation, planning, research and education by submitting biodiversity records.

You can also help control and reduce the spread of invasive species at home or work with the help of this easy-to-use toolkit from the Wales Resilient Ecological Network.

Increasing nature & biodiversity at your business premises

Using the expertise of its Landscape Architecture team, Groundwork has pulled together a free Nature & Biodiversity toolkit which outlines the different nature-based features your business could consider at different scales of investment and impact.

Empower your team

Our own Nature Wise course is a great foundation for all your team, to understand how your organisation can support nature recovery for Wales. Our course will help you to understand our ecosystems, nature recovery, and our individual and collective responsibility to nature in Wales.

Become Nature Wise!

Practical examples of organisations taking action for nature

From small growing initiatives to site-wide biodiversity action plans, the following businesses and organisations are already taking action to increase biodiversity within their community and place of work.

1. Incredible Edible Network

Transport for Wales are supporting and working with the ‘Incredible Edible Network’ of growing initiatives including ‘Incredible Edible Abergavenny’ and Machynlleth (via Edible Mach) which plant fruit and vegetables in public places for anyone to help themselves.

2. Action on Climate Emergency

Action on Climate Emergency (ACE) Monmouth are a community group supporting a variety of nature-based initiatives to boost biodiversity and carbon capture. This includes coordinating seed swaps, a pesticide free Monmouth, sustainable open gardens and supporting nature enhancement in school gardens.

3. Y Stiwdio – A place to make, learn and grow

Y Stiwdio in Pembrokeshire is a creative space where wellies are welcome. A place to make, learn and grow. Y Stiwdio volunteers have created a community described as ‘A special place for all of us with secluded seating and a variety of wildlife-friendly plants to enhance the centre of the village’.

4. Cardiff University – Ecosystem resilience and biodiversity action plan 2024-2026

Cynnal Cymru has office space in the Sbarc|Spark building in Cathays Cardiff. While it is located in an urban area, we were pleased to discover the surrounding land was being used to create wildlife friendly spaces including mini meadows, hedgerows and a bug hotel. The Ecosystem Resilience and Biodiversity Action Plan, sets out how Cardiff University are going to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote ecosystem resilience across Cardiff University’s campuses.

5. Capital Coated Steel – Biodiversity garden

Capital Coated Steel are an excellent example of how a steel manufacturer has made space for nature on a previously derelict site. The Biodiversity garden supports staff well-being, helps to educate visitors and repurposes waste. The project initiated by, Simon Nurse, and co-created with his team, has now taken on a life of it’s own! You can follow the latest updates on Simon’s Linkedin page.

6. Greener Grangetown, Cardiff – Sustainable Drainage Systems

Greener Grange is a nature-based intervention to retrofit a sustainable drainage system into existing urban streets, creating over 100 raingardens while leaving space for parking and other needs. Not only does the system reduce flooding, it has increased biodiversity and provides multiple benefits to the local community. You can read more about the Green Grangetown project on the Nature Based Solutions hub.

Top tips for supporting nature, biodiversity and well-being at work Read More »

5 ways to support and celebrate nature

1. Connecting with nature

Spending time in nature has many positive benefits to our health and well-being. ‘Green spaces such as parks, forests and gardens have been shown to have a significant positive impact on physical and mental wellbeing, promoting resilience, social connection and connection to nature.’ Cardiff University: Green social prescribing.

Get a well-being boost from just 20 minutes a day outside. Gareth Clubb, Director of WWF Cymru shares 8 ways to get your daily dose of nature as part of their ‘Prescription for Nature campaign’.

2. Making space for nature

“Imagination and commitment are more important than financial resources” Simon Nurse, from

Capital Coated Steel demonstrates how creating a wildlife-friendly garden at work has multiple benefits for people and pollinators.

A wildlife garden with lots of flower filled wooden planters and beehives

Capital Coated Steel’s biodiversity and well-being garden

See case study ↗

From creating a community orchard to turning a neglected space into a vibrant garden, the Local Places for Nature project from Keep Wales Tidy can helps groups and organisations of all shapes and sizes to create a space for nature.

3. Volunteering in your community

From tree planting with Stump up for Trees in Bannau Brycheiniog to litter picking with Keep Wales Tidy there are many fantastic volunteering opportunities across Wales. A good place to start is by searching for ‘environmental volunteering opportunities in Wales’ via your favourite search engine or visiting the Volunteering Wales website.

For specialist nature advice in your local area, you can contact your Local Nature Partnership Coordinator to find out about projects and volunteering opportunities on your doorstop.

4. Building positive partnerships

Collaboration is at the heart of the sustainability movement in Wales and is embedded into the Well-being of Future Generations Act through the Five Ways of Working. By building in opportunities for collaboration at the start of a project can lead to unexpected innovation.

Size of Wales, have an impressive history of creating positive partnerships that support people and protect tropical forests. The Deforestation Free menu, is an excellent example of how working with the Cookalong Clwb, they were able to inspire children to advocate for sustainable, deforestation-free school meals, with the Monmouthshire County Council committing to becoming the Wales’ first Deforestation Free Champion.

Sign up to the Cynnal Cymru newsletter for a monthly round up of sustainability news and opportunities.

A growing area for collaboration between small businesses is that of public sector and corporate tendering through sites like Sell2Wales.

Networks like People, Planet, Pint often have regional hosts and are a great opportunity to meet like-minds.

5. Feeling empowered to speak out

“Between 80 and 89% of the world’s people want their governments to be doing more to address climate change.” The Guardian: The 89 Percent Project. We often hear in our training, how people are worried about climate damage and the future. They think they’re alone, so they don’t want to speak up.

Through our Nature Wise and Carbon Literacy courses, we bring people together on journey to learn about why it matters, what you can do to make a difference and how you can develop the confidence to speak out.

You’re not alone!

5 ways to support and celebrate nature Read More »

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