Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is the pan-Wales natural resources management organisation funded by Welsh Government. Its purpose is to ensure that the natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, enhanced and used, now and in the future. NRW was created in 2013 by the merging of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environmental Agency Wales and the Forestry Commission in Wales.
To ensure colleagues developed a shared understanding on climate topics, Cynnal Cymru created and delivered a bespoke, Carbon Literacy training program for NRW.
Approach taken:
The Carbon Literacy® training roll-out has been delivered through several phases:
Bespoke course development
In partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University we developed a bespoke Carbon Literacy® course, approved and accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project (2023);
Phase 1 – Pilot
Delivery of a pilot session with key personnel and champions within NRW, e.g. the Climate Change Team and senior managers (2023);
Phase 2 – Preparation and delivery
Preparation and delivery of weekly online Carbon Literacy® sessions (October 2023 – March 2024);
Phase 3 – Reflect and refine
Reflection on Phase 2, building in adaptations to the course content and delivering of weekly online sessions (September 2024 – January 2025);
Phase 4 – Wider roll out
Delivery of weekly online sessions to wider departments and teams including new starters (September 2025 – February 2026).
Phase 5 – Monitoring and evaluation
Working closely with NRW’s Climate Change team we implemented a monitoring and evaluation study, using focus groups to analyse participant awareness of individual carbon footprint and common themes for climate pledges. A final report was be presented to NRW’s Specialist Advisor in Climate Change and Decarbonisation.
This training programme was funded internally by NRW and coordinated by the Climate Change team.
Hybrid approach
Due to the Wales-wide nature of the NRW workforce, and the challenge in bringing together large team together in one location, we delivered the majority of the training online with a small number of sessions face-to-face.
Impacts of the project
Team learning, collaborative impact
Since 2023, Cynnal Cymru has delivered a bespoke Carbon Literacy course to over 1300 staff at NRW as part of an organisation roll out of of accredited training.
As of February 2026, over 100 cohorts of Carbon Literacy® training (each cohort is approximately 15 participants) have been successfully delivered, meaning we have provided training to over 50% of NRW’s employees (approximately 1,300 people).
To date, over 35% of their staff have successfully been certified Carbon Literate (having completed the course and having their evaluation form with climate pledges accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project).
Achieving silver accreditation as a Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO)
In February 2026, NRW achieved the CLO (Carbon Literate Organisation) Silver Accreditation which further demonstrates their commitment and action towards climate change by successfully training and accrediting a significant percentage of their workforce.
Over the winter period 2025-2026, Cynnal Cymru also worked closely alongside NRW’s Climate Change team to implement a Monitoring & Effectiveness study, using focus groups to analyse participant awareness of their own carbon footprint and common themes for climate pledges. The final reports on this are currently being prepared ready to send to NRW’s Specialist Advisor in Climate Change and Decarbonisation.
Cynnal Cymru is delighted to have played a part in NRW’s amazing accomplishment, by providing guidance and support throughout the accreditation process.
For more information on our Carbon Literacy training, including information on bespoke courses tailored to your organisation, please visit our training hub.
