West Midlands companies are being offered new training in environmental sustainability by an internationally-recognised expert.

Consultancy Credibly Green has set up the training programme to help regional businesses, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

The course is being led by Dr Julieanna Powell-Turner, sustainability director at Bridgnorth-based Credibly Green, who also provides environmental performance reports to customers throughout the UK.

“We want to break the stigma that manufacturing industries can’t be ‘green’,” said Dr Powell-Turner, who has over 16 years’ UK and overseas experience as a researcher into sustainability and is also a senior academic at world-renowned Cranfield University, lecturing in environmental science.

“There is often the misconception that because a facility has intense manufacturing operation that this in turn can’t be associated with sustainable environmental management.

“However, this is not the case and our new training programme will provide a broad understanding of sustainability and environmental issues locally, nationally and globally.”

The half-day course aims to help employees identify opportunities to enhance environmental performance in the workplace and the supply chain.

Dr Powell-Turner added: “The benefits of environmental commitment are numerous, including giving firms a competitive edge when pitching for new contracts. Advantages also include possible cost savings, enhanced corporate social responsibility and staff engagement.

“In addition the training can be used as a stepping stone approach to an integrated environmental management system such as ISO 14001.”