The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) and Methanex have partnered to sponsor Sustain-U, a sustainability and ESG (environment, social, governance) training platform developed by Caribbean Ideas Academy.
It is a training platform that will assist organisations and their employees to build sustainability understanding, learn how to quantify impact and take tangible action.
Sustain-U –which was officially launched on 12 October 2023— will help organisations and their employees to build sustainability understanding, learn how to quantify impact, and take tangible action.
It is designed to help accelerate the Caribbean region’s pursuit of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with content that addresses learning around issues that currently act as challenges to building and strengthening regional sustainability. These include increased risk of climate-related disasters, —despite our low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions— social issues including crime and poverty, and a pressing need to future proof our institutions to compete more effectively.
“Small island developing states need innovative solutions to achieve sustainable development in order to advance economic growth, improve welfare and preserve the environment for future generations,” said Caribbean Ideas Group CEO Chike Farrell. “We developed Sustain-U because our people are our region’s most important resource. We believe that a learning platform that helps organisations and their employees transition to sustainable practices can accelerate the region overall.”
The Sustain-U curriculum will be broad, looking at more than just environmental issues. The intention is to introduce subscribers to the fundamentals of sustainability across all its dimensions and connect the dots between the academic concepts and real-life impacts.
Beyond the initial launch of the platform, the Caribbean Ideas Academy team will accelerate development of the first wave of Sustain-U training programs for ‘go live’ in early Q1 2024. The training programs will feature experienced practitioners providing intuitive and actionable sustainability insights, using a blend of their practical expertise and understanding of our unique Caribbean context.
Speaking on Sustain-U, NGC President, Mark Loquan noted that “NGC has made education a cornerstone of our Green Agenda - our portfolio of clean energy and sustainability initiatives – because we understand the nexus between awareness and action. Any initiative that allows us to effectively teach our citizens about climate change, about the energy transition, about sustainable living and development, is an initiative worth backing.” He emphasised “As a company, NGC has a desire to educate our citizens, and the Caribbean Sustainable University – Sustain U – aligns perfectly with that ambition, while offering a unique focus on regional issues and perspectives.”
Sustain-U seeks to develop and bring to market heavily discounted sustainability and ESG (environment, social, governance) training programs for regional organisations and their employees, along with free programs for the community at large.
The training programs being developed over time will include online on-demand courses, interactive online courses, in-person training and experiential projects with a view to providing multiple ways to deliver and embed the learning.
“As the global leader in the methanol industry, Methanex aims to lead the industry in the transition to a low-carbon economy. We are committed to playing an active role in identifying pathways towards a sustainable future and we believe a key driver of this is collaboration and knowledge-sharing.” noted Colin Bain, Methanex’s Trinidad Managing Director. He went on to state “By providing a centralized hub for information exchange and networking, Sustain-U can bring together individuals, businesses, and organizations interested in sustainability. This platform will serve as a virtual meeting place, fostering dialogue, encouraging partnerships, and driving collective action towards a more sustainable future. We are pleased to be among the first 2 founding partners of the Sustain-U initiative, believing that coalition and collaboration provides a powerful path toward achieving sustainability goals.”
More details about Sustain-U can be found at https://caribbeansustainu.com. Parties that are interested in collaborating as founding partners, course contributors, or future customers are encouraged to connect via the website or emailing training@caribbeanideas.com