Empowering NGOs for Climate Action: Carbon Literacy in the Food & Drink Sector

A collaboration for sustainable food systems and inclusive climate education

What happens when you bring together passionate food advocates, sustainability experts, frontline NGOs, and refugees starting new lives in Hong Kong? You get a bold, community-first training experience that seeds long-term, systemic change.

Building climate knowledge together—NGO leaders and refugee participants unite for Hong Kong’s first food-focused Carbon Literacy Training

In May, nearly 40 participants joined the first-ever Carbon Literacy Training tailored for NGOs in the food and drink sector. This groundbreaking event was led by the Sustainable Food Foundation in partnership with the Carbon Literacy Community Pot, Future Green, Grassroots Future, SpiceBox Organics and Fresh Accounting. 

Importantly, this wasn’t just another climate workshop. It was an inclusive, action-focused experience. Many participants came from grassroots NGOs and refugee communities—groups often excluded from sustainability education, despite being heavily impacted by climate change. Through this course, they gained practical strategies to cut carbon emissions, along with tools to unlock job opportunities and strengthen their communities.

Why Carbon Literacy Matters for NGOs—and Why Now

The climate crisis is no longer a distant issue. It’s already affecting food security, public health, and livelihoods—especially for vulnerable populations.

For NGOs working on the frontlines, climate understanding is essential. Carbon Literacy Training gives teams the tools to measure their emissions, identify hotspots, and act on them. From energy use to procurement and food waste, it helps build sustainable operations.

In addition, the training offers new opportunities for refugees. It builds skills applicable to growing sustainability sectors like food and hospitality. As a result, participants are better positioned to lead, contribute, and secure meaningful jobs.

A Closer Look at the Trainers

Another standout feature was the exceptional group of Carbon Literate facilitators who volunteered their time and expertise. These included Basel Kirmani from Turquoise Sustainability, Francesco Scanzani – Sustainability & Marketing Consultant, Tegan Smyth from Grassroots Future, and Heidi Spurrell, our CEO.

Together, they combined science, storytelling, and lived experience to deliver a unique learning journey. Furthermore, their passion for climate justice and community leadership made each module powerful and relevant.

A big thank you to Fresh Accounting for generously sponsoring this transformative training and supporting inclusive climate action

The Problem with the Food System—and How Training Helps

Food production accounts for around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven by emissions-intensive farming practices, supply chains, and waste. Shockingly, 2.5 billion tonnes of food are wasted each year—enough to create a mountain of waste 6km wide and 3km high.

Besides emissions, industrial food systems cause severe harm to biodiversity, soil, and water. For instance, agriculture uses 70% of the world’s freshwater. Even more alarming, over 90% of mammal biomass now consists of livestock and humans.

Throughout the training, participants explored these challenges in depth. Notably, one session focused on regenerative agriculture and local solutions like tempeh—a fermented plant protein that requires much less water and land than beef. It’s now locally produced in Hong Kong by FERM.

Plant-based catering by SpiceBox Organics

Climate Action Through Commitment

This wasn’t just a passive learning experience. Each participant made a personal pledge to reduce carbon emissions—concrete, measurable actions they commit to taking forward. Whether it’s switching to local plant proteins for their events, sourcing from certified low-carbon suppliers or launching internal waste audits, these pledges reflect an ongoing commitment to act—and to inspire others.

By the end of the course, participants were not just Carbon Literate—they were climate advocates, equipped to drive sustainability conversations within their organisations and communities.

We wrapped up with a circle of appreciation – always a winner for sharing gratitude!

This training proves that inclusive, food-focused climate education works—and that real change starts with empowered people. With better knowledge, stronger networks, and a sense of shared purpose, these NGOs and refugee leaders are now better positioned to model sustainability and drive systems-level impact.

Because when it comes to the climate crisis, no one should be left behind—and everyone has a role to play.

🌱 Ready to take action?

Join our next Carbon Literacy for the Food Sector course on 17 & 19 June 2025.

Empower your team. Strengthen your mission. Drive meaningful climate impact.

Sign up here!

Let’s build a more sustainable and inclusive future—one plate, one pledge, and one community at a time.