Train the Trainer – Dive Right into Live Training with my Top 10 tips for Trainers to-be !

Heidi Spurrell | 24th January 2025 | 4min read

Group picture from Train the Trainer Session!

We’re thrilled to Launch Our Train-the-Trainer Pilot for Carbon Literacy in Food & Drink Businesses!

Last week, we kicked off the pilot for our Train-the-Trainer Carbon Literacy programme tailored specifically for food and drink businesses. It’s been an exciting journey building this course, and I’m thrilled to share that day one went even better than I hoped! 

Watching trainers step into their roles and bring sustainability to life was both inspiring and rewarding.

As we move forward, I wanted to take a moment to share some key tips and highlights from the training. These insights are not only valuable for the amazing trainers we’re working with but can also inspire others looking to deepen their impact in sustainability and training.

Participants excited and energised for the Train the Trainer!

10 Key Takeaways for Better Training – drawing from my feedback for our trainer to-be rockstars:

1. Pose, Pause, Pounce: 🛑💭🎯 Rhetorical questions are a powerful way to grab learner attention. Use this technique when you notice you’re speaking too fast or not giving enough time for learners to absorb and think. It’s a simple way to pace your presentation and create moments for reflection. Pose your question, pause, and then give the answer or choose a learner to respond. E.g., Does anyone know how many tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere annually?

2. Compliment and Complement: 🌟➕✨ Feedback works best when it starts with what’s going well. Highlight strengths to keep things positive, then offer a suggestion for improvement—because there’s always room to grow!

3. Articulation of Words: 🎤🗣️📣 It is important to focus on clarity so your learners easily connect with your ideas. During our session, the participants often surprised the audience with phrases like ‘poop and farts’ (for methane from cows) and ‘nine zeros’ (to illustrate 9 billion tonnes of CO₂). These unexpected choices made the message memorable and impactful.

4. Recapping: 🔁📝📚 Recapping is so valuable—it helps simplify dense content and ensures key messages stick with your audience.

Participants recapping their knowledge through a quick activity at the end of the training session!

5. Holistic Thinking: 🌍🔗🤔 When talking about food systems, remind your students that everything is interconnected. Sharing challenges and solutions through multiple lenses—like business, ecology, finances, society, and culture—helps them see the big picture and explore win-win opportunities.

6. Visual Language, Personalisation, and Storytelling: 🎨📖🌟 Opening with a story, relatable example, or strong visual imagery is a great way to capture attention. Personalising the topic makes it real for learners and prevents it from feeling distant or overwhelming. E.g., Did you know that climate change will affect the taste of your favourite champagne?

Student Hayley presenting on how climate change will impact the alcohol industry using anecdotes and personalisation!

7. Back Up Your Facts: 📊✔️🔍 Always support your points with credible sources. Saying “according to…” adds authority to your message and helps trainees explore the topic further. It’s a simple way to boost trust and encourage curiosity.

8. Encourage Critical Thinking: 🧠🌆🌿 Help your trainees think critically by providing broader context to issues. For example, while electric vehicles (EVs) are a better alternative to traditional fuel-based cars, consider the bigger picture: how does car ownership affect cities and countries in terms of well-being, natural resource use, and urban planning? Discuss trade-offs, such as how roads filled with cars—EVs or not—still limit space for nature and can impact the quality of life.

9. Beware the Curse of Knowledge: 🧠🔒🌍 As experts, it’s easy to forget that not everyone speaks the same “language” of sustainability. Always take a moment to explain or read out acronyms like LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) or CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive). Your audience might be new to these terms, and breaking them down ensures your message is inclusive and accessible. Remember, clarity builds understanding, and understanding drives action!

Check out our post here about the curse of knowledge!

10. Focus on What’s in Your Control: 🔄💡🌱 Stark comparisons are a powerful way to make information memorable. For example, asking “Are you able to open a clean energy power plant?” clearly highlights something beyond individual control. In contrast, adjusting our diets—like increasing plant-based consumption—is entirely within our control. To add credibility to your teaching and offer further reading, introduce a source like the Sphere of Influence theory by Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). It explains how focusing on what we can control leads to meaningful impact, while acknowledging factors beyond our direct influence.

Ready to Join Us?

The feedback from day one of this pilot has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m already seeing how this program can help trainers transform how sustainability is taught in food and drink businesses.

If you’re as passionate about empowering teams and driving sustainable change as we are, I’d love for you to connect with us! 

Whether you’re interested in learning more, joining a future cohort, or being part of our waitlist, let’s keep the momentum going. Click here to join our waitlist or send me a message—I’d love to hear from you!

Let’s work together to make sustainability second nature for food and drink businesses everywhere. 🌍✨

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Got questions or ideas? Email us at hello@futuregreen.global.

Together, we’re not just talking about a sustainable future; we’re building it. Let’s make every meal a story worth telling.

Stay green, stay inspired.

Future Green Team