Genee Consulting and Ecogenesys Training Academy have launched a UK-wide partnership combining sustainability training with the Investors in the Environment accreditation framework. Officially introduced at the North East Recycling Forum on 24 September 2026, the offer is designed to help organisations progress from learning about sustainability to measuring and improving environmental performance. Ecogenesys provides training in Carbon Literacy, ESG Awareness and Environmental Compliance, while Genee supports organisations through iiE’s Bronze, Silver and Green accreditation levels. The partnership is aimed at businesses at every stage, from those taking their first steps to organisations seeking independent evidence of progress.

Training Meets Environmental Management

The partnership brings together two connected elements of organisational sustainability work. Ecogenesys Training Academy, the learning and development division of Ecogenesys, offers practical courses intended to build employee knowledge, understanding and confidence around environmental issues. Genee then offers a route to translate that learning into a structured environmental management programme.

Through Investors in the Environment, participating organisations can identify their environmental impacts, set priorities, measure performance, develop practical actions and engage employees. The framework also provides a means of demonstrating continual improvement as an organisation progresses through Bronze, Silver and Green accreditation.

For businesses without a dedicated sustainability professional, this combination could prove particularly useful. Responsibility for environmental performance often sits alongside an existing operational, facilities or management role, making accessible training and a clear framework valuable tools for setting practical priorities.

Jo Holmes, Managing Director at Genee Consulting, said:

“One of the things we’ve learned through delivering Investors in the Environment is that organisations come to sustainability from very different starting points.“Some aren’t sure where to begin, while others are already doing a huge amount but need a framework to bring everything together. And some have established sustainability teams and programmes but want to independently demonstrate their progress and continue improving.“That’s why this partnership works so well. Ecogenesys can help organisations build knowledge and confidence, while Genee and iiE provide the practical framework and support to turn ambition into measurable action.“There isn’t a right or wrong place to start. It’s about understanding where you are now and identifying the next practical step.”

Flexible Routes To Progress

A central feature of the new offer is its recognition that sustainability programmes do not begin from a single, uniform baseline. Some organisations may need introductory training to understand the relevance of carbon, ESG and environmental compliance to their activities. Others may already be monitoring energy use, reducing waste or calculating a carbon footprint, but require a structure that connects those actions.

For more mature organisations, iiE accreditation offers an opportunity to independently demonstrate progress while identifying areas for further improvement. This tiered approach reflects the practical reality that environmental action develops over time and requires different forms of support as internal capability grows.

The partnership positions training as the foundation for action rather than a standalone exercise. By linking employee awareness to environmental measurement, priorities and ongoing management, Genee and Ecogenesys are presenting a coherent route for organisations that want to strengthen both their knowledge base and their evidence of performance.

Focus On Waste And Resources

The North East Recycling Forum launch places the new partnership before organisations operating in a sector facing environmental, regulatory and commercial change. Waste and resources businesses are working with environmental compliance requirements, carbon reduction expectations, resource efficiency and changing customer demands, while the transition towards a more circular economy continues to shape business decisions.

The forum provides a fitting setting for an offer centred on practical capability. Organisations in the sector may already have substantial experience in waste reduction and resource management, yet still need clear systems for measuring wider environmental impacts and demonstrating improvement to customers, procurement teams and supply-chain partners.

The partnership is available across the UK, rather than being limited to organisations in the North East. It is intended to provide accessible support for businesses regardless of the maturity of their existing sustainability activity.

Graeme Milne, Chief Executive at Ecogenesys, said:

“Through our partnership with Genee, we’re providing SMEs with the knowledge, confidence and framework needed to deliver meaningful, measurable change that benefits both the environment and their long-term success.“By bringing together practical learning and recognised accreditation, we’re giving businesses a clear pathway that supports both sustainability goals and business growth.”

A Practical Starting Point

Genee and Ecogenesys have structured the partnership around a simple progression: build knowledge and confidence, add structure to existing activity, then evidence progress and continue improving. That framing acknowledges that many organisations are already taking environmental action, even where it has not yet been brought into a formal management framework.

For businesses responding to tender requirements, procurement expectations, customer scrutiny, supply-chain requests or environmental legislation, being able to demonstrate organised action is becoming increasingly relevant. The partnership offers a practical proposition: training can help people understand what needs to be done, while accreditation can support the systems, measurement and evidence needed to show progress.

By joining accessible sustainability education with recognised environmental accreditation, Genee and Ecogenesys have created a useful route for organisations seeking to turn environmental ambition into consistent, measurable action.