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Ecotips 2.0 - Enabling small business to reduce its environmental footprint

SMEs form the backbone of the European economy, comprising 99% of all businesses (of which, 96% have less than 5 people). However, combined, they cause nearly 2/3 of EU’s industrial pollution. With a changing economic environment and increasing competition, SMEs have recognized that environmental responsibility is a crucial condition to increase their competitiveness. Environmental management systems and approaches are one way to help SMEs to reduce their environmental impact, and become more compliant with environmental legislation.Vocational training related to the environmental management is almost missing, and where present, it is not practical. As a result, there is the cultural perception that “standard” training packages are not well suited for the needs of specific economic sectors or specific issues (e.g. energy, waste, legislation).With an increasing demand for persons with vocational training and practical experience who are able to work with environmental issues in SMEs, new approaches towards SME training have become a necessity. Understanding the benefits of environmental improvements is one thing, knowing how to get there is another. It is necessary provide SMEs with a “one stop shop” service, informing them about environmental issues and training them how to solve them.The main goal of the EcoTips 2.0 project is to transfer an innovative and attractive VET system in conformity with the current need for enhancing the competitiveness of micro businesses. This will be achieved through the adaptation and further development existing VET tools. The consortium has been developed with an optimum combination of diversified expertise in curriculum development, capacity for implementation & dissemination, technical complementarities, geographical coverage, knowledge of EU standards, extensive experience in transnational projects, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Phare, Interreg, IEE and other direct funding. The partners come from different sectors and parts of the EU, thus bringing a cultural, linguistically diverse and multi-sectoral partnership, which adds value to the various skills and competencies required for an effective project implementation. The major outcome of the project is the adaptation of an innovative, online VET package (EcoTips 2.0), from Belgium to organizations from Bulgaria, Estonia, and Slovenia. The project’s activities will reach out to 400 SMEs from 8 economic sectors.The results of the project will provide the target group with an attractive, easy to understand, IT-based training material. It will help reduce the ecological footprint of 400 companies and will contribute to national and EU priorities related to VET and environmental sustainability in the community’s pursuit towards a greener economy.

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