Meet our new Carbon Literacy trainer: Sonia Drake-Pighini

Our Carbon Literacy journey is going from strength to strength, and we’re delighted to have Sonia join our team of certified Carbon Literacy trainers.

Carbon Literacy is an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis. Developed by The Carbon Literacy Project into a day’s worth of training, it empowers participants to make informed, lower-impact choices.

Our accredited Carbon Literacy training for the packaging sector has been running for over two years and is equipping businesses with the knowledge to reduce their carbon emissions and rethink the packaging they place on the market.

We now have five certified Carbon Literacy trainers in our team, and we run regular sessions throughout the year. If you’re interested in joining our next session, see our upcoming training dates here.

We caught up with Sonia to find out what inspired her to become a trainer, and what she hopes attendees take away from the experience.

Q: What drew you to become a Carbon Literacy trainer, and what does Carbon Literacy mean to you personally?

A: I have always been passionate about sustainability and climate science. I hold two degrees in sustainability science but haven’t always had the opportunity to apply them fully in my day‑to‑day role. Becoming a Carbon Literacy trainer felt like a natural step, a way to give voice to that passion, encourage meaningful action, and help others better understand their impact on the environment.

Carbon Literacy is about awareness, but also about having the knowledge, confidence, and willingness to act, and to inspire others to do the same. I firmly believe that change starts with small ripples of action. If I can influence the people around me and inspire others through training, those ripples can grow into a significant impact, both for individuals and for the organisation as a whole.

Q: Why is Carbon Literacy so important for organisations right now?

A: Something that has become increasingly clear, and is strongly emphasised in our training, is that climate change is no longer a problem of tomorrow. It is happening now, affecting all of us, and presenting a real, present‑day business risk. The better organisations understand this, and the more they equip themselves with the tools to respond, the more resilient they become.