550 Objective courses in Coventry

If you're looking to move to the next level in your career in sales, then understanding how to maximise your sales results, using a consultative and structured approach, will be key to your success. In order to develop the competitive advantage that enables you to stand out from the crowd, it is important to understand the tools and techniques to take your selling to new heights and build the confidence to apply them in work-based scenarios. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Learners will gain a range of practical skills that they can take back and apply to the workplace straight away, that will have a positive impact on sales and customer satisfaction. This course will help participants: Develop a structured and client-focused approach to creating high quality sales opportunities and account growth Learn persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities Understand how to have better sales conversations, presentations, and proposals - leading to higher order value and increased sales Develop advanced sales questioning skills and techniques; understand the importance of listening Understand how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage Develop proven ways to overcome and reduce price pressure Know when to use options and upselling when presenting products and solutions Develop techniques and skills for improved negotiation and closing 1 Advanced Selling - How to Increase your sales results Review of pre-course data and questionnaire The AVC model of increasing your sales results Creating a sales growth plan to achieve higher sales targets Mapping the accounts and products for targeted growth 2 The Four Cs to structure a sales call Research before the meeting or call; setting objectives, planning and preparation How to gain instant rapport and taking control - including online meetings Qualifying and initial questioning skills Creating an agenda and first-meeting structure: Four Cs Planning and practice sessions 3 Building bigger and better sales opportunities How to use questions to 'build' more opportunities Learning and using high-impact and third-level questions Advanced sales questioning techniques: five questioning techniques Qualifying and gaining commitment to the next stage Planning and practice sessions - advanced questioning skills 4 Presentation and persuading skills best practice Compelling benefits and reducing perceived risk - key messages to deliver Helping the customer choose your proposition by using options Professional and effective presentation skills Writing compelling sales proposals that improve your conversion rate Planning and practice session - presenting your solution 5 Overcoming concerns and client questions Proven techniques for answering client objections and concerns How to isolate, prioritise and answer objections, including price Overcoming delay and procrastination Planning and practice session - answering client concerns 6 Gaining commitment and closing the sale Knowing when to close for commitment How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Checklist of closing and negotiation skills Practice session

The work of a technical team is invariably challenging and often unpredictable. Definition of the work can be problematic, timescales can be hard to estimate and the right technical approach difficult to select. Staff involved in this type of work usually have very high levels of specialist knowledge in their field and have high expectations of those who lead them. In addition to the challenges of the work, the team leader often has to balance the need for professional excellence with financial and commercial considerations and to ensure that team goals are realistic by being an effective negotiator with other project and senior managers. These characteristics make technical team leadership a demanding and complex activity. This programme aims to help participants develop the skills needed to become an effective technical team leader. The objectives of this programme are to help participants: understand the significance of leadership skills and their impact on team performance review the key skills needed to be an effective, 'multi-dimensional' team leader and learn how to develop, adapt and apply them in practice learn how to identify the preferred leadership style for the context and organisational culture and how to develop personal style versatility understand the role of the project leader in building an effective team and the skills required to promote and sustain team performance gain a better understanding of the interpersonal skills needed to motivate individual team members and harness the full potential of the team DAY ONE 1 Technical teams and leadership What is a leader? How much can leadership be learned? The team environment and the impact of leadership skills The characteristics of high performance teams and their leaders Some useful models and theories of leadership explored Types of leadership; choosing how to use leadership power Evaluating personal leadership style; how to develop style flexibility 2 Essential skills for team leaders 3 key dimensions of effective leadership: inwards, outwards and upwards Developing and promoting a 'team vision': strategic thinking skills The vital role of communication skills and how to develop them Understanding others; emotional intelligence skills Being a visible leader; behavioural and influencing skills Building effective relationships; the importance of trust and respect DAY TWO 3 Leading inwards to build the team The role of leadership in developing team performance Understanding individuals in the team; recognising team role preferences Managing conflict and promoting positive team dynamics Setting standards, maintaining discipline and rewarding performance Harnessing team potential: building motivation within the team Promoting team learning; the team leader as coach / mentor 4 Leading outwards and upwards to support the team Negotiating realistic team goals; effective influencing skills Gaining empowerment and support from the key stakeholders Leading upwards: knowing when and how to take the initiative Building team credibility within the organisation; helping the team deliver Becoming an effective team player in leadership teams Building and maintaining rapport with influential stakeholders

When managers have too many decisions to make, it can have a serious impact on the speed and efficiency of the organisation. When those decisions are commercial ones, the results can wreak havoc with the bottom line. Often the problem arises when those below them or in operational areas of the organisation aren't equipped or allowed to make a decision for themselves. Issues get passed back up and that wastes time. This programme provides a solution, giving your entire team the skills to: And most importantly, they'll be able to do this in line with the broader aims and commercial objectives of the business. By the end of the programme participants will be able to: Fully appreciate the importance of effective decision-making in business Use the five-step 'Stop, Think, Act!' decision-making process Stop leaping to conclusions Really understand the situations and decisions they are dealing with Identify good options Evaluate those options Make decisions and then put them into action Apply these tools and techniques to all their decisions in future 1 Understanding the business we work in What are the critical factors in our business? What is the SWOT analysis for our business? 2 Understanding what decision-making is 3 Background Culture of 'having to be doing' To change things we have to think about it! We are paid to make decisions! 4 Recognise the opportunity to make a decision 5 The 'Stop, Think, Act!' technique 6 STOP! Recognise the opportunity to make a decision Don't leap to conclusions Get ready to think Initial questions:Is this my decision? (Do I have the authority?)Who is this going to affect? (Do they need to be included?)When do I need to make the decision? (What's the timeline?) 7 THINK! The 3 Cs - making sure we understand the decisions we have to make What is the context of this decision?What is the overall situation?Why is this decision important?What do we need to achieve?What will success look like? Do I have clarity about the decision I need to make?Can I write it down?Can I express it clearly in two sentences? What are the criteria?What are the critical commercial factors that we will use to select our options?What will we use to measure the business success? 8 ACT! Identifying options What data do I need to collect?Issues with today's overloadIdentifying what will help you Select optionsHow many options?Must match your criteriaMust achieve success'Decision compass' exercise Analyse optionsTabular methodRisk analysis (likelihood v effect)Head, heart and gut (is there any organisational history/bias that we are up against?) Making your decision Taking it to actionFirst actionsPlanning how to make it happen

Today's administrative professional needs flexibility and a broad portfolio of skills including self-motivation, assertiveness, and the ability to deal with difficult people. You will benefit from this course if you are an administrator, medical/legal secretary or PA, who wants to enhance your administrative support skills, as well as evaluating your existing techniques. This course will help you identify: your areas of strength and your areas for improvement in the work environment ways to accept new challenges and responsibilities with confidence what motivates you at work techniques to improve your planning and time management ways of improving your influencing and assertiveness skills your preferred working style (and relate it to your interaction with others) ways of using your initiative how to deal with challenging people, using recognised communication methods The course will help you develop a flexible set of skills that will allow you to succeed at work, no matter what the day throws at you. It will help you communicate effectively with a diverse range of colleagues and others with tact and diplomacy. And, finally, it will help you provide the administrative support that is essential for the smooth running of your area and of the organisation as a whole. 1 Introduction Overview Introductions Individual objectives 2 What exactly is your role? Before looking at new skills and techniques, where are you now? Do you have the skills, knowledge and attitude required to be an exceptional administrator? Understand your job criteria Identifying your strengths and areas for development Activity - skills analysis Activity - action plan 3 Building trust How can you build trust? Understanding the links between reliability, consistency and trust What is required to deliver efficient service? Activity: efficient service requirements of the professional administrator 4 Working styles Identifying your working style preference Understanding the importance of a flexible approach Identifying areas of improvement to become a more effective team member Activity: Questionnaire (completing, scoring and charting) Activity: drawbacks of my style Developing your working style 5 Assertiveness Understand the differences between behaviours Activity: Definition and characteristics of assertive / aggressive / passive behaviour Activity: Identifying different behaviours Understanding how to be more assertive How to use assertiveness techniques How to ask for feedback Activity: Making requests assertively Activity: Refusing requests assertively 6 Time management The importance of planning for success The importance of managing interruptions The importance of having clear purpose Time management best practices Activity: How do you plan your time? What prevents you improving your time management? How will you recognise success? 7 Prioritisation How to prioritise work to meet deadlines The prioritisation matrix Activity: Post it! 8 Dealing with interruptions The impact interruptions have on productivity How to manage interruptions Activity: What interruptions do you experience? What tactics can be employed to reduce these interruptions? 9 Close Open forum Summary Action planning

The aim of this programme is to provide current / prospective senior project managers with an in-depth review of the role and importance of project management in the organisation. It focuses on the strategic role of the project manager and aims to draw out the full scope of the role and how it impacts on project performance. The five key objectives of this programme are to enable the participants to: Identify the characteristics and attributes needed by project managers in ensuring the organisation is recognised as an industry leader in delivering successful projects Understand the full scope and impact of the project manager / leader's role in managing projects or programmes to maximise benefit to the business Define the hallmarks and skills required to manage significant business projects or project portfolios Develop an understanding of the skills required and their impact on the project through case study work and syndicate exercises Benefit from an effective forum for exchanging experience and fostering a sense of team spirit and mutual support between senior project managers DAY ONE 1 Introduction (Course sponsor) A vision of future opportunities and challenges The impact of project managers / leaders on future success 2 The determinants of success The contractor's perspective The client's perspective Success and failure: factors that determine the project outcome The impact of the project manager 3 Case study: Project Giotto How successful was this project? What were the primary factors that influenced the outcome? How relevant are these factors to current projects? Feedback and review 4 Project team exercise A practical exercise demonstrating the role of the project manager in managing the interfaces between the client, the project team and suppliers Review - what skills are required to be a 'world class' project manager? 5 The role of the Project Manager The role and skills of the 'world class' project manager The three key dimensions of effective project leadershipManaging influential stakeholdersManaging project performanceManaging the project team Project leadership skills appraisal (individual review) DAY TWO 6 Managing influential stakeholders Project management and the art of leadership Who are the influential stakeholders and how do they affect the project? What we need to do / not do, to build successful working relationships 7 Case study: Understanding the customer What are the likely problems the project manager will encounter? What should the project manager do to ensure an effective partnership? 8 Managing project performance Issues affecting commercial performance Joining up the project life-cycle: getting performance from inception to closure The roles of project manager, line manager and project sponsor 9 Project team exercise: Making the promise / delivering the promise An exercise demonstrating the commercial and team leadership skills needed by the project manager Review - what must the project manager do to optimise project performance? 10 Managing multi-functional project teams The challenges of building effective, multi-functional project teams Co-ordinating work across functional and organisational boundaries Maintaining strategic focus and balancing priorities 11 Making it happen Individual action planning Syndicate discussion 12 Course review and transfer planning (Course sponsor present) What will we do differently? How will we make it happen? Conclusion

A question of trust. Leadership implies followership. And that means trust. Because who's going to follow a leader they don't trust? This programme takes a values-driven approach to leadership. It gets current and aspiring leaders to hold up the mirror to themselves and to see their reflections as leaders of people. It asks them whether what they see justifies their view of themselves as leaders. It helps them understand just what it takes to be an effective leader. And it does so in a highly practical, constructive manner. It helps the course participants to truly understand the core skills of effective leadership. It focuses on the difference between leadership and management, defining what high performing teams do and how they do it. It helps people to see their teams from different perspectives, allowing them to adapt their styles to maximise team outputs. And it explores concepts such as emotional intelligence, authentic leadership and the RAIV approach (relationships-achievement-independence-vocation) to help explore underlying values and use them to drive effective leadership. Because what worth do our values have unless we put them into practice? The course will help you:• Appreciate the key skills a leader needs to be effective• Understand what the organisation expects of you as a leader• Recognise your leadership style and the impact it has on others• Consider your role models - who inspires you?• See leadership from the 'followers' perspective - how do you like to be led?• Discover what holds you back - limiting beliefs• Examine your core values -do they support your ambition?• Explore the concept of Emotional Intelligence - how do we manage ourselves?• Discover how to lead through change• Explore the concept of 'Authentic Leadership' - consider how it can work for you• Practice some of the skills essential to motivating and influencing for success• Use the RAIV approach to generating enthusiasm and commitment• Plan how best to 'walk the leadership talk' - in your role, in your organisation Above all, this course will help you put theory into practice, values into actions, in a mature, considered, effective way. Day 1 1 Welcome and introduction Participants are welcomed to the programme and invited to share their personal objectives and people challenges Participants given an action plan template to complete throughout the workshop Participants required to bring an inspirational quote to share with the group 2 What is leadership? The concept of 'leadership' The role of a leader Skills assessment for all participants# Leadership v Management Assess your team effectiveness 3 Your leadership style Leadership questionnaire You and your role models Push v Pull styles of leadership Empowerment v Control Team goals and role profiling Day 2 1 You, the leader Your core values Your communication style Situational leadership The Emotional Bank Account Buy Me Today 2 Are you Emotionally Intelligent? (EI) What is emotional intelligence? Self-assessment exercise Manage your emotions Nine strategies for promoting EI 3 Leading through change Identify the major changes affecting you / your team Types of change The roles of resistance How safe are you to talk to? Forcefield Analysis Day 3 1 Authentic Leadership (AL) What is AL? Managing perceptions is managing their truth A leadership challenge 2 Motivating and influencing for success What motivates you? Motivational theory Leading by example Influencing skills required Influencing styles The influence challenge! 3 Creating enthusiasm and commitment The RAIV approach (relationships-achievement-independence-vocation) Building self-worth What drives your team? Your leadership legacy Your commitment to leadership

In today's competitive business world firms are under unprecedented pressure to deliver value to their shareholders and other key stakeholders. Senior executives in all parts of the organisation are finding that they need some degree of financial know how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as business managers and key decision-makers; monitoring and improving business performance, investing in capital projects, mergers and acquisitions: all require some degree of financial knowledge. The key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe and in the hands of an experienced senior executive they can provide a formidable competitive advantage. After completing this course delegates will be able to: Understand fundamental business finance concepts; understand, analyse and interpret financial statements: Profit Statement, Balance Sheet and Cashflow Statement Understand the vital difference between profit and cashflow; identify the key components of working capital and how they can be managed to generate strong cashflow Evaluate pricing decisions based on an understanding of the nature of business costs and their impact on gross margin and break-even sales; managing pricing, discounts and costs to generate strong business profits; understand how lean manufacturing methods improve profit Use powerful analytical tools to measure and improve the performance of their own company and assess the effectiveness of their competitors Apply and interpret techniques for assessing and comparing investment opportunities in capital projects, business acquisitions and other ventures; understand and apply common methods of business valuation Understand the role of business finance in formulating and implementing competitive business strategy; the role of budgeting as part of the planning process and the various approaches to budgeting and performance measurement 1 Basic principles Delivering value to key stakeholders Accounting concepts, GAAP, IFRS and common terms Understanding and using the balance sheet Understanding and using the profit statement Recognising the vital difference between profit and cashflow Understanding and using the cashflow statement What financial statements can and cannot tell us 2 Managing and improving cashflow Sources of finance and their advantages and disadvantages What is working capital and why is it so important? Managing stocks, debtors and creditors Understanding how working capital drives business growth Understanding and avoiding the over-trading trap Unlocking the funds tied up in fixed assets: asset backed loans and leasing 3 Managing and improving profit Understanding how profits generate cashflow The fundamental nature of costs: fixed and variable business costs Understanding gross margin and break-even How common pricing methods affect gross margin and profit Effective strategies to improve gross margin Using value chain analysis to reduce costs Lean manufacturing methodsUnderstanding Just-in-time, 6 Sigma and Kaizen methods Improving profitEffective and defective strategies 4 Measuring and managing business performance Measures of financial performance and strength Investor behaviour: the risk and reward relationship Return on investment (ROI): the ultimate measure of business performance How profit margin and net asset turnover drive return on net assets Why some companies are more profitable that others Understanding competitive advantage: cost and differentiation advantage Why great companies failWhat happened to Kodak? Using a 'Pyramid of Ratios' to improve business performance Using Critical Success Factors to develop Key Performance Indicators 5 Budgeting and forecasting methods Using budgets to support strategy Objectives and methods for effective budgets Using budgets to monitor and manage business performance Alternative approaches to budgeting Developing and implementing Balanced Scorecards Beyond Budgeting Forecasting methods and techniques Identifying key business drivers Using rolling forecasts and 'what-if' models to aid decision-making

Businesses that don't control their costs don't stay in business. How well are you doing? Is everyone in your organisation sufficiently aware of costs, managing them effectively and maximising opportunities to reduce them? If there is scope for improvement, this course will help get you back on track. It will demonstrate that cost reduction is so much more than cost control and cost cutting. True cost management is about being aware of costs, seeking to reduce them through good design and efficient operating practices whilst taking continuing action on overspending. This course will develop the participants' skills in: Being aware of costs at all times Seeking cost reduction from the start (including life-cycle costing) Appraising projects / production to identify and take out risk Understanding real budgeting Using techniques such as ZBB and ABC where appropriate Ensuring cost reports lead to action Managing a cost reduction process that delivers Benefits to the organisation will include: Identification of cost reduction and business improvement opportunities Better reporting and ownership of costs Greater awareness and control of everyday costs 1 Introduction - the cost management process The risks of poor cost control Capital and revenue costs The importance of cost awareness The importance of cost reduction Cost management - the key aspects How to build a cost management and control process checklist for your areas of responsibility 2 Cost removal - taking out costs Cost awareness Costs of poor design / poor processes Value engineering Removing redundant costs 3 The need for commercial, technical and financial appraisals Understand the problems before cash is committed and costs incurred Making the effort to identify commercial and technical risk The time value of money - DCF techniques for long term projects Cost models for production processes and projects Costing models - project appraisals The use of spreadsheets to identify sensitivity and risk How to focus on risk management 4 Budgeting - proper budgeting challenges costs The philosophy of the business - are costs an issue? The importance of having the right culture The need for detailed business objectives Budgetary control measures Designing budget reports - for action 5 Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) - the principles Much more than starting with a clean sheet of paper What ZBB can achieve The concept of decision packages - to challenge business methods and costs Only necessary costs should be incurred A review of an operating budget - demonstrating what ZBB challenges and the costs it may lead to being taken out 6 Awareness of overheads and other costs Definitions of cost - direct and indirect Dealing with overheads - what is meant by allocation, absorption or apportionment? The apparent and real problems with overheads Different ways of dealing with overheads Review of overhead allocation methods and accounting and reporting issues 7 Overheads and product costing Activity-based costing (ABC) - the principles Where and how the ABC approach may be helpful Know the 'true' cost of a product or a project Should you be in business? Will you stay in business? Identifying weaknesses in a traditional overhead allocation How ABC will help improve product or service costing Identifying which products and activities should be developed and which abandoned 8 Cost reduction culture The need for cost reports What measures can be used to identify over-spends as early as possible Cost control performance measures and ratios 9 Design of cost control reports Reports should lead to action and deliver Selecting cost control measures which can be acted upon Practice in designing action reports 10 Course summary - developing your own cost action plan Group and individual action plans will be prepared with a view to participants identifying their cost risks areas and the techniques which can be immediately applied to improve costing and reduce costs

This workshop will help you create, develop and close business opportunities using a consultative approach and a value-based (not price-led) proposition. Value-based selling means working the way your customer wants to buy, not how you want to sell. It also means: In a transactional sale the customer knows the answer without help from a salesperson (or cannot see why they should choose you), or is prepared to stay with what they have. Customer decision criteria are price and convenience and customers resent time spent with (new) salespeople, mainly because the salesperson adds little or nothing to what the customer already has and just wastes time. In a consultative or value-based sale, by contrast, the customer doesn't know the answer already. The salesperson must take the role of an advisor, not just a 'product promoter'. Customers demand expertise, advice and customisation during the sales process. Often customers insist on multiple meetings with salespeople and others to develop advantages that you can bring and reduce the perceived risk of changing. In this way the salesperson often adds more value than the product or service alone. This very practical workshop will help you use proven strategies and tactics to build, manage and successfully close sustainable business opportunities using a consultative approach and a value-based (not price-led) proposition. This includes: Increased impact of your new sales conversations, presentations and proposals - leading to faster decisions and increased conversion Greater confidence, consistency and professionalism throughout the business development process Enhanced sales questioning skills and techniques, leading to better, faster and more accurate development of customer needs, problems, value and expectations Improve your people, communication, influence and persuasion skills when approaching, consulting or presenting your services and solutions How to build value at all points in the customer's buying process through your knowledge, skills and structured approach Proven ways to gain additional business and referrals from existing customers and contacts, through direct approach and lead generation Being better able differentiate your firm, your solutions, track-record and expertise clearly and accurately with tailored value statements for each stage and for each opportunity Overcome and avoid price-based objections, buying criteria and negotiation 1 Introduction and key principles of value-based selling Introduction and review of pre-course questionnaires - KPIs, personal learning objectives and key principles The main principles of value-based selling and how they benefit you and the customer How value-based selling differs from 'transactional' or 'price-based' selling The stages of the customer's buying cycle - how to identify and work through strategies for each stage The concept of structured and set-piece selling and proposing Presentation by participants: Personal sales improvement goals 2 Value-based selling strategies and skills What is value? How can one move away from a price-led agenda? How to survive and resist price pressure - six techniques A review of key competencies and skills needed for a value-based approach Strategies, case studies and examples with discussion and review Defining your initial value proposition and comparative advantage How best to established the right level of trust, rapport and credibility Planning and practice session: Strategy - mapping a value-based sales process. 3 Connecting skills Research before the meeting and the first few minutes - ways to gain instant rapport and setting the foundation for a successful outcome in a first sales call How to structure an effective first time sales call or meeting - the subtle differences that are important to master How best to differentiate your solutions and build credibility and enthusiasm early or at the start of the buying process Overcoming initial buying resistance and relaxing the prospect; gaining rapport, opening the meeting: PBC (purpose-benefit-check) and gaining agreement to proceed Planning and practice session: Connecting - first meeting with a new contact 4 Consulting - building, developing and influencing client needs Understanding the power of high-impact and third-level questions to influence people based around specific needs and solutions The importance of body language and other personal communication dynamics when asking questions; empathic listening, run-on questions, drawing out skills, summarising, etc Creating a 'disturb' approach to creating needs and opportunities and positioning your solutions Using proven advanced sales questioning techniques with greater skill: Outcome, SPIN and qualification questions 'Decision-making criteria' - tools to help you develop the relevant criteria with the customer and in doing so progress your sales opportunities more effectively Planning and practice session: Questioning skills 5 Convincing - presentation and persuading skills practice Substance and style - selecting the right tone and content to engage and enthuse your prospect Compelling benefits and reducing perceived risk - key messages to deliver Helping the customer choose your proposition - by being convincing, compelling and credible when you present Professional and effective presentation skills - with personal coaching and practice sessions The keys of influence and persuasion and the keys to convincing a new customer to choose you for the first time Planning and practice session: Role-play in presenting your solution 6 Commitment Knowing when and how to close for commitment to the next stage in your sales process, plus ways to ask for commitment professionally and effectively How to isolate, prioritise and answer objections and concerns more openly and accurately, using a consultative not a confrontational approach Deal more effectively and profitably with price objections and reduce buyer's remorse (which can lead to an 'I want to think about it' reaction and cause delay and inertia) Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Planning and practice session: Role-play in closing and negotiation skills 7 Assessed role-play - Final practice session Live role-plays There is an option for external participants to be brought in to the live training workshop to take-part in the final assessed role-play or assist with other sessions run during the course. Performance assessment - 'Dragon's Pitch' The final afternoon of the course is an assessed role-play using a prepared scenario and external 'CEO'. The assessment criteria will be agreed prior to the workshop. 8 Workshop summary and close Personal action plan and learning summary

A flexible, modular-based, programme to heighten participants' awareness of ways in which their operations can affect the environment, the principles of environmental management and the practical steps they need to take as individuals and as an organisation to improve environmental performance. Depending on the course modules selected, this programme will give participants: Increased awareness of relevant environmental issues A greater understanding of, and commitment to, the organisation's environmental management programme Preparation for any responsibilities they may have under an Environmental Management System Further benefits according to options chosen 1 Environmental awareness Definition of 'the environment' Key environmental issuesGlobal warmingOzone depletionAcid rainAir qualityWater pollutionContaminated landLand take and green belt shrinkageResource usageHabitat destruction and species extinctions. Option: This module can be used to explain the key environmental issues related to the activities of your own organisation. Diagrams, photos, pictures, examples and statistics relevant to your own organisation are used where possible to illustrate the points being made. 2 Environmental legislation Key elements of environmental legislation affecting the activities of your organisation - including international, European and UK legislation. Legislation of particular relevance to your organisation - how it affects the operations of your organisation Option: Legislation can be dealt with according to which aspect of the environment it protects (eg, air, water, waste) or which part of your organisation's activities it affects Consequences of breaching legislation 3 Environmental management systems Overview of what an environmental management system isHow is an Environmental Management System (EMS) designed and put together?Key elements (emphasising Plan - Do - Check - Review cycle)The need to continually improve Pros and consReasons for having an EMSBenefits of an EMSConsequences of not managing the environmentCosts of installing an EMS Explanation of ISO 14001 and EMAS standards and guidance as applicable to the EMSs of your organisationOverview of your organisation's EMSHow it was set up / is being developed / operatesWho is responsible for itKey parts of system (eg, environmental policy, objectives and targets) identified and discussedEMS documentation - what and where it is. Workshop option: Brainstorm 'Pros and cons' with the participants, come up with all their ideas for good and bad things about EMS and demonstrate that the 'good' list is longer than the 'bad' 4 Environmental consequences Define what an environmental impact is and discuss how they are determined, with reference to the EMS Identify why we want to determine the environmental consequences of operations and activities; how they are used in the EMS for planning, and reducing the impact on the environment Establish key environmental consequences of construction and operational activities on the site; discuss significance ranking and the control measures in place in your organisation. Workshop option: In small groups, participants are asked to identify the impact on the environment of your organisation's activities or a part of their activities. They are then asked to rank these impacts in terms of their significance, using guidelines provided to help them be aware of the contributing factors (eg, frequency, severity). For a selected number of the impacts, the participants are asked to identify what control measures there are and which of these they play a part in. All stages can be discussed with trainers as a whole group at various stages during the workshop. 5 Protected species, nature conservation and invasive weeds Nature conservation, landscape and visual issues in the planning process - overview of key nature UK wildlife legislation, EIA, appropriate timing of surveys, Hedgerow regulations and landscape and visual impact issues Ecological issues - ecological legislation, significant species, hedgerows Archaeology in the development process - why archaeology is important, organisation in the UK, legislation and planning guidance Construction phase issues and consents - major environmental issues during construction, including water resources and land drainage consents, discharges to land or water, water abstraction, public rights of way, tree protection, waste management, Special waste, noise, good practice pollution control and Environmental Audits Identification and management of invasive weeds - including legal position regarding management 6 Chemicals and fuels handling and storage How health and safety management is closely linked to environmental management of materials Planning - what mechanisms are in place for planning materials use; legislation, guidance and policies which define how to manage materials Materials storage - what are the considerations for storing materials, covering:Labels: what are the different types and what do they tell us?Storage facilities: what are the requirements for safe storage of materials (eg, signs, secondary containment, access, segregation, lids/covers)Handling: safe handling for protecting the environment, organisational procedures, high risk situations (eg, decanting, deliveries), how to reduce the risks (eg, use of funnels, proper supervision, training)COSHH and MSDS: brief explanation of legislation and its role in environmental control of hazardous materials, how to use the information provided by COSHH assessments Option: These sessions can be illustrated with photographs/pictures and examples of good and bad storage and handling practices Workshop Options: Labelling Quiz - quick-fire quiz on what different labels tell us; Build a Storage Facility - participants are asked to consider all the environmental requirements for building a safe storage facility for their organisation 7 On-site control measures Overview of the legislation associated with nuisance issues on site and mitigating problems when they arise Examples of bad practice, including fuel storage tanks and mobile equipment - costs involved with prosecution of fuel spills, remediation costs, management costs, legal fees, bad PR coverage Identification and management of contaminated land and relevant legislation Workshop option: Participants are provided with a site plan containing information on site features, environmental conditions and indications of potential issues 8 Waste management Why worry about waste? - a look at how waste disposal can impact on the environment, illustrated by examples of waste-related incidents, statistics on waste production on national, industry-wide and organisational levels, landfill site space, etc Legislation - overview of the relevant legislation, what the main requirements of the regulations are, what penalties there are, and the associated documentation (waste transfer notes) Waste classification - a more in-depth look at how waste is classified under legislation according to hazardous properties, referring to Environment Agency guidance Handling and storage requirements - what are the requirements of the applicable waste legislation and how are they covered by organisational procedures? Examples of good and bad environmental practice associated with handling and storing waste. Workshop option: 'Brown bag' exercise - participants pass round a bag containing tags each with a different waste printed on. They are asked to pick out a tag and identify the classification and the handling, storage and disposal requirements for the waste they select Waste minimisation - overview of the waste minimisation 'ladder' and its different options (elimination, reduction, reuse and recycling), benefits of waste minimisation, examples of waste minimisation techniques Workshop option: Participants are asked to identify opportunities that actually exist within the organisation for minimising production of waste that are not currently being taken advantage of 9 Auditing Requirements for environmental auditing of operations Auditing the EMS Types of internal and external audits Requirements EMS standards (ISO 14001 and EMAS) Carrying out internal audits and being prepared for external audits Workshop options:Mock audit 'Brown Bag' - can be used either for trainers to test participants as if they were in an audit situation, or for the participants to test each other and practice their auditing technique. The bag contains tags each with a different topic printed on (eg, waste skips); participants pass the bag round and select a tag; they are then questioned by the trainer or another participant about that topic as if they were in an audit situation. If the participants are auditing each other, they will be provided with a set of guidelines to keep in mind during the workshop.Virtual auditing - a more practical workshop where participants review photographs of situations/activities relevant to the organisation's operations. They are asked to identify all the good and bad environmental practices that are occurring in the situations. 10 Incident response What should you do when an incident does happen? What should be in a spill kit? When should you call in the experts? When should you inform the Environment Agency or Environmental Health Officer? Workshop option: The participants are provided with some incident scenarios and asked to develop a response to the incident 11 Monitoring and reporting Environmental monitoring programmes and procedures Monitoring and reporting as control measures for environmental consequences Monitoring and environmental 'STOP' card systems - personal and behavioural monitoring and reporting