The Primary Objective of SPEC is to initiate a replicable model of learning that enables enterprise centre managers, tenant businesses and learners to adopt sustainable and responsible business practices. Focusing on the dimensions of sustainable practice such as: sustainable buildings (NZEB), energy and resource efficiency, sustainable eco-systems and collective action, the SFEC programme will assist the participant cohort in developing practices that will make a transformative contribution to addressing climate challenges. Many enterprise centre managers want to take measures to improve the sustainability of their centres and gain expertise/learning that they can pass onto their tenants but there is currently no VET training or offering of best practices available to help drive change or improve their own environmental practice as part of an innovative pedagogical process . SFEC’s effort to align national priorities, needs of local communities and high-impact sustainable initiatives through the establishment of robust business models will result in more sustainable, scalable and replicable solutions. OEC, NASEC and ANCES have vast dissemination networks that the project will utilize. The transition to a low-carbon economy means a new economic model is necessary, focused on low-carbon growth, resource efficiency and sustainable development. That presents significant transformational challenges for enterprise where sustainable transitions are highly dependent upon technological solutions: industrialisation has catalysed a linear economy in which take-use-dispose culture is accentuated. A transition to a circular, sustainable economy is essential. The SFEC project will work to:1) Identify best practices that enterprise centres can replicate to reduce their carbon footprint, improve their services/supports and future proof their infrastructures (IO1)2) Guide enterprise centre leaders through strategic sustainability planning which will bring sustainable practices and ideas to fruition via concrete actions (IO2)3) Empower enterprise centre leaders to become Sustainability Educators and Agents of Change capable of teaching and training SME and start up clients about the principles of sustainability and green business (IO3)4) Develop a self-learning sustainability and climate-action online course for Enterprise Centres tenants and wider SME’s to enable them to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner and align their sustainability goals with those of the enterprise centres where they are based (IO3)Our target participants span four categories:• Organisations linked to target groups: Enterprise Centres networks in partner countries and across Europe, and businesses and representative bodies for innovation supports companies • Policy makers in terms of energy and sustainability and economic development • Partners’ links to associates, peers, stakeholders and policy makers at regional, national and EU sustainability development networks.• Media - specialist education, energy and sustainability sector press and sustainability influencers will be a useful means of recruiting the aforementioned target groups and we will target relevant sections of media to reach stakeholders across the other three key target groups.Impact is at every level of the project. SFEC will develop the competences of leaders in enterprise centre management in sustainable business practice to include: sustainable buildings (NZEB), energy and resource efficiency, sustainable eco-systems, collective action, state of the art digital technologies and working practices. Impact will take place at every organisational level: Board of Directors, Management Team, Operational Staff, Volunteers. Enterprise centres business advisors, mentors and VET educators will increase their awareness of the importance of sustainable practice capabilities as a specific competence, will grow professionally with the ability to teach new skills through pedagogic strategies & new exposure to digitally adept teaching tools.SME owner, managers & employees, who have not traditionally had access sustainability practices and climate mitigation actions training, will acquire the skills & confidence to undertaken new sustainability projects & are likely to actually do so in the first 6 months after completing the course. This will contribute directly to their professional development as they will strengthen their eco innovation mindset & skills. Last, but not least, will be the economic advantages conferred by the greening of their businesses. SFEC will help partners gain an in-depth specialist knowledge of the contemporary climate change mitigation actions for business and the future-proofing sustainability practices as an innovation driver. SPEC also has impact on Sustainability Advocates: Non-affiliated members, public or otherwise, who may be interested in learning about best practices in the sector.

The European green agricultural sector (food, agri, animal husbandry, nature, living environment and leisure) is from an economic, social and sustainable point of view important for a prosperous, sustainable and green future worldwide. The European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) emphasize this position and the challenges the green sector needs to face. The partners of this project are inspired by these goals and believe that green agriculture educational institutes on secondary, tertiair and higher level should take an important role in educating enough qualified students who are well prepared with the appropriate green sustainable and circular skills to achieve these goals. However the problem all partners face is that the number of students entering their green agricultural schools is dropping steadily, while the number of students is already far from enough to fulfil the jobs within the green job market. The main causes for this gap between the jobs related to the green job market and upcoming green circular society and the students’ needs are:1)the lack of flexibility of schools to modernize their programs quickly enough;2)the location of the schools in rural areas, while the students are mainly living in the cities;3)the attractiveness of the green schools to new target groups that are not traditionally their main target group;4)the lack of cooperation with regional business and social service organisations also related to other sectors (cross-overs);5)the increasing but unknown career perspective related to green knowledge and skills; 6)the large number of students who are not capable of making a thought-out choice of education.The overall European wide analysis is that the necessary increase of the number of students with innovative, green, circular skills and knowledge might be achieved by expanding additional efforts to acquire and retain new target groups, especially the multicultural urbanised youth and lifelong learners. We also believe that the attractiveness of green VET-schools to these new target groups can increase by positioning green schools and programs in a positive and innovative way and within the context of our new sustainable and green society of tomorrow. This can be achieved by acting from the perspective of the Whole School Approach of Sustainable Development. An approach in which one works on the renewal of the curriculum, didactics, business operations, professionalization and cooperation with the surroundings of the school from an integral and interdisciplinary viewpoint.In PROGRESS we will create a living community of green VET-schools in Europe in which we exchange good practises and co-operate to find solutions to renew and promote our schools, programs and courses aiming to attract new types of students like urbanised youth and lifelong learners and make them aware of the great opportunities green knowledge and skills and the green sector in general can provide them. The good practises with all kinds of innovative methods and practical tools and recommendations will be shared and disseminated on a local, regional, national and EU-level through a multimedia and inspiring website, EUROPEA and multiplier events.