Promoting Eco-friendly Habits at Work with Gamification

Shift2Green

Protecting the environment and combating climate change are at the top of the political agenda. In February 2021, the European Commission confirmed its new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). With this plan, the Commission is taking a decisive step towards transforming Europe from a linear economy to a circular economy and thus initiating a paradigm shift in the European economic system. The measures aim to create a strong and consistent policy framework that will make sustainable products, services and business models the norm. In the future, companies will be confronted more than ever with the challenge of fundamentally rethinking their business concepts. However, many SMEs are not sufficiently prepared for this change process and have difficulties implementing overall concepts.

Goals and content

The Erasmus project Shift2Green aims to raise environmental awareness and develop sustainability skills among managers and employees in small and medium-sized enterprises in order to drive green transformation at both an organizational and personal level. The project will create pedagogical solutions that will help both in-house staff and vocational trainers to initiate change. One of the solutions will be Shift2Green gamification, which will be used to inspire learners to make sustainable behavioral changes. A fully digital, web-based learning tool with missions, challenges, tasks, resources and learning paths will be developed to support pro-ecological behaviors and habits in the workplace.

The project developed the GIF Competence Framework:

The GIF Competence Framework, which is available for free download, serves as an important tool for addressing the sustainability challenges in the fashion industry and provides a clear roadmap for competence development and identification.
With its focus on standardizing skills, clarifying roles and promoting continuous improvement, this framework plays a central role in promoting training and professional development within a sustainable fashion industry and evaluation.

Here you will find the link to the Competence Framework: https://fh-mittelstand.aflip.in/gif_competence_framework.html

The GIF Short Learning Program was developed as part of the project:

The (free) Short Learning Program consists of ten (10) units in a total of three (3) modules.
The core element of each unit is video lectures combined with practical exercises, such as self-assessments, homework, simulations and case studies.
All learning videos are recorded in English, but can also be viewed with subtitles in German, Spanish, Greek, Romanian and Italian.
The SLP can be found at the following link: https://gif.uninettuno.it/en/gif.aspx
To access the program, you must register on the platform.

The manual is available in 4 languages. You can access the interactive flipbook here:

Project Results

The CREDinGREEN project, launched in 2022 with an international consortium of Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Austrian partners, was successfully completed in spring 2024. The project started under the impact of the Covid pandemic and addressed the question of how tourism SMEs could use the crisis to design future-oriented products while also becoming more resilient. In this context, two European instruments were examined that should have a positive influence on the sustainable orientation of tourism companies:

The European Green Deal with the opportunities for a sustainable design of tourism offers, including through programs such as Farm to Fork, which have an influence on gastronomy by, for example, regionalizing the food chain.
The instrument of microcredentials, i.e. European certificates to optimize and standardize lifelong vocational training.

The project concluded with the following 3 results, which were officially presented to the public at the beginning of March 2024 in the context of ITB Berlin:

1. CREDinGREEN Report on the situation of tourism 2022

Tourism managers were invited to take part in a survey at the beginning of the project in 2022, which provided information about the situation of tourism SMEs in the participating countries. With 355 participants, there is a solid basis for the evaluation, which, in addition to extensive literature research, provides deep insights into the companies. In addition to the survey, expert interviews were conducted with participants from the tourism and education sectors.

The study provides valuable insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic and EU Green Deal policies have changed tourism behavior in Europe. The results underscore the evolving services, knowledge, and skills that tourism managers must adapt to remain competitive and sustainable in this changing landscape.

By understanding the dynamics, tourism managers can better navigate the challenges and opportunities of the current global landscape. Read on to discover the detailed findings and recommendations of the study.

2. CREDinGREEN Training course for vocational education and training in sustainable tourism

The vocational education and training program aims to retrain managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector. The program teaches how tourism providers can meet the evolving needs of the market in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and under the influence of EU Green Deal policies.

The online training offers the opportunity to equip tourism managers across Europe with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the post-pandemic situation and adopt sustainable practices. The program focuses on promoting resilience, innovation, and sustainability in tourism management.

The training program is an essential step for tourism managers who want to adapt to rapidly changing market dynamics and sustainability requirements. By participating in this program, managers can be better prepared to lead their companies into a sustainable and successful future in the tourism industry.

3. CREDinGREEN strategy paper

The strategy paper contains a comprehensive set of recommendations for policymakers in education and training. It can help ensure the sustainable integration of microcredentials into VET systems and promote the EU Green Deal through innovative training programs in the tourism sector.

The materials serve as an important resource for education and training policymakers. By providing actionable recommendations, it supports the sustainable integration of microcredentials in VET and the advancement of the EU Green Deal. This strategy paper aims to drive systemic change and ensure that VET systems across Europe are able to meet the changing needs of the tourism sector and contribute to a sustainable future.

All results can be found in detail on the project website: www.credingreen.com/results