Building organisation-wide sustainability capability through tailored training
About Phonovation
Phonovation is a communications technology company specialising in SMS services for enterprise clients across Ireland and Europe. With a team of 20 employees operating primarily in a remote environment, the organisation delivers scalable communication solutions across a range of industries. As part of its commitment to responsible business practices, Phonovation set out to embed sustainability across the organisation as a core part of how the business operates.
From ambition to uncertainty
After completing the Diploma in Business Sustainability, CFO Ruth Mulvaney identified B Corp certification as a key strategic goal. However, translating sustainability into a service-based, remote organisation proved challenging.
Ruth explains: “We didn’t know how to measure it. We didn’t know where to start… most of the guidance out there is geared towards manufacturing companies.”
With limited clarity on what to measure, particularly in areas such as environmental impact, the team found themselves navigating fragmented guidance and struggling to define a clear path forward. At the same time, sustainability was often misunderstood internally.
She adds: “Everyone thinks sustainability is just environment… they often don’t realise it’s about workers, community, and customers as well.”
There was a clear need to build shared understanding and practical capability across the organisation.
A tailored, organisation-wide approach
To address this, Phonovation rolled out the Institute of Sustainability Studies’ bite-sized, tailored training across all employees. Designed for a busy, fast-paced team, the format allowed employees to engage with the content in a way that fit around their day-to-day roles.
Ruth says: “People can dip in and out… it’s not this extra task they have to do.”
Crucially, the training was aligned to the organisation’s specific context.
She explains: “It’s not a generic course… the bite-sized learning was aligned to our industry and where the gaps were within the team.”
This ensured that learning was immediately relevant and actionable.
Making it viable through grant support
Phonovation secured funding through the Enterprise Ireland (EI) Green Plus Grant to support the rollout of the training. This grant covers up to 50% of associated costs, including training and employee time.
Ruth shares: “You’re getting most of the course, if not all of the course, paid for… you could be getting free training that doesn’t affect your budget for the year.”
This enabled the company to invest in organisation-wide training without placing additional strain on internal resources.
From awareness to action
The impact of the training was felt quickly across the organisation. A shared understanding of sustainability emerged, enabling more effective collaboration and faster implementation of ideas.
Mirela Taucius, CTO at Phonovation explains: “We all have a common knowledge… so when someone comes with an idea, they don’t have to explain everything from scratch.”
“Everybody’s on the same track… there’s not one person who can say they didn’t know”, explains John Waters, Chief Sales Officer at Phonovation.
This alignment translated into tangible actions across different functions. For instance, Phonovation transitioned to fully paperless processes, introduced smart plugs to track energy usage across remote employees, and began embedding sustainability into supplier and operational decisions.
Annabelle O’Keefe, Accountant at Phonovation, explains: “We were completely paperless… I contacted all our suppliers and moved everything to digital billing.”
Mirela adds: “Now when we choose suppliers, we ask about their sustainability… that’s a factor in decision-making.”
Embedding sustainability into performance and growth
For leadership, sustainability has become a lens through which key business decisions are made.
Gavin Carpenter, CEO of Phonovation explains: “We have a whole new lens to view our business decisions through… where we store data, how it’s powered.”
By applying lean principles, the organisation has focused on reducing waste across operations – linking sustainability directly to efficiency and return on investment.
Gavin adds: “Reducing waste has a return on investment… using less power has a return on investment.”
Sustainability is now embedded into performance tracking, alongside core business metrics, reinforcing its role in long-term strategy.
Strengthening commercial positioning
The benefits extend beyond internal operations. Sustainability has become increasingly important in client conversations and procurement processes.
“When we go for tenders… one of the questions is always our sustainability credentials. We need to prove it to move forward”, John adds.
This capability strengthens Phonovation’s ability to compete and win new business, particularly in enterprise and public sector markets.
Achieving certification and building confidence
The training also played a key role in supporting Phonovation’s successful B Corp certification, led internally by Lauren Carpenter.
Lauren Carpenter, Sustainability & Policy Administrator, says: “It contributed towards our B Corp certification… we were stuck below the threshold and got it over the line.”
Beyond certification, employees reported increased confidence in contributing to sustainability initiatives within their roles.
“Before, I didn’t know how I could contribute… now I feel comfortable putting forward ideas”, Annabelle adds.
A culture of shared responsibility
Perhaps the most significant shift has been cultural. Sustainability is no longer seen as a separate function, but as part of everyday decision-making across the organisation.
Ruth says: “It’s not an extra piece of work… it’s about making the right decisions while doing your job.”
With all employees trained, sustainability has become embedded across teams, supporting continuous improvement and long-term resilience.
Looking ahead
Phonovation continues to build on this foundation, with plans to pursue further certifications and expand its sustainability efforts.
“It’s all about continuous learning… people need to keep practising it in their roles”, says Ruth.
Phonovation’s experience demonstrates how tailored, organisation-wide sustainability training can translate into real business value, from improved alignment and operational efficiency to stronger commercial positioning and measurable outcomes.
By equipping every employee with practical knowledge and a shared understanding, sustainability becomes embedded across the business, driving both impact and performance.
Explore what this could look like for your organisation
If your organisation is looking to build internal capability, align teams, and embed sustainability into everyday decision-making, the Institute of Sustainability Studies provides practical, tailored training designed for real-world impact. Get in touch to learn more.
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Dedicated to harnessing the power of storytelling to raise awareness, demystify, and drive behavioural change, Bronagh works as the Communications & Content Manager at the Institute of Sustainability Studies. Alongside her work with ISS, Bronagh contributes articles to several news media publications on sustainability and mental health.
