“Soft Skills 4 ESG” — Innovative Corporate Training Program for EYATH

From November 2024 until January 2025, IDEA training designed and implemented an innovative and inclusive corporate training and skills development programme for the Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Co S.A. (EYATH), entitled “Soft Skills 4 ESG”.

The programme meets the modern needs of corporate training and is fully aligned with the international developments around the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles. It focuses specifically on the social dimension of ESG principles and the cultivation of soft skills, enhancing the leadership and inclusion capacity of EYATH executives.

Workshop 1: Συναισθηματική Νοημοσύνη, Ενσυναίσθηση & Στρατηγικές ESG

Design and Scope of the Programme

“Soft Skills 4 ESG” was based on four fundamental soft skills:

  • Empathy
  • Critical thinking
  • Inclusion
  • Communication

Through a safe and participatory learning space, EYATH board members and executives had the opportunity to work through issues of bias, discrimination and improved collaboration, aiming at the creation of a more inclusive and effective working environment.

The programme is in line with the UN Agenda 2030, and especially with the following Sustainable Development Goals:

  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality
  • Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

International Cooperation

A particularly innovative dimension of the programme is that it was designed in collaboration with international organisations, such as Empathy Lab UK, enhancing the transfer of know-how and the use of European good practices.

To whom it was addressed

The target group of the project was the senior management staff of EYATH. In particular, the training was organised into three groups:

  • Group 1: Board of Directors
  • Group 2: Technical Directors
  • Group 3: Administrative Managers

Workshop 2: Από τη Θεωρία στην Πράξη: ESG και Δεξιότητες για Βιώσιμη Ανάπτυξη

 

Training Modules and Speakers

The programme consisted of four consecutive workshops with cutting-edge thematic areas and specialized speakers:

  1. Emotional Intelligence, Empathy & ESG Strategies
    Speaker: Alkmini Morou, MPhil in Heritage Studies, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
  2. From Theory to Practice: ESG and Skills for Sustainable Development
    Speaker: Anastasia Katsoulea, PhDC & Researcher, MEng in Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering, AUTh
  3. The future of ESG: Promoting Gender Inclusion and Equality
    Speaker: Dimitris Kataiftsis, Post Doctoral researcher in Anthropology and Economics of Gender, UoM
  4. The “frameworks” in communication: A Linguistic Approach
    Speaker: Anastasios Vogiatzis, Post Doctoral Researcher in Cognitive Linguistics, AUTh

Workshop 3: Το μέλλον των ESG: Προωθώντας τη Συμπερίληψη και την Ισότητα των Φύλων

Methodology & Implementation

The programme was implemented in person, based on the principles of adult education, offering a learning environment adapted to the needs of the participants.

Each group attended 12 hours of training, while each workshop included evaluation and self-assessment activities. The programme was enriched with guest speakers and the design of an online knowledge repository available to EYATH executives.

The design and implementation of “Soft Skills 4 ESG” was carried out by the IDEA Training team, Dora Psoma and Tilemachos Kotronis, in close collaboration with Empathy Lab UK and the team of speakers.

Workshop 4: Τα «πλαίσια» στην επικοινωνία: Μια γλωσσολογική προσέγγιση

Results and Next Steps

Upon completion of the programme, evaluation questionnaires were distributed, with the results confirming its influence:

  • 89% of participants said they were adequately informed about ESGs
  • 90% of participants reported that they had enhanced their knowledge of the social dimension of ESG

According to the responses, the most favorable skills for further training in the future were:

  • Conflict Management
  • Team Management
  • Communication Skills

The “Soft Skills 4 ESG” programme was a factor in EYATH’s overall investment strategy in human resources development. According to the company’s Sustainability Report 2024, the average number of hours of employee training increased by 4.5% compared to 2023, an increase to which the specific training action contributed substantially.

IDEA continues to design and implement innovative programmes that enhance human-centered and sustainable practices in public and private sector organizations.
“Soft Skills 4 ESG” is just the beginning…