Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales

What Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales does

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is a sustainable development charity and registered company (company number 4622047, charity number 1158496) founded in 2002 and headquartered at sbarc|spark, Maindy Road, Cardiff. Operating across Wales with a team of 11–50 sustainability experts, the organisation provides training programmes (Carbon Literacy, Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy, Nature Wise Eco Literacy), advisory services, and accreditation services. Its flagship commercial and reputational asset is the role of sole Living Wage Foundation accreditation partner for Wales, granted in 2016 and currently covering nearly 600 accredited employers and approximately 160,000 employees. The organisation also facilitates the Welsh Government Foundational Economy Community of Practice across Food, Social Care, and Future Skills.

The business model is a hybrid of subscription, training-fee, and grant-funded project revenue. Annual membership packages for charities range from £85+VAT (micro, turnover under £100k) to £635+VAT (large), with business tiers from £95 to £695+VAT and premium packages from £1,000+VAT; memberships fund access to networking, events, and discounts on training. Open training courses are priced at £140 (Carbon Literacy, Nature Wise) and £750+VAT (Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy), sold on a pay-as-you-go basis with minimum cohort sizes. Project income derives from partnerships such as Welsh Veg in Schools (with Food Sense Wales, Castell Howell, and Lantra), Future Farms (with Social Farms & Gardens and Powys County Council), and Ynni Cymru grant administration for community renewables. Distribution is Wales-only, direct, and community-led: the organisation works alongside Welsh Government but operates under its own governance.

The customer base is broadly diversified across local authorities (Cardiff Council, Transport for Wales), enterprises (Arup, Castell Howell, Wales & West Utilities, Admiral, Principality Building Society), and third-sector organisations (Keep Wales Tidy). Competitive position rests on three pillars: an exclusive Living Wage accreditation mandate (regulatory moat), a 20-year-old membership network and brand, and a multi-sector community-of-practice facilitated on behalf of Welsh Government. There is no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI/ML capability, no venture funding, and no M&A activity; the entity operates as a stable, regionally-bounded, non-profit charity.

Name

Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales

Legal name

Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales

Website

https://cynnalcymru.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is a Cardiff-based sustainable development charity (founded 2002) delivering sustainability training (Carbon Literacy, Nature Wise), advisory services, and the sole Living Wage Foundation accreditation for Wales, serving employers, public bodies, and third-sector organisations across Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership packages for organizations based on size and turnover. Standard packages for non-profits from £85+VAT, standard for businesses from £95+VAT, and premium packages from £1000+VAT.
2. Training courses: Open training courses including Carbon Literacy (£140) and Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy (£750+VAT). Nature Wise Eco Literacy courses also available.
3. Living Wage accreditation services: Accreditation partner for Living Wage Foundation in Wales, providing hand-holding service for employers seeking accreditation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cynnal Cymru is a Welsh sustainability charity that delivers training courses (Carbon Literacy, Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy, Nature Wise Eco Literacy), operates the Living Wage Wales accreditation service as the sole Living Wage Foundation partner for Wales, provides sustainability advisory services, runs a tiered membership programme, and facilitates the Welsh Government Foundational Economy Community of Practice.

Product overview

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is a sustainability charity (registered company 4622047, registered charity 1158496) operating since 2002, working alongside Welsh Government. Rather than a single software product, it offers a portfolio of training programmes, accreditation services, advisory offerings, and membership/networking programmes. Its core training products are Carbon Literacy Training (including a Train the Trainer pathway) and Nature Wise Eco Literacy. Its flagship accreditation service is Living Wage Wales, acting as the Living Wage Foundation's accreditation partner for Wales. The organisation also provides Sustainability Advice services and facilitates the Foundational Economy Community of Practice on behalf of Welsh Government. A Membership programme (standard and premium tiers) provides ongoing access to the organisation's network, events, and expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carbon Literacy Training Open online and in-house Carbon Literacy training courses that equip individuals and teams with the knowledge to understand and take action on climate change, including the 'Carbon Literacy at Work' open course and bespoke in-organisation delivery.
• Train the Trainer Carbon Literacy Advanced course for individuals who are already Carbon Literate and wish to lead, deliver, or support Carbon Literacy training sessions within their own organisation or community, delivered online over three morning sessions totalling 12 hours.
• Nature Wise Eco Literacy Eco-literacy training that helps individuals and organisations understand the links between human activity and ecosystem disruption, and develop knowledge to take action for nature recovery.
• Living Wage Wales Accreditation Hand-holding accreditation service operated as the Living Wage Foundation's Accreditation Partner for Wales, helping employers from small start-ups to large companies gain real Living Wage employer accreditation, including compliance for in-scope contractors (cleaning, catering, security staff) requiring payment of the real Living Wage to all directly employed and contracted staff.
• Membership Programme Annual membership programme with standard and premium packages offering networking, events, sustainability advice, and training discounts. Standard packages range from £85 to £695 plus VAT by turnover and sector; premium packages from £1,000 plus VAT.
• Sustainability Advice Services Advisory services helping organisations future-proof against the climate crisis, protect and regenerate nature, and create sustainable jobs and communities, covering sustainability strategy, environmental management, and decarbonisation.
• Foundational Economy Community of Practice Facilitation of a Community of Practice on the Foundational Economy on behalf of Welsh Government, focusing on the core sectors of Food, Social Care, and Future Skills through regular meetings, knowledge exchange, and brokering of links between projects and partners.
• Environmental Management Systems Guidance Guidance and resources for SMEs on implementing Environmental Management Systems (EMS), covering key EMS standards including ISO 14001, ISO 14005, Groundwork Green Dragon, Green Key (tourism sector), and EMAS, including advice on phased implementation, benefits, costs, and certification pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,000 workers received direct Living Wage pay rises through the accreditation program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Menai Science Park (M-SParc)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ynni Cymru grant recipient for Net Zero journey - installing heat pumps, solar PV, and enhanced building management system.
• Prysor Angling AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ynni Cymru grant recipient - installed solar PV, battery storage, and EV charge points at community venue.
• Living Wage FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Cynnal Cymru is the Living Wage Foundation's Accreditation Partner for Wales. They host Living Wage Wales in-house and work to support the Living Wage movement across Wales.
• Welsh GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Long-standing partnership with Welsh Government to inspire action and facilitate meaningful change in sustainability across Wales. Cynnal Cymru works alongside Welsh Government and facilitates the Foundational Economy Community of Practice on their behalf.
• Food Sense WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Welsh Veg in Schools project - coordinating initiative to increase production and consumption of organic Welsh-grown vegetables by supplying them directly to primary schools.
• Castell HowellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWales' largest food distributor, collaborating on Welsh Veg in Schools project to deliver fresh, organic produce to school meals across Wales.
• Farming Connect Horticulture (Lantra)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Welsh Veg in Schools initiative, providing safety and process training for growers.
• Size of WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Cookalong Clwb project addressing food insecurity and promoting kitchen confidence in children, while also tackling climate change through deforestation-free school menus.
• Social Farms & GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in Future Farms partnership project developing new planning guidance to help small-scale environmentally friendly horticulture growers unlock land for local food growing.
• Powys County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Future Farms project - adapted planning guidance for Rural Enterprise Dwellings adopted by Powys County Council.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Keep Wales Tidy:
• Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA):
• Living Wage Foundation: The UK-wide body that licenses Cynnal Cymru as its Welsh accreditation partner. They share brand, accreditation standards, and employer relationships; the Foundation also operates accreditation directly in the rest of the UK.
• Carbon Literacy Project: The originator of the Carbon Literacy framework and accreditor of Carbon Literate Organisations. Cynnal Cymru is a delivery partner and licensed trainer; both operate the same training curriculum and serve overlapping employer audiences across the UK.
• Forum for the Future:
• Groundwork UK:
• Centre for Sustainable Energy:

Broad incumbents

• WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme): UK sustainability charity working with governments, businesses, and citizens on resource efficiency. Comparable mission around training and behaviour change but focused on waste/circular economy rather than broad sustainability.
• Carbon Trust: Major UK/ international sustainability advisory providing carbon measurement, training, and certification to corporates and governments. Overlaps with Cynnal Cymru's advisory and Carbon Literacy offerings but at much greater scale and with proprietary tools.

Emerging players

• Ashden: UK climate charity accelerating climate solutions through awards, convening, and training programmes. Comparable in scale and mission to Cynnal Cymru, though with a different programme mix (climate innovation rather than Living Wage/foundational economy).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CynnalCymru
• Facebookfacebook.com/cynnalcymru
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cynnal-cymru---sustain-wales

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales