Dear Reader,

Following the successful 4th Transnational Project Meeting held in Ancona, our Twin Transition Project has intensified its activities aimed at raising awareness among craftsmen, artisans, and SMEs in the footwear and leather sectors regarding green and digital transformation.

Training on ISO 14046 Water Footprint Assessment, ISO 14064-1 Greenhouse Gas Quantification and Reporting, and ISO 14067 Carbon Footprint Standards

The training activities on environmental protection-related ISO standards, which constitute one of the two core activities of our project, have been successfully completed. Between 10–13 June 2025, a Train-the-Trainer program was organized in Ankara with the participation of trainers from our partner organizations. Following this activity, the trainers who completed the program were expected to deliver ISO standards training courses to sector representatives in their respective countries.

These training sessions were successfully completed in all four partner countries, either face-to-face or online, with the participation of 152 individuals.

In Türkiye, the trainings were supported by the Siteler Vocational Education Center (MEM). The courses were delivered to final-year apprentices continuing their vocational education at the training center. These apprentices attend the center one day per week for theoretical instruction and spend the remaining days acquiring practical skills in their workplaces. Young people training in footwear manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, and plumbing were selected as the primary target group, as they represent the future skilled workforce of these sectors. In addition, a separate training session was organized for business owners operating in the footwear manufacturing sector.

At the end of each training, participants were asked to complete a satisfaction survey. The surveys were administered immediately after the training sessions using a rating scale ranging from 1 to 5.

The overall results across the four countries indicate a very high level of satisfaction, with average scores in all evaluated dimensions being close to the maximum value. This highlights the perceived high quality of the training programs in terms of content, methodology, and organization.

Following the completion of the trainings, each country prepared its own national training evaluation report. CTCP, our Portuguese partner responsible for this work package, will prepare a consolidated report based on these national reports. The final report will be published on the project website in five languages.

Twin Transition Seminars

We are currently developing an Open Educational Resource (OER) aimed at increasing the knowledge and awareness of craftsmen, artisans, and SMEs regarding the sustainable economy and the impacts of green and digital transformation on SMEs. Significant progress has been made in this activity, which is being coordinated by our Italian partner, CNA.

First, six priority sectors were identified jointly by the partner organizations: Footwear, Furniture, Textiles and Garments, Food Production, Construction, and Transport & Logistics. Subsequently, the main training topics (modules) were determined. Each module was divided into sub-modules, and specific partner organizations were assigned responsibility for developing the content of each module. The partners prepared the educational content and developed interactive digital learning materials using the H5P platform.

The modules are listed below:

Module 1: Digital Product Passports for SMEs: Unlocking Sustainability and Digital Innovation

Module 2: Digitalization of Production Processes for Sustainable Growth in SMEs

Module 3: Integrating the Circular Economy into SMEs’ Green and Digital Transformation

Module 4: Water Footprint Management and ISO 14046: Principles and Implementation

Module 5: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management: ISO 14064-1 Quantification and Reporting Standards

Module 6: Understanding and Implementing ISO 14067: Product Carbon Footprint

Once the e-learning materials, originally developed in English, have been translated into the project languages, they will be uploaded to the project website and made available for use. As Open Educational Resources, these materials will be freely and permanently accessible to all users.

The materials will subsequently be tested through face-to-face and online training sessions and seminars organized for sector representatives in all four countries. Based on the feedback received, the materials will be revised and improved accordingly.

4th Transnational Project Meeting

The 4th Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) was held on 14–15 May 2026 in Ancona, Italy, hosted by CNA Marche. During the meeting, attended by representatives of all project partners, the activities carried out since the previous meeting were reviewed and plans for the upcoming period were discussed and agreed upon.

In addition, visits were organized to two companies identified as examples of good practice in the field of twin transition. During these visits, participants had the opportunity to observe first-hand the companies’ green and digital transformation initiatives and assess their impact on competitiveness and operational efficiency.

The final project meeting will be hosted by TUAF in Türkiye in November 2026. Together with the project’s closing conference, this meeting will constitute the final activity of the Twin Transition Project.