In the context of future-orientated enterprises the capacity of sustainable management is more and more being considered as a factor of success. In view of a better integration of ecological, economical and social components into business politics and processes, the sustainability aspects have to be more intensively considered in the field of competence development within vocational education and training systems.

For the European craft sector appropriate qualification and consulting possibilities are still missing especially for employees in small-sized enterprises. Yet, due to the employment figures and the huge significance concerning the importance for the support of jobs and the influence regarding to growth, innovation and initiative, the European craft sector has been identified as an significant target group. The European umbrella organisation, Union Européenne de l'Artisanat et des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (UEAPME), as an example, represents the interests of 11 million enterprises with about 50 million employees.

A pilot project called "development and testing of a trade-overarching qualification- and consulting concept for sustainable economy in the German craft sector" was realised in North Rhine-Westphalia. Within the project "Euro Crafts 21", it is now to be adapted at the European level by innovation transfer in order to improve the vocational education in Europe. Germany, Finland, Austria, Slovakia, Spain and Hungary are among the participating partner countries. Target groups for the development of competences in the field of sustainable economy and management in the European craft sector are:

• Educational stuff at vocational education and training institutes;
• Factory owners and business executives;
• Consultants;
• Multipliers.

The achievement of the above-mentioned aim will be realised by developing, pilot testing and disseminating adapted and expanded qualification and consulting offers. Following results and products (in English language and the languages of the partner countries) are to be explored:

• Concept for the transfer and the adaption of a national Qualification and Consulting Concept (QCC) for the use in foreign European countries;
• Train-the-Trainer concept for the QCC;
• Country-specific qualification modules;
• CD-Rom containing an adapted and expanded European QCC;
• European teaching/learning materials and curricula for the European craft sector;
• Project homepage with information and online-media;
• Country-specific information and image brochures for the craft sector.

The Wuppertal Institute is responsible, together with the Trifolium Consultancy Ltd., to design and realise the innovation transfers by elaborating an adaptation concept for the already existing product that for example contains the conceptual disign, implementation and evaluation of the Train-the Trainer workshops.