What you'll learn
Explain what we mean by sustainability
Understand how sustainability relates to your business
Identify why sustainability is important for your business
Appraise the social, environmental and financial benefits of becoming a sustainable business
Determine whether it will benefit your business to strive to become a sustainable business
Requirements
Students will be able to understand and deal with some reasonably complex concepts and relate them to business and the role of business in society. An interest in and understanding of the world around us and the role of businesses in society is important. There is no pre-course reading to undertake.
Description
We are experiencing multiple environmental and social crises. Business plays a role in exacerbating these crises, but sustainable business can also play a role in overcoming them. Too few people in leadership and management roles fully understand what it means to be a sustainable business, and how it will affect the way the business operates. This course has been developed to help with this understanding.The course is presented as a "talking head" with selected images used to enhance the explanations. The course begins with some history and examines the origins of the idea of sustainability. It goes back much further than you might think!The main section of the course:Explores why sustainability is a difficult concept to grasp and why it has so many different interpretations.Identifies the "three pillars" or components of sustainability.Considers the environmental, social and financial benefits of becoming a sustainable business.Looks to the future to identify what may lie beyond becoming a sustainable business.  This includes a brief look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals.The course concludes with a summary and call to action, followed by a quiz to confirm the knowledge you have acquired. A comprehensive resources document is available for download.
Who this course is for
You are likely to be involved in business.
You could be an entrepreneur, business leader or manager (at any level). If not, you will probably have an interest in business and the role of business in society.
You may have a role involving environmental management, sustainability, or corporate social responsibility but this is unlikely to be your main job.
You are likely to be aware that business is contributing to some of the environmental and social problems we are experiencing, and you want to know more about the good that sustainable businesses can do.
You may want to explain to your stakeholders why your business should become sustainable.
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