Courses

Over the course of three days, students in the Certificate in Corporate Sustainability program explore key concepts in sustainability and learn tools, techniques, and solutions for implementing environmentally and socially responsible business practices. A sampling of past course offerings is below.
 
Day One: Why Sustainability Matters to Business
 
Defining Sustainability: from Concept to Action
  • Roots of sustainability & key drivers
  • Macro/micro sustainability issues facing companies
  • Challenges to sustainability thinking and implementation efforts
 
Systems Thinking: A Framework for Decision Making
  • Application of systems thinking approach to business context
  • Developing holistic thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Identifying stakeholders
 
The Business Implications for Climate Change Trends
  • Projections and impacts on business
  • Intro to GHG, water, and waste tracking methodologies
  • Corporate best practices and score cards
 
Eco-Gastronomy Networking Dinner
  • Current Context of Food Systems
  • Ways to support the local agricultural economy
  • Challenges/benefits as a small business owner
Day Two: Building a Business Case for Sustainability
 
Beginning with the End in Mind: Capstone Projects and the Certificate in Corporate Sustainability
  • Explanation of capstone projects and examples of alumni projects
  • Explanation of "stepping stone" networking sessions
  • Discussion of mentor relationship
 
Building the Business Case for Sustainability
  • Developing a CSR strategy & stakeholders
  • Materiality analysis
  • Stakeholder engagement/management
  • Identifying the best tools and metrics for your organization
 
Life Cycle Analysis and Trade-Off Decision Making: The Case of Stonyfield's Yogurt Cup Design Process
  • Environmental inventorying
  • Lifecycle assessments/thinking
  • Tools & resources for exploring LCA
 
Triple Bottom Line Accountability and CSR Reporting
  • How to manage and track sustainability programs
  • Examples; hands-on practice
  • Mechanics of building a CSR report
  • Ways to articulate challenges/successes appropriately
 
Becoming an Employer of Choice
  • Role of HR in sustainable corporations
  • Creating a sustainable culture
 
Evening: Corporate visits to PolyRecovery and Red Hook Brewery, with a presentation by Foss Manufacturing
Day Three: Communicating Your Sustainability Message to Internal & External Stakeholders
 
Corporate Community Investment and Engagement
  • Explore why and how companies have community investment programs, as well as what objectives and audiences such programs can reach
  • Understand programs, tools, templates, and strategies that are available for companies of all shapes, sizes, and locations
 
Emerging Models for Sustainable Businesses
  • B-Corps; LC3 Models
 
Communicating with Stakeholders
  • Using communications to build value and credibility
  • Determining what metrics/reporting should be shared and with whom
  • How to articulate best practices and challenges authentically
 
Becoming a Sustainability Change Agent
  • Gain an understanding of change models and processes
  • How to build buy-in with key constituents
  • How to navigate your organization to create change