CSR - Sustainability Academy

In 2023, several supply chain sustainability trends have emerged as companies prioritize reducing their environmental impact and improving social responsibility.

The last couple of years have set a lot of challenges for supply chains. According to the World Economic Forum, eight supply chains across major industries account for more than 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions, however, a lot of organizations haven’t recognized the fundamental importance of the supply chain resilience so far.

Here are five key issues that currently affect supply chains in all industries:

Carbon Neutrality and Net-Zero Goals

When discussing Carbon Neutrality, Scope 3 emissions are considered the most challenging and comprehensive category of emissions to address. According to Gartner, they account for 90% or more of total value chain emissions and they are the hardest to measure and manage. Measuring and managing Scope 3 emissions in the supply chain can be complex, as it requires data collection and collaboration with multiple stakeholders.

Sustainable Packaging Solutions

There is a growing focus on sustainable packaging throughout the supply chain. Sustainable packaging focuses on reducing waste, using eco-friendly materials, optimizing packaging design, and promoting circular economy principles. Biodegradable and compostable materials, recyclable packaging, reusable packaging and plant-based packaging are all expected to gain traction.

Ethical Supply Chain Management

Organizations have turned their focus on ethical and responsible sourcing, avoiding suppliers associated with unethical practices such as child labor, deforestation, or human rights abuses. There is also a growing emphasis on transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. Improving supply chain transparency has become a top priority for executives in various sectors.

Circular Supply Chains

The concept of circularity has gained traction in supply chain sustainability. Companies are transitioning to circular supply chains by implementing strategies like product take-back programs, repair and refurbishment services, and recycling initiatives. The circular economy provides real brand value and where consumers are aware of this.

New Legislations

A raft of new legislation is about to boot. The recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive has set criteria for companies operating along the supply chain of EU countries. They must implement a due diligence process, identifying actual and potential adverse impacts on environmental and human rights issues. Moreover, the European Parliament introduced the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive last February, requiring companies to take responsibility for the environmental and social impact of their suppliers.

Online Diploma on Sustainable Supply Chain Management

In order to meet the latest sustainability challenges in supply chain management, the Sustainability Academy has introduced a brand-new course, the Online Diploma on Sustainable Supply Chain Management.

The course aims to equip professionals with all the necessary skills and knowledge in order to apply sustainable practices to supply chains. Additionally, it gives an insight on how to start a sustainable supply chain, using appropriate criteria/platforms, and comply with key ESG Ratings and Reporting Standards requirements, supporting the transparency of supply chains.

The course will also help you understand critical related concepts and trends, such as circular economy, sustainable packaging, scope 3 and net zero emissions.

Why choose Sustainability Academy Certified Courses?

Offer a unique Certification accredited by CPD in an affordable manner trusted by global Fortune 500 companies and global accounting firms for their staff education
Content created by Sustainability thought leaders, professors and trainers with practical experience in the field of sustainability
Self-paced Courses that can be completed anytime within 45 days
Up-to-date content revised on annual basis that includes new legislations and trends based in field research
Joined by thousands of learners from 90 countries, including Sustainability professionals, graduates and entrepreneurs from various sectors

ESG is the dominating trend in the marketplace the last few years. However, a knowledge gap on executives and boards still exists, leaving the industries unable to adapt to current demands.

The mounting pressure on companies to incorporate ESG practices is never ending, with existing and new regulatory requirements pushing business leaders to rethink their approach. Moreover, the demand for ESG skills is outpacing supply, while the lack of appropriate education has a moderate impact on the organizations, holding them back when it comes to delivering their ESG agenda.

According to a recent survey, 44% of directors stated that the lack of knowledge or capabilities are the main barriers to achieving ESG goals, while a 70% reported that they were only moderately – or not at all – effective at increasing board oversight on ESG. Moreover, 30% of them reported that there is lack of board and management commitment.

Why does the ESG knowledge gap exist?

Limited sustainability knowledge

Lack of basic knowledge on sustainability is still the biggest barrier to addressing ESG issues. This lack of knowledge is also accompanied by the confusing terminology in the marketplace, which is currently more than enough.

Taking into account the financial sector, only 13% of 3,700 senior ESG staff members at the world’s top 100 largest banks and 100 largest asset management firms hold a degree related to ESG. The impressive outcomes have been provided by a Capital Monitor’s analysis.

Relationship between ESG criteria and business impacts

Business leaders cannot clearly understand the relationship between ESG criteria and business impacts. What C-suite executives need to learn is what criteria materially impact their business. Only then, an integrated strategy can be developed and communicated effectively to the board.

It is crucial to know that materiality differs depending on the sector and the company’s business model. Conducting an ESG materiality assessment is the very first step to identify which issues are material to you and your stakeholders.

Board and executive ESG competence

Even if the basic knowledge on ESG issues exists, a great number of board members and C-suite executives is still ill-equipped to oversee climate and ESG risks. According to a recent survey gauging the views of public company directors from across the United States, only 25% of the directors support that their board understands the company’s climate risk or strategy. This means that companies may need to reassess the current skillset of the boards.

The value of ESG education cannot be neglected. Boards and C-suite executives with the right skillset are necessary for effective business operation.

Enhance your oversight and decision-making capabilities on delivering an ESG agenda by enrolling to Sustainability Academy’s certified courses.

Stress-test your organization’s ability to cooperate, learn and adapt

In an era of deep and multiple interlinked crises, we must be ready to deal with the fall-out: waste, corner-cutting supply chains, deeper scrutiny into ethical practices (ESCAP). Although, Asia-Pacific isn’t on track to achieving its sustainability targets by 2030, the Sustainability Academy has courses which help sustainability practitioners maneuver through these corporate challenges.

One of CSE’s global initiatives, the Sustainability Academy offers affordable, specialized, online education in the field of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility.

Abandoning a career, team building, being visionary, dealing with the unknown, loneliness and decision making are considered among the biggest challenges faced by new entrepreneurs. If your vision includes a social mission, you’ll need to address a complicated field of sustainability challenges which include hiring and retention, marketing and supply chain. CSE’s online Diploma on Social Entrepreneurship addresses each of these challenges and provides tools and a community for strengthening your social enterprise.

The Sustainability Academy is designed to help professionals, entrepreneurs and graduates keep up to date with current legislation, global trends and best practices. CSE is thankful to have reached hundreds of practitioners this year – we still have more to reach!!!

With a critical mass of sustainability practitioners, CSE envisions deep change, enabling corporations, municipal and community organizations to apply principles such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Instilling a common language and understanding helps integrate sustainability in all aspects of corporate and institutional functions. Specialized group online programs for corporate teams include:

Online Diploma on Corporate Sustainability

Online Certificate on Circular Economy

Online Certificate on SASB & TCFD Reporting

Online Certificate on ESG Impact & Sustainable Investing

Online Diploma on Social Entrepreneurship

Online Certificate on Sustainability Reporting

Online Certificate on Carbon Reduction Strategy – Updated

Introduction to Social Impact Assessment and SROI

Over the holidays and winter months when many experience a lull at work, take the time to invest in yourself and your career. Courses run 15-20 hours and can be finished over a 45-day period. Rather than a new widget, take advantage of CSE’s massive group discounts on Sustainability Academy courses.

Join massive group deals and upgrade your knowledge in Sustainability ESG. For more information and discount coupons, reach us at marketing@cse-net.org

The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) innovates in sustainability training and consulting for more than 16 years offering the most affordable specialized certified online courses through the globally awarded Sustainability Academy. Fortune 500 companies trust Sustainability Academy courses to educate their staff and reach communities with targeted sustainability interests such as supply chain, NGOs and startups.

More than 8,000 executives from leading organizations including Google, NASA, Coca-Cola, Timberland, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, L’Oréal, ExxonMobil, Hartford, T–Mobile, Procter & Gamble, and Macy’s have been certified in the field of Sustainability ESG by the Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE).

Supply chain sustainability is becoming increasingly important for companies, investing more and more money into initiatives to reduce waste and carbon emissions. It is also presumed that there will be an increased emphasis on the circular economy by the end of 2022.

A circular supply chain is important for many reasons, but mainly because it saves businesses long term costs, prevents waste from going to landfill, helps manage ESG risk and leads end-to-end network value to business growth opportunities. As stated by the World Economic Forum, the circular supply chain could unlock $4.5 trillion of economic growth by 2030. For this reason, the United Nations (UN) has already outlined Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for global supply chains.

As more companies are trying to readjust their supply chain, Microsoft Corporation and Schneider Electric are two examples excelling in their sustainability practices, being the winners of The Gartner Power of the Profession™ Supply Chain Awards, an annual community-driven recognition program that inspires supply chain transformation around the globe. Microsoft’s mission is to become carbon-negative, zero-waste and water-positive by 2030, driven by circularity. One the other hand, Schneider Electric has deployed a “self-healing” supply chain platform, saving more than 100 million euros.

Here is how your company can capture more value from a circular supply chain:

Lower costs mean greatest profit – Reusing and refurbishing recycled materials results in lower input costs, creating new profit streams.

Circular economy supports supply chain resilience – Using materials already in the supply chain saves your company from inflation and supply shortages.

Regulation and certification standards can be easily met – Companies are facing increasing pressure to make supply networks more sustainable and more transparent.

Drives customer engagement – Circular supply chains are always more appealing to environmentally-conscious consumers. 85% of people indicate that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards sustainability in the past five years.

The circular supply chain is a new way of conducting business, empowering the collaboration of organizations and companies. With the expectations of stakeholders transforming the supply chain sustainability the last 10 years, a lot of companies are struggling to meet the increasing demands, making it even harder to gain a competitive advantage.

Take a deeper dive into the way the circular supply chain can benefit your business and enroll to the Online Certificate on Circular Economy. A 20% discount is available until August 31. Use the discount code “summer20”, while registering online.

Sustainability has become a necessity in the business world and embedding ESG strategies into a company’s profile may be more challenging than it seems. It has already been recognized that implementing sustainable practices into an organization can result in multiple benefits, such as reduced costs, better resource management, better reputation or being a part of supply-chains and markets with high standards.

Even if a company has already implemented ESG or it now begins its sustainability journey, the landscape is constantly changing, being also chaotic to many of them. The ever-changing legislation and the new ESG ratings and standards have brought training at the forefront. Moreover, with the wide range of existed sustainability topics, the company should choose wisely and organize a corporate training relevant to its goals, business strategy and operations.

How can organizations enhance the skills of employees to increase capability? Individual training is the most flexible way of learning, however, there are a lot of benefits of investing in group trainings. Five of them can be read below.

Collaboration Boost

Training in teams can help employees practice communication and problem-solving skills. Discuss topics with each other and applying techniques and theories to their projects will expand their ability to work better together.

Better Productivity

Collectively learning new ideas and methods gives employees a common language and everyone is working towards achieving the same goal. Teams that collaborate are always more productive.

Improves company’s culture

Team trainings give the opportunity to collaborate in a way that expands perspectives beyond immediate problems or disagreements. They can be a safe space for building trust. Apart from that, providing your workforce development opportunities results in a positive workplace culture.

Cost-effectiveness

Employees can attend to the training programs from their own offices or their homes, reducing a company’s expenses. Also, training in teams is always more cost-effective than training an individual due to discounts opportunities.

Content matches core requirements

Having specific people attending specialized courses to implement sustainability initiatives could meet the organization’s expectations and demands in the best way possible. By doing so, the organization can effectively build its sustainability profile and strategies or enhance its already structured ESG department.

Gain practical and up to date knowledge in all core areas of sustainability through Sustainability Academy’s specialized courses. Equip your employees with practical skills to meet your company’s needs in this challenging field.

Reach us out at sustainability@cse-net.org to learn more on group discount opportunities on our courses.

Sustainability is transforming business like never before and ambitious net-zero commitments and efforts have increased. Companies are now investing in people who can make them happen, which means that the employment market is already transforming and becoming more favorable to graduates with sustainability skills and expertise.

According to the State of the Profession 2022 study, the sustainability profession is expanding more than any other time in history. The study also revealed the average total compensation for sustainability managers, directors and sustainability vice presidents. The average total compensation for sustainability managers is $146,900, $227,158 for directors and $404,972 for vice presidents, which is quite an impressive, because these salaries reflect the business transition toward a greener economic system.

On the other hand, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has already estimated that 24 million jobs worldwide could be created by the sustainable economy by 2030 alone, while LinkedIn has shown a shift to green skills. Specifically, about 10% of job postings require at least one green skill, even for roles not in the environmental sector. This is verified by LinkedIn’s first Global Green Skills Report, which has estimated that the share of green talent has shown a growth rate of 38.5% between 2015 and 2021.

With sustainability entering a new era, the competition for sustainability jobs is fierce. These are the four main types of skills that candidates should have if they want to pursue a career on sustainability, as identified by the Green General Skill index:

Engineering and technical skills

These skills are needed to develop new products and solutions. This type of knowhow is prominent for eco-building, renewable energy design and energy-saving projects.

Science-based skills

Such skills can be vital in the utilities sector and they are in especially high demand at early stages of the value chains.

Operational management skills

It is important to have an overall understanding of how your company operates in order to communicate its performance to the internal and external stakeholders. They are also required to support green activities through life-cycle management.

Monitoring skills

ESG has crossed over to non-financial service companies and mainly refers to the reporting, disclosures and investor relations. ESG professionals are required to have experience in measuring, reporting and aligning with an increasing number of standards and frameworks, such as the Science Based Targets initiative, GRI, SASB or the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Be a part of the new market transformation and gain a competitive advantage. The Sustainability Academy offers unique certified courses for professionals on all fields of Sustainability and ESG, such as Corporate Sustainability, Carbon Reduction, ESG Reporting, ESG Impact and Sustainable Investing, Circular Economy, SASB and TCFD Reporting. The courses provide a certified qualification to professionals so they can meet the high demands of their positions and the requirements of stakeholders.

Sustainability jobs on the rise

As more companies commit to ESG practices and business leaders are reimagining their entire working models, sustainability jobs are in demand. All kind of organizations are constantly trying to bring sustainability, supply chain and environmental health concerns to their existing operations by posting new jobs related to sustainability. The pressure from environmental, social and governance (ESG) investors and policy makers are driving this demand.

Sustainability jobs now span across a wide range of industries, from renewables to finance, and the demand is growing even faster in the following sectors: energy and mining, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, construction and manufacturing. More importantly, the demand for job skills in sustainable fashion, oil spill response, ecosystem management and proficiency in solar systems grew by more than 50 percent between 2016 and 2021. Furthermore, some of the fastest-growing sustainability jobs are in sustainable procurement.

Specifically in Europe, auto industry jobs are rising faster than other, with the demand for skills in electric vehicles going up by 51 percent between 2015 and 2021. Sustainability consultants are also in great demand, whether as independent consultants or as part of a company’s sustainability department.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 24 million jobs worldwide could be created by the sustainable economy by 2030 alone. According to a recent report from LinkedIn, the shift to hiring for the sustainable economy is already underway worldwide. Τhe Bureau of Labor Statistics adds that jobs in environmental science and specialties are projected to grow 8% the next decade.

In US, the number of jobs in renewables has increased by 237 percent over the last five years. Taking into account Canada’s labor market, 315,800 people worked sustainability-related jobs in 2020, up from 60,000 in 2013, and almost 80,000 more workers will be hired by 2025, according to ECO Canada, an environmental work force organization that collected the data.

However, despite the fact that jobs in sustainability increase, employers tend to focus on specific skills, rather than university degrees. What they require is a deep understanding of the economic, social, and environmental intersection. As presented in the last World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, employers estimate that 4 in 10 workers will need to be reskilled.

The Sustainability Academy offers unique certified courses for professionals on all fields of Sustainability and ESG, such as Corporate Sustainability, Carbon Reduction & Net Zero Strategies, Sustainability (ESG) Reporting, ESG Impact and Sustainable Investing, Circular Economy, SASB and TCFD Reporting.

The courses provide a certified qualification to professionals so they can meet the high demands of their positions and the requirements of stakeholders.

For more info contact us at event@cse-net.org

The power sector is the engine of global economy, supplying electricity to all other sectors. Good and services depend on it. In times of crisis, such as a pandemic, reliable electricity supply has become critical for sustained medical services and working remotely under lockdown conditions. Relaunching the economy and rebooting business does not mean going back to the status quo before the crisis, but bouncing forward. Sustainable energy lies at the heart of economic stimulus and recovery measures.

Power is essential for driving economic growth. Achieving Sustainable Development (SDG) 7 –ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – is a necessary precondition for progress on many other SDG’s, including those concerning health, education, industry, sustainable cities and more. Companies are listening and reacting in ways which are important to Sustainability and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the power sector, particularly by leading to a reduction of demand, financial stress and disruptions to the power supply chain. It has also highlighted the deep inequalities around the world in terms of access to modern, affordable and sustainable energy.

Access to reliable energy is essential not only for preventing and addressing the pandemic, but also for accelerating the recovery and building resilient, equitable and sustainable economies in a post COVID-19 world. Electricity has been a vital for the response to the public health emergency in many countries, although hundreds of millions of people worldwide still lack basic access to it.

Even before the crisis, the world was not on track to meet key sustainable energy goals. Today, in order to build more prosperous and resilient economies and business, decision makers and C-level managers must redouble their efforts to bring affordable, reliable and clean energy to all.

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The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) has developed meaningful relationships with both SMEs and large international corporations. We’ve provided education on Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility to leading companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Oiltanking, Talos energy, Concho Power Equipment and other companies.

Get certified as a Sustainability (CSR)- P Practitioner and earn how to identify the environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria necessary to address the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) which 41% of businesses are expected to embed into their strategy and practices. Claim your spot for the upcoming Digital Certified Sustainability (ESG) Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2020, November 3, 4 & 5.

How feasible is it for corporate leaders to understand the correlations between a comprehensive corporate responsibility strategy and the financial benefits? Investors on the other hand understand more clearly csr is not just a box to tick on a disclosure form.

Leading organizations globally seem to better understand the financial impacts of their corporate responsibility strategies. They act upon a corporate responsibility strategy as a key element for best management practices that can improve business performance and financial outcomes.

Back in 2018, CSE’s research Sustainability (CSR) Reporting Trends in North America 2017 was presented in New York City, Toronto and Tokyo during CSE’s Global Certified CSR (ESG) Practitioner Physical Program there. Based on the research findings, CSE’s Research Department had identified correlations for the first time between Sustainability and CSR Reporting and Strategy, and Corporate Financial results that brought the attention of North American media with several publications.

Nikos Avlonas, president and founder of CSE was interviewed by Forbes, which focused on this unique research. You can read the full interview here: Sustainable Reporting: Lessons From the Fortune 500.

Read more: Forbes

The last few months, disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the efforts to promote sustainability and CSR across a broad range of industries. Stakeholders from the private and public sector alike have voiced their support for a sustainable recovery. Research shows that C-suite leaders seem to share a consensus on what constitutes material sustainability and csr strategies in their sector. But to fully and accurately assess the financial impact of sustainability efforts, investors and managers need to follow through to examine not just the strategy, but also the methodology (how a strategy was implemented) and the benefits that produced. These are exactly the positive outcomes that companies must begin to monetize and report the intangible and tangible benefits of ESG investments.

At the same time more than 2.000 studies found positive correlations between good ESG performances, stock price, cost capital and operational achievements. The link between ESG practices and financial results has clear implications for corporate decision-making process. Several frameworks have been developed recently to better integrate ESG data, financial analysis and csr reporting.

The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is a leading boutique firm operating globally that specializes in maximizing your social, economic and environmental impact. For more than a decade, we have been helping professionals advance their careers through our certified on-site, online and group training services globally and supporting FORTUNE 500 companies and other organizations to grow and excel through our specialized consulting services, and our unique methodology, which has been successfully applied to more than 100 organizations globally, which allows successful integration of CSR and significant improvement of ESG performance.

As CSE’s research department continues to provide valuable insights into various aspects of CSR and ESG performance, it furthers its commitment to high caliber, up-to-date, training in sustainability for C-Suite executives & Sustainability and CSR Managers worldwide, the training department is ready to deliver the next digital Certified Sustainability (ESG) Practitioner Program in November 3, 4 & 5, 2020. The Program focuses on all the challenges that professionals have to face in the field of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Strategy, Supply Chain and Corporate Communications.

Don’t miss out on the early bird 10% discount.

For more information reach us at info@cse-net.org

As most of the cities around the globe enter the reopening phase or have already started embracing the new normality so have individuals and corporations come with the striking realization that they need to take ownership of a better, more resilient future.

Through the unexpected world-pause, an opportunity is offered to reflect and reset what seemed to be non-vital. Although often thought as different concepts, resilience is apparently adding now more than ever nuance and inspiration to the idea of sustainability making it more suitable to the confusing world around us.

With the inescapable changes and disruptions already taking place, envisioning the world as in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) might not be a utopia as this is the right moment to spur renewal, pioneering thinking and collectively thrive. That nonetheless, requires listening and learning from the ground up with lessons from the pandemic.

For start, it is critical that we acknowledge that in order to achieve the even synergy of the triptych planet, people and profit, we should stop overlooking sustainability as a problem that addresses anyone but ourselves rather than we commence to act collectively. Especially in the corporate sphere, it is impressive how little are employees engaged in the organization’s sustainability journey as socio-environmental criteria fail to be successfully integrated into every business department. This is disappointing if we do not truly grasp that in essence, sustainability infuses in every division in all company’s operations.

Covid-19 came as an earthquake to shake business models so that they become more resilient, more sustainable. Sustainability Academy is committed to play its essential role in this transition by offering affordable and specialized training on the hottest issues of Sustainability not only to individuals but also to a group of professionals and corporations that are determined to entice their employees and other stakeholders to engage in sustainability.