New & improved

Certified ESG
Professional

University validated. Globally recognised. Boardroom ready.

Advance your career with a Diploma in ESG. Learn how to develop ESG strategies and standards, and transform your organisation.

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Commences: 1st August

Contact hours

30 hours, Self-paced

Access for

6 months

Fees

$4,795

Format

Online

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Why take the Certified ESG Professional?

This course instills an understanding of ESG and its importance to organisational performance. Learn how to develop and implement ESG strategies, manage ESG risk, understand ESG investing, and meet the ESG reporting expectations of investment managers. Upon completion of this diploma, you will explore how to interrogate corporate ESG strategies and highlight issues within the ESG space.

You will benefit by

  • Building confidence in boardroom decision-making and oversight
  • Learning strategic leadership from experienced governance experts
  • Gaining insights you can apply immediately in your organisation
  • Earning a respected credential without needing peer approval
  • Joining a global network of governance-focused professionals
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University credit-rated. Industry approved. Globally recognised.

eqf-logo-2020 scqf-logo-2020 university-of-london

Trusted by professionals from leading organisations

Join a global network of certified professionals from industry-leading organisations

Programme Content

Drive performance and deliver a successful strategy

Expertly designed, practical ESG training that focuses on what you need to know to implement a successful ESG transformation. No peer approval needed to start learning. No need to be part of an exclusive club. Just a desire to be a change leader.

Module 1

History & Evolution of ESG: Foundations for Sustainable Governance

Module 2

ESG Landscape: Stakeholder Drivers & Trends

Module 3

ESG Investing Essentials

Module 4

ESG Governance: Board Roles & Fiduciary Duties

Module 5

Integrating ESG into Strategy: Materiality & Targets

Module 6

ESG Risk Management: Managing Material Issues

Module 7

ESG Data Quality: Collection Standards & Processes

Module 8

Corporate Governance & ESG: Embedding Sustainable Practice

Module 9

ESG Reporting Standards: GRI, SASB, IFRS & Beyond

Module 10

Leading ESG Transformation: People, Process, Technology
History & Evolution of ESG: Foundations for Sustainable Governance
  • Define the concept and nuances of ESG.
  • Recognise the key global sustainability challenges.
  • Explain a corporate history of 'sustainability' in terms of societal responses to challenges.
  • Identify the key approaches to sustainability, their merits and evolution.
ESG Landscape: Stakeholder Drivers & Trends
  • Recognise the driving factors responsible for regulatory change.
  • Describe the current ESG landscape.
  • Discuss how ESG varies across geographies and the importance of tailoring approaches to regional contexts.
  • Identify the various stakeholders relevant to ESG and their responsibilities.
ESG Investing Essentials
  • Outline the reasons for incorporating ESG into investing.
  • Describe the growth of ESG investing and reasons for criticism.
  • Compare different approaches and actors in ESG investing.
  • Identify Board responsibilities concerning ESG investing.
  • Explain ESG rating and disclosure requirements.
ESG Governance: Board Roles & Fiduciary Duties
  • Outline the structure and composition of the board.
  • Describe the evolution of the role the board plays in promoting good corporate governance.
  • Recognise the relationship between business complexity and effective board composition.
  • Discuss best practice in board oversight of ESG.
Integrating ESG into Strategy: Materiality & Targets
  • Recognise the different characteristics of the main approaches to corporate sustainability strategy.
  • Describe materiality, and its role in forming the foundation of an ESG Strategy.
  • Identify the components of an ESG strategy that are reflective of good practice.
ESG Risk Management: Managing Material Issues
  • Recognise different types of organisational risks and the opportunities they present.
  • Describe how the Four Lines of Defence Model provides a framework for risk oversight and management.
  • Identify key components of the enterprise risk management framework and toolkit.
  • Outline the steps of the risk management process.
ESG Data Quality: Collection Standards & Processes
  • Recognise the need for high-quality ESG data.
  • Outline the evolution of ESG data.
  • Understand how ESG data can lead to making effective decisions.
  • Identify improvement areas for ESG data quality.
  • Discuss how to mitigate the risks of producing poor quality ESG data.
  • Explain internal control reporting.
  • Describe monitoring plans and quality assurance of ESG data.
Corporate Governance & ESG: Embedding Sustainable Practice
  • Outline the principles of good corporate governance.
  • Recognise the impact of good corporate governance.
  • Identify the roles of the actors responsible for promoting good corporate governance.
  • Understand the role of the director in the context of ESG.
  • Review how the ESG committee assists the board of directors in fulfilling its ESG oversight responsibilities.
  • Explore the foundations of strong governance reporting practices.
  • Examine how board evaluations contribute to good corporate governance.
ESG Reporting Standards: GRI, SASB, IFRS & Beyond
  • Identify opportunities for reporting well, and the growing risk associated with poor disclosure.
  • Compare the key reporting frameworks, their approach to reporting and levels of uptake.
  • Recognise which frameworks have become mandatory across various geographies.
Leading ESG Transformation: People, Process, Technology
  • Outline how to implement an organisation's ESG strategy.
  • Identify considerations to be made when embedding the strategy into staff roles and business processes.
  • Recognise the benefits of effectively implementing and embedding an organisation's ESG strategy.
Module 1
  • Define the concept and nuances of ESG.
  • Recognise the key global sustainability challenges.
  • Explain a corporate history of 'sustainability' in terms of societal responses to challenges.
  • Identify the key approaches to sustainability, their merits and evolution.
Module 2
  • Recognise the driving factors responsible for regulatory change.
  • Describe the current ESG landscape.
  • Discuss how ESG varies across geographies and the importance of tailoring approaches to regional contexts.
  • Identify the various stakeholders relevant to ESG and their responsibilities.
Module 3
  • Outline the reasons for incorporating ESG into investing.
  • Describe the growth of ESG investing and reasons for criticism.
  • Compare different approaches and actors in ESG investing.
  • Identify Board responsibilities concerning ESG investing.
  • Explain ESG rating and disclosure requirements.
Module 4
  • Outline the structure and composition of the board.
  • Describe the evolution of the role the board plays in promoting good corporate governance.
  • Recognise the relationship between business complexity and effective board composition.
  • Discuss best practice in board oversight of ESG.
Module 5
  • Recognise the different characteristics of the main approaches to corporate sustainability strategy.
  • Describe materiality, and its role in forming the foundation of an ESG Strategy.
  • Identify the components of an ESG strategy that are reflective of good practice.
Module 6
  • Recognise different types of organisational risks and the opportunities they present.
  • Describe how the Four Lines of Defence Model provides a framework for risk oversight and management.
  • Identify key components of the enterprise risk management framework and toolkit.
  • Outline the steps of the risk management process.
Module 7
  • Recognise the need for high-quality ESG data.
  • Outline the evolution of ESG data.
  • Understand how ESG data can lead to making effective decisions.
  • Identify improvement areas for ESG data quality.
  • Discuss how to mitigate the risks of producing poor quality ESG data.
  • Explain internal control reporting.
  • Describe monitoring plans and quality assurance of ESG data.
Module 8
  • Outline the principles of good corporate governance.
  • Recognise the impact of good corporate governance.
  • Identify the roles of the actors responsible for promoting good corporate governance.
  • Understand the role of the director in the context of ESG.
  • Review how the ESG committee assists the board of directors in fulfilling its ESG oversight responsibilities.
  • Explore the foundations of strong governance reporting practices.
  • Examine how board evaluations contribute to good corporate governance.
Module 9
  • Identify opportunities for reporting well, and the growing risk associated with poor disclosure.
  • Compare the key reporting frameworks, their approach to reporting and levels of uptake.
  • Recognise which frameworks have become mandatory across various geographies.
Module 10
  • Outline how to implement an organisation's ESG strategy.
  • Identify considerations to be made when embedding the strategy into staff roles and business processes.
  • Recognise the benefits of effectively implementing and embedding an organisation's ESG strategy.
  • Discussion Tool
    Engage in guided peer discussions to share insights and perspectives on key topics.
  • Webinar Videos
    Learn from global experts through structured, high-quality recorded webinars tailored to each module
  • Knowledge Check
    Test your understanding with short quizzes at the end of each module to reinforce key concepts.
  • Additional Resources
    Access a rich library of toolkits, templates, articles, and reports to deepen your knowledge and support real-world application.
  • Case Study Challenge
    Apply theoretical learning to practical scenarios through case-based challenges that simulate company secretary decision-making.
  • Expert Q&A Interactive Video
    Dive into expert-led Q&A sessions embedded in video format, allowing dynamic learning from real boardroom experience.
Best practice insights

Gain real-world insights and apply best practices with a strategic ESG course.

Board simulations

Engage in simulated boardroom scenarios to hone your decision-making skills.

Expert interviews

Learn ESG best practices from industry leaders sharing valuable expertise in exclusive interviews.

Accessible learning platform

Access course materials with ease with our user-friendly online platform and flexible self-paced learning.

Interactive engagement

Expand your knowledge and develop real-world ESG skills through webinars, masterclasses, and vibrant discussion forums.

Explore the Principles of ESG

Understand key principles in ESG regulation, and the role and benefits of environmental, social, and governance factors in context.

Understand Driving Forces and Trends

Identify industry terminology, driving forces, and trends underpinning ESG regulations and development.

Recognise Effective ESG in Practice

Examine ESG investing, building a sound ESG strategy, and the alignment of ESG with company culture.

Apply Practical Tools and Frameworks

Explore risk management frameworks, and current standards of ESG reporting and disclosures.

Prepare for Board-Level Opportunities

Develop the skills, positioning, and confidence to lead sustainable ESG transformation at board level.

Frequently asked questions

Browse these questions and answers to help your research

The Certified ESG Professional course has been designed so you can learn at your own pace, in your own time, and wherever you want. This 100% online, self-paced ESG course and our accessible learning platform give you complete flexibility to create your own learning schedule based on your time availability. You can access all course materials through the learning platform. You have six months’ access to your course materials and assessment from the time you enrol.

The Diploma in ESG is broken into 10 modules which take 30 hours to complete. This does not include the supplementary research, study, and assessments delegates choose to do. While additional research is not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to engage in this research as it provides additional context to further your understanding of the subject.

This is a fully self-paced, online ESG course. You can access all course materials through the learning platform. You have six months access to your course materials and assessment from the time you enrol.

The course is highly practical and includes expert teachings from practitioners in global corporate governance and ESG education.

As a global ESG certification, the course will cover the key principles of company law in common law countries.

These countries include Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Canada (excluding Quebec), Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States.

The Certified ESG Professional enables existing or potential ESG professionals to ask about their specific duties and responsibilities under company law in any common law country.

Yes. While CPD is usually applied by your own awarding body, the Certified ESG Professional should qualify for CPD recognition.

As an example, the Law Society of Ireland (the regulatory body for solicitors in Ireland) states:

"To qualify as CPD, the education/training must relate to law, management and professional development skills or regulatory matters and must be intended to develop the solicitor in his/her professional knowledge, skills and abilities. CPD credit may be claimed for actual time spent in training, minus registration/break times.Please ensure that the attending solicitors retain suitable proof of CPD (e.g. Certificate of Attendance), as it is required in all instances for solicitors to be credited with CPD."

Yes, definitely.

We designed this certification to demystify and define what it means to be an ESG professional. You will learn best practices from ESG experts who share their experiences and knowledge. The case studies are real-world, practical, and full of insights. Your resulting ESG qualification is globally recognised.

This diploma is ideal for the next generation of ESG professionals who wish to make a positive impact at the highest levels of organisations around the world.

You'll be taught by world-class ESG experts who have one sole purpose: to equip you with real-world boardroom skills and strategic board training.

Meet our faculty members.

You have six months to complete and submit your assessments from the date you enrol in the Certified ESG Professional.

Definitely. We designed this diploma to demystify and define what it means to be a leader in ESG. It covers key concepts in ESG all the way through to in-depth analysis. You will develop your own personal brand as an ESG leader.

The case studies are real-world, practical and full of insights. Your resulting certification is globally recognised.

This diploma is ideal for leaders who wish to make a positive impact in their organisation, society and the environment.

You have six months access to your course material from the date you enrol.

You have six months to complete and submit your assessments from the date you enrol in the ESG course.