Effective Policymaking to Build the Impact Economy (FutureLearn)

On this eight-week course, you’ll explore the role social enterprise and business plays in building a new future – one that is greener, safer, more inclusive, and connected.

You’ll understand how alternative business models can help deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, address global challenges, and create an inclusive impact economy – where businesses generate profit in a manner that contributes to the public good.
Explore the importance of policymaking

Policymaking plays a crucial role in how businesses will help deliver solutions to worldwide challenges, such as inequality and the climate crisis.

Delving into case studies from around the world, you’ll assess the different policy options and tools available before exploring the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Understand how policies link to the SDGs

You’ll explore a range of policy areas and how they link to the Sustainable Development Goals.

With this understanding, you’ll see how policymakers support businesses to help tackle the climate emergency, and how governments can promote inclusive and sustainable business model innovation.
Explore strategy development to promote diversity and inclusion

You’ll discover how policymakers can support businesses to shift and contribute to a more inclusive economy, including addressing gender equality. You’ll also explore the ways policymakers can contribute to social finance and impact investment.

Using strategy development, you’ll finish the course empowered to take the next steps to help build an impact economy where no one gets left behind.

Syllabus

Week 1: The challenges we face - what is the role of business as a solution?

Week 2: Inclusive and sustainable business model innovation

Week 3: Policy Making

Week 4: Social Finance

Week 5: Climate

Week 6: Diversity and Inclusion

Week 7: Gender

Week 8: Action Planning and Next Steps

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Explore the role that alternative business models can play in creating an inclusive, impact economy

- Identify different business models for sustainability

- Discuss case studies and examples from around the world and consider how these could apply in their context

- Assess the policy options and tools available to build the impact economy and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each

- Investigate a range of thematic policy areas through exploring the scale of challenges in these areas, their link to SDGs, and the role of policy for each

- Demonstrate the most up-to-date knowledge of policies to support the development of the impact economy
Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone with an interest and passion for more inclusive business models and influencing policies and strategies.

You may be an emerging or senior policymaker, or you could be a student or young leader.