Find out how to integrate a sustainable development strategy into your company with this free online course. This free online course will cover the basic definitions and history of sustainable development and sustainability in business - from a niche interest to the present day. We’ll find out how and why businesses now routinely incorporate sustainable development, via corporate social responsibility policies, product innovation and new business models.

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Explore the key drivers to sustainability

We’ll explore the key drivers to sustainability: the use of standards; the importance of stakeholder engagement; governance (including the use of codes of conduct); innovation for sustainability; the use of metrics and indicators; and the application of management tools.

We’ll also touch on international perspectives towards sustainable development and how these impact on business activities around the world.

Influence sustainable development in your own company

The course will help you assess each topic in relation to your own business experiences, whatever sector interests you and wherever in the world you’re based. We’ll explore how you can use your personal interests to influence sustainable development in your company.

What topics will you cover?

- What is sustainability and why is it important?

- Key drivers for sustainability

- Getting on and staying on track

- Innovation for sustainability

- How are we doing?

- Be the change

What will you achieve?

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

- Explain where the concept of sustainability comes from and describe how humans are at the centre of sustainable development issues

- Explain how individual attitudes influence drivers, the way policy motivates behaviour and be able to recognise key drivers in business for putting sustainability on the agenda

- Describe stakeholder engagement strategies and identify appropriate strategies for managing sustainability

- Describe patterns and scale of technology and business innovation

- Identify key standards, define metrics and indicators and apply a range of environmental assessment tools

- Explore how, as an individual, you can influence organisations and society