Fundamentals of ESG and Sustainable Practices (Certified Course)

August 2024 Updated

Welcome to our certified course on “Fundamentals of ESG and Sustainable Practices”. This comprehensive course is designed to help you understand the world of sustainability and ESG not only as it is today but in the future too. It guides you through the most important practices, such as stakeholder engagement, materiality assessment, and all the latest global standards and frameworks. You’ll get insight into all the latest ESG-related legislation and regulations from the EU, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Asia, and Australia. This is a perfect course for all professionals, entrepreneurs, and graduates who wish to learn all the latest developments in the field of sustainability and ESG, as well as practical tools on how to conduct important processes such as stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment.

Includes new sections on Double Materiality and Overview of CSRD and ESRS.
4.9/5

4.9/5

582 enrolled in this course

Course Price:

380,00 $

Trusted by professionals from leading organisations

Skills you will gain

Leadership
ESG Awareness
Stakeholder Engagement
Materiality Assessment
ESG Standards

Fundamentals of ESG and Sustainable Practices (Certified Course)

In this course, we will explore the business case of sustainability and ESG, including the definitions and principles of ESG, Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility, as well as all the most recent ESG trends.

We will provide you with all the latest ESG-related legislative and regulatory developments from the most important regions of the world. Our expert instructors will provide you with practical tools and processes for conducting two of the most important processes for your ESG Strategy: stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment.

Through a mix of engaging videos, case studies, and resources, we will also provide you with an overview of the most important sustainability and ESG-related frameworks and standards, such as the GRI, SASB, TCFD, SDGs, and UNGC.

Join us in creating more sustainable businesses and a more sustainable future. Enroll in our Certified Course on “Fundamentals of ESG and Sustainable Practices” today.

Skills upon completion

  • Increase your sustainability and ESG awareness.
  • Learn about current and future sustainability/ESG related legislation and regulations.
  • Improve your stakeholder engagement strategy.
  • Apply best practices to your materiality assessment.

Table of Contents

The first unit of the course presents the evolution of ESG and Sustainability, along with common definitions for Sustainability, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG. Also, the most important trends will be presented. The trends are divided into environmental trends, social and workplace trends, business trends, and trends related to circular economy. At the same time, the global risks today and of the following decade will be presented. All this information is very important in making the business case for sustainability and ESG. The reasons why sustainability and ESG must be closely tied with each company’s business strategy are discussed in this unit.
ESG
The second unit of the course explores some of the most recent regulations and legislations from around the world that thousands of companies need to comply with. The unit focuses on legislation and regulation from the European Union, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations.
In this unit, the focus lies on stakeholder engagement. The commonly accepted definitions for stakeholders and stakeholder engagement are provided, along with examples of concerns of key stakeholder groups such as employees, suppliers, and customers. Practical tools and guidelines are provided for creating an effective engagement plan and for designing each step of the engagement process. Through these tools you will understand all the benefits of stakeholder engagement and the key attributes that make a stakeholder engagement strategy meaningful.
The fourth unit of the course deals with the important process of materiality assessment. It defines the terms materiality, materiality assessment, and double materiality, and provides a step-by-step process for identifying an organization’s material topics. The benefits for the organization will also be discussed, relating to the organization’s strategy, reporting, performance, and stakeholder engagement. At the same time, there are significant challenges with respect to materiality assessment that organizations need to be aware of and try to overcome for the process to be efficient and yield maximum results. The unit includes case studies that showcase best practices both in terms of the methodology used by these organizations, as well as the way they have chosen to communicate the process and its results. The unit also includes a section on the principles and process of double materiality, as well as a case study to see how companies already apply it
The fifth and final unit of this course provides an overview of the most common and widely used sustainability and ESG related standards and frameworks. This overview includes key information and resources for each standard and framework, as well as examples and best practices from leading organizations. There are six key standards and frameworks discussed in this unit:

– The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)

– The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards

– The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

– The Sustainability Standards Accounting Board (SASB) Standards

– The Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and

– The European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
esg reporting best practices

Accreditations & Memberships

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in understanding the key principles of sustainability, the critically important processes of stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment, as well as ESG related regulations, legislation, standards, and frameworks. It is particularly relevant for: Sustainability – ESG Directors/Managers, CFOs, Corporate Affairs – Marketing – Communications Directors/Managers, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Directors/Managers, HR Directors/Managers, Environment, Health, and Safety Directors/Managers, Investor Relations Directors/Managers, Procurement – Supply Chain Directors/Managers, COO’s, Members of NGOs, SMEs Owners/Directors, University Graduates.

Unlock the power of your eco-skills and embark on your learning journey.

Untitled-3-03

Our certificate

Our course provides a valuable certification of completion that can support your career goals. This certification can be a powerful addition to your resume, LinkedIn profile, or portfolio, and can increase your visibility and credibility as a sustainability professional.


The knowledge and skills acquired in this course can help you advance in your current role, explore new career opportunities, or develop your own business venture.

F.A.Q

Take your time to look over the certified courses, identify which one (or more) best closes your knowledge gaps and meets your needs, add it to the cart and complete the payment process as prompted.

You can pay online via stripe with a credit card or debit, PayPal or choose bank remittance. If you work for a company, you may receive an invoice and complete payment via wire transfer. For an invoice request you can also email us here

Upon completion of payment, you will receive a welcome mail that informs you about the details of the course and your attendance. All the courses are attended on the training platform. Always use your credentials every time you want to log in here.

Yes. You will need to have a good internet connection and always use the personal credentials you created to login and continue where you left off. In case you don’t remember or have lost your password, you can request to create a new here.

We recognize each participant’s personal available time and progress, so we have a timeframe of 6 weeks for a course to be completed. It is achievable according to the content. You can message us here to request for an extension of 2 weeks if you need more time.  In case you choose to attend more than one course, time will be extended accordingly. We will also make sure that reminders from instructors are regularly sent out to help you manage your time prior to the deadline.

The point of this course is to learn, understand and gain confidence that your knowledge can be put in practice when you complete it. We offer a second try along with final assessment/ feedback on your progress. 

If you still cannot manage to complete it successfully, there is a 15-day suspension period before you will be able to unlock your account and retake the test.

Instructors typically reply to any questions within 24 hours, except on weekends, when it might take a little longer. You can send your questions here  or send a message via your mailbox on the training platform. Look out for any notifications, as we will schedule get-together online live sessions to reply to any questions about the course and exchange views and thoughts with current and former participants.

a. Each course is designed to fit in with your everyday life whether you are currently working or have other important obligations during the day. Each unit will require an estimated time frame as indicated in the course information. 

b. If you manage to complete all units, successfully, you are then eligible for certification. Your personal digital certification will be issued directly after you complete the course. You can check out a sample of your certificate on each course’s page. Don’t forget to share it on your social media network and upload it on your LinkedIn profile.

We aim to provide relative content that is aligned with well-timed information and ESG reality. Although courses are regularly updated, the certifications are valid for a period of 24 months. You can keep up with notifications regarding our revised units to renew your certificate.

It is not possible to download our content. You can only stream it online via the learning platform. You will be able, however, to download a summary pdf presentation after the end of each unit.

Head of
Course Development Team

George Markezinis

George is an Environmental Engineer, with an MSc in Environmental Management and Monitoring from the University of Plymouth. He is also a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, and a lecturer at the New York College in Athens.

Through his experience, he is responsible for designing, creating, and delivering EcoSkills training programs. Over the last years George has designed various online training programs, while at the same time has delivered sustainability and ESG related trainings in professionals in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Interested in Group Training?

In EcoSkills, we acknowledge the essence of corporate sustainability, which goes beyond the traditional business line.

If your company aspires to generate economic growth, protect its resources and ensure socially responsible operations, now’s the time to shape your company’s culture!

Contact us if you want more than two course licences or a custom-made course targeted to your team.

Special Offer

15% off

on your first order