Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability Strategy
As concern for the environment has grown in recent decades, incorporating sustainability practices into core business strategy and operations, from supply chain to marketing to accounting, is no longer an option for companies — it’s a necessity. Now more than ever, businesses must manage their environmental and social impact in order to drive profitability, reduce cost and risk, and build a competitive advantage. You need the skills and knowledge to help your organization create transformative change and achieve long-term sustainability.
The 9-credit Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability Strategy can help prepare you to develop a sustainability plan for any size or type of organization, from startup to global corporation. You will have the chance to set yourself apart in your field by learning to implement business practices that meet the present demands of your company and its stakeholders while protecting the resources needed in the future. This program can teach you the skills needed to effectively assess opportunities and measure financial, environmental, and social returns.
Step Up to a Master's Degree
You may pursue this certificate as a standalone credential, or use it as a stepping stone to the following Penn State online degree programs. The credits you earn in your certificate can count toward your master’s degree requirements, should you apply and be accepted to one of these highly competitive programs.
- Master's in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Master of Business Administration
- Master's in Strategic Management & Executive Leadership
- Master of Supply Chain Management
Curriculum
The Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability Strategy is a 9-credit online program that can help you successfully lead change for sustainability within your organization, with course work focusing on strategy, business model innovation, operations, supply chain, employee engagement, and change management.
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainability Strategy Development | MGMT 811 | An overview of the economic, social, and environmental drivers of the transformation to sustainable business models and practices; identification of best practices and frameworks for assessing organizational engagement with sustainability; development of a strategic sustainability plan. | 3 credits |
| Strategy Implementation and Organizational Change | MGMT 831 | This course addresses the managerial challenge of strategy implementation, particularly by examining the organizational elements that must be drawn into line to support a strategy, as well as the immense difficulties of changing an organization. Accordingly, the course relies on two overarching frameworks. The first is a model of organizational alignment; the second is a model for managing the change process. | 3 credits |
| Sustainable Supply Chain Management | SCM 813 | Introduction to new business models and sustainable design principles for reinventing products and services to drive business value while reducing environmental and social impact, sourcing raw materials, and working effectively with suppliers to safeguard labor and human rights and protect and restore natural resources, and managing total cost and risk. Special focus on circular economy strategies and closed-loop supply chains. | 3 credits |