Editor’s observe: That is a part of a collection on closing the sustainability expertise hole with the sources we now have accessible proper now. Learn the earlier articles on this collection, which cowl coaching on local weather literacy, scaling company local weather literacy, company sustainability technique, measuring and managing GHG emissions, local weather and net-zero technique, regenerative agriculture, round economic system, free coaching and the sustainability certifications accessible in 2021 and 2023.
Certifications play a selected position in our skilled journeys. They carry extra gravitas than common coaching applications do as a result of they require us to show our information, often by passing a rigorous take a look at or finishing a major mission, and the well-known certifications are shorthand for a selected set of expertise backed by the credibility of the issuing organizations.
I’ve written extensively about sustainability certifications in 2021 and 2023; the certifications panorama has continued to evolve and increase, and pursuing skilled certifications stays the popular means of constructing and demonstrating sustainability experience for a lot of job seekers, so it’s time to revisit our record.
In earlier years, I’ve mentioned how one can decide the most effective certification on your distinctive scenario and I’ve coated the position that certifications ought to play in your total skill-building technique. For this 2024 set up, I merely need to encourage you to develop into a connoisseur of certification high quality. We’re formalizing extra instruments and frameworks for various options areas reminiscent of nature-related disclosure and social fairness in buildings on a regular basis, and the skilled certifications are following shortly after.
The beneath record consists of 46 skilled certifications throughout 9 subcategories of sustainability. I’ve performed my easiest to seek out and shine a lightweight on respected, high-quality experiences. However with these, as with every different certification you could come throughout, I entreat you to do your due diligence. Is the accrediting group a well-respected skilled affiliation or coaching group? What frameworks is the certification based mostly on? What particular expertise or information will this certification show you may have? How? Asking your self these questions will show you how to to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The main focus of this record is on skilled certifications for practitioners and doesn’t embrace certifications for merchandise (reminiscent of Forest Stewardship Council or Cradle to Cradle) or for firms (reminiscent of B Corp). It additionally doesn’t embrace skilled coaching that doesn’t earn a credential (there are over 100 sources for that within the coaching collection talked about on the prime of this text and on the Schooling web page of my web site), graduate applications or university-based certificates.
Is the accrediting group a well-respected skilled affiliation or coaching group? What frameworks is the certification based mostly on? What particular expertise or information will this certification show you may have? How?
As is usually the case with all these lists, I’m positive I’ve missed some. In case your favourite certification isn’t included right here, I warmly invite you to be a part of the dialog on LinkedIn to inform me and your fellow readers about it. Thanks upfront on your assist with bringing these sources out into the open in order that extra folks can get to work on advancing sustainable enterprise practices.
Core company sustainability certifications
These certifications are centered on demonstrating that you’ve experience with the foundational parts of the work performed on most company sustainability groups together with common technique, decarbonization, reporting and provide chain.
Sustainability and local weather skilled certifications
These certifications present a possibility to reveal you’re a sustainability skilled able to performing broader technique and implementation work throughout a number of capabilities, industries and areas. There are extra non-certification-based choices listed on this article on sustainability technique coaching.
Vitality and decarbonization certifications
These certifications are associated to decreasing greenhouse fuel emissions from the vitality your group makes use of by means of vitality effectivity, renewable vitality or offsets. There are extra non-certification based mostly choices listed in these articles on measuring and managing GHG emissions and local weather and net-zero technique.
Sustainability and ESG reporting certifications
These certifications present a possibility to reveal your information of one of many main international reporting and disclosure requirements. You could be shocked to see that some family names in reporting have been faraway from the record this yr. The Sustainability Accounting Requirements Board (SASB) Requirements, the Local weather Disclosure Requirements Board (CDSB) Framework, the Worldwide <IR> Framework and the Process Drive on Local weather-Associated Monetary Disclosures (TCFD) Suggestions have all been folded into the Worldwide Monetary Reporting Requirements (IFRS) Basis’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements, IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, formally revealed in 2023.
You might also be questioning if there are any certifications popping out associated to the brand new European Sustainability Reporting Requirements (ESRS), which took impact Jan. 1. As a result of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and ESRS are nonetheless so new, we’ll in all probability have a little bit of a wait earlier than any full-fledged skilled certification applications develop into accessible for them, however there are some trainings that I’ve included hyperlinks to beneath.
Provide chain and procurement
These certifications help you reveal that you’ve the information, instruments and strategic strategy wanted to develop and attain significant greenhouse fuel discount objectives in partnership with suppliers.
Specialty certifications
These certifications are centered on demonstrating experience with a selected space inside sustainability reminiscent of ESG and sustainable finance, governance, danger, round economic system, the constructed surroundings, water and hospitality.
ESG and sustainable finance, governance and danger
These certifications are associated in that they’re all throughout the realm of finance, governance and danger administration, however they every cater to distinctly completely different audiences. Some (CFA, EFFAS) are particularly for monetary professionals who need to incorporate ESG standards into how monetary choices are made, some (GARP, Competent Boards, Company Governance Institute) are extra centered on the company governance and danger administration aspect of issues, and nonetheless others (CFI, Chartered Banker) mix these goals.
Round economic system, product and packaging certifications
These certifications share a standard objective: design issues (merchandise, packaging or processes) with sustainability in thoughts. The round economic system includes lively work and decision-making at each level alongside a product’s journey with the objective of maintaining supplies circulating at their highest worth for so long as potential. The life-cycle evaluation, product stewardship and biomimicry certifications assist higher decision-making particularly on the level of design. There are extra non-certification-based choices listed on this article on coaching for circularity.
Facility, constructing and design customary certification
Every of those requirements has its personal nuanced definition of what makes a constructing sustainable and strategy for the way constructing certification is achieved. An expert certification in any of those requirements demonstrates that you simply perceive the certification course of and necessities for that exact facility, constructing or design customary. You possibly can learn the 2023 certifications article for extra particulars concerning the variations between every customary.
Water administration
Efficient water administration has develop into a vital situation for a lot of organizations across the globe. These certifications help you reveal your means to develop and implement methods for significant water effectivity and stewardship.
Hospitality
These certifications deal with methods for extra sustainable tourism, journey and occasions. The certificates in sustainable enterprise journey would doubtless be notably useful in case your group is pursuing Scope 3 reductions objectives.
Certifications needed
As in earlier years, I scoured the web, LinkedIn and my private networks however wasn’t capable of finding skilled certifications associated to fashionable subjects together with fairness and social justice or human rights within the provide chain. I hoped to seek out the human rights equal to LEED — does it exist? If that’s the case, please let me know. If not, how did you (or do you intend to) get sensible on these subjects? What frameworks do you depend on to get your work performed?
Please be a part of the dialog on LinkedIn to let me and your fellow readers know what else is on the market.
