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Upskill Your Career in Sustainability
12-Week Online Bootcamp to Master Sustainability Practices and Launch Your Career
Earning a certificate in sustainability offers a strategic advantage for professionals looking to drive meaningful change and excel in a growing field. With sustainability becoming a core focus for organizations worldwide, professionals with expertise in environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, decarbonization, biodiversity preservation and water stewardship are increasingly in demand.
The University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) has partnered with Fresh Coast Climate Solutions to develop a 12-week online bootcamp to help you master sustainability principles and practices. Through hands-on experiences, participants will acquire essential skills and a deep understanding of sustainability principles, all with personalized feedback, preparing them to lead initiatives that align environmental stewardship with business objectives.
Program Overview
- 100% Online: Learn from anywhere
- Time Commitment: 6-8 hours per week
- Expert Insights: Weekly sessions with sustainability industry leaders and experts
- Practical Experience: Engage in hands-on projects and real-world case studies
- Personalized Support: Receive tailored feedback and guidance
- Career Development: Gain direct experience, knowledge and tools to advance your sustainability career
- Certification: Earn a digital certificate upon completion
Next Start Date:
January 27, 2025
January 27, 2025
Time to Complete:
12 Weeks, Part-Time
12 Weeks, Part-Time
Time Commitment:
6-8 hours per week
6-8 hours per week
How the Online Bootcamp Works
Our online sustainability bootcamp is designed in a way that allows participants to pursue a high-quality education from industry experts in a flexible, part-time format designed for busy professionals.
Bootcamp Schedule
- All courses are held Monday and Wednesday evenings, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET.
- January 27 to April 23, 2025
- No classes during the week of March 24, 2025
The program requires approximately 6-8 hours per week. This includes attending live expert sessions, working on hands-on projects, and engaging with course materials.
Tuition
PricingUSD $4,500 |
Please note that discounts cannot be combined. |
Who Should Attend
This bootcamp is designed for professionals, business leaders, students and alumni seeking to build or advance their careers in sustainability. It’s ideal for those working in corporate sustainability, ESG reporting, environmental policy or related fields, as well as individuals looking to upskill in climate science, impact reporting, sustainable program development, decarbonization, water stewardship and biodiversity solutions. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just beginning your sustainability journey, this program offers valuable insights and practical tools to make an impact.
What You Will Learn
Gain a deep understanding of core sustainability principles, from setting science-based climate targets to mastering decarbonization, water stewardship and biodiversity strategies. You’ll explore ESG, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability reporting frameworks. You'll also understand regulations driving sustainability efforts, and learn to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion into your solutions. At the end of the bootcamp, you’ll apply new, practical skills and knowledge to present a capstone project addressing real-world sustainability challenges, taking the next step in leveling up your career and launching new opportunities in sustainability programs and initiatives.
Key Features | |
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| Interactive Learning:
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Expert-Led Instruction:
| Comprehensive Evaluations:
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Curriculum Breakdown
Week 1: Sustainability, ESG and CSR
Kick-off with an exploration of sustainability across industries, examining different types of work, its growing relevance and the evolution of key concepts. Dive into industry-specific terminology and discuss the similarities and differences in how sustainability, ESG and CSR are applied across sectors.
Week 2: Climate Science Essentials and Science-Based Targets
Gain a solid foundation in climate science and understand the critical importance of setting science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for organizations. Learn about the strategies and processes behind these targets essential for driving meaningful climate action.
Week 3: Building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into Sustainability Solutions
Explore the disproportionate impacts of climate change on disadvantaged communities and learn how to incorporate equity into sustainable solutions. Discussions will focus on inclusive design and implementation and ensuring fair and equitable climate strategies that uplift marginalized groups.
Week 4: Water Stewardship
Learn the importance of biodiversity and nature-based solutions. Explore a range of actionable strategies organizations can adopt to preserve ecosystems while advancing sustainability goals, from reforestation to green infrastructure.
Week 5: Nature-Based Solutions
Learn the importance of biodiversity and nature-based solutions. Explore a range of actionable strategies organizations can adopt to preserve ecosystems while advancing sustainability goals, from reforestation to green infrastructure.
Week 6: Sustainability Regulations and Global Drivers
Examine the global regulatory landscape that’s shaping sustainability efforts. From the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement to emerging regulations like the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s carbon disclosure requirements and the European Green Deal, you'll explore the forces propelling climate action worldwide.
Week 7: Sustainability Reporting Frameworks and Tactics
Navigate the diverse landscape of sustainability reporting frameworks, including the EU Regulation on Central Securities Depositories, Global Reporting Initiative, Carbon Disclosure Project, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and more. Understand the purpose of each, whether voluntary or regulatory, and why organizations may choose to adopt one or multiple frameworks to showcase their sustainability progress.
Week 8: Setting Sustainability Program Priorities
Learn how to identify and prioritize key sustainability topics for your organization. This week covers engaging stakeholders, conducting materiality assessments and effectively communicating sustainability efforts to create a focused and impactful strategy.
Week 9: GHG Accounting Principles (Part 1)
Discover the principles of GHG accounting, including data gathering strategies, leveraging reputable data sources and understanding emissions factors. This week offers a comprehensive introduction to GHG tracking and reporting.
Week 10: GHG Accounting Principles (Part 2)
Dive into GHG accounting, focusing on Scope 3 emissions inventories and carbon credits. Learn how to gather data for Scope 3 emissions and explore the role of carbon credits in offsetting emissions and achieving climate goals.
Week 11: Emissions Reduction Goal Setting and Decarbonization Strategies
Explore how to set ambitious yet achievable GHG reduction goals. Learn innovative decarbonization strategies, from electrification and renewable energy adoption to waste management, circularity and supply chain engagement for Scope 3 emissions.
Week 12: Bootcamp Summary and Sustainability Plan Report Outs
Conclude the course with a comprehensive review of all topics covered. Students will present executive summaries of their sustainability plans, demonstrating how they’ve applied course learnings to real-world organizational challenges.
Meet Your Instructors and Experts
About Fresh Coast Climate Solutions
Fresh Coast Climate Solutions is a sustainability consulting firm focused on reversing climate change by helping clients achieve bold, equitable and impactful solutions. The Fresh Coast team has decades of experience working with a diverse range of clients, large and small—municipalities, private sector businesses, industry associations and non-governmental organizations—toward smarter sustainability practices. The team is passionate about training a workforce of expert technical and strategic leaders to move the needle toward a more sustainable future.
Fresh Coast’s co-founders and technical leads are the instructors for this bootcamp. In addition, each week of the Bootcamp, Fresh Coast and SEAS are bringing in expert guest speakers from all facets of society—industry, academia, government and non-profit organizations—to discuss their real-world experiences in advancing sustainability. Our goal is to generate dialogues between instructors, guest speakers and students to generate knowledge, insights, tools and resources that you will find valuable to advance your sustainability career and impact.
Instructors
Ready to Lead in Sustainability?
Join the 12-week online bootcamp at SEAS to take the next step towards pursuing or leveling up your career in sustainability and developing and leading comprehensive programs and initiatives to drive impactful change. Limited spots available!
🔗 Apply now to secure your spot and take advantage of exclusive discounts!
Questions: We are here to help.
Email Julien Depauw at [email protected]