UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Sustainability has partnered with CWC Continuing Education partners at Penn State Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Lehigh Valley to launch a brand new online non-credit certificate focused on sustainability. The synchronous, statewide 12-week course starts on September 9, with registration closing on September 3.
“From new Securities Exchange Commission rules for companies to disclose their climate risks to a broad push by investors for reporting on environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, sustainability is becoming a fundamental component of modern business,” explained Peter Boger, director for engagement for Penn State Sustainability. “Yet too many small businesses are not prepared and can’t afford to have a standalone sustainability director—this certificate addresses this gap by training people to act as a sustainability coordinator in addition to their other organizational roles.”
The new Sustainability Coordinator non-credit certificate curriculum was developed by Lori McGarry, an award-winning educator who has also worked on sustainability in industry, and is being taught by Sarah Klinetob Lowe, solar program manager in Penn College of Technology's Clean Energy Center. Lowe brings to the class more than 15 years of experience in both green building design and sustainability reviews, along with significant teaching and classroom experience.
The 12-week curriculum is divided into four three-week modules:
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The first module offers an overview of the breadth of issues covered by sustainability and the history of how sustainability came to be so important to modern business.
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The second goes in-depth into the various facets of what a sustainability audit and strategies for companies would look at, including issues like water, energy, procurement, and employee well-being.
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The third focuses on the process of conducting a sustainability audit and setting up internal sustainability teams in an organization.
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The final module explores both internal and external communications strategies around sustainability, how to avoid “greenwashing” sustainability goals and possible sustainability certifications companies and organizations can pursue.
The certificate has also been designed for participants to be prepared to sit for the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) certification exam offered by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, one of the more widely recognized sustainability credentials globally.
This innovative new curriculum only came to fruition through persistent championing from John Drake at Penn State Scranton, Andrea Tessier at Penn State Lehigh Valley and Jane Ashton at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, who first proposed the idea nearly a decade ago and have shepherded the process through to the launch of the curriculum. The course builds on Penn State’s land-grant mission to serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and provide needed training that communities demand to meet future challenges and opportunities.
Interested students can learn more and register at this link. Questions can be directed to John Drake, jcd15@psu.edu, Jo Ann Durden, jxe138@psu.edu, or Peter Boger, pgb45@psu.edu.