What is an ESG course?

ESG stands for environment, social and governance. It started as an investing tool to measure companies’ impact on the planet, its people and themselves. 

Nowadays, it has grown from that into a topic that drives many central pillars of corporate strategy. Despite this, many people are still unaware that you can – and probably should – do a course in it.

It’s any kind of dedicated qualification designed to educate you in ESG. 

ESG courses aren’t so much about complete theoretical knowledge for the simple reason that ESG is incredibly vast. Standard ESG courses will instead give you the knowledge you need to live up to your role on a board or executive team.

Twenty years ago, typical board roles wouldn’t have required an ESG course, but times have changed significantly. 

Nowadays, ESG courses are crucial educational boosts that please corporate stakeholders. 

There’s an interlocking interest in ESG between investors, employees, consumers and lawmakers. In other words, those who can make or break a company are now widely behind the ESG movement, and they want to know that your company has it covered. 

As with anything else in business, you can’t hope to have something covered without the proper training.

Unfortunately, there’s no one correct answer to this question. ESG is broad. The three letters represent three pillars that could each have multiple libraries explaining them and still not go through everything. 

The ESG course you choose will likely depend on what areas your company needs to focus on. 

That said, there are some common elements:

• Learning where ESG came from. The context is essential. 
• Learning how ESG is evolving. Each year brings significant changes that you need to stay on top of
• Learning about ESG investing. ESG assets are worth tens of trillions of US dollars as of 2023, and that figure is expected to climb.
• Learning about ESG and corporate strategy. Treating the two separately is a huge mistake. One should fuel the other and vice versa.

If you’re still wondering why you should bother with an ESG course to begin with, just remember the fact that it gives you a unique and hugely relevant career boost. 

Despite the availability of ESG courses, many opt against them, which often leaves a gaping hole in boardroom expertise. Your future training can fill that gap. Suddenly, you have knowledge of a topic of immense global relevance and the ability to reduce risk and provide modern leadership.

It’s win-win, both for you and your business.

Check this course out – a globally recognised diploma in ESG that covers all the basics mentioned above and many more besides.