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 with a focus on sustainability. The synchronous, statewide 12-week course begins Sept. 9, with registration closing Sept. 3.
“From new Securities Exchange Commission rules for companies to disclose their climate risks to a broad initiative by investors to report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, sustainability is becoming a fundamental part of modern businesses,” said Peter Boger, director of engagement at Penn State Sustainability. “Yet too many small companies are unprepared and cannot afford a standalone sustainability director – this certificate fills that gap by training people to serve as sustainability coordinators in addition to their other organizational roles.”
The new curriculum for the non-credit Sustainability Coordinator certificate was developed by Lori McGarry, an award-winning educator who has also worked on sustainability in industry, and is taught by Sarah Klinetob Lowe, the solar program manager in the Clean Energy Center at Penn College of Technology. Lowe brings more than 15 years of experience in green building design and sustainability assessments, as well as extensive teaching and classroom experience, to the classroom.
The 12-week curriculum is divided into four three-week modules:
-
The second part goes into detail about the different aspects that are considered in a sustainability audit and in corporate sustainability strategies, including issues such as water, energy, procurement and employee wellbeing.
-
The final module examines both internal and external communication strategies on sustainability, how “greenwashing” of sustainability goals can be avoided and which sustainability certifications companies and organizations can strive for.
The certificate is also designed to prepare participants for the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) certification exam offered by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, one of the world’s most recognized sustainability certifications.
This innovative new curriculum could only be realized through the persistent support of John Drake of Penn State Scranton, Andrea Tessier of Penn State Lehigh Valley, and Jane Ashton of Penn State Wilkes-Barre, who first proposed the idea nearly a decade ago and guided the process through to the curriculum’s launch. The course builds on Penn State’s mission to serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and provide the essential education communities need to meet future challenges and opportunities.
Interested students can learn more and register at this link. Questions can be directed to John Drake, [email protected], Jo Ann Durden, [email protected], or Peter Boger, [email protected].
