Certification in ESG Strategy

Elevate your Expertise:
Apply for the Certificate in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy program

Fall 2023 applications are open!

B:CIVIC empowers organizations and their people to build stronger communities. We do that by creating connections, sharing expertise and inspiring action around CSR and ESG. We’ve been growing an ecosystem where companies are better equipped to address both community and social issues that are critical in Colorado since 2014. To further our mission we are proud of our participation in developing the Certification in ESG Strategy (formerly known as the Certification in CSR) in partnership with the Center for Education on Social Responsibility (CESR) at the CU-Boulder Leeds School of Business.

Certification
The CU-Boulder Leeds School of Business Certification in ESG Strategy, in partnership with B:CIVIC, is designed to address the evolving needs of early- to mid-career ESG, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practitioners. The instructors refresh the course content each semester to remain current, and the classroom environment features industry expert guest speakers, collaborative and experiential learning exercises, and dialogue-based lessons. Employees of B:CIVIC investor organizations receive a $250.00 discount on tuition. 

In the course you will:

• Learn practical applications and create a “toolbox” of resources
• Hear from local, regional and global experts that will spark ideas and insights
• Expand your community of peers, making valuable professional connections

Fall 2023 applications are  open.

The program offers three online cohorts; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

To learn more and apply – Fill out the certification interest form.

B:CIVIC Scholarship 

 To advance the B:CIVIC mission of elevating business for good, B:CIVIC offers a Colorado based participant needs-based partial scholarship for participation in the Certification in ESG Strategy program. The purpose of the B:CIVIC scholarship is to increase the engagement of community leaders in the field of ESG and CSR by bringing direct experience to inform their social impact work. You do not have to be a B:CIVIC investor to qualify for this scholarship. 

• Recipient must demonstrate financial need.
• Recipient must be Colorado based.
• Recipient must have 4 years of work experience in a business setting.
• Recipient shall be selected using the established procedures of the Leeds School of Business.
• Nonprofit leaders are eligible to participate in the program, however, this scholarship is targeted toward individuals with a financial need who are working to advance this work in a current role.

• Preference given to individuals who have demonstrated interest in the areas of business ethics, social responsibility and/or sustainability in their career to date.
• Preference given to individuals with experience working in community to advance social justice issues.

Scholarship application deadline: July 16, 2023 for the Fall 2023 Certification program or once class is full.

Instructors – The course has two instructors. Tuesday and Thursday cohorts are led by Pete Dignan, a 3-time CEO of Certified B Corps, and features guest speakers with deep expertise and practical experience in CSR. The Wednesday cohort is led by Jennifer Forman, former Director of Corporate Citizenship at PopSockets and an aluma of the program herself. The curriculum was developed by seasoned CSR professional Geri Mitchell-Brown.

Tuition – Tuition is $2,500. B:CIVIC investors receive a $250.00 discount per individual accepted into the program. Please connect with a B:CIVIC staff member or the instructor to receive the discount.

Congratulations to the graduates from our first-ever certification program in 2016

Congratulations to all of the graduates from the first-ever certification program at CU Leeds School of Business Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) presented in partnership with B:CIVIC.

The graduates gathered Dec 14, 2016, to celebrate the completion of their program.

Shown from left to right, front row: Geri Mitchell-Brown (instructor), Tricia Vincent, Lora Ledermann, Jessica Sibila, Heidi Box, Robin Fleishmann, David Payne (instructor). Back row: Marc Ross, Sarae Kurth, Lisa Konen, Karla Baise, Karen Spencer, Amy Rosenblum, Brian Lichtenheld. Not pictured is Denise Jendrusch.

Creating the Certification Program – Background and Thanks!

This program grew out of an initiative of B:CIVIC’s who, together with the CU Leeds School of Business and several passionate volunteer professionals, collaborated during 2015 and 2016 to envision and map out the program. These efforts included defining the program focus to address core competencies in CSR, incorporating peer-learning, providing best practices from guest speakers, including B:CIVIC investor companies, enhancing the CSR profession, and enabling those from B:CIVIC investor companies the first opportunity to enroll. The program was the first of its kind in the region when it kicked off in the fall of 2016.

Special thanks to our collaborators and the creators of this program: (Listed alphabetically and by title at the time.)

• Lori Call, Stakeholder Engagement, Kaiser Permanente and B:CIVIC 2017 Board Chair
• Su Hawk, Executive Director, B:CIVIC
• Dr. Mark Meaney, Executive Director, CESR, CU Leeds School of Business
• Geri Mitchell-Brown, Director, Rally for Impact Foundation
• David S. Payne, Instructor, CESR, CU Leeds School of Business
• Sondra Smith, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility; Director, Level 3 Communications Foundation
• Jessica Silba, Sr. Manager, Corporate Philanthropy, Community Affairs, and Events, The WhiteWave Foods Company