Program Overview

Programme Overview

The Professional Certificate Programme in Sustainability and ESG Reporting is designed in accordance with the Hong Kong Qualification Framework Level 6 on the Qualifications Register (QR). Graduates of this programme are eligible to apply for course and unit exemption with reference to the Graduate School’s Policy on Course and Unit Exemptions for Postgraduate Students. The application is subject to approval from the CUHK Graduate Division of Business Administration and the Graduate School.

Programme Background and Objectives

The programme is an innovative initiative for strategic sustainability management with a global focus on ESG practices. The programme is designed to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of sustainable business management utilising ESG criteria from a strategic perspective. It also aims to build their problem-solving capacity so that they can adapt quickly and perform strategically when faced with increasingly complex challenges. This is key to ensuring that businesses are future-proofed against a rapidly changing global setting and evolving ESG landscape.

Programme Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will:

1. Understand global business and sustainability management in multicultural contexts as well as the challenges and opportunities of managing business with stakeholders and communities in both regional and global settings.
2. Analyse sustainable business problems from various perspectives in complex and post-pandemic environments.
3. Develop T-shaped skills and interdisciplinary mindsets, and apply them with a shared value model and strategic decision-making capabilities appropriately in specific business and management contexts.
4. Demonstrate creative thinking in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the practice of management.
5. Acquire a mindset of responsible business for the benefits of sustainability.

Programme Curriculum

Participants need to complete 1 core module & 5 elective modules (total 6 units) to obtain the Professional Certificate Programme in Innovation Leadership.

Core Module

• Fundamentals of Business Sustainability (1 unit) Participants will explore the environmental, socioeconomic, and infrastructural challenges brought about by climate change, deforestation, and consumption over the past decade. The module emphasises the urgent need for both public and private sectors to adopt sustainable practices to meet the needs of future generations. The introductory module of programme familiarises participants with the basics of climate change, its impact on the environment and society, and the role of businesses in addressing these challenges.

Elective Modules

• Sustainability Communication Strategy (1 unit) This module is designed to provide participants with a competent understanding of corporate sustainability communication in general and through corporate sustainability reporting in particular, in a context of growing importance of corporate sharing of sustainability information in a globalizing business world.
• Sustainability Communication: ESG Rating and Reporting (1 unit) This module is designed to provide participants with a competent understanding of corporate sustainability communication in general and through corporate sustainability reporting in particular, in a context of growing importance of corporate sharing of sustainability information in a globalizing business world.
• Contemporary Topics in ESG (1 unit) This module focuses on the timely themes and special issues in the field of management in relation to global business and sustainability.
• Sustainable Finance (1 unit) The module aims to provide participants with the knowledge and understanding of climate change risks and opportunities and their impact on capital markets.
• Social Sustainability Practices in Business (1 unit) The module begins by introducing the concept of social sustainability and its significance in the context of business.
• Managing energy footprints for business sustainability (1 unit) Participants will explore the economic and financial dimensions of effectively managing energy footprints.
• Sustainability Transition - Challenges of Natural Resources (1 unit) Sustainability is imperative to ensuring the survival and well-being of humankind, now and in the future.
• Sustainable Supply Chain and Circular Economy (1 unit) In recent years, a number of organizations have fallen victim to supply-chain vulnerabilities and disruptions, and businesses are increasingly acknowledging the urgent need for sustainable supply chain for risk mitigation.
• Environmental and Climate Policies in China (1 unit) This module will provide a systematic understanding of China’s environmental and climate policies.

Programme Details

Medium of Instruction

English and/or Chinese will be used as the medium for instruction

Mode of Study

Part Time

Programme Duration

6 – 36 months

Tuition Fee

HK$ 55,800 per programme (Total 6 modules)

Entry Requirement

Holders of a Bachelor’s degree from a reputable university or equivalent professional qualifications

Graduation Requirement

To be awarded Professional Certificate in Sustainability and ESG Reporting, participants are required to have an overall attendance rate of 70% of each module and pass the assessments of each module with a letter grade not lower than Grade C

Note

The Programme reserves the right to cancel the module if the number of registered participants is insufficient or for other unanticipated reasons.