Columbia University
EN-11: Continuing Education

CERC Courses: Courses are taught by Columbia University professors and researchers from the Consortium for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) as well as adjunct faculty and current practitioners from both the public and private sectors. Their breadth of experience and diverse set of perspectives allow the Certificate Program curriculum to reflect scientific expertise and current hands-on approaches to environmental sustainability. As a platform for integrated and holistic thinking on the interconnectedness of nature’s systems, the Certificate Program offers the unique opportunity to address complex environmental issues and to arrive implementable and measurable solutions.Courses include: Environmental Sustainability & Corporate Decision-Making; Environmental Economics; Sustainability on a Smart Planet; Evolutionary Adaptations & Behavior; Introduction to Ecology; Agriculture & Wildlife Conservation: Coffee Agroforestry; Disease Ecology; Environmental Markets: The Nexus of Business, Regulation & Sustainability; Diversity & Conservation; Projects in Conservation Biology; Evolution: Darwin to DNA; The Little Things: Chemical, Microbial & Biological Oceanography; Systems & Sustainability; Psychology of Environmental Decision-Making & Sustainable Behavior; Climate & Biodiversity; Disease Ecology; Population & Sustainable Development; Forest Management & Conservation: Black Rock Forest; Coral Reef Ecology: Bermuda RFK Sustainable Investing Workshops: The program presents principles and best practices to mitigate risks and optimize returns. It is designed for asset owners, asset managers and consultants with a long term investment perspective—pension funds/defined benefit plans, endowments, financial planners, foundations and sovereign wealth funds and provides a comprehensive approach to investment analysis including environment, social/human rights, corporate governance and labor issues. The Program is grounded in the understanding that sustainable investing is an element of risk mitigation which is at the core of fiduciary responsibility. Coursework is delivered through a combination of case study use, lectures, group and individual exercises. Courses include: Sustainability for the Investor; Good Governance, Good Management, Good Results; Environmental Policy and the Business of Sustainability; Human Rights: Corporate Human Rights; Social Injustice Elevates Sovereign and Macroeconomic Risk; ESG Metrics and Open Data Initiatives; Natural Hazards and Natural Disasters Mean Naturally Overlooked Risks; Environmental Risks & Disguised Opportunities; Screening Methods & the Prudent Investor; The Devil in the Details: Investment Decision Homework and the December Workshop; Risk Complexity: Multiple Horizons, Geographies, Investment Styles; Supply Chains: Outsourcing Expertise or Liability?; Resource Extraction and Sustainable Investing: Benchmarking, Engagement or Exit; Due Diligence Techniques and the Search for Investment Opportunities; The Problem with Screens: One Size Does Not Fit All; ESG Excellence & Financial Performance - Myths, Mantras & Facts; Agriculture and the Global Food system; Risks and Opportunities for the Sustainable Investor; Sustainable Investing Portfolio Management Tools & Case Studies; Summarizing the Business Case for Sustainable Investing Sustainability Essentials Training Modules:The training is based on the same core elements that are taught in the Masters of Science Program in Sustainability Management. The Sustainability Essentials Training Program comprises four modules. Each module is a mixture of lectures, discussions, and in-class exercises that address key elements in understanding and practicing sustainability. Classes include: Introduction to Sustainability Management; The Public Policy and Regulatory Framework of Sustainability; The Path Toward a Sustainably Built Environment; Sustainable Financing and Investment.

There are four sustainability certificates offered at Columbia University- three are for academic credit: Certificate in Sustainability Analytics, Certificate in Water Sustainability and Certificate in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. The fourth certificate is offered by the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC)-the Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability, which is earned through taking non-credit bearing courses. CERC’s Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability is awarded to participants who satisfactorily complete 12 courses (120 hours of instruction) in the program. Courses are five-weeks long, typically meet one evening per week for two hours and may include weekend workshops. Additionally there is also an opportunity to earn the certificate through distance learning in the virtual classroom. Participants are admitted into the Certificate Program on a competitive basis. Once enrolled, students must complete the coursework in as few as 9 months or up to 3 years.

Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability: http://www.cerc.columbia.edu/?id=certificate-courses Sustainability Essentials Training Program: http://set.ei.columbia.edu/ RFK Compass Sustainability Investing Program: http://rfkcenter.org/compass-sustainable-investing-certificate-new-york