Is profit-earning the only factor by which a business is driven? Well! There is a broader impact of business activities beyond just financial performance, any business would also have a crucial impact on Environment, Society, and Government. Therefore, it is essential that all businesses follow sustainable practices to survive and flourish in the long run. For such similar reasons a company would be interested in hiring professionals’ expertise in the mentioned areas and matters. What exactly are ESG Courses? ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance courses. Let’s understand in detail how each factor is impacted by a business and why there is a need for such courses:
Environmental(E) – Various activities of an industry or a business have a harmful impact on the environment, for example- A plastic manufacturing company makes carbon emissions, improper waste management, etc. ESG emphasizes companies to adopt sustainable practices to reduce impact on the environment.
Social(S) — Social Factors consider a company’s relationship with its employees, customers, and communities, ESG thus encourages ethical behaviour and social responsibility.
Governance(G) – Governance factors also require companies to focus on contributing a part of their gains for environmental and social benefits.
Since, in today’s world a company’s performance is not only viewed as per how much financial gains it makes but also its impact on people and planet. Investors, Consumers, and other stakeholders gracefully value ESG practices undertaken by a company.
Why Professionals with ESG courses in Demand?
- ESG professionals are in high demand across various industries. Having an ESG certification can open doors to roles such as ESG analyst, sustainability manager, or CSR Specialist.
- Pursuing ESG education provides an opportunity to work on meaningful projects that benefit society and the planet and adds to sustainable growth of a business.
- Various companies need ESG professionals to attract investors as investors increasingly consider ESG performance when allocating capital.
- Due to various governmental policies companies are required to comply with corporate social responsibility. For such reasons, companies are keen on hiring professionals with ESG certification.
- ESG certification adds on a value to your ongoing professional that helps you attract higher CTC and numerous growth opportunities.
ESG Courses and Certifications
An ESG certification does not quote any degree requirement, so if you have knowledge of any related field such as environmental science, sustainability studies, finance, business, etc. You can get this certification. Here are some of the best ESG course and certification in India.: –
Online Courses and Certification
- Coursera: Coursera offers several ESG-related courses and specializations. Some of the notable options include:
The Materiality of ESG Factors, ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux, ESG Risks and Opportunities, and others- The content in these courses generally covers risk management, regulations, compliances, strategy, and performance management. There are also other online certifications such as Riskpro’s Online Certification on ESG compliance and ESG Training conducted by Knowledge Academy and NSE.
- Certified ESG Professional: Impact Leader – This six-month course includes eight self-paced learning modules delivered online, along with live interactive master classes conducted by renowned ESG professionals. This program is offered by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) in collaboration with HP India. To apply for this program, visit the IICA Program Page and fill out the online application form. After making the payment of the security deposit, Successful shortlisted applicants will be informed about their enrolment in the course.
- CFA Institute Certification in ESG Investing – The certification aims in providing you with the knowledge and skills to understand how ESG considerations impact investment outcomes. To enrol, you simply need to complete the online registration process which will allow you access to the online learning and study materials.
- CRISIL Certified ESG Risk Analyst — CRISIL’s ESG certification is an online self-paced course for professionals aiming to make a mark in the ESG space. The registration process is almost like above.
Certification Process
Generally, all the above ESG course providers have a similar process for felicitating individuals with the certification, which generally involves:
- Enrolling in the program
- Preparing for the exam using the given study material
- Passing the exams
Job profiles for ESG Professionals
Organizations like Vedanta Group, Tata Steel, Welspun, etc are offering high-paying packages to attract top talent in the ESG domain. The average package of an individual with ESG certification can range between 4LPA to 15LPA. ESG professionals are in high-demand and offer successful career opportunities. Various job profiles that ESG professionals could look in for are ESG Search Analyst, ESG Reporting Specialist, ESG Auditors, ESG Consultants, etc – The Job roles generally covers analyzing companies environmental, social, and governance performance. ESG auditors verify and validate ESG data and disclosures while consultants advise companies on integrating ESG principles into their operations. Other profiles may include CSR managers, ESG Policy Advocates, ESG Policymaker, ESG Associate, ESG developer etc. With growing industrialization, the negative impact continues to grow. To reduce such risks, all organisations are keenly interested in hiring professionals that would help an organisation grow financially but with sustainable practice. Thus, ESG is a fruitful certification to get a value addition in your resume and negotiate a higher package than the usual.
