Driving business towards the Sustainable Development Goals from Coursera

Extreme weather events, wars, famine and environmental destruction are just a few of the wicked problems faced by humanity.

That’s why in 2015 the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that target the big challenges such as how to eliminate poverty, how to protect the environment and how to bring about peace. Every member state committed to achieving these goals by 2030.

What can businesses do to counter climate change and create a sustainable business culture? Why is this relevant for business anyway? Explore how business can contribute to a better future for people AND the planet without giving up profits.

This course has been developed by Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University (RSM). It focuses on the role of businesses in achieving the SDGs. You will gain insights from leaders of international companies and academics in business and management who will guide you through the issue of how businesses can contribute to the SDGs.

The course received a 'MOOC Award of Excellence' by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the SDG Academy in September 2019 (https://www.unsdsn.org/2019-sdsn-awards-of-excellence-winners-announced)

After completing this course you will:

• know what the SDGs are, why they are important and how each individual can be an agent for positive change in the world;

• understand the role of business in the transition to sustainable development to create a prosperous future for all;

• be able to identify interconnectedness of the SDGs and the challenges behind solving them;

• know how management insights can contribute to the SDGs;

• be able to evaluate the effectiveness of current business strategies in contributing to the SDGs;

• develop a positive, critical, aware and courageous attitude towards the SDGs.

The course consists of seven units, each focusing on several aspects of sustainable development and taking one week to complete.

You will study by watching videos, reading literature and by engaging in other activities such as weekly challenges.

Assignments will consist of quizzes, discussions with your fellow students, and challenges to implement in your daily life.

Are you ready to find out how you can be an agent for positive change? Register now!

What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals

Welcome to this MOOC 'Driving business towards the Sustainable Development Goals'. We are excited that you are joining us to explore how business can contribute to a better future for people and planet, and how you can start contributing today. First, explore the course overview so you have a better understanding of the resources, materials and assessments that lie ahead. We hope you enjoy the course. Let’s get started!

Week 2: The Biosphere

This week focuses on the SDGs that are most related to our planet and the biosphere. We will explore what companies can do to halt, reverse or mitigate climate change, and protect life on land and below water.

Week 3: Society I

This week is the first of two weeks dedicated to those SDGs that relate to Society. We introduce societal challenges such as hunger and poverty, and we look at new business models for healthcare and the transition to sustainable energy.

Week 4: Society II

This week is about the remaining SDGs related to society. We look at cities, education, and tackling inequality. We examine sustainable city transportation networks and how social entrepreneurship can support education that promotes employment for everyone. We also talk about the interconnectedness of the SDGs.

Week 5: Economy

In this week, we will explore the SDGs related to the economy. We will explore business contribution to SDGs 8, 9 and 12 and find out why decent work conditions, innovation and infrastructure, and sustainable consumption and production are so important. The key question is how businesses can be (both socially as well as economically) profitable in the long run while respecting planetary boundaries and human rights.

Week 6: Partnerships

The SDGs cannot be achieved by a single individual or organization. In this module we will explore how companies, governments, non-profit organizations and individuals can develop partnerships to achieve peace and prosperity for all.

Week 7: Systems thinking

The last week of this MOOC will focus on the interconnectedness of the SDGs. None of the SDGs can be achieved by themselves or in isolation. This week, we will explore how the SDGs are interconnected and how synergies and trade-offs work.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops skills, knowledge, and tools that are highly relevant to industry

Taught by a strong team of instructors with expertise and recognition

Multi-modal and includes a mix of media, such as videos, readings, discussions, etc

Takes a creative approach to a widely recognized established topic, field, or subject

Builds a strong foundation for beginners

This course is part of a series of other courses, as this may indicate comprehensiveness and detail

Reviews summary

Sdgs for business

Learners say this engaging, insightful course covers the basics of driving business towards sustainable development goals. They praise the well-presented, thought-provoking lectures, the inspiring real-life case studies, and the highly informative examples from worldwide businesses. With its clear examples and engaging assignments, this course is a great fit for motivated learners who want to make a positive change.

Instructors are knowledgeable and passionate about the SDGs.

"The instructors were well-versed in the aspects of the SDGs that they lectured on."

"The videos and materials are fresh and alive, interesting and easy to follow. The speakers are generally good and pleasant to listen to."

The course's engaging Hummingbird Challenges encourage learners to take positive actions.

"Relatively easy and well-paced course with interesting case studies. Encourages you to take action towards sustainable development through its Hummingbird Challenges."

Content is well-structured, easy to understand, and highly relevant.

"The course on Driving business towards the Sustainable Development Goals, it was a powerful incentive to continue learning and applying what I have learned to my daily and professional life."

"I am very happy to have the opportunity to learn new things about SDGs. I learn a lot and it's make me more aware about things around me."

"Very well written course materials and structured and easygoing lectures."

The course provides a strong academic foundation on sustainable development goals.

"I am very grateful for the opportunity to acquire so much knowledge and learn so well under such easy-to-use online teaching methods."

The course features inspiring, real-life examples of businesses achieving SDGs.

"The course was very useful and helped me better understand the role of the SDGs not only in business but also in society."

"I am very pleased and grateful to have these opportunities to enrich our formal education through Coursera."

"Amazing content, the challenges presented each week made me realize the impact of several actions in my daily life and how changing them can contribute to a better, sustainable society."

The course is inspiring and motivates learners to make a positive change.

"I highly recommend doing this training course to gain an insight into the Sustainable Development Goals. Way more than meets the eye!"

"What a course!!Enjoyed it to the fullest.A must do course for all the youth who are going to be the future torch bearers for a clean and green Earth."

"Extraordinarily inspiring and down to earth MOOC with practical tipps and engagement throughout all seven weeks! Really happy to have participated!"

The course lacks opportunities for learner interaction.

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Driving business towards the Sustainable Development Goals with these activities:

Review the basics of sustainability

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Reviewing the basics of sustainability will help you build a strong foundation for the course.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Read articles and books on sustainability
Watch videos and documentaries on sustainability
Attend lectures and workshops on sustainability
Talk to experts in the field of sustainability
Participate in online forums and discussions on sustainability

Organize your notes and materials

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Organizing your notes and materials will help you stay organized and make it easier to review the course material.

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Create a system for organizing your notes and materials
Gather all of your notes and materials
Sort your notes and materials into categories
Create a filing system for your notes and materials
Review your notes and materials on a regular basis

Take practice quizzes and exams

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Taking practice quizzes and exams will help you prepare for the actual quizzes and exams in the course.

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Identify the topics that will be covered on the quiz or exam
Review the course material for those topics
Take the practice quiz or exam
Review your results and identify any areas where you need to improve
Focus your studying on those areas

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Develop a sustainability plan

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Create a comprehensive plan to implement sustainable practices within an organization

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Research best practices for sustainability
Identify areas for improvement
Develop a plan to implement changes
Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed

Volunteer for an environmental organization

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Volunteering for an environmental organization will allow you to put your knowledge of sustainability into practice and make a real-world impact.

Browse courses on Community Involvement

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Identify an environmental organization that you would like to volunteer for
Contact the organization and inquire about volunteer opportunities
Attend a volunteer training session
Participate in volunteer activities
Share your experience with others

Conduct a sustainability assessment

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Applying the concepts learned in the course to a real-world scenario will help you develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development.

Browse courses on Sustainability Assessment

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Identify a business or organization to partner with
Gather data on the business or organization's environmental, social, and economic performance
Analyze the data and identify areas for improvement
Develop recommendations for how the business or organization can improve its sustainability performance
Present your findings to the business or organization

Create a social media campaign to promote sustainable development

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Developing a social media campaign will help you understand how to effectively communicate the importance of sustainable development to a wider audience.

Browse courses on Sustainability Communication

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Identify your target audience
Develop a message that resonates with your target audience
Create engaging content that promotes sustainability
Promote your content on social media
Track your results and make adjustments as needed

Career center

Learners who complete Driving business towards the Sustainable Development Goals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Concept Developer

Concept Developers use their knowledge of what works and what doesn't in product development to help companies create better products. Taking this course can help a concept developer better account for sustainability in product development, which will help the company comply with regulations, reduce the environmental impact of its products, and improve its public image.

See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Developer

Business Consultant

Business Consultants help companies improve their performance by identifying and solving problems. A business consultant who is familiar with sustainable development can better help companies develop strategies to achieve their sustainability goals. This course can give Business Consultants a foundation in sustainability and help them develop the skills they need to help companies achieve their sustainability goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Consultant

Environmental Scientist

Environmental Scientists study the environment and work to protect it. This course could help an environmental scientist develop the skills to work with businesses to help them reduce their environmental impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Scientist

Sustainability Manager

Sustainability Managers develop and implement sustainability strategies for companies. This course can provide sustainability managers with a comprehensive understanding of the SDGs and how to use them to develop sustainability strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Manager

Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

Corporate Social Responsibility Managers develop and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies for companies. This course can help CSR managers develop a better understanding of the SDGs and how to use them to develop CSR strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers plan and direct the activities of nonprofit organizations. This course may be helpful for nonprofit managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to achieve their organization's mission.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Social Entrepreneur

Social Entrepreneurs use business principles to solve social problems. This course may be helpful for social entrepreneurs who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop their social ventures.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts study public policies and their impact on society. This course may be helpful for policy analysts who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop public policies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Public relations manager

Public Relations Managers develop and implement public relations campaigns for companies and organizations. This course may be helpful for public relations managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop public relations campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Sustainable Investment Analyst

Sustainable Investment Analysts analyze investments to assess their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. This course can help sustainable investment analysts understand the SDGs and how to use them to develop sustainable investment strategies.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and implement marketing campaigns for companies and organizations. This course may be helpful for marketing managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop marketing campaigns.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers plan and direct the operations of companies and organizations. This course may be helpful for operations managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to improve the sustainability of their operations.

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Product Manager

Product Managers develop and manage products for companies and organizations. This course may be helpful for product managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop sustainable products.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers develop and implement human resources policies for companies and organizations. This course may be helpful for human resources managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop sustainable human resources policies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Supply Chain Manager

Supply Chain Managers plan and manage the flow of goods and services from suppliers to customers. This course may be helpful for supply chain managers who want to learn more about the SDGs and how to use them to develop sustainable supply chains.

See salaries and explore the career path for Supply Chain Manager