DATES
Session 1: March 29, 2025 — 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Session 2: March 30, 2025 — 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
ESG Fundamentals for Communication and Marketing Professionals
Micro-certificate
This program equips communications and marketing leaders with the necessary tools to actively engage in their organizations’ sustainability journey so that it can be properly conveyed to their desired audiences. Participants will learn how corporate responsibility is evolving, the big ideological shifts shaping the sustainability space, how to navigate greenwashing, greenhushing and the anti-ESG conversation, and trends in sustainability reporting and disclosure.
Who this certificate is for
- Corporate communications, PR, and marketing professionals (consultants, managers, directors, and VPs) with a interest in better understanding the shifting corporate sustainability landscape.
- Communications and marketing consultants who work with agencies
- Anyone exposed to sustainability practices within their organization, who wants to deepen their understanding of the risks and solutions to greenwashing
- Professionals actively trying to navigate sustainability communication risks and imperatives
- Professionals working to examine and expand their employers’ sustainability strategy who want to understand and integrate communications considerations.
Key takeaways
In this program, you’ll:
Learn about the evolution of corporate responsibility and its relationship to the corporate functions of communications and marketing.
Delve into critical concepts and tensions in corporate sustainability such as: materiality vs double-materiality, stakeholder capitalism vs shareholder capitalism, and green washing vs green hushing.
Explore trends in corporate sustainability disclosure and greenwashing regulations globally and in Canada, including a discussion of Bill C-59 and what it means for communications and marketing
Dissect examples of corporate sustainability communications, what works and why; what doesn’t and why
Apply your learnings by working through a realistic and practical case study with your peers
Program structure
- Two online sessions
- Each session will have times allotted for networking and discussion
- Each session includes a culminating, interactive exercise that allows participants to apply session learnings into a practical work context
To ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to the discussion, we ask that participants complete assigned reading prior to class.
LANGUAGE
English
LOCATION
Online
FEE
Package of 5 courses: $6,300 CAD (+taxes) - 10% rebate
1 course: $1,400 CAD (+taxes)
Get preferred rates by signing up for all of our 5 micro-certificates in sustainability. Employers can also unlock preferred rates by registering three or more members of their organization. Contact our program manager to explore our packages.
Instructor
Our experienced instructors are leaders and innovators in their field.
Jessie Sitnick
Senior leader in ESG communications
Jessie is a passionate, purpose-driven strategic communications executive with deep expertise in sustainable finance, ESG, and climate communications. She is the inaugural VP external for The Natural Step, Canada’s solution space for a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits. Previously, Jessie was a Senior vice president of corporate and public affairs at Argyle/Believeco: Partners. She led a talented team serving clients across multiple sectors and industries (finance, tech, real estate and the built environment). She established the firm’s Sustainable Value portfolio, supporting businesses, NGOs, governments, and academic experts in their work to bring climate and sustainable economy solutions to bear.
FAQ
To enhance participants’ learning experience, the programs have in-person sessions to facilitate interactive group exercises, to get live feedback from instructors, and to build connections through networking. Before each micro-certificate's first session, there will be a 30-minute introduction period allowing participants to connect with instructors and fellow classmates.
Students must actively participate in all sessions to earn their certificate. To emphasize our skill-focused approach, we intentionally omitted a formal evaluation process to prioritize hands-on learning and real-world application.
Prior to each session, participants should allocate one to two hours for pre-reading. This will ensure they are fully prepared for hands-on class activities.
Each micro-certificate was intentionally scheduled on a different date to allow participants to register for as many as they wish.
Yes, the John Molson Executive Centre will provide you with a certificate for each program you complete.
