Sustainable Development for Business

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
-
15Lessons
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17Exams &
Assignments -
39Students
have taken this course -
6Hours
average time -
0.6CEUs
Course Description
Change and adaptation are requirements of survival in the business world that many companies fail to meet. It is not because they do not want to change or that they necessarily fail to act in time-although that is a possibility that all businesses should keep in mind. A business might be able to successfully keep up with the demands of their customer base, and yet still find themselves struggling to consistently make ends meet. Is it just a matter of poor decision making? Marketing issues? Or is due to their practices and actions as an entity as a whole?
What the business world is starting to learn is that many of the old methods of adaptation that have worked for years are no longer enough. There is more to their survival than just maintaining their bottom line and the quality of their product-they need to pay attention to what their impact on the world is on a much larger scale. Namely, their physical impact on the world and the potential effects it can have for future generations.
This course looks at sustainable development as it applies to business, and how it can be integrated into existing business practices. In this first lesson, you will be introduced to the concept of sustainability and what it actually involves in business and in general. The purpose that it can serve, its key areas of focus, and the basics of sustainability will also be explored.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1: An Introduction to Sustainable Development Within Business
Review 7 Articles: Sustainable Development; What Is Sustainable Development And Why Does It Matter?; The Definition of Sustainable Business Practices; The Three Pillars Of Sustainability; The 3 Pillars of Corporate Sustainability; The Politics of Sustainability; The Inevitability of Sustainability Politics, Technology and Management
Take Survey: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: My Interest in Sustainable Business Development...
Complete: Lesson 1 Exam
Lesson 2: Terminology of Sustainable Development
Review 9 Articles: Greenwashing; Sustainable Land Management; What Does Organic Mean?; Organic 101: What The USDA Organic Label Means; Preventing Overshoot and Collapse: Managing The Earth?s Resources; Biodiversity and Human Well-being; What Is A Carbon Footprint?; What Is Climate Change?; What Are Climate and Climate Change?
Complete: Lesson 2 Exam
Lesson 3: History of Sustainable Development
Review 18 Articles: The First American Settlers Cut Down Millions Of Trees To Deliberately Engi; Industrial Revolution; The 200-Year History Of American Employee Rights; The Story of Silent Spring; How A Burning River Helped Create The Clean Water Act; The Limits to Growth; The Gruesome Amoco Cadis Oil Spill Incident; Backgrounder on the Three Mile Island Accident; World of Change: Antarctic Ozone Hole; The World Meteorological Organization in a Changing World; What is the WTO?; Understanding the Controversy and Science of GMOs; KP Introduction; First Direct Proof of Ozone Hole Recovery Due to Chemical Ban; An Oral History of An Inconvenient Truth; Arab Spring; Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of 2010; Global Warming Controversy
Complete: Lesson 3 Exam
Lesson 4: Misconceptions About Sustainable Development
Review 7 Articles: The Seven Myths Of Sustainability; Three Misconceptions About Environmental Sustainability In Higher Ed; Let?s Be Honest: Real Sustainability May Not Make Business Sense; Myths About Sustainability; What Are The Most Common Misconceptions About Sustainability?; Common Myths About ?Sustainability?; Capitalism v Environment: Can Greed Ever Be Green?
Complete: Lesson 4 Exam
Lesson 5: Benefits and Advantages to Business
Review 9 Articles: What Are The Benefits Of Going Green For A Business?; Benefits of Becoming a Sustainable Business; Environmental Law Violations; Five Benefits of Embracing Sustainability and Green Manufacturing; Energy.gov Tax Credits, Rebates and Savings; Effects of Sustainability on Stakeholders; Business Benefits of Sustainability; The Business Benefits of Sustainability Partnerships; More Reasons Companies Should Care About Sustainability
Complete: Lesson 5 Exam
Lesson 6: Obstacles and Disadvantages to Business
Review 8 Articles: Why You Shouldn?t Have A Sustainability Strategy; The Disadvantages of Going Green For A Corporation; Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporations Going Green; Sustainability Challenges In Business; Ten Reasons Why Businesses Aren?t More Sustainable; How Can Consumers Find Out If A Corporation Is ?Greenwashing? Environmental; The Troubling Evolution of Corporate Greenwashing; Business Risks of Sustainability Marketing
Complete: Lesson 6 Exam
Lesson 7: The Potential Risks for Businesses That Forgo Sustainable Development
Review 8 Articles: Environment As Economic Threat: How Sustainability Redefines Risk; Renewable Resource; Sustainability ? The Resilient Business Risk; Major Criminal Cases; Clean Energy Is Building A New American Workforce; Environmental Issues That Affect Business; Black Lung: Why Respirators Are Not A Solution; The Drastic Consequences of Unsustainable Development
Complete: Lesson 7 Exam
Lesson 8: The UN-Sustainable Development Goals
Review 9 Articles: UN ? Gender Equality; UN ? Clean Water and Sanitation; UN ? Affordable and Clean Energy; UN ? Decent Work and Economic Growth; UN ? Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; UN ? Reduced Inequalities; UN ? Sustainable Cities And Communities; UN ? Responsible Consumption And Production; Paris Agreement Signing Ceremony
Complete: Lesson 8 Exam
Lesson 9: Environmental Sustainability
Review 14 Articles: Introduction to the Importance of Environmental Sustainability; The Business Case For Environmental Sustainability; Becoming A Role Model For Sustainability; Sustainability Role Models: Why Do We Need Them?; Pollution; Plastic Pollution Statistics 2018; Shocking Facts About Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Interesting Facts About Water Pollution; Interesting Facts About Water Pollution That You Should Know; Deforestation: Facts, Causes and Effects; Breathtaking Facts About Deforestation; Desertification; Climate Change: Signs of the Planet?s Deterioration
Complete: Lesson 9 Exam
Lesson 10: Economic Sustainability
Review 8 Articles: Growing A Sustainable Economy; Economic Bottom Line; Sustainability Makes Business Sense; Key Steps To A More Sustainable Economy; Poverty; Facts About Global Poverty; Nonrenewable Resource; Non-renewable Energy
Complete: Lesson 10 Exam
Lesson 11: Social Sustainability
Review 11 Articles: What Is Social Sustainability? A Clarification of Concepts; The Triple Bottom Line; Sustainability in the Workplace; Leading Companies Demonstrate Social Sustainability Inside And Out; Immigration, Poverty, and Socioeconomic Inequality; Violence ? UNICEF Data; Sexual Exploitation Law and Legal Definition; Understanding Stats on Commercial Sexual Exploitation; What Is the Difference Between A Human Right and a Civil Right?; Human Rights and Sustainability; Education and Sustainable Development
Complete: Lesson 11 Exam
Lesson 12: Implications of Sustainable Development
Review 2 Articles: Stakeholder Relationships: Key To A Sustainable Enterprise; A Look At How Sustainability Creates Shareholder Value
Complete: Lesson 12 Exam
Lesson 13: Sustainable Development Practices and Strategies
Review 11 Articles: Key Considerations For A Sustainable Business Strategy; What Is Renewable Energy?; What Makes a Product ENERGY STAR?; Best Practices In Sustainability: Ford, Starbucks and More; Starting At The Source: Sustainability In Supply Chains; Sustainable Business Practices; Sustainable Business Practices Examples ? Are You Doing Your Part?; Examples of Business Sustainability; Engaging Employees To Create A Sustainable Business; How To Start An Office Recycling Program; Recycling At Work
Complete: Lesson 13 Exam
Lesson 14: Integration Sustainable Development Into Your Business
Review 6 Articles: Simple Ways Companies Can Integrate Sustainable Development Goals; Five Ways For Businesses to Integrate Sustainable Practice Into Their Opera; How To Implement and Manage Successful Change Programs; Steps To Implementing Change In The Workplace; Steps to Implementing Successful Organizational Change; The Seven Steps To Implementing Change in Business
Complete: Lesson 14 Exam
Lesson 15: Marketing with Sustainable Development
Review 8 Articles: Why Transparency In Marketing Is Key For The Customer Experience; Short Guide: What Is Greenwashing And How To Avoid It; Tips To Avoid Greenwashing; What Is Sustainable Marketing?; The Evolving Relationship Between Sustainability and Marketing; Types Of Sustainability Marketing Tactics Corporate Execs Need To Understan; Organic Labeling; Organic Labeling Standards
Take Poll: End of Course Poll
Take Survey: Course Comments
Take Survey: Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Complete: Lesson 15 Exam
Complete: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Determine what sustainable development within business means.
- Describe the terminology of sustainable development.
- Summarize history of sustainable development.
- Identify misconceptions about sustainable development.
- Identify benefits and advantages to business.
- Describe obstacles and disadvantages to business.
- Describe the potential risks for businesses that forgo sustainable development.
- Describe the un-sustainable development goals.
- Describe environmental sustainability.
- Describe economic sustainability.
- Describe social sustainability.
- Describe implications of sustainable development.
- Describe methods for integrating sustainable development into your business, and
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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No. of courses | 500+ |