Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability
Develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead change for sustainability in your organisation, from The Open University
Duration
10 weeksCost
$624

Create a sustainability plan to help your organisation respond to climate change
Climate change is the biggest challenge faced by society; it affects us all – and organisations of all kinds can play a significant role in the transition to a sustainable society.
This microcredential will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and courage to transform your organisation’s response to the climate and ecological crisis, whatever your level, role or sector, and wherever you are in the world.
If you’re wanting to make positive change in your organisation and are unsure how to go about it, or if you’re looking to advance your career in sustainability or add sustainability know-how to your skills set, this microcredential will give you the knowledge and practical skills you need.
Explore the principles of sustainable development to lead change for sustainability in your organisation
In this microcredential, sustainability is defined as social, environmental, economic, global, and future wellbeing. You’ll be introduced to the principles of sustainable development and to five new ways of working, and you’ll be inspired by case studies featuring pioneering people and organisations who are collaborating to take radical action.
You’ll discover the latest scientific facts on climate change and the ecological crisis, and what this means for you using a range of footprinting tools. You’ll also learn to reframe cultural norms, both personally and professionally, by exploring different perspectives and you will reflect on your personal leadership style to include the ‘big picture’ view.
Learn how to influence others and identify quick wins for transformative change
By looking at emergent organisational models and new ways of working, you’ll explore how to identify potential short-term wins involving a diversity of stakeholders, and how to create a mutually beneficial environment where collaboration can thrive to achieve positive outcomes and drive change.
At the end of the microcredential, you’ll develop your own action plan to reimagine and transform an aspect of your organisation for sustainability.
Become a catalyst for change guided by leading experts in sustainability
Over 10 weeks you’ll take weekly actions for sustainability, practice reflective learning through weekly journaling on the challenges you face and be empowered to become a catalyst for change. You’ll learn how to be inspired by nature, remain optimistic and share ‘facts with feeling’ to deliver impactful change.
The course is designed by Dr Victoria Hands, an experienced sustainability consultant and practitioner with a PhD in implementing sustainable development, with Emma Dewberry, a Senior Lecturer in Design Ecologies at The Open University.
What skills will you learn?
- Explaining the scientific facts of the climate crisis
- Understanding organisational contributions to sustainability agendas
- Designing a sustainability action plan
- Critical thinking and leadership
- Reflective learning
- Collaborative working
- Organisational innovation
- Big picture thinking
- Inclusive communication
What you will achieve
By the end of the microcredential, you’ll be able to...
- Explain the scientific facts of the climate and ecological crises
- Re-examine your own perspectives about the urgent need for action on sustainability
- Involve a diversity of stakeholders to identify potential quick wins for transformative change
- Demonstrate your own collaborative leadership skills by engaging and influencing others to effect change
- Critique the impact of past and present actions for sustainability to inform future action
- Design a sustainability action plan appropriate for your organisation which will effect long-term change
- Distinguish how you and your organisation uniquely contribute to sustainability agendas including just transition, industrial decarbonisation, the green skills agenda, and the Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy (LCREE)
Are you eligible for this microcredential?
This is an undergraduate level course, suitable for anyone interested in transforming their organisation for sustainability. No previous qualifications or experience are required.
The course is relevant to learners in organisations of any size and sector but doesn’t assume learners are currently working. The weekly sustainability actions and action plan design can be applied at the individual or community level.
Is this microcredential right for you?
This microcredential is designed for:
- Anyone looking to develop their skills and advance their career in sustainability
- Professionals aiming to lead climate positive transformation, regardless of role or level
- Those who have identified an opportunity to implement sustainability within their organisation, but are unsure about the solutions and tools to use
- People seeking new ways of working to add sustainability know-how to their skills set
- Anyone involved or aiming to get involved with a private, public or voluntary sector sustainability related project
Syllabus
What happens before, during, and after your microcredential
Before learning
You’ll have access to our online welcome area where you’ll be able to read any announcements relating to your microcredential.
Before the course starts, you’ll be encouraged to research sustainability practices or a sustainability issue so they can be discussed in forum conversations on the course.
Course
From 28 Mar 2022
Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability
Develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead change for sustainability in your organisation, from The Open University
10 weeks
10 hours per week
After learning
Once you’ve successfully completed the microcredential, you’ll receive your academic credits from The Open University. You’ll also have ongoing access to the course materials.
You will be able to apply your new knowledge, skills, and perspectives to implement positive actions in your organisation.
What you will receive
10 UK credits at Undergraduate level from The Open University
Credits are awarded on passing the final assessment.
The assessment is in three parts. You’ll submit a summary action plan for a sustainability initiative in your organisation (approx. 1,000 words). You’ll explain the facts, frameworks and tools you have drawn upon and why (approx. 250 words), and summarise your reflective learning weekly journal which you’ll complete throughout the course (approx. 250 words).
Find out how credits work and where you can use them in our FAQs.
A Certificate from The Open University
You’ll receive an Open University certificate confirming that you have received 10 academic credits at undergraduate level.
What is a microcredential?
Microcredentials are designed to upskill you for work in rapidly-growing industries, without the time and cost commitment of a full degree. Your microcredential can stand alone as an independent credential, and some also offer academic credit to use towards a degree.
Complete online courses led by experts over 12-16 weeks with a dedicated group of professionals.
Test your understanding with online tutor-marked assessments and exercises.
Finish your learning and pass your assessments to gain an accredited credential.
Use your microcredential as evidence of your specialised skills and progress further in your industry.
Career-focused learning by The Open University
As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Delivered by experts
Dr Victoria Hands is an experienced sustainability practitioner. She advises The Open University on sustainability, promoting the ‘five ways of working’ from the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps, but you can complete them as quickly or slowly as you like
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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When would you like to start?
We aim to run our microcredentials every few months. Join on the date that suits you or register to hear about future runs and updates.
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Find out more
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FAQ
We can accept payments made by card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) or PayPal via our online system.
You will have 14 days from the day the course starts to apply for a refund. You can find more information in our cancellation and refund policy.
Microcredentials are designed to fit around your life and timezone.
There may be live events as part of your studies, but these will be recorded and can be watched afterwards if you aren’t online for the live broadcast.
No, microcredentials are designed to be taken anywhere in the world. You won’t need the right to study in the country where the university offering the microcredential is based.
Microcredentials are stand-alone products, designed to meet specific learner and employer needs and offer a credential in their own right. Those awarded by The Open University have a credit value at either undergraduate or postgraduate level, and this may in the future be used towards qualifications (for example, a Bachelor’s Degree, Diploma of Higher Education or Postgraduate Certificate) at The Open University, or potentially at another university (subject to the agreement of the receiving institution).
Want to know more? Read the microcredential FAQs, or contact us.