Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Practitioner Cert HE

In this module, you’ll explore how businesses can make a positive difference in the world. You’ll look at the principles of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) and what it means in practice.

We’ll look at some of the big social and environmental challenges shaping how businesses operate today — both in the UK and globally. You’ll also see how responsible business practices can benefit organisations, communities, and wider society.

You’ll be introduced to key project management principles, helping you understand how change happens and how to manage it effectively. The module also supports your professional development by introducing the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) Competency Framework, which sets out the skills and behaviours valued in this field.

By the end of the module, you'll be able to:

• Understand and apply key CR&S concepts and frameworks
• Evaluate local, national and global sustainability challenges that affect businesses
• Understand business structures and what motivates them to apply CR&S activities
• Analyse how businesses both contribute to and address social and environmental chalenges
• Apply theory of change principles to check how the business has changed as a result of implementing CR&S policies and actions
• Understand the principles of project management to plan CR&S projects

This module gives you a solid grounding in environmental and sustainability principles. You’ll explore a wide range of topics in environmental, sustainability and governance principles. As well as gaining the management tools and skills to make a positive impact in this growing field.

We’ll go beyond basic compliance to look at the bigger picture. Exploring how environmental issues affect organisations across the world and why sustainability matters to every business.

When you successfully complete this module, you’ll achieve the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Practitioner (ISEP) Foundation Certificate in Sustainability & Environmental Management.
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By the end of the module, you wil be able to:

• Understand how global environmental trends affect society, the economy and business
• Outline sustainable business/governance principles and their relationships with organisations
• Explain environmental principles as they apply to organisations and their activities
• Describe major policy and legislation and their implications for organisations
• Outline major tools, techniques and practices used to identify opportunities and risks and improve sustainability performance
• Identify and propose methods to improve performance
• Understand the role of innovation, best practice and research opportunities to deliver sustainable solutions
• Colect data, perform analysis and evaluate information
• Engage with stakeholders through effective communication and capturing feedback
• Support the transition towards sustainability

In this module, you’ll learn how to assess an organisation’s social, environmental, and economic impact. You’ll use different data gathering, auditing, and impact assessment tools to understand how an organisation performs and where it can improve. You’ll also explore the opportunities, challenges, and risks linked to an organisation’s activities. You'll carry out your own impact assessment to identify priorities for future business strategy. ​

By the end of the module, you'll be able to:

• Collect and input CR&S data from across a business in line with mandatory reporting requirements e.g. Modern Slavery Act, Gender Pay Gap etc
• Identify and escalate relevant social and environmental risks to the business
• Recognise what the risks are to the organisation’s reputation, whether through action or inaction. Be able to recommend actions to remedy the issues
• Keep abreast of latest social and environmental issues; ensure the organisation can react to current and future opportunities and challenges
• Help the organisation take part in industry rankings and memberships that measure its social and environmental impact. These might include programmes such as the Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business Tracker, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Social Mobility Employer Index, the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, or GivX

Entering third level education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all students to make the most of the opportunities Higher Education provides, so they reach their potential, become lifelong learners, and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is quite a journey.

This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you’ll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition.

This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete various mini tasks. You’ll proceed at your own pace, though we expect all students to have completed their ‘Into ARU’ exploration by week 6. Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete by that date, will be signposted to existing services so that we can be confident that they are supported.

In this module, you’ll explore how legislation, policy, finance, and economics can shape an organisation's Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy.

You’ll also look at the growing role of green finance, funding options, and environmental accounting. You'll learn how economic principles can help drive sustainability projects and create lasting positive impact.

By the end of the module, you'll be able to

• Support the development of a business’s corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy
• Identify relevant social and environmental risks to the business because of non-compliance, unethical practices, or lack of funds
• Recognise risks to an organisation’s corporate reputation, whether through action or inaction. Be able to recommend actions to remedy
• Align funding and spending to corporate responsibility and sustainability mission/values/objectives. Develop fundraising strategies and activities to support projects and campaigns
• Prepare reports on compliance and funding to the senior leadership team.

In this module, you’ll learn how to design, deliver, and review a strong Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy. One that supports an organisation’s goals and creates lasting positive change.

You’ll discover how to embed sustainability into everyday business decisions, engage stakeholders, build effective teams, and manage change. You’ll also learn how to measure and report on impact and put systems in place to make sure an organisation stays accountable and on track.

At the end of this module, you’ll be able to:

• Select justify and apply recognised frameworks to support your organisation’s governance aspirations
• Apply project management methods to help develop CR&S strategy and plans
• Use CR&S principles for developing strategies and reporting methodologies within the organisation
• Identify stakeholders and undertake a stakeholder mapping exercise
• Develop a communication plan to suit the audience
• Evaluate and select a campaign approach
• Develop and manage a team
• Create a project plan for a campaign
• Develop a budget for the campaign
• Launch the campaign and reflect on outcomes
• Contribute to wider business goals and priorities
• Create internal methods for progress reporting on performance