With new micro-credential, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and BCIT aim to raise the province’s ESG game

Credit: BCIT

Through training from instructors and industry leaders, the program will help organizations reap the benefits of a robust environmental, social and governance strategy

A growing force for good in business just met one of the hottest trends in education, courtesy of two local players.

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) and BCIT have launched the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Fundamentals Microcredential. This new program aims to help give British Columbians the skills they need to put the province at the head of the global ESG movement, according to the two partners.

BCIT is delivering the micro-credential, which is available exclusively to GVBOT members, via 24 hours of training over five weeks by instructors and industry experts. Through assignments, participants will learn how to design and implement an ESG strategy at their organization. They will also earn badges in four areas: governance impacts, social impacts, environmental impacts and ESG roadmap.

READ MORE: 2021 Education Guide: Micro-credentials are catching on at B.C. universities and colleges

“BCIT has been at the forefront of connecting education with industry and government to power economic sustainability, resilience and growth,” Jennifer Figner, BCIT’s associate vice-president, academic operations, said in a release. “This newly developed ESG Fundamentals Microcredential program will help industries master in-demand competencies that are relevant for building an agile workforce with sustained and meaningful impact.”  

The partners cite research from RBC Global Asset Management showing that 75 percent of institutional investors now incorporate ESG principles into their investment process. And in PwC’s 2021 Consumer Intelligence Series survey on ESG, 83 percent of consumers polled said they think companies should actively shape ESG best practices.

READ MORE: It’s a Good Thing: Institutional investors—including B.C. players—put sustainability at the fore of financial decision-making

“We are witnessing a fundamental paradigm shift in the way organizational practices are evaluated, and we are pleased to be working alongside BCIT to help businesses quantify and communicate the core values embedded in their operations,” said Bridgitte Anderson, president and CEO of the GVBOT. “This program has been designed to bridge the gap between the evolving demands of the global business and investment communities, and organizations which have yet capitalize on the benefits of a robust ESG strategy.”

You can apply for the ESG Fundamentals Microcredential program here.