Online Microcredential in Nature & Environment

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.

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Overview
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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 current 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 course, you’ll submit an assessment which is marked and graded by subject matter experts.

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. At the end of the course, you’ll submit an assessment which is marked and graded by subject matter experts.

The course is designed by Dr Victoria Hands, Director of Sustainability at The Open University, who is an experienced sustainability practitioner with a PhD in implementing sustainable development. You’ll learn how to be inspired by nature, remain optimistic and share ‘facts with feeling’ to deliver impactful change.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds DR.

Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds VICTORIA HANDS: The climate and ecological crises facing our beautiful planet are real. And they are happening now. Individual action will not be sufficient to secure a sustainable future. Organisations must take rapid and radical action for systems-level change. Only then can we make the just transition to a low carbon society. This course believes everyone, whatever their role, has the ability to transform their organisation’s response through applying five new ways of working. Over 10 weeks, you will learn the scientific facts behind climate change. And with the help of inspirational leaders in the field, you will challenge your existing assumptions about sustainability and develop your own leadership capabilities.

Skip to 1 minute and 2 seconds You will discover new perspectives and understand the power of collaboration and gain the heart and courage to deliver a more optimistic future.

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 thoughts and feelings on the urgent need for action on sustainability
  • Involve a range 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.

The course has a global focus and delivers transferable skills for diverse sectors and organisations.

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 information relating to your microcredential.

    Before the course starts, you are encouraged to research sustainability practices or a sustainability issue so they can be discussed in forum conversation

  • Course

    From 8 Jul 2024

    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

    Your submitted assessment will be marked and graded by subject matter experts. You’ll continue to have ongoing access to the course materials.

What you will receive

10 UK credits at Undergraduate level from The Open University and a Certificate

Academic credits are awarded on passing the final assessment. These will be at undergraduate level 6 of the Framework for Higher Education (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) / level 10 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.

Find out how credits work and where you can use them in our FAQs.

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.

Learn online with expert instructors

Complete online courses led by experts over multiple weeks with a dedicated group of professionals.

Complete project-based assessments

Test your understanding with online tutor-marked assessments and exercises.

Earn a professional credential

Finish your learning and pass your assessments to gain an accredited credential.

Advance further in your career

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

    1969

  • Location

    Milton Keynes, UK

  • World ranking

    Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020

Delivered by experts

Emma Dewberry

Emma Dewberry is a Senior Lecturer of Design at The Open University. Her research explores sustainable design, design education and eco-literacies to enable creative responses to ecological crises.

Victoria Hands

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.

Claudia Eckert

Claudia Eckert is a Professor of Design at the Open University. Her research focusses on empirical studies of development processes of complex products and tools, methods and concepts to support them

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • 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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FAQ

How can I pay for a microcredential?

We can accept payments made by card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) or PayPal via our online system.

If I pay for this microcredential, how much time will I have to change my mind?

You will have 14 days from the day the course starts to apply for a refund. If this Microcredential has any non-refundable costs they will be stated in the ‘Overview’ section above. You can find more information in our cancellation and refund policy.

Do I have to be available at specific times during the day?

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.

Do I need to have the right to study in a particular country?

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.

Where can I use my academic credit from this microcredential?

Microcredentials are stand-alone courses designed to meet specific learner and employer needs. Those awarded by The Open University have academic credit value at either undergraduate or postgraduate level, and, if appropriate, this may be used towards selected Open University qualifications. For more details, including eligible qualifications, visit The Open University’s Counting microcredentials towards OU qualifications page.

The credit awarded may potentially be used at another university, subject to the agreement of the receiving institution.

Want to know more? Read the microcredential FAQs, or contact us.