Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Management

Overview

The challenge of building long-term value for stakeholders at the same time as embracing economic, social and environmental risks and opportunities is of growing significance on the corporate governance agenda.  

Meeting this challenge requires a fresh mindset and a toolkit of professional and research-inspired knowledge and skills.  

The unique Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Management programme from University of York draws on the academic expertise and professional experience of the Department of Environment and Geography and The York Management School, alongside industry-leading guest speakers working in the corporate sustainability sphere.  You will have the opportunity to combine the study of sustainability-driven business models, techniques and tools with legal, ethical, financial, governance, accountability, marketing and organisational aspects.

Our postgraduate teaching is informed by our research as well as top-level international and national level experience in consultancy, industry and professional practice.  Our research includes work in areas as diverse as corporate social responsibility, ethical marketing, social enterprises, corporate governance, international business and risk management, sustainability policy and governance, climate change, pollution, supply chains and their interface with ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation and wildlife management.

Careers and skills

This course is suitable if you are aiming for a corporate sustainability related role in the for-profit or not-for-profit sectors. This role is central to industrial and business activities of all kinds, with many these days employing dedicated specialists, or teams of specialists, or allocating tasks across a range of job functions. The banking, finance and insurance sectors in particular are showing growing leadership on climate-change risks and responsible investment. As such, the range of opportunities for developing a career in this area of practice is growing.

Career opportunities

This course will be of interest if you are aiming for a career in the following areas:

• Environmental management
• Sustainability consultancy
• Supply chain analysis
• Government or policy-making
• Think-tanks/research
• Civil society organisations
• International agencies