Certificate Overview
The Corporate Sustainability and Innovation Graduate Certificate develops your command of the frameworks and practices that embed sustainability into how organizations operate and grow. In four courses, you’ll explore carbon accounting, operational efficiency, financial planning, sustainable investment, and ESG-aligned strategy.
Designed for professionals seeking to lead sustainability initiatives, this fully online certificate gives you the flexibility to build expertise on your schedule.
96%
Of certificate earners would recommend the program
90%
Said the certificate prepared them for their next career steps
Skills You'll Gain
Through the Corporate Sustainability and Innovation Graduate Certificate, you’ll learn to:
- Apply corporate sustainability principles — including carbon accounting, cost reduction, and operational efficiency — to achieve specific objectives.
- Develop management systems and performance frameworks for sustainability practices for use in a variety of organizations.
- Approach financial planning through the lens of sustainability and with a deeper knowledge of financial analysis, financing, valuation, risk assessment, and sustainable investments.
- Effectively navigate and lead through significant organizational change.
Career Outcomes
Demand for corporate sustainability professionals continues to grow as organizations work to embed ESG principles into business strategy, operations, and financial performance.
Corporate Sustainability and Innovation Graduate Certificate earners are employed at organizations like:
- Accenture
- Ceres
- Environmental Resource Management
- Honeywell International
- IBM
- Microsoft
- World Bank
They hold such titles as:
- Chief Executive
- Consultant
- Engineering Manager
- Management Analyst
- Marketing Manager
- Operations Manager
Courses
The Corporate Sustainability and Innovation Graduate Certificate includes four online courses:
- 2 to 4 core courses (at least two are required)
- Up to 2 elective courses (electives are not required)
Selecting courses. Multiple course options are available during fall, spring, and summer terms. Offerings vary by term. Explore current options in the DCE Course Search & Registration platform.
Upcoming Term: Fall 2026
Enroll in your first certificate course this fall — no application required.
Pre-registration opens July 6. Registration opens July 20 at 9 a.m. ET.
Featured Faculty
Marlon Banta
Director, Product Definition, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation
Michael Macrae, Ph.D.
Director, World Resources Institute
Ramon Sanchez
Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Stackable Certificates and Degrees
Stackable credentials allow you to earn multiple credentials by completing courses that meet overlapping requirements.
You may apply the two courses from one of the following microcertificates toward this certificate:
- Circular Economics Microcertificate
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Accounting Microcertificate
- Life Cycle Assessment Microcertificate
If you pursue a master’s degree in one of the following two fields, you can earn this graduate certificate along the way by completing courses that fulfill both certificate and degree requirements:
This approach allows you to build specialized knowledge while making measurable progress toward your goals.
I would never have been able to connect the dots of human activity, global environmental change, and the impact on equality and equity concretely otherwise without my time in Cambridge. Through my education, I learned how to deal with the challenges of working in the real world.
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in the field of Sustainability; Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation, '20
Tuition
Support and Resources
Access to career resources, including webinars, advising, and career fairs
Weekly virtual office hours with the student advising team
Affiliate membership in the Harvard Extension Alumni Association
Earning Your Certificate
If you take two courses per semester, you can complete your certificate in 8 months. If you prefer a more flexible pace, you have up to three years to finish.
There is no formal application required. You simply register for each course.
To meet the requirements for the certificate:
- Complete the four certificate courses for graduate credit.
- Earn at least a B grade in each course.
Complete all courses within three years of starting your first eligible certificate course.
Learn more about pursuing a certificate and the process of requesting your certificate.
