Academic Requirements

Please note, these courses have not yet been updated for incoming 2025-2026 students.

0.5 required courses: To complete the Certificate you must successfully complete HBA1 and one of the following HBA2 courses:

• 4620 Impact Assessment (0.5 course)
• 4553 Social Enterprise (0.5 course)

Please note: Should you wish to take both courses, one will count as required and the other as one of the two electives towards the completion of the Certificate

1.0 electives: In addition to the 0.5 required course, students must take 1.0 credits from the following. These 1.0 credits must be unique from your required course. For instance, if you select 4553 Social Enterprise as your required course, you must choose 1.0 additional elective courses to complete the certificate.

• 4647 Technology and Humanity (0.5 course)
• 4525 International Business Environment Studies: Service Learning in Africa (0.5 course) – not offered in 2024/25
• 4564 Design-Driven Innovation (0.5 course)
• 4580 Reputation Management (0.5 course)
• 4495 Building Consumer Brands (0.5 course) (must opt to do their final course project on a Sustainability-oriented brand/organization)
• 4619 The Performing Leader (0.5 course)
• 4499 Case Writing or Research Project (0.5 course)
• 4500 Learning from Leaders (0.5 course) – not offered in 2024/25
• 4663Q Systems Thinking in an Age of Disruption (0.25 course)
• 4664A The Art of Social Entrepreneurship (0.5 course)
• 4660T ESG In-Action (0.25 course) – not offered in 2024/25
• TRC-In-Action "Reconciling Business Schools workshop" (.25 course) will be offered August 19-23, 2024 Click here to learn more

Engagement Requirements

Sustainability certificate students are expected to engage in 4 extracurricular events, two in September and two more in March. Events are mandatory for all students with the exception of students with class conflicts who should attend class as scheduled and record their absence from the mandatory extracurricular events one week in advance. Students will also get exclusive access to optional speaker events throughout the year (not currently listed).

• Live case: rapid response to real-time dilemmas presented by the executive team of a large company (September)
• Field Trip: on-site hands-on activities hosted by multiple leaders & organizations (September)
• Worldchangers: a showcase of “Sustainability by Ivey” featuring Ivey alumni who have started sustainable start-ups or are leading sustainability strategies (March)
• Journey to Purpose (Graduation): a keynote presentation, the unveiling of the purpose statements for the graduating cohort, and networking with Ivey faculty, alumni and the incoming certificate cohort (March)

Purpose Statements

Students will be asked to write and submit a brief (200 words maximum) purpose statement and an mp4 video recording of their declaration of purpose on LEARN by March 10, 2025. A short documentary feature combining all statements that will be released at our final event, Journey to Purpose. Preparation steps, including templates and worksheets are available on LEARN.

Exchange

Students going on exchange in the second term must complete all core courses at Ivey but can substitute 0.5 electives with sustainability-related courses offered by your host institution. Students must obtain pre-approval from the Sustainability Certificate Program and the HBA Program Office for these substitutions before leaving on exchange.

Mentorship

Sustainability mentors, Ivey alumni working in sustainability-related fields or roles, many of whom are also alumni of the certificate program, will support students throughout the year. Mentorship marathons are scheduled for mid-September. Mentors return to join the two extracurricular events in March.