40+ Free Online ESG Courses

Below are more than 40 free online ESG courses to take this year, organized by topic, along with six places to find more free and affordable courses.

Introduction to ESG Courses

1.   ESG Risks and Opportunities — University of Pennsylvania — Coursera 2.   Introduction to ESG — Corporate Finance Institute 3.   Introduction to Sustainability — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Coursera

Sustainable Business Courses

4.   Business Models For Sustainability — Copenhagen Business School — Coursera 5.   Corporate Sustainability. Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity — Università Bocconi — Coursera 6.   Diploma in Sustainable Business— Saylor Academy — Alison 7.   How to Start a New Business and Integrate Sustainability — Alison 8.   Strategic Communication for Sustainability Leaders — University of Maryland — edX 9.   Strategy and Sustainability — IESE Business School — Coursera 10. Sustainability in Corporations and Businesses — Alison 11.  The Materiality of ESG Factors — University of Pennsylvania — Coursera

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

12.   Age of Sustainable Development — SDGAcademy — edX 13.   Data Science on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  — Udemy 14.   Driving Business Towards the Sustainable Development Goals — Erasmus University Rotterdam — Coursera 15.   Impact Measurement & Management for the SDGs — Duke University — Coursera 16.   Introduction to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — Udemy 17.   The Science and Practice of Sustainable Development — The University of Queensland — edX 18.   The Sustainable Development Goals – A Global, Transdisciplinary Vision for the Future — University of Copenhagen — Coursera 19.   Transforming Our World: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals — SDGAcademy — edX

Social Impacts

20.   Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace — ESSEC Business School — Coursera

21.  Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Challenging Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Exclusion— SDG Academy — edX22.  Inclusive Leadership: The Power of Workplace Diversity— University of Colorado — Coursera23.  Introduction to Corporate Sustainability, Social Innovation and Ethics— Imperial College Business School — edX24.  Work and Employment for a Sustainable Future— SDGAcademy — edX

Environmental Management

25.   Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach — Wageningen — edX

26.  Circular Economy: An Introduction— TUDelft — edX27.  Circular Economy - Sustainable Materials Management— Lund University — Coursera28.  Climate Action: Solutions for a Changing Planet— SDGAcademy — edX29.  Disaster Preparedness— University of Pittsburgh — Coursera 30.  Environmental Education: Biodiversity Overview— Alison31.  Environmental Education: Circular Economy— Alison32.  Environmental Education: Energy Calculations— Alison33.  Environmental Education: Transport— Alison34.  Environmental Gamechanger – Lead the Way to Sustainable Development— Wageningen — edX35.  Introduction to Environmental Sustainability Course Online— Alison36.  Online Sustainable Green Buildings Architecture Course— Alison37.  Scope 1: Greenhouse Gases Emissions Calculation Methodology— Udemy38.  Sustainable Energy— MIT — edX39.  Urban Transport and Sustainability— Alison

Governance

40.   Corporate Governance in Practice — Bina Nusantara University — Udemy 41.   CSR Disclosures and Ethics — Udemy 42.   Inclusive Growth: Governance — The International Monetary Fund — edX 43.   Operational Risk Management: Frameworks & Strategies — New York Institute of Finance — Coursera

Where to find free and affordable ESG courses

The 50 free ESG courses we listed above will teach you the basics as well provide you with some deeper knowledge of specific areas of sustainability practice. If you want to gain some additional certifications or you have more time and resources to invest in your education, here are some platforms you can check out. 

1. Coursera

Coursera offers over 5,200 free online courses from the world's leading companies and universities, including Google, Microsoft, Oxford, Yale, and Stanford. Learners can also choose the paid version of these courses, which includes access to graded assignments and a completion certificate. Courses start throughout the year, so be sure to check the catalog to find a course that works with your schedule. 

2. EdX

EdX is another online learning platform that offers free and paid courses. It was founded in 2012 by MIT and Harvard, and today edX partners with some of the world’s best institutions like Cambridge and the University of California Berkeley. Like Coursera, edX courses start at various times throughout the year.

3. Udemy

Udemy’s massive library of more than 204,000 courses is what sets it apart from other online learning platforms. Anyone can create free courses on Udemy, so be sure to read about your instructor’s prior experience before deciding which course to join.  

4. Alison

With over 4,000 free courses, Alison is another great place to learn online. Most of Alison’s offerings are short ‘micro-courses’, which is ideal if you only have a few hours to learn. Although you’ll find fewer courses from big-name universities like Harvard and Yale, Alison stands out from other online learning platforms because it offers five language options: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

5. SDG Academy

SDG Academy creates and curates free courses and educational materials on sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Courses are taught by instructors from the United Nations, the World Bank, universities, and other government and non-profit institutions.

6. Universities

As you may have noticed above, many universities offer free courses through platforms like Coursera and Udemy. However, there are also a number of paid courses available as well — some of which are eligible for credit toward a degree. For example, the University of Michigan offers a Sustainability and Development MasterTrack certificate program online through Coursera.