Consumers are increasingly concerned with aligning their values with their spending habits. Areas like labor rights, sustainability, and charitable giving affect a corporation\u2019s brand and reputation with consumers. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is when a business recognizes its influence in society and commits to positive changes. What do CSR strategies look like? Where does a corporation start? For this guide, we examined ten courses on the topic. They are all available online from Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn. All courses can be audited for free, though some may limit material access. For a fee, you can upgrade for complete access, grading, and a certificate. If the fee is too expensive, many courses offer financial aid to students.<\/p>\n
#1. Global sustainability and corporate social responsibility: Be sustainable (Macquarie University)<\/a> These days, organizations can\u2019t afford to focus only on profit. Stakeholders expect more. To be competitive internationally, organizations must recognize their societal impact while balancing financial success. This course is part 3 of 4 of the Strategising: Management for Global Competitive Advantage Specialization. It\u2019s also part of the Global Master of Business Administration (Global MBA) degree. Edward Wray Bliss, an Associate Professor in the Department of Management, teaches the course.<\/p>\n This beginner course is divided into six weeks of study and takes about 27 hours total. Coursework consists of videos, readings, practice exercises, and quizzes at the end of each week. To pass the quizzes, you\u2019ll need at least an 80%. If you\u2019re taking the free audit track, you can view the quizzes, but can\u2019t submit your answers for a grade. At the time of writing, this course had a 4.8\/5 user rating.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n This course introduces students to world-leading sustainability and corporate social responsibility practices. Focusing on Scandinavian firms like Novo Nordisk, which lead the major sustainability and CSR performance indicators, this course examines what managers and firms anywhere in the world can learn. Dr. Robert Strand, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, teaches the course.<\/p>\n This beginner\u2019s course is divided into six weeks and takes about 13 hours. Coursework consists of videos, readings, discussion prompts, graded quizzes, and a peer-graded assignment. There are eight quizzes each worth 10% of your grade. The peer-graded assignment, which is a summary and reflection of what was covered in the course, is worth 20%. You\u2019ll also need to review three of your peers\u2019 assignments. You can see the quizzes with the audit track, but to submit anything for a grade, you\u2019ll need to take the paid tier track of the course. At the time of writing, \u201cSustainable Vikings\u201d had a 4.7\/5 user rating.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n This course introduces students to the basics of impact investing and creating a business strategy that drives social impact. Students will learn good business practices and innovative, effective strategies for positive social impact. By the course\u2019s end, individuals, organizations, and investors will understand how to lead with purpose. Wharton professors Katherine Klein (Edward H. Bowman Professor Management) and Chris Geczy (Adjunct Professor Finance) teach the course. It\u2019s part 4 of 4 in the Business Strategies for a Better World Specialization.<\/p>\n Divided into four weeks, this course takes around 11 hours total to complete. Coursework includes videos, readings, and four 30-minute module quizzes. Each is worth 25% of your grade. While you can see the quiz questions, grading is locked in the paid tier track. To pass, you must receive a 70% or higher. At the time of writing, the course had a 4.6\/5 user rating.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Based on Professor Sarah Kaplan\u2019s course at the Rotman School of Management and book \u201cThe 360\u00b0 Corporation: From Stakeholder Trade-offs to Transformation,\u201d this course introduces students to CSR, sustainability, stakeholder capitalism, and more. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, social responsibility is more important than ever, and this course will help students reexamine the role of business in society. Anyone can benefit from this course, not just people with roles in social responsibility, racial equity, sustainability, and so on. Sarah Kaplan leads the course, which was developed with support from the University of Toronto and the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship at the Rotman School of Management.<\/p>\n The course is divided into four weeks and takes around nine hours total to complete. Coursework consists of readings, videos, practice quizzes, discussion prompts, and graded assignments. The graded assignments are weekly reviews each worth 25% of your grade. To pass, you\u2019ll need an 80% or higher. With the free audit track, you can see the review questions but will need to upgrade to the paid track to receive a grade. At the time of writing, the course had a 4.7\/5 user rating.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n The UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development calls for balanced economic, social, and environmental development. How do organizations take on the challenge of this call to action while generating business opportunities and value for stakeholders? This course explores how by discussing ideas and examples on CSR and how to transition into new opportunities. Maurizio Zollo, Dean\u2019s Chaired Professor in Strategy and Sustainability in the Management and Technology Department, teaches the course.<\/p>\n \u201cCorporate Sustainability\u201d is divided into six weeks of study or about 16 hours total. Coursework consists of videos, readings, discussion prompts, and graded assignments. There are five weekly quizzes (each worth 15% of your grade) and a final essay where you must describe a case of a change initiative towards a sustainable enterprise in marketing, HR, governance, or another area from the course. You must review two of your peers\u2019 essays, too. To pass quizzes, you need an 80% or higher. The free audit track lets you see the questions, but to receive a grade and earn a certificate, you\u2019ll need to take the paid track of the course. At the time of writing, the course had a 4.6\/5 user rating.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n This edX course is designed for anyone who wants to run a business and make a systemic, positive, and sustainable impact. The tools and knowledge gained can be adapted for many sectors, locations, and community contexts. It\u2019s led by Peter Frumkin, professor at the School of Social Policy and Practice, Research Director at The Satell Institute, and Faculty Director at the Center for Social Impact Strategy.<\/p>\n This CSR course is currently archived, but all the materials are still available. Because it\u2019s archived, it\u2019s completely self-paced. You can set weekly learning goals for 1 day a week, 3 days a week, or 5 days a week. Coursework includes videos, discussion questions, quizzes, and forums. The forums aren\u2019t active in the archive, but you can read past discussions.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n On a global level, companies are investing resources into CSR. In this course, students will learn what CSR is, why it matters, and how to implement strategies. Anyone interested in industry, public policy, or academics working in CSR will benefit. Current and future business leaders will also learn how to embrace responsible leadership and sustainable production. The course is led by Val\u00e9rie Swaen (Professor, Corporate Social Responsibility and Marketing), Barbara Dupont, and Jessica Lieberman.<\/p>\n When in session, the course takes nine weeks with 5-7 hours a week. After class sessions, the course is archived. Many materials will remain accessible, but discussion forums and any grading are no longer active. Coursework includes videos, interviews, exercises, and case studies of Solvay Group and Nestl\u00e9. If you take the audit track during an active session, your access to course materials is limited and expires after about a month.<\/p>\n REGISTER HERE<\/a><\/p>\n As companies spend more time and resources on corporate social responsibility, how do they organize their reporting on performance and activities? How do companies avoid \u201cCSR-washing?\u201d Is everything communicated to all stakeholders? This edX course explores these questions and offers benefits to anyone, including business managers, teachers, and anyone interested in more informed consumer choices. If you\u2019re interested in understanding CSR and examining it with critical thinking, this is a great choice. The instructors are Val\u00e9rie Swaen (Professor, Corporate Social Responsibility and Marketing), Barbara Dupont, and Jessica Lieberman.<\/p>\n When in session, this self-paced course takes nine weeks with 6-7 hours per week. When a class session ends, it\u2019s archived, but many of the materials are still available. Coursework includes videos, interviews, and multiple-choice quizzes. Because \u201cCSR Reporting and Communication\u201d is an intermediate course, prior knowledge of CSR is helpful. The instructors recommend taking \u201cDiscovering Corporate Social Responsibility\u201d first. If you take the audit track during an active session, your access to course materials is limited and expires after about a month.<\/p>\n
\n#2. Sustainable Vikings: Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility in Scandinavia (Copenhagen Business School)<\/a>
\n#3. Business Strategies for Social Impact (Wharton University of Pennsylvania Online)<\/a>
\n#4. The 360\u00b0 Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose (University of Toronto)<\/a>
\n#5. Corporate Sustainability: Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity (Universita Bocconi)<\/a>
\n#6. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Strategic Approach (University of Pennsylvania and The Satell Institute)<\/a>
\n#7. Discovering Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Louvain X)<\/a>
\n#8. CSR Reporting and Communication (Louvain X)<\/a>
\n#9. From Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Social Innovation (Babson X)<\/a>
\n#10. Responsible Marketing And The Fundamentals of Corporate Social Responsibility (University of Central Lancashire)<\/a><\/p>\n#1. Global sustainability and corporate social responsibility: Be sustainable (Macquarie University) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#2. Sustainable Vikings: Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility in Scandinavia (Copenhagen Business School) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#3. Business Strategies for Social Impact (Wharton University of Pennsylvania Online) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#4. The 360\u00b0 Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose (University of Toronto) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#5. Corporate Sustainability: Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity (Universita Bocconi) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#6. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Strategic Approach (The University of Pennsylvania and The Satell Institute) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#7. Discovering Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Louvain X) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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#8. CSR Reporting and Communication (Louvain X) <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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