ESCP and continuing education dedicated to the ecological transition

Companies are becoming increasingly aware that adopting a sustainable approach not only benefits the planet but also improves the efficiency and competitiveness of their organisation. While the demand for sustainability skills¹ is undeniable, there is an acute shortage of the training needed to meet it.

For example, the Austrian Economic Chamber estimates that by 2023, 47.2% of companies in Austria lacked environmental skills. The most sought-after skills include sustainable electricity production, waste prevention and energy-saving strategies. ²

According to a report by ManpowerGroup, one of the world's largest placement groups, 82% of German and 80% of French employers reported difficulties in filling vacancies in these areas, with similar trends in Italy, Spain, Ireland and the UK. ³

At a time when critical gaps are appearing in this field, ESCP is bridging this growing green skills gap through continuing education programs, enabling professionals to drive sustainable innovation and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

¹ Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft (June 1, 2023). Kann der Bedarf an umweltrelevanten Kompetenzen / Green Skills in Ihrem Unternehmen derzeit gedeckt werden? [Graph]. In Statista. Zugriff am 07. Oktober 2024, von https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1423289/umfrage/bedarfsdeckung-bei-green-skills-in-oesterreich/

² Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft (June 1, 2023). Bei welchen umweltrelevanten Kompetenzen / Green Skills gibt es in Ihrem Unternehmen einen steigenden Bedarf? [Graph]. In Statista. Zugriff am 07. Oktober 2024, von https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1423308/umfrage/bedarf-an-green-skills-in-oesterreich-nach-kompetenzen/

³ Manpower (January 16, 2024). Employer self-reported difficulty in finding talented candidates for open positions in Europe from 2023 to 2024, by country (by percentage of employers surveyed) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1445495/employers-self-reporting-talent-scarcity-europe/

1. Open Program: ESG and Sustainability for Innovation Leaders: for basic and flexible courses

Duration: 3.5 days
Format: face-to-face on the Berlin campus
Language: English

This program offers participants a broader view of integrating sustainability into business. Designed for mid-to senior-level executives, it offers tools, frameworks and best practices for managing ESG and sustainability. During the 3.5-day program, the authors of the book Sustainable Business Model Design: 45 Patterns, Prof. Dr. Lüdeke-Freund, Prof. Dr. Henning Breuer and Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Massa, will guide participants through workshops, company visits and case studies to explore the opportunities that ESG and sustainability represent for business.

2. Program: ESCP Extension: Sustainability - Accelerate the ecological and energy transition in your career

Duration: 150 hours over 8 months
Format: Online with 3 days of classroom training on the Paris campus
Language: French

ESCP's Extension Sustainability program is designed to develop professional skills aimed at fostering the ecological transformation of organisations. Aimed at managers and professionals wishing to integrate sustainability into their current role or move into a Sustainability position, it addresses the main challenges of ecological transition. The program focuses on the global context, regulations (e.g. CSRD), and the concrete implementation of ecological transition in one's field of activity, with a "soft skills" module focusing on organisational change, leadership and agile project management. The course starts online in March 2025, and the in-person seminar that follows focuses on the immediate application of these skills in a group project.

3. Open Program: CSR: Understand to act with Lefebvre-Dalloz - A quick and effective introduction

Duration: 7 hours
Format: Online
Language: French

For those interested in the legal dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility, the new certificate in partnership with Lefebvre Dalloz offers an overview of recent CSR regulations in relation to the European CSRD directive. This course enables participants to understand the societal stakes, basic concepts, impacts and terms of CSR.

4. Certificate: A successful carbon footprint and corporate climate strategy with WeCount - Understanding and reducing an organisation's carbon footprint

Duration: 8 days over 3 months
Format: Hybrid
Language: French

More and more companies are tracking and taking into account their carbon footprint, especially as regulations (including the CSRD) become increasingly stringent. That's why, in partnership with WeCount, ESCP has designed a program tailored to companies of all sizes. It enables participants to learn not only how to calculate but also how to plan for a reduction in the organization's carbon footprint.

5. Short program: Circul'R: Leader in the circular economy - Integrating the circular economy into your business

Duration: 5 half-days
Format: Hybrid
Language: French
Location: Paris

The circular economy is an essential pillar of sustainability. In partnership with Circul'R, an expert consultancy in the field, this training program helps participants design and implement circular economy strategies. The plan includes initiatives to promote circular practices throughout the product life cycle, focusing on reducing waste and improving resource efficiency.

Designed in partnership with Circul'R, this blended learning program equips participants with the academic knowledge and practical tools to implement a circular economy strategy within their organisation.

6. Executive Master in Future Energy - In-depth exploration of the energy sector

Duration: 18 months (part-time) - 360 course hours
Language: English
Location: Berlin, London, Madrid or 100% online

Finally, ESCP has developed an Executive Master in Energy of the Future, which addresses a critical aspect of sustainability issues: the energy transition. Targeting professionals with at least five years' experience (Master's) or eight years' experience (Bachelor's), this program provides in-depth knowledge of leading energy technologies, industries and markets while offering a unique opportunity to discover three key European energy markets thanks to its blended learning option (Berlin, London, Madrid).

7. Sustainability capsule courses - Taking a closer look at specific transition themes

Duration: 1 hour (self-paced)
Language: English
Format: 100% online

For express training on certain key concepts, ESCP offers three micro-courses in capsule form.

The "Sustainable Purchasing" capsule helps you understand the fundamentals of this important issue. Led by expert teacher Joe Miemczyk, it covers topics such as existing labels and standards and best practices in the field.
The "Sustainable Finance" capsule is led by Christophe Thibierge, professor and author of the book of the same name. Designed to provide participants with the key concepts in the field, the program addresses issues such as balancing risk and return, profitability testing and the carbon tax.
Finally, "Stakeholders & Materiality" explores the integration of sustainability into corporate strategy, particularly through stakeholder integration. A case study illustrates how these concepts are applied in practice, focusing on sustainability management as a central element of corporate strategy.

Program	Duration	Format	Language
ESG and Sustainability (Berlin)	3.5 days	Presential	English
ESCP Extension: Sustainability	150 hours (8 months)	Online + face-to-face	French
CSR with Lefebvre-Dalloz	7 hours	On line	French
Carbon footprint with WeCount	8 days (over 3 months)	Blended (Paris and online)	French
A circular economy leader with Circul'R	5 half-days	Blended	French
Executive Master in Future Energy	18 months	Blended (Berlin, London, Madrid)	English
Sustainability capsule courses	1 hour	Online (self-paced)	English

Campus

Paris