Listening to Yellow, by Coldplay, I coincidentally stumbled upon a sustainability report. By Coldplay. A band writing a sustainability report? Seems weird. But it’s a thing that Coldplay has been doing for a long time, before and after every tour of them. In this sustainability report, they highlight the measures undertaken by them in order to cut down on their carbon footprint and choose environmentally friendly alternatives wherever they can.
But what exactly does a sustainability report mean? How is it made? Who makes it? Are there any courses for it? Well, fret not. Admissify is there to help you out. For starters, sustainability reporting is a type of non-financial reporting that allows businesses to communicate their progress towards sustainability goals across a variety of parameters, including environmental, social, and governance metrics, as well as the risks and impacts they may face now or in the future. Any sustainability report operates on the principles of sustainable development. Read on to learn more about sustainable development, how you can know more about it, and what courses and colleges offer degrees in sustainable development for you to explore it as a career option.
About Sustainable Development
History
Simply put, sustainable development refers to the principle of usage of resources for development in such a manner, that it meets the needs of the present and does not compromise the ability of future generations to use the same resources for their future needs.
Sustainable Development as a concept was first introduced in the year 1987, in the Brundtland Report which mentioned sustainable development to be a concept that balanced environmental benefits, economic development, and social well-being. Further, the concept of Sustainable Development Goals was introduced in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, as 17 goals that are interlinked, to achieve the common objective of sustainable development to maintain environmental prosperity, and social well-being while generating economic profit.
Current Progress
Currently, the UN SDG report states that we’re on track to achieve a majority of the 17 SDGs. These sustainability reports for any company are formulated by Sustainability Officers, who keep a multitude of factors in mind while creating these reports. These require a keen understanding of the CSR laws, environmental laws and production processes chosen by a country. Hence, these require people who are skilled and knowledgeable in these relevant fields. To learn more about how you can be a part of this initiative, and explore it as a career option while studying abroad, read on!
Countries offering courses in Sustainability Development
To pursue a career in Sustainability Development, there are plenty of colleges across the globe which can harness your potential and help you make informed choices. These are not just limited to a country, but there are various courses along with colleges in plenty of countries and continents so that you can choose the ones that suit you better. To help you know more about these, Admissify is here as your study abroad consultant to solve all your queries and concerns to make sure that you have the best experience possible for your international education needs.
Courses and the colleges offering a degree in Sustainability Development and concerned fields:-
Colleges in the United States
| Name of College | Course Offered | Duration |
| Harvard University | Masters in Sustainability | 12 weeks |
| Tufts University | Master of Science in Sustainability | 12 months |
| Chatham University | Master of Sustainability | 2 years |
| Hoftsra University | Master of Arts in Sustainability | 1.5-2 years |
| Columbia University | Masters of Science in Sustainability | 16 months |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Masters of Science in Sustainable Systems | 1 year |
| American University | MS in Sustainability Management | 1 year |
Colleges in Europe
| Name of College | Country | Course Offered | Duration |
| Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | Sweden | Masters in Sustainable Development | 2 years |
| KTH Royal Institute of Technology | Sweden | MSc Sustainable Production Development | 2 years |
| University of Dundee | Scotland | Environmental Law LLM | 12 months |
| Kingston University | England | Environmental Law and Sustainability | 2 years |
| Dublin University | Ireland | Sustainable Development | 1 year |
Future Prospects
Sustainable Development and its concerning fields offer great prospects, owing to the newfound focus of organizations towards environmental care, electrification and renewable resources to be used. Along with this, recently governments have started to push companies towards more environmentally conscious practices, be it in terms of production processes and practices, or the construction of new offices.
Career Options
Some possible career options under sustainability development are:-
- Sustainability Consultant: As mentioned, when organizations and governments come together to opt for more sustainable practices, they often hire sustainability consultants to point out flaws in existing processes, and rectify or suggest alternate processes that minimize cost, maximise efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint towards being more socially responsible.
- Sustainability Specialist: It is an internal position in organizations, that focuses towards making the presence and efforts of a company towards sustainable development known through public engagement, by consciously working towards practising sustainable measures in all departments and wings of the organisation.
- Ecologist: Ecologists work in close quarters with governments, corporate organizations, environmentalists, and other bodies to work towards sustainable development to plan environmental restoration projects, and measure human impact on the earth due to industrialization, urbanisation, and pollution.
- Environmental Lawyers: An environmental lawyer works towards adopting sustainable practices, advising companies and representing clients on issues such as clean technology, employee practices and benefits, as well as community management over public land properties.
- Environment and Sustainability Planner: An environment and sustainability planner takes cognizance of an organization’s upcoming plans to assess any possible shortcomings and take necessary precautions in terms of the environmental implications of any new and upcoming projects.
- Green Building Professionals: The role of a green building professional is to be well versed in environmental aspects of the resources used in a building such as water, electricity, etc and to implement green practices, towards being more environmentally conscious.
- Environmental Engineers: Environmental engineers use their existing knowledge to collect, analyze and interpret existing data related to the environment and the influence of human life on it, to adopt and develop practices which help improve aspects such as waste disposal, public health, etc.
Summary
Sustainable development simply means using existing resources in such a manner that the current generation’s needs are satisfied while sufficing the needs of future generations without any compromise. Sustainable development, as a concept, was introduced more than 35 years ago by the United Nations General Assembly, in the Brundtland Report to promote economic development, social well-being and environmental progress. To further encourage the cause, Sustainable Development Goals were introduced which was a list of interlinked 17 goals, with an aim to fulfill these by 2030.
As a career option, sustainable development is at an all-time high given the renewed focus of organizations and governments towards environmental gains, and social upliftment. There are various career options with a great variety of courses across the globe, including the US and Europe. After these courses, some potential career options could be environmental law, ecology and sustainability officers amongst other options.
FAQs
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development simply means using existing resources in such a manner that the current generation’s needs are satisfied while sufficing the needs of future generations without any compromise.
Are there any careers in sustainability?
Yes, sustainability as a career is one of the up-and-coming fields with job options such as Sustainability Officers, Sustainability Experts, Environmental Lawyers, etc.
What countries offer courses in sustainable development?
There are plenty of options across the globe in countries such as the United States, Sweden, and Ireland with reputed world-class colleges such as Harvard University University of Dundee offering degrees in sustainable development and sciences.
When was sustainable development introduced?
It was introduced in 1987 by the United Nations General Assembly.
What is a Sustainability Report? Who prepares them?
Sustainability reporting is a type of non-financial reporting that allows businesses to communicate their progress towards sustainability goals across a variety of parameters, including environmental, social, and governance metrics, as well as the risks and impacts they may face now or in the future and are prepared by sustainability officers who are well-versed in the concept of sustainable development, environmental law, as well as the implications of carbon footprints, is responsible for creating any organization’s sustainability report.
Gaurav Kandari is a seasoned study abroad consultant with over 5 years of experience, specializing in guiding students to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. An avid traveler, he draws on his global adventures to enrich his consulting, providing invaluable insights to aspiring scholars.
