1. Program Overview

This training is designed to help organizations and professionals integrate sustainability and CSR into their operations, strategy, and culture. It explores frameworks for environmental stewardship, social impact, stakeholder engagement, and responsible governance. Participants will gain insights on how to align business goals with sustainable development principles and deliver measurable value to communities, the environment, and shareholders.

2. Training Objectives

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand core principles and trends in sustainability and CSR.
• Align sustainability initiatives with national and global frameworks (e.g., SDGs, ESG, GRI).
• Design CSR strategies that create social, environmental, and economic impact.
• Incorporate sustainability into organizational policies, supply chains, and reporting.
• Enhance stakeholder trust and brand reputation through ethical practices.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on sustainability and CSR performance.

3. Target Trainees

This training targets:

• Corporate affairs and sustainability officers
• CSR and community engagement managers
• Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) teams
• Compliance and risk officers
• Communication and marketing teams
• Strategy and operations managers
• NGO project officers and donor program teams

4. Main Discussion Items / Modules

• Module 1: Introduction to Sustainability and CSR
• Definitions, scope, and business case
• History and evolution of CSR and sustainability
• CSR vs. ESG vs. SDGs
• Module 2: Legal, Policy, and Global Frameworks
• National policies and environmental laws
• The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• ESG indicators and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• ISO 26000 guidance on social responsibility
• Module 3: Designing Effective CSR and Sustainability Programs
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement
• Identifying priority areas (education, environment, health, etc.)
• Setting goals, KPIs, and impact indicators
• Budgeting and resourcing CSR initiatives
• Module 4: Sustainability in Core Business Operations
• Integrating sustainability into procurement, supply chain, and HR
• Green buildings, clean energy, and waste reduction
• Responsible sourcing and fair trade practices
• Module 5: Communication, Branding, and Reporting
• CSR communication strategies
• Impact storytelling and transparency
• Sustainability reporting frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB)
• Avoiding greenwashing
• Module 6: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement
• Tools and techniques for CSR/sustainability tracking
• Impact assessment and feedback loops
• Adaptive learning and strategy refinement

5. Training Methodology

This course will use:

• Facilitator-led presentations
• Real-life case studies and success stories
• Breakout group exercises
• Interactive planning tools
• Simulated CSR scenario planning
• Peer learning and action planning

6. Tasks

• Map organizational stakeholders for CSR engagement
• Draft a CSR/sustainability initiative proposal
• Identify sustainability risks in business operations
• Develop a CSR communication brief
• Review and critique a published sustainability report