Climate Equity: Building Resilient Social Impact Strategies in a Changing World (Micro Credential)

Understand the impact of a changing climate on business, community and public policy.

This four-week, hybrid Micro Credential micro credential is designed for professionals in social impact, sustainability, community engagement, and equity who need to navigate the growing challenges climate change poses to their organizations and communities.

Through expert-led presentations and dialogue, self-directed learning, and an in-person climate simulation workshop, you’ll gain practical tools to assess risk, build climate resilience, and center equity in your strategies.

Ideal for professionals in charities, not-for-profits, public institutions, or CSR teams looking to protect and empower vulnerable populations in a rapidly changing world.

Beyond understanding the problem, this course looks at systemic solutions and the benefits of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

We examine inspiring and groundbreaking social innovation initiatives and apply mitigation strategies through an interactive climate simulation exercise.

This course will leave you feeling inspired and equipped for leading change in your organization.

When you successfully complete the course, you will receive a secure, shareable Micro Credential to post on LinkedIn.

What past participants have said:

“Highly valuable! I recommend the Unlocking Resilience – Climate Change for Social Impact Leaders for my colleagues across the Corporate or Non – Profit space who is looking to deepen your understanding.” Chantelle Moore, Manager, Social Impact, Gore Mutual Insurance.

“The Unlocking Resilience: Climate Change for Social Impact Leaders course has been an invaluable experience. It provided practical insights into the connections between climate change and social impact, along with actionable tools to shape my approach. What I found most valuable was hearing from peers in this space and learning from their diverse perspectives. This course is ideal for anyone looking to drive meaningful change in climate action and social equity. I highly recommend it!” Ty Nanayakkara, Manager, Corporate Partnerships and Engagement, World Wildlife Fund.

“This program helped me build a strong foundation in sustainability and climate change so that I can more effectively help organizations, companies, and communities in bridging the awareness and knowledge gap, while inspiring the necessary actions that individuals and corporations can take to reduce global emissions and combat and adapt to climate change.” Michelle Mak, Director, Western Communities Foundation, Western Financial Group.

This is a blended learning Micro-Credential (both on-line and in-person).  It includes:

Web Lectures (Synchronous online) – Climate Change Fundamentals (the context for supporting the resilience of vulnerable populations). (Three live 1.5 hours Sessions, DATES: Oct. 9, 16 and 23, 12-1:30 pm noon ET).

Self Directed Learning (Asynchronous online) – Climate Change Fundamentals (the context for supporting the resilience of vulnerable populations). Pre-readings, videos, posts and self assessments to deepen your knowledge and its application to your work.

In Person Workshop – Experts sharing the impact of climate change on vulnerable individuals, communities and regions; examination of the impacts of climate mitigation and adaptation decisions. Application of the En-ROADS Climate Simulation with a special focus on health outcomes.  DATE: October 30, 2025

Use the En-ROADS Climate Simulation (by Climate Interactive and MIT Sloan) to:

○ Gain a systems view of the health, food security, nature and other long-term effects of global climate policies and actions
○ Learn which are high- and low-leverage climate solutions
○ Identify the multiple connections between climate crisis and other crises
○ Equip yourself with the knowledge to advocate for, and implement, climate decisions that maximize the benefits and improve equity.

Learning objectives

Here are three key themes that emerge from your list, with the content grouped under each:

Understanding Climate Science and Risks

Climate basics, causes, effects, and scientific modeling.

• Understand the basics of how and why the climate is changing and what that means for supporting the resilience of vulnerable populations.
• Learn about different greenhouse gases, how powerful they are and why they matter when thinking about fairness and equity.
• Explore the link between greenhouse gases and rising global temperatures.
• Examine the likely outcomes of doing nothing—such as rising sea levels, extreme heat, damage to crops and biodiversity and changes to water systems and oceans.
• Get familiar with global climate scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and how they deal with uncertainty in predictions.

Climate Solutions and Strategy

Mitigation, adaptation, innovation, and systems thinking.

• Look at how climate solutions—like reducing emissions or adapting to changes—can benefit communities or sometimes create new challenges. Learn how to assess both.
• Review national and global net zero commitments from businesses and governments and whether we’re on track to meet them.
• Use the interactive En-ROADS Climate Simulation (from Climate Interactive and MIT Sloan) to test climate strategies and see their effects on equity, health, and nature.
  Learn how to choose and combine climate solutions that create broad benefits and reduce harm.
• Apply multi-solving strategies—an approach that finds shared solutions to multiple problems at once—to create stronger, systems-level responses.
• Identify what climate knowledge is needed across your organization or sector to build an effective net zero strategy that supports environmental and social impact.

Equity, Health, and Social Impact

Justice, vulnerable populations, and community outcomes.

• Identify how the climate crisis affects health, equity and the social and economic well-being of vulnerable groups and what that means for the people and communities you work with.
• Explore real-world innovation, like the Climate and Equity Lab, developed by Gore Mutual Foundation, Social Innovation Canada and York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change.

Who Should Attend:

This program is designed for anyone in business, charities, not-for-profits or social enterprises building resilience among vulnerable populations including –

• Designing or delivering Social Impact, Citizenship, Community Investment, Sustainability or Net Zero programs, strategies, policies or decisions.
• Designing and delivering Stakeholder Engagement with vulnerable populations.
• Community Partners delivering Social Impact, Citizenship and Community Investment programs, strategies or measures to vulnerable populations on behalf of Corporate Partners.
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Professionals
• Strategy, Risk and Opportunity Management Professionals

Instructors:

• Dr. Mili Roy, Chair, Canadian Assn Of Physicians For The Environment (CAPE),Ontario; Co-Chair, Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign (OCEC), Assistant Professor, Faculty Of Medicine, University Of Toronto
• Dr. M. Jane Pritchard, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Mental Health and Vulnerable Populations)
• Gaby Polanco Sorto, VP & Head, Purpose and Sustainability, Gore Mutual Insurance
• Laura Lindberg, MBA, Grad. Dipl. SR&S, Cert. Environmental Mgmt., U of T, Principal, Laura Lindberg Sustainability Advisors, En-ROADS Climate Ambassador
• Dr. Doug Pritchard, BSc, MSc(Eng), PhD, P.Eng, En-ROADS Climate Ambassador

Register:

Can’t find the professional development you are looking for – complete this 60 second Learning Wishlist and we will help!

Cancellation Policy:

Registered but can’t attend?

Registrations are transferable to other associates within your organization or can be transferred toward a USMC SR&S course within the same business year.

Cancellations 1 month from the course are 100% refundable. Cancellations less than 1 month but more than 2 weeks receive a 50% refund of fees paid. Confirmed registrants who cancel within 2 weeks of the course date or fail to attend, will be charged 100% of the registration fee and are not entitled to a refund.

USMC reserves the right to cancel an event or any associated functions at its sole discretion. In the event of such, a full refund will be made. USMC expressly excludes any liability for any direct or indirect losses or damages howsoever arising as a result of such cancellation and will not, for example, be responsible for any travel or accommodation costs incurred.

In the event of cancellation, USMC will use reasonable actions to alert those who have booked to attend an event and details of any cancellation will be posted on the course website page.  Attendees are responsible for checking this information prior to the event.

Attendee name substitutions are allowed up to the day of the course.