The CSR Education Council has supported the alignment of the Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability with the core competencies and job task analysis of the International Society of Sustainability Professional Certification Program.
The University of St. Michael’s College became an Educational Partner and declared Supporter of Professional Sustainability Certification by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals in April, 2015.
“This is a real ‘win-win’ for the St. Michael’s program,” says Kathryn Cooper, Program Coordinator. “New online e-learning modules and alignment of the relevant competencies in the program, provide participants with the ability to confidentially write the ISSP Practitioner and ISSP Associate exams.”
There will be two levels of ISSP Certification available to sustainability practitioners. Maintaining the Certification at either level will require ongoing professional development activities.
- Sustainability Associate (ISSP-SA): Individuals who are new to the field of sustainability but have sufficient education and training to pass a test on basic knowledge and understanding of key sustainability concepts. The ISSP-SA exam covers the material in Competency Area 1: Core Sustainability Concepts described in the Exam Content Outline section of the Candidate Handbook.
- Certified Sustainability Professional (ISSP-CSP): Experienced sustainability practitioners who demonstrate a combination of sustainability-related work experience and formal education. The ISSP-CSP exam covers the material in Competency Areas 2-6 described in the Exam Content Outline section of the Candidate Handbook.
The Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability at the University of St. Michael’s College is one of a handful of education institutions aligning its curriculum with professional Sustainability Certification and the only institution in Canada.