Social Responsibility and Ethics Certificate
Today, employers view competency in topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion, ethical leadership, and business solutions to environmental challenges as essential. For the Leeds undergraduate interested in the nexus of business and sustainability, the Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE) Certificate is a program that blends curriculum and experiential learning.
Managed by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR), the SRE Certificate provides students with an in-demand perspective and skillset that prepares them for the future of work and a career with impact. This certificate is a career differentiator that pairs well with any area of emphasis.
Students pursuing the SRE certificate acquire the following skills while at Leeds:
- Ability to make a business case for sustainability and knowledge of market trends
- Ability to communicate and influence effectively across multiple stakeholders
- An understanding of values-based decision-making approaches
- Deep understanding of social and environmental risks and opportunities
SRE graduates have overwhelmingly indicated that the certificate helped them identify an employer whose company culture and mission aligned with their own values, and a third of our graduates directly credited the program with playing a critical role in securing their job offer.
CESR is piloting a new program during the 2024-2025 academic year called, Sustainability Scholars, which provides funding to SRE students to pursue transformative educational opportunities in sustainability and social impact. To learn more about the program, please read the guidelines here. We are accepting applications until September 16th.
Get Connected with CESR
E cesr@colorado.edu
P (+1) 303 492 3324
Leeds School of Business
995 Regent Drive
KOBL 302
«Ƶ, CO 80309
SRE Certificate Requirements
Entrance Requirements
- Must be an undergraduate business student
- 3.0 grade point average or higher
Click here for full details on the program.
Questions? Email the Program Manager, Katherine Ratledge at katherine.ratledge@colorado.edu.
SRE Coursework Requirements
Students must complete 9 credits of select courses, such as:
- CESR/ORGN 3040: Fundamentals of Ethical Leadership
- CESR 4130: Sustainable Operations
- CESR/ORGN 4300: Leading Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations
- CESR 4850: The Sustainable Firm: ESG Strategies and Practices
- FULL LIST of potential classes
Experiential Education Requirement
Students must complete 20-25 hours of experiential education. Students should choose ONE option from the list below:
- Work: Internship related to sustainability, DEI, or business ethics
- Coursework: Completion of CESR 4005, CESR 4850, or a sustainability related startup in ESBM 4830*.
- Events: Participation in qualified CESR events, such as bootcamps, skills workshops, student treks, etc.
CESR staff will sign off on a student's experiential learning to approve it. Please complete this in the last semester before graduation.
*These courses may count toward the experiential learning requirement or toward the business coursework requirement, not BOTH.
Personal Reflection + Exit Interview
Before graduating, students must complete:
- Reflection Paper (2-3 Pages)
- 15-min Exit Interview with CESR's Program Manager or Faculty Advisor
As Millennials and even Gen Z have asserted their influence over the global economy, there’s been increased scrutiny on the impact companies have in the world.
Maggie Grout (Mgmt, SRE ’21), Founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, is changing the way we think about access to education in developing countries through 3D printing. Check out her story here.
Testimonials
“I am now working at Xcel Energy, as a Customer & Utility Innovation Analyst within the Career Launch Program. I felt that Xcel Energy’s goals of transitioning to clean energy and being completely Carbon free by 2050 aligned with my personal values, which led me to seek out a full-time position. Through the SRE Certificate’s courses, it became clear that I wanted to work for an organization that prioritizes ESG and DEI. The Certificate has shown me that it is possible to mitigate negative effects of business operations. I know that the work I am doing is delivering value to my community and will generate a positive impact.”
"Completing the SRE Certificate was essentially a training course for the work I now do every single day [as a sustainability consultant at Deloitte]. The connections I made through the CESR program landed me right where I wanted to be in the industry and the practical knowledge I gained via my SRE classes catalyzed the start of a career that perfectly blends my passions for accounting and sustainable business."
“Through my experience with the SRE Certificate, I have doubled down on my passion for problem-solving, mentorship, DE&I work, sustainability, rallying people behind shared goals and aspirations, and maximizing my impact. At my full-time role at Bain & Company as an Associate Consultant, I aspire to contribute to changing how we do business to make it a force for good while helping organizations and individuals solve some of their most challenging problems. I aim to continuously give back by sharing what I learn along the way with others.”
“I have found that it is rare that students in business school can study business and social responsibility in tangent without a specialized master's program or a dual degree. Through the SRE Certificate, I had the ability to pursue my passion at such a pivotal point in my education. I also would not have been able to land such a dream job, auditor in climate change and sustainability at EY, without the tools and classes that the SRE Certificate gave to me.”
“Through the SRE Certificate, I have learned the value of sustainable business practices and how they can have a positive impact on all stakeholders, as well as the environment. I would like my own interpretation of “ethics” to carry me through my next path in life in accounting while I continue to grow my entrepreneurial skills to build my own company, one that leaves the world better than how I found it. Specifically, I hope to find a resource that is currently being wasted and find new value to bring it back to market.”
“By having the SRE Certificate on my resume, I know that I will be able to open a door of opportunities down the road, even if I do not stay with General Mills, which is where I will be working after graduation. Even at General Mills, I know that if they see this certificate on my resume, they will realize that I have gone out of my way to learn about how to be socially responsible and ethical, which will make them realize my unique skill set.”
“I will be working for the Peace Corps as a Youth in Development Volunteer in Thailand starting in the fall. The classes I took through the SRE Certificate impacted my job search because they showed the business opportunity for solving the environmental, social, and governance issues of our time. In particular, the course ‘Business Solutions for the Developing World’ most greatly affected my job search as I began seeking out opportunities to work with developing countries leading me to my soon-to-be role. A large reason I was able to be a competitive candidate for the Peace Corps was because of the experience I gained completing the certificate.”