Greengage Graduate Consultants Olivia Broughton and Kate Mosely are currently completing the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) Apprenticeship with LDN Apprenticeships to achieve their Level 4 CR&S Practitioner qualification. Olivia has been elected the role of class representative by her peers for the 2022 CR&S cohort.
This course standard has been designed by CR&S industry experts, such as the Institute for Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability (ICRS), JP Morgan, Salesforce, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Legal & General. The LDN Apprenticeships course uses this standard and incorporates modules developed with the Institute for Global Prosperity, UCL and subject matter experts currently working in sustainability and corporate responsibility.
The content takes from a wide CR&S network to develop a core framework, covering areas such as:
- CR&S strategy
- ESG reporting
- Stakeholder engagement and management
- CR&S trends and forecasting
Throughout the course, Olivia and Kate will be supporting Sustainability, Carbon, Social Value and EIA services at Greengage.
What is involved?
The course involves online study modules, targeted one-to-one mentoring, and group learning forums which are attended alongside working at Greengage. This targeted study supports Olivia and Kate in their Graduate Consultant roles, as they progress as CR&S professionals.
Additionally, monthly masterclass sessions are run by experts from within Sustainability, ESG & Climate Change industries. Previous sessions have been led by Senior ESG Managers at ERM and the Clarion Housing Group, providing insight into Net Zero Strategy, Corporate Strategy and ESG reporting, and how these processes differ between industries. These sessions expand on theoretical knowledge explored within the course content and provide an opportunity to learn from professionals who have had a direct application of these skills.
Furthermore, the structure of the apprenticeship facilitates opportunities for networking with individuals within the same field across different industries. As a result, Kate and Olivia are creating a cohort of peers to draw expertise from and collaborate with, widening their knowledge of the broader CR&S industry.
Why have an apprentice?
Businesses are increasingly expected to act responsibly, not just to their shareholders but also to their wider stakeholders and the broader community. The CR&S industry is everchanging in nature as it is directly influenced by developments in policy and legislation. Greengage recognises this and is committed to supporting the development of young professionals within the CR&S field to remain up to-date with advancements.
Greengage are committed to improving their social impact and offering apprenticeships is one of our key initiatives. Apprenticeships democratise access to education by removing financial barriers, allowing companies to diversify their talent and offer an education pathway different to traditional university study. Apprenticeships challenge societal constructs about what is required to enter a professional role, providing low barrier access to high quality training.
Apprenticeships benefit individuals and companies and can strengthen your CR&S strategy. Consider incorporating apprentices into your team to target the ‘Social’ in your ESG strategy!
For more information on how an apprentice can add value to your CR&S strategy, please get in touch with Mitch Cooke.
