The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) is a 9-month Master's-level postgraduate programme, delivered part-time for working professionals.

The programme is designed to strengthen leadership skills, help embed sustainability in an organisation or across the supply chain to achieve positive, transformative change.

Students can choose from two streams depending on their role and discipline, professional interests and learning needs.

Applications for 2024 entry are open.

Download the postgraduate study brochure to receive further information on our postgraduate programmes.

Organisational stream

This stream is designed for senior to mid-career professionals and managers, who are looking at embedding sustainability within an organisational context. The course provides a general overview of what it means to embed sustainability in business and attracts candidates who wish to deliver system-level change within and beyond organisational boundaries.

Value Chains stream

This stream is designed for all business functions and stakeholders associated with a value chain – not just procurement or specific supply chain roles. The course is relevant to upstream as well as more downstream ends of the value chain, including post-consumer sustainability challenges.

	Organisational stream	Value chains and markets stream (formerly PCSVC)
Focus	Embedding sustainability within the context of an organisation, from strategy through to operations.	Driving sustainability across an organisation’s supply chain and the markets in which it operates by creating value across the full life cycle of a product (from its conception to its end use). Find out more about the definition and characteristics of a value chain.
Who's it is for	Senior to mid-career professionals and managers interested in: Embedding sustainability in organisational decision-making Developing or contributing to the development of sustainable strategies, policies, processes, or products Engaging internal and external stakeholders to drive sustainable change	Senior to mid-career professionals and managers interested in: Sustainable procurement Enhancing sustainability or building resilience across their company’s supply chain Engaging and influencing customers Developing ‘circular’ approaches to resource use Engaging peers across key sectors or regions to raise standards or address common challenges
What will you learn	A robust knowledge of global social, environmental and economic trends and how business can catalyse wider system-level change How to develop the strategic business case for organisational change How to embed sustainability into business action at an organisational level How to lead organisational change	A robust knowledge of global social, environmental and economic trends and how business can catalyse wider system-level change How to develop the strategic business case for embedding sustainability across value chains and markets New approaches, tools and techniques for developing resilient and sustainable value chains How to influence and engage customers, to shape the market context and embed sustainability across value chains
	Organisational stream curriculum	Value Chains stream curriculum
	Organisational stream Tutors	Value Chain stream Tutors

Testimonials

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Helen McTaggart, Senior Sustainability Manager at Amazon speak about how undertaking PCSB: value chains enabled her to strengthen her professional network.

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Richard Bond, Global Senior Manager Sustainability at Lavazza Professional found studying PCSB: value chains improved his communication and leadership skills.

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Ana Holden is a blonde, white female smiling professionally at the camera with a blank white background

Ana Holden-Peters, Sustainability Lead at Bakkafrost describes how studying the PCSB led her to focus on her own purpose as a sustainability leader and change her career path.

Re ad more.

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Paul Cassell, Vehicle Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover talks about how the course delivered innovative insights and expanded their network with companies facing similar challenges.

Accreditation and progression options

Successful completion of the PCSB results in a Postgraduate Certificate awarded by the University of Cambridge. This carries 60 CATS points at Level M and is equivalent to one-third of a Master’s degree.

PCSB alumni who wish to continue their learning with CISL are welcome to apply for admission to the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership via either of two routes:

Continuous route: PCSB alumni are exempted from the first (of four) workshops and gain credit for the year 1 assignments.

Flexible route: PCSB alumni can apply to continue to the Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Business. Thereafter, PG Dip alumni can apply to continue to the final stage to achieve the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership This route is longer in duration but has a less intensive workload compared to PCSB and the continuous route.

See here for more details on the differences between the two routes.