Social Responsibility and Ethics Certificate

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.
Students听pursuing the SRE certificate acquire the following skills while at Leeds:
- An ability to make a business case for sustainability and knowledge of market trends鈥
- An understanding of values-based decision-making approaches鈥
- A deep understanding of social and environmental risks and opportunities鈥
Benefits of SRE:
- Access to selective CESR programs like the Sustainability Scholars Program and Impact Internships
- Dedicated Canvas page and newsletter with key announcements regarding sustainability
- Access to SRE and CESR alumni database for networking
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How Do I Complete the Certificate?
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Sign Up:
Must be a Leeds undergraduate student
Will have a 3.0 GPA at time of graduation
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Credit Requirement:
Students must complete 9 credits听of select听courses:
FULL LIST of classes that count for the certificate
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Experiential Learning:
Students must complete 20-25 hours of experiential education in the form of internships, further classes, or CESR events.
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Before graduating, students must complete:
Reflection Paper (2-3 Pages)
15-min Exit Interview
This experiential learning
Testimonials
鈥淚 am now working at Xcel Energy, as a Customer & Utility Innovation Analyst within the Career Launch Program. I felt that Xcel Energy鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.鈥
"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." 鈥
鈥淭hrough 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.鈥澨
鈥淚 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.鈥
鈥淭hrough 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 鈥渆thics鈥 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.鈥
鈥淏y 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.鈥