BRAC University (BRACU) has awarded certificates to the second cohort of 24 participants who completed a 60-hour professional ESG certificate course. The ceremony was held at the university’s Merul Badda campus in Dhaka on Thursday, said a press release.
The course was developed by BRAC University under Swisscontact’s PROGRESS initiative, with support from the embassies of Sweden and Switzerland, and facilitated by academic experts and industry practitioners. It covers sustainable business practices, investment, reporting and responsible decision-making.
BRACU Department of Economics and Social Sciences Chairperson Muhammad Wasiqur Rahman Khan said ESG and sustainable development standards have become crucial for Bangladesh’s export-oriented industrial sector, and that banks, financial institutions and business enterprises are increasingly prioritising ESG factors in strategic decisions.
He said BRACU is working to develop a skilled workforce in ESG and is pursuing regulatory approval for a postgraduate diploma in ESG, with plans to introduce a full master’s programme in the future.
PROGRESS Project Team Leader Farzana Amin said transitioning to a green and sustainable industrial system in Bangladesh cannot happen overnight.
Embassy of Switzerland Senior Program Manager (Governance, Climate Change and Environment) Shirin Sultana said, “We cannot always rely on international assistance; we must build our own capacity. Universities and educational institutions need to play a more significant role in this regard.”
