Certificate course “Sustainability Manager
Culture, education and media"
Are you a cultural worker with a passion for sustainable, responsible organizational culture? Have you already initiated individual projects, do you want to develop yourself further or are you still at the very beginning? Are you a freelancer working in culture, education, media and would like to expand your portfolio with knowledge about building solid sustainability strategies?
If you are aiming to professionally implement sustainability, you will not succeed without the necessary specialist and methodological knowledge. Based on our years of experience in the fields of sustainability, vocational training and media education, as well as change management, we developed advanced training formats aiming at holistic transformation.
What does that mean?
- We work holistically. This means that we not only look at ecological aspects of sustainability, but also at social and economic aspects.
- Our work is based on the principles of materiality. This means that we focus on aspects and measures that are – according to scientific research – particularly effective.
- We involve the people who are significantly affected by the changes. This means that we work based on methods of change management and organizational development to achieve genuine participation.
Is this what you are looking for?
Here, you will find all data as well as the registration form.
And what does that mean exactly?
Contents of the advanced training
The academy consists of four parts: Knowledge transfer, building a mindset, and implementation skills – and the knowledge acquisition is rounded off by a practical project that you can apply with your group based on a real case study.
Part 1: Knowledge transfer
First, we take a look at the challenges posed due to planetary boundaries, in order to focus on the line of argumentation concerning the “why”. Then, we learn where sustainability policy and law are grounded in a global context, and which ministries and associations are responsible. Which areas are already regulated, who is already committed to sustainability management – and where? Why is this relevant? Because this can serve as a basis to predict what political requirements cultural institutions might soon be facing and what funding opportunities there might be. Further, we learn what risks are associated with conventional economic activity and what chances may arise from focusing on sustainability. Together, we develop potential for cultural institutions, societies, NGOs, associations and (freelance) sustainability consultants, in order to accelerate the transformation. Then, we practice the necessary steps towards a strategic sustainability management – in an interactive, dialogue-based, and methodological manner. The core focus is on establishing sustainability management, sustainability strategy, and sustainability reporting – to enable cultural institutions to work towards a socio-ecological transformation. Here, the focus lies on the methods and tools to get started in a goal- and solution-oriented manner, without detours.
Arrival and welcome
Fact check: Knowledge and argumentation concerning planetary challenges
Sustainability policy and sustainability law
Sustainability policy meets cultural policy
Arrival and welcome
A really easy-going event to get you started. We want to get to know you, and you want to get to know us and the other participants!
We give you orientation about the course, clarify how we want to work together, explain our Code of Conduct and much more.
We have space for your questions and needs, as well as for final clarifications, before we begin with Module 1.
Fact check: Knowledge and argumentation concerning planetary challenges
Fact check: Sharpening knowledge and argumentation:
The climate crisis in the context of planetary boundaries.
You will be informed about:
- Climate crisis: The greenhouse gas effect and its impact
- The other planetary boundaries (especially freshwater and biodiversity)
Materiality: Environmental sustainability - Scientific argumentation: What data can be helpful in acquisition negotiations or conversations with the management?
Sustainability policy and sustainability law
Sustainability policy and sustainability law: Knowledge on political and law-based solutions regarding planetary boundaries – and how to implement them.
You will be informed about:
- Global sustainability policy: Agenda 2030 – history, contents, and implementation
- European level: EU Green Deal, EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities, European funding opportunities
- National level: Climate protection law, reporting obligation
- Basis for argumentation: How do I use the political requirements when negotiating with CEOs, CFO, etc.?
- What concrete consequences does the legal situation have for my organization?
Sustainability policy meets cultural policy
Sustainability policy meets cultural policy: What are institutions in the fields of culture, education, and media already obliged or encouraged to do? Where can we find potentials?
You will be informed about:
- Political developments on the federal level
- Differences at the state-level
- Sustainability in funding guidelines
- Industry initiatives and associations: Lighthouses
Part 2: Attitude
Following the topic of knowledge acquisition, we will focus on our general attitude. As sustainability managers, we not only need to position ourselves professionally – we are also often met with resistance within the own organization, in the audience, or even in public perception. Transformation breaks old habits and is, thus, time-consuming and can create fears. In order to deal with this resistance, we need a take a clear stance and follow a professional, methodical approach.
Climate justice
Motivation and resistance
Participation and vision
Climate justice
Usually, the 3 dimensions of sustainability – social, ecological, and economic sustainability – are addressed on state-level. However, as a society we (as privileged people in the Global North in particular) also bear global responsibility. Organizations in the Global North in particular should become aware of the impact we have on many people and ecosystems in the Global South
You will be informed about:
- Concepts of climate justice
- Perspectives from the Global South vs. Global North
- Methods to become aware of and take on your own responsibility
Motivation and resistance
Motivation and resistance: Sustainability management is transformation – and special knowledge of the organizational culture is required.
You will be informed about:
- The necessity to involve the employees from the very beginning
- With whom transformation will be successful – and who cannot be convinced
- What impact can be attributed to remains of change – and how to deal with them
Participation and vision
Participation and vision: How to not only want sustainability, but also how to implement it successfully in a team.
You will be informed about:
- Workshop designs aiming at maximum participation
- Turning affected people into empowered people: Catalogues of measures
- Building up expertise: Internal materiality analysis
- Creating commitment: Examples and visions
Part 3: Action
The course content will be applied directly: As of the third module, you and your working group will draw up a real use case, based on specific questions. You will compile a sustainability concept, try out concrete measures, and test your argumentative competence. The use cases will either be brought along by the participants or provided by the institute – and the concepts will also serve as a basis for the final exam. In an extra session after the halfway point of the course, supervisors will help to sharpen the concepts and to get you prepared for the exam.
Managing sustainability: Roadmap for strategic sustainability management
Measuring sustainability – climate accounting
Self-learning phase and supervision
Programmatic sustainability
Structuring and reporting
Communicating, motivating, and distributing
Managing sustainability: Roadmap for strategic sustainability management
Managing sustainability: Professional planning and implementation of sustainability concepts.
You will be informed about:
- Status quo analysis
- Identification and prioritization of sustainability measures and actions
- Responsibilities and schedules
Identification of relevant metrics for sustainability goals and data collection
Measuring sustainability – climate accounting
Measuring sustainability – climate accounting: Making ecological sustainability measureable and turning results into a meaningful climate strategy.
You will be informed about:
- Setting system boundaries
- Accounting for and calculating greenhouse gas emissions
- CO2 calculator: Recommendations and challenges
- Examples from different economic sectors
- What next? From a balance to a climate strategy
Self-learning phase and supervision
Self-learning phase and supervision: Developing a sustainability strategy drawing on your expertise in the economic sector.
From knowledge transfer to practical implementation: You will compile a sustainability concept, try out concrete measures, and test your argumentative competence.
Exchange and feedback in supervision
Programmatic sustainability
What are the differences between programmatic sustainability and operational sustainability? What levers do we have in the content-discursive design and curation of cultural productions? Which impulses from (transformative) education can help us identify successful programmatic measures reagrding strategic sustainability management?
You will be informed about:
- The importance of accompanying discourse measures within cultural production
- The important fields of action with regard to programmatic sustainability
- Successful showcases and sets of measures for programmatic sustainability
Structuring and reporting
Structuring and reporting: From sustainability management to a sustainability strategy and sustainability reporting.
You will be informed about:
- Meaning and benefits of reporting
- Current reporting requirements and outlook
- The German Sustainability Codex (DNK) as an entry point for reporting
- Methods and processes for drawing up reports
Communicating, motivating, and distributing
Communicating, motivating, and distributing: From a working process behind closed doors to an organizational strategy – from a sustainability strategy to a customized communication concept.
You will be informed about:
- Internal communication: Information, participation, corporate culture
- External communication: How to tell my stakeholders (report, website, event,…)
Final exam and feedback: Professional presentation of the use case.
Rating based on:
- Presentation, emphasis, layout
Realistic application, methods, professionality - Practicability, schedule, and responsibilities
- Specifics of particular sectors
Goals of the Akademie für Zukunftskultur:
- Passion for a sustainable, responsible organizational culture
- Action knowledge and methods for implementation
- Competence regarding the establishment of sustainability strategies
- Networking, exchange, staying in touch
- In-depth knowledge of your individual sustainability ecosystem
What is included?
- An intensive and interactive remote advanced training, including your own project and a final exam
- Supervision
- Coaching (2 x 30 min.)
- Certificate “Sustainability Manager Culture, Education, and Media”
- Acceptance into the “Kollektiv für Zukunftskultur” as a place of exchange and mutual support
Statements about the academy
