English 
Spanish 
French 
The first Canada cohort of the Certified Sustainability ESG Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2026 was completed in April, bringing together senior professionals from business, academia, consulting, environmental services, communications, and industrial sectors.
The group included participants from TELUS, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Ya YA Foods Corp., The Beer Store, McGill University, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Toronto Metropolitan University, Pacific Coast Terminals, Con-Pro Industries, Maya Translates, Domtar Corporation, ReMM Group, and American Iron & Metal.
Their participation reflects a broader trend across Canada: sustainability is moving from a specialized function into a core business capability. Organizations are looking for professionals who can connect climate risk, ESG reporting, stakeholder expectations, regulatory developments, and operational performance with practical business decisions.
For many Canadian organizations, the question is no longer whether sustainability matters. The more urgent question is whether teams have the skills to turn sustainability goals into credible, measurable action.
At a Glance: April 2026 Canada Sustainability Training Cohort
The April cohort brought together professionals working across:
- Corporate sustainability and ESG reporting
- Environmental compliance and HSSE
- Academia and research
- Food and beverage
- Telecommunications
- Transportation and logistics
- Industrial production and materials
- Translation and communications
- Sustainability consulting and project leadership
Participants included sustainability directors, reporting specialists, environmental coordinators, university leaders, consultants, corporate affairs professionals, and compliance managers.
Why Canada Sustainability Training Is Becoming More Important
Canadian organizations are facing rising expectations from customers, investors, employees, regulators, supply-chain partners, and communities. Climate risk, carbon reduction, responsible sourcing, biodiversity, human rights, and sustainability reporting are increasingly part of how organizations are assessed.
This shift is especially important for professionals responsible for ESG and sustainability work. Their roles often require them to translate complex frameworks into decisions that leadership teams, operations teams, finance departments, suppliers, and external stakeholders can understand.
Practical sustainability training helps professionals answer questions such as:
- How should an organization identify its most material sustainability issues?
- How can climate risk be connected to business strategy?
- What makes ESG reporting credible and decision-useful?
- How should organizations approach Scope 3 emissions?
- How can sustainability goals be embedded into procurement, operations, and governance?
- How can sustainability teams build internal support and avoid greenwashing risks?
The April Canada sustainability training cohort addressed these questions through a practical, discussion-based learning format.
What Made This Cohort Different
The strength of the April cohort was not only the number or seniority of participants, but the range of professional perspectives in the room.
Participants from telecommunications brought insight into business transformation, customer expectations, and corporate responsibility. Food and beverage professionals contributed experience with supply chains, product impact, and stakeholder pressure. Academic participants added research-based thinking and education-focused perspectives.
Environmental professionals and consultants brought practical knowledge of compliance, operational improvement, and implementation challenges. Participants from industrial and materials sectors added important views on resource efficiency, reporting, and environmental performance.
This cross-sector mix created a peer-learning environment where participants could compare challenges, test ideas, and discuss how sustainability applies in different organizational contexts.
Program Topics Covered
The Certified Sustainability ESG Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2026, covered core topics that sustainability professionals increasingly need in their work, including:
- Sustainability and ESG strategy
- Stakeholder engagement
- Materiality and double materiality concepts
- ESG and sustainability reporting frameworks
- Climate risk and carbon reduction
- Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions
- Supply-chain sustainability
- Circular economy
- Emerging sustainability regulations and disclosure expectations
- Sustainability leadership and internal engagement
- Business value, resilience, and risk management
From Theory to Practical Application
A common challenge in sustainability training is that concepts can remain too abstract. The April cohort focused on practical application.
Participants discussed how sustainability strategies are developed, how ESG data is collected and reported, how organizations can address climate-related risks, and how sustainability teams can communicate business value to senior leadership.
The program combined expert-led sessions, case-based discussion, interactive exercises, and peer exchange. This format helped participants connect sustainability concepts with real decisions inside their organizations.
The program was led by Nikos Avlonas and Rosalinda Sanquiche, both experienced CSE lead tutors with extensive knowledge of sustainability strategy, ESG reporting, climate-related business issues, corporate responsibility, and professional sustainability training.
Their expertise helped participants connect global sustainability frameworks with practical business application. Through expert-led sessions, case-based discussions, and interactive exercises, they guided participants in understanding how ESG principles can support stronger reporting, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and long-term organizational value.
This instructor-led approach strengthened the program’s practical value by combining technical ESG knowledge with real-world sustainability experience.
Participant Feedback
Feedback from the April cohort highlighted the value of practical content, clear structure, and interactive learning.
Camila Borghetti
Senior Manager, Corporate, Ya YA Foods Corp.
“The Certified Sustainability ESG Practitioner Program provided valuable resources and a strong learning experience. The content was relevant, well-organized, and highly useful for professionals looking to strengthen their sustainability knowledge.”Chris Pyke
Manager, Environmental Compliance, ReMM Group
“The program offered a thorough introduction to sustainability and ESG topics. It provided useful insights and practical knowledge that can support environmental compliance and broader sustainability initiatives.”Arianne LaBoissonniere
Manager, Sustainability Reporting, Domtar Corporation
“The interactive format made the program especially valuable. The sessions encouraged engagement, supported learning, and helped connect sustainability reporting concepts with real-world business needs.”Donna Smith
Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
“The program was excellent and highly engaging. The sessions were well delivered, the content was relevant, and the overall experience supported a deeper understanding of sustainability and ESG practices.”Jennifer Gautreau
Sustainability Consultant, Con-Pro Industries
“The program offered strong material and valuable discussions for professionals working in sustainability. It helped reinforce key ESG concepts and provided useful perspectives for consulting and implementation.”Krista Houser
Associate Director, Sustainability, McGill University
“The training was impressive and relevant to the sustainability challenges organizations face today. It provided a strong foundation and helped connect ESG knowledge with practical decision-making.”Maya Princ
Translator, Maya Translates
“The clarity of the program stood out. The content was easy to follow, well structured, and helpful for understanding sustainability concepts in a professional and accessible way.”Maria Kabbaj
Compliance Sustainability, Scotts Miracle-Gro
“I appreciated the quality of the content and the structure of the sessions. The program offered practical insights and helped strengthen my understanding of sustainability and ESG expectations.”Sierra Savoie
Environmental Coordinator, American Iron & Metal
“The program was engaging and well delivered. It provided useful knowledge, encouraged participation, and offered a valuable learning experience for professionals involved in environmental and sustainability work.”
What Participants Gained
By completing the program, participants strengthened their ability to approach sustainability as both a technical and strategic business function.
Key learning outcomes included:
- Stronger understanding of sustainability and ESG strategy
- Practical knowledge of reporting frameworks and disclosure expectations
- Improved ability to discuss climate risk, carbon reduction, and Scope 3 emissions
- Greater confidence engaging internal stakeholders and leadership teams
- Better understanding of sustainability risks, opportunities, and business value
- Exposure to cross-sector sustainability challenges in Canada
- Practical tools for moving from sustainability goals to implementation
According to CSE’s post-program survey, 89% of respondents said the program improved their ability to apply ESG concepts in their work.
What This Means for Canadian Organizations
The April cohort shows that sustainability capability is becoming relevant across many departments, not only dedicated ESG teams.
Sustainability reporting specialists need to understand frameworks and data quality. Environmental professionals need to connect compliance work with wider ESG strategy. Corporate affairs teams need to communicate sustainability progress clearly and responsibly. Senior leaders need to understand risk, opportunity, governance, and long-term value creation.
This is why sustainability training is becoming an important professional development priority. Organizations need people who can ask better questions, interpret evolving expectations, and support credible decision-making.
In practice, this means sustainability training can support:
- More effective ESG reporting
- Better climate and carbon planning
- Stronger stakeholder engagement
- Improved internal collaboration
- Reduced greenwashing risk
- More informed sustainability governance
- Clearer links between sustainability and business performance
Building Momentum for Sustainability Leadership in Canada
The successful completion of the April 2026 cohort marks an important milestone for CSE’s Canada sustainability training programs.
It also reflects a wider shift in the market. Canadian organizations are investing in sustainability knowledge because they recognize that long-term resilience depends on credible reporting, responsible growth, climate preparedness, and practical implementation.
The professionals who joined the April cohort brought different sector experiences, but they shared a common goal: to strengthen their ability to lead, support, and implement sustainability work inside their organizations.
That combination of technical knowledge, practical tools, and peer learning is essential as ESG expectations continue to evolve.
Register for the Next Canada Cohort in October
Following the April cohort, registration is now open for the next Certified Sustainability ESG Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2026, taking place in October.
Professionals who want to strengthen their sustainability knowledge, build practical ESG skills, and join an international network of sustainability practitioners can explore the program and register here.
A Super Early Bird 25% discount is available until June 30. After that, the discount will gradually decrease:
- 25% Super Early Bird discount: until June 31
- 20% discount: from July 1 until August 31
- 15% discount: in September
- 10% discount: in early October
Professionals who would like to discuss the program before registering can also arrange a short call.
Final Thought
The first Canada cohort demonstrates that sustainability leadership is becoming a shared responsibility across sectors and functions.
Professionals are looking for more than general ESG awareness. They need practical tools, credible frameworks, peer exchange, and training that helps them apply sustainability knowledge in real organizational settings.
The April 2026 cohort created a strong foundation for continued sustainability leadership in Canada. The October cohort will build on that momentum by supporting more professionals as they move from sustainability ambition to measurable action.
Disclosure: This article is published by CSE to report on the April 2026 Canada cohort of the Certified Sustainability ESG Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition, and to provide information about the upcoming October cohort.
