The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business, a program for an international audience, is aimed at managers and executives of organizations whose responsibility is to generate value in the environment of the Green Transition, as well as professionals interested in the development of sustainable businesses or environmental management.
The aim of the postgraduate course is for experts from the UPF Barcelona School of Management and Escuela del Agua from Agbar to train the leaders of the green transition. And do it through an executive development program that combines technical content with transversal skills for the running and management of companies or departments related to the environmental sector, and which is taught from a strategic, financial, and organizational perspective.
Due to the evident and accelerated change in environmental matters, it is essential that managers involved in decision processes, with an impact on sustainability, learn about tools and trends for the definition of new strategies and business lines (products and services) related to the green transition.
The postgraduate course will prepare you to adequately manage economic and social challenges in the environmental scenario, providing, from a strategic vision, innovative business and organizational solutions to promote sustainable development in your sector. You will learn about green entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship and the importance of developing innovative activities focused on mitigating, reducing, or eliminating environmental problems, as changes in production and consumption patterns advance.
To do this, you will be given the analysis tools to define the general strategic vision of the organization and guide it to the implementation of policies and processes aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the 2030 Agenda. At a technical level, the program will prepare you for identifying and relating relevant information from the environmental field with potential influence on the organization in the short, medium, or long term. In addition, you will learn about the European environmental regulatory framework and its deployment, as well as the challenges of climate change 2030, in order to include or promote green communication and sustainable development within the organization's strategy and align it with the external communication policy.
The program places special emphasis on strengthening managerial and executive skills, in substance and form, through mentoring sessions, solving environmental problems in new or little-known fields, making decisions on sustainable development from limited information, time management, leadership, and effective communication of findings.
With the postgraduate course you will reflect on the potential of digital transformation linked to sustainability and you will obtain the keys for integrating the green transition as a lever of innovation and stimulus for the transformation of your organization through creativity. During the program you will put into practice the detection of business opportunities through business cases.
The hybrid modality format offered by the program combines weekly synchronous classes with individualized online work, which will give you the necessary flexibility to make the training compatible with your professional managerial or executive role, and at the same time connect directly with expert teachers and other participants. We will promote personalized, participatory, and collaborative learning so that you can expand your network of contacts, learn about real experiences from other companies and sectors, and establish connections with expert teachers who will guide and accompany you in the development of your executive profile.
Why choose this program
You will train with professional experts
The rigour and academic quality of the UPF Barcelona School of Management is provided by university experts in executive development with more than 27 years of experience training managers, leaders and executives, together with Escuela del Agua from Agbar, experts and references in environment, sustainable development, environmental management, and green transition.
Up to date content on sustainability
You will gain in-depth knowledge of macro trends and fundamentals of strategic analysis for implementing business models and rethinking the company under the current green transition. You will understand sustainability as an integrated component in the economy and strategy of the business sector and its effect on social responsibility.
Individual mentoring plan
You will work on an individual and personalized management development plan supported by a mentor, who will help you through four individual mentoring sessions in transferring the objectives and skills of the program to your professional role.
Tools for implementing the Agenda 2030
You will have the possibility of reviewing the concepts of the Mission and Vision of the organization in the face of the paradigm shift, and you will delve into the implications of environmental regulations in order to understand the current moment in relation to sustainability, environmental management, the SDG and Agenda 2030.
We adapt to you
We offer you synchronous remote training of the highest quality, fully compatible with your work or family responsibilities, and which you can use to connect directly to teachers and other participants. You will also be able to make headway online with the readings and activities scheduled in the program.
Who is it for?
The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business is aimed at executives of companies related to the environment, managers of organizations (small, medium, and large) whose responsibility is to generate value in the field of the Green Transition, executives who have responsibility for environmental impact and management activities or business activities with intensive consumption of natural resources (water, waste, energy, etc.), at professionals whose mission or vision is to develop new products or services in the area of the green transition, and at any professional interested in sustainable development and environmental management.
Accreditations
In 2023, UPF-BSM received Level 4 in the Positive Impact Rating (PIR), an international classification led by the opinion of the students themselves about the sustainability commitment of the world's leading business schools, recognizing UPF-BSM as a "transformative school".
Curriculum
The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business consists of 4 subjects that have a value of 4 ECTS credits each, giving a total of 16 ECTS credits.
Objective: knowing the new trends to understand the scenarios, and develop the sustainability strategy of your organization based on sustainable development objectives, circular economy, economic management, and environmental aspects of the available natural resources.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
- Climate change
- Natural capital and natural resource management
- Circular Economy
Objective: understand the interrelationship between the macro environment (global economic perspective), recent projections, and the environmental and social challenge (inequality), as well as understand sustainable finance and the regulatory framework for the development of businesses based on sustainability.
- Global and economic environment.
- European Environmental Framework.
- Sustainable business.
- Sustainable finance.
- Digital transformation in the environmental sector.
Objective: Specify the way in which we must use the classic strategic tools to redesign the orientation of the company towards the green transition so that this new policy can be transformed into a competitive advantage of the first order.
- Strategic vision.
- Strategic analysis models.
- Sustainability-oriented innovation.
- Development of alliances – social value.
- Action plan.
Objective: to know and implement tools capable of developing and executing the strategy from different functional areas of the company such as Finance and Marketing, in coherence with the strategic focus.
- Financial economic analysis of the company.
- Introduction to Project Finance.
- Marketing and green communication.
- Data science for sustainability.
Objective: To provide the participant with the necessary concepts and tools to properly manage work teams and to delve into communication tools with the aim of becoming allies for the green transition.
- Leadership 4.0.
- Management Keys.
- Directive skills.
- Influential Communication.
- Oratory.
- Remote team management
Note on the Curriculum
Complementary activities
The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business also includes the possibility of participating in practical activities and activities for personal and professional growth such as:
- UPF-BSM Inside: is a group of interdisciplinary subjects (applied data, communication, creativity, innovation and project management, sustainability and leadership among others) that, if you take this program, you can access at no additional cost. They are 100% online and you can take them throughout the academic year at your own pace, as they have been designed as self-study subjects.
Mentoring plan:
To personalize your experience, you will have the support of a mentor who will guide you through an Executive Development Action Plan. We will offer you support with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to take your career to the next level.
Qualification obtained
Once you have passed the program, you will receive the following electronic degree certification (eTítulo©): Expert diploma in Management Development in Sustainable Businesses, awarded by Pompeu Fabra University. The eTítulo© will be issued in Catalan, Spanish and English.
The electronic degree certification (eTítulo© ) is an authentic digital degree, issued in pdf format and electronically signed, with the same legal validity as if it were in paper format.
Faculty
The program is directed by professors from the Pompeu Fabra University and the UPF Barcelona School of Management who are experts in executive development and business strategy, together with experts in sustainability and green transition from the Escuela del Agua from Agbar.
Academic directors
Faculty
Collaborating faculty
- Catalina Balseiro Río
Director of Environmental Solutions at Agbar. Chemical Engineer from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. MBA ESADE Business School and Law School. Lecturer at the Escuela del Agua de Agbar. - Maria Batet
Trainer in entrepreneurship and creativity. Passionate about her profession, which she discovered after studying Teaching. Editorial advisor at Editorial Vicens Vives. Regular collaborator as a lecturer in various programs at UPF Barcelona School of Management. - Elvira Carles
Director of the private Fundación Empresa & Clima. Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, Ecology, Hydrology, and Environmental Health from Universitat de Barcelona. Master in Water Technology and Master in Occupational Risk Prevention from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Executive Education Program at ESADE Business School and Law School. - Manuel Cermerón Romero
Chief Executive Officer at Veolia España & Chief Executive Officer at Agbar. Co-director of the Máster en Tecnología y Gestión del Agua at UPC and Escuela del Agua Agbar. Industrial Engineer from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. PDD from ESADE Business School and Law School. - Ignacio Escudero García
Global Knowledge Champion of Operational Transformation at Suez. Telecommunications Engineer from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Former General Manager of Aigües de Barcelona, Technical Manager of Aguas de Saltillo, and Corporate Operations Manager at Aguas Andinas. - Juan Antonio Guijarro Ferrer
General Director of Nuevos Negocios at Agbar. Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from Universidad de Alicante and in Business Management from FUNDESEM. 34 years at Agbar Group, holding various managerial responsibilities at both national and international levels, in both the regulated segment and the development of advanced solutions and new business models. - Marcos Martin González
Territorial Director at Agbar. Former Business and Transformation Director at Agbar España and Manager of Aguas de Huelva. Industrial Engineer from Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. Master in Gestión y Tecnología del Agua from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. MA from ENAE Business School. Lecturer at Escuela del Agua de Agbar. - Dulcinea Meijide Vidal
Director of Sustainable Development at Agbar. Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from EUETIB Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Executive Program Promociona from ESADE Business School and Law School. Lecturer at Escuela del Agua de Agbar. - Guillermo Pascual Gibert
Director of Operations and Transformation at Agbar. Former General Director of Labaqua. Telecommunications Engineer from Universitat Politècnica de València. Lecturer at Escuela del Agua de Agbar. - Mónica Pérez Clausen
Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Master in Environmental Engineering, and Master in Water Technology and Management from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Chief Learning Officer at Agbar in Spain. Extensive career and professional experience in the sustainable management of organizations, knowledge transfer and innovation. - Federico Ramos de Armas
General Director of Agbar in Madrid. Bachelor’s degree in Law and Business Administration from Universidad Pontificia Comillas. State Lawyer. Expert in Environment and Public Administration. Director of projects in water, digitalization, waste and air quality. - Alonso Salguero
PhD in Environmental Sciences. Master in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. Forestry Technical Engineer. CEO and Founder of GTA Ingeniería y Medio Ambiente, with 20 years of experience in developing services and applications related to the environmental sector. - Alberto Sanchez Sanchez
Innovation Director at Veolia España. General Director of Cetaqua, Centros Tecnológicos del Agua. Chemical Engineer from Universidad de Salamanca. Master in Gestión y Tecnología del Agua from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. PhD in Environmental Engineering from Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. - Rafael Vilasanjuan
Journalist, bachelor’s degree in Information Sciences from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Currently, Director of the Analysis and Global Development Department at ISGlobal since March 2011. Former Director of the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) from 2006 to 2011. Worked for over 12 years with Médicos Sin Fronteras (MSF). Currently, President of Fundación Exit (integration of young people at risk of exclusion); member of the advisory committee of Democracia Abierta (Open Democracy); and member of the Advisory Board of IFIT (Institute for Integrated Transitions), as well as a member of various boards of trustees.
Methodology
The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business, taught jointly by UPF-BSM and the Escuela del Agua, offers you maximum flexibility in order to make it compatible with your professional and personal responsibilities.
The hybrid methodology of the program combines sessions in synchronous mode by videoconference and online modules that you will work on individually.
Each subject is made up of different types of sessions (master classes and synchronous remote seminars taught by experts and professionals in the sector), active methodologies (individual and group practical activities, and personalized access to mentoring) and self-learning methodologies (reading of didactic content online, introductory tests, self-assessment activities, and other learning complements such as complementary bibliographies, related articles, and videos).
Materiales docentes didácticos e interactivos
We rely on materials of various formats to make your experience more motivating and challenging: videos, case studies, content maps, and downloadable resources. These materials are designed and periodically updated by teachers and professionals who are experts in the field.
Active and collaborative learning
Participation and discussion with experts and the other participants on the program are essential and enriching for the process of collaborative learning. To help with this, you will have at your disposal the virtual classroom of the course through which you can follow the sessions remotely, access online content, take part in academic assessment, and have access to communication and collaborative learning tools along with the other participants.
Streaming sessions with experts
The teaching sessions of the program will be carried out synchronously and remotely through the virtual classroom, which will allow you to share the learning experience as if you were in a face-to-face session: ask questions of the experts, discuss your learning, and perform collaborative learning in real time with the other program participants.
Mentoring plan
To personalize your experience, you will have the support of a mentor who will guide you through an Executive Development Action Plan. We will offer you support with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to take your career to the next level.
Evaluation
The evaluation will be continuous through:
- Multiple choice questionnaires.
- Delivery of reviews on the contents of the program and on the two compulsory reading books.
- Activities for practical application.
- Individual Personal Improvement Plan.
Tools
The learning process is characterized by its flexibility, since, in the virtual learning environment, the structure of the school calendar and the diversity of multimedia resources which are made available to the student allows them to acquire knowledge in a self-regulated manner.
The support of the teaching staff and interaction with classmates is carried out by making use of a wide variety of communication channels that facilitate proximity and didactic dialogue.
Professional Future
The Postgraduate Course in Executive Development in Sustainable Business will provide you with specialized training and analysis tools to generate an overview of sustainable development and environmental management in order to guide the organization, and implement sustainability policies and processes in the field of social responsibility.
In the current economic and social context, executives capable of adequately managing the changes and challenges that this context offers are needed to provide innovative business and organizational solutions from a strategic point of view. As such, the program will teach you to relate the organization's management, processes, policies, and strategy to sustainable development, the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.
The environmental scenario is already the engine of changes in the environment; furthermore, the next few years will push through a social transformation that will not only affect companies, but also the way we live, produce, trade, and interact. To this end, the program focuses on training the leaders of the green transition through the practical application of substantive and formal managerial functions, within the framework of sustainability.
Student profile
The program brings together executives and middle managers of companies in the environmental sector and small, medium, and large companies whose interest is to generate value in the sphere of the green transition and in the development of sustainable businesses.
As it is a hybrid modality training, it can be followed from anywhere in the world, making it a suitable option for managers and executives from all over the country or located abroad.
Career opportunities
Through the support of the professors, the postgraduate program works in all areas that allow the professional management of sustainable business.
- CEO, Consejo de Administración o Dirección General de empresas y organizaciones de cualquier índole.
- Manager en sostenibilidad
- Consultor de sostenibilidad.
- Manager/Consultor de ESG (environment, social and governace)
- Sustainable Finance Manager
- Quality and Sustainability Manager
- Sustainable Business Development Manager
- Manager del Portafolio de Inversiones de Impacto
- Emprendedor verde o intra-emprendedor