99 sustainability certifications for 2026

With the forces shaping corporate sustainability in flux, the demands on practitioners, and those seeking to enter the field, have never been higher or more complex. 

These demands are altering the definition of sustainability expertise, with professionals increasingly expected to show familiarity not only with the principles of sustainable business, but also with a dizzying array of standards and frameworks — plus the ability to apply that knowledge in business operations contexts. Professional certifications remain an important way to keep up and to signal credibility, helping practitioners broaden and amplify their skills sets. 

Launched by Trish Kenlon in 2021 and refreshed each year since, Trellis’ list of sustainability certifications remains the most comprehensive resource of its kind. Released today, our 2026 list includes 99 certifications across 10 subcategories. Whatever your career goals, one or more of these programs will likely support them. 

The number of certifications on offer has multiplied dramatically in the past six years, including new ones from the Sustainability Reporting Institute and the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) this year.

As this list focuses on professional certifications for practitioners, it excludes certifications for products (such as the Forest Stewardship Council) and companies (such as B Corps). It also doesn’t include non-credentialed training, graduate programs or university-based certificates.

If you’d like to flag a missing certification, we invite you to email editor@trellis.net, or to share it with us and others on LinkedIn.

Sustainability and climate professional certifications

These certifications provide an opportunity to demonstrate that you’re a sustainability professional capable of performing broad strategy and implementation work across multiple functions, industries and regions.

• Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO): Certified Climate Change — Professional (CC-P) Candidate and Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P)
• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): Certified Sustainable Development Professional
• Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE): Certified Sustainability Practitioner 
• International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP): Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) and Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP)
• National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP): Certified Sustainability and Resilience Professional, Certified Environmental Auditor, Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer, plus various other courses and certificates

There are additional non-certification-based options listed in this article on sustainability strategy training.

Renewable energy, energy efficiency and decarbonization certifications

These certifications are related to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy your organization uses through emissions management, renewable energy procurement, energy efficiency and other decarbonization tactics.

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): Certified Decarbonization Professional (CDP) and Building Energy Assessment Professional Certification (BEAP)
• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Renewable Energy Professional (REP), Certified Energy Procurement Professional (CEP), Carbon Auditing Professional (CAP), Solar PV Professional (SPVP), Energy Efficiency Practitioner (EEP) and Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP)
• Greenhouse Gas Management Institute: Diploma in Carbon Management, Diploma in GHG Accounting and Diploma in GHG Measurement, Reporting and Verification
• Renewable Energy Institute (REI): Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award, Hydrogen Energy Consultant Expert, Renewable Energy Consultant Expert, Sustainable Energy Consultant Expert, plus various other courses and certificates
• Sustainability Academy: Certificate on Carbon Reduction and Net Zero Strategies and Certificate in Renewable Energy Fundamentals

There are additional training options listed in these articles on measuring and managing GHG emissions and climate and net-zero strategy. You can also learn how to drive the adoption of renewable energy from this article with 40-plus courses on renewable energy transitions, technology and financing.

Sustainability reporting and disclosure certifications

The below certifications provide an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the use of one or more of the leading global reporting and disclosure standards.

• Sustainability Reporting Institute: CSRD Certification, ISSB Certification and VSME Certification
• European Federation of Financial Analyst Societies (EFFAS): Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA)
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): GRI Certified Sustainability Professional and GRI Certified ESRS Sustainability Professional
• IFRS Foundation: Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Credential
• SBTi Services: SBTi Certification

For additional resources, check out our reporting miniseries with 11 courses to help you determine which sustainability reporting and disclosure tools to use and 51 courses to sort through the details of sustainability disclosure standards.

Supply chain and procurement certifications

These certifications allow you to demonstrate that you have the knowledge, tools and strategic approach needed to develop and reach meaningful GHG reduction or resilience goals in partnership with suppliers.

• Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM): Supply Chain Resilience Certificate
• International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA): Certified Sustainable Supply Chain Professional and Certified Sustainable Supply Chain Auditor (CSSCA)
• Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC): Climate Foundations for Procurement Certificate

You can also learn how to drive supply chain and procurement sustainability with these 14 training resources.

ESG and sustainable finance, governance and risk certifications

These certifications all fall within the realm of finance, governance and risk management, but each one caters to a specialized audience such as financial professionals, board members or risk managers.

• Chartered Banker Institute (CBI): Certificate in Green and Sustainable Finance, Certificate in Sustainable Banking, Certificate in Climate Risk and Diploma in Green and Sustainable Finance
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute: Sustainable Investing Certificate and Climate Risk, Valuation and Investing Certificate
• Board Intelligence: Sustainability Governance Certificate and Global Competent Boards Designation and Certification
• Corporate Finance Institute (CFI): Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Specialization
• Corporate Governance Institute: Best Practice in ESG and Risk Management Certificate, Diploma in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Advanced Professional Certificate in ESG Strategy and Governance, Professional Certificate in CSRD Reporting and Professional Certificate in Overview of ESG
• Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP): Sustainability and Climate Risk Certificate
• European Federation of Financial Analyst Societies (EFFAS): Certified Climate Risk Analyst and ESG Essentials Certification

For even more training opportunities, read this article with 28 courses to boost your ESG, sustainable finance skills.

Circular economy, product and packaging certifications

These certifications share a common goal: to design things with sustainability in mind. The circular economy certifications cover decision-making at every point along a product’s journey with the aim of keeping materials circulating at their highest value for as long as possible. The life-cycle assessment, product stewardship and biomimicry certifications support better decision-making at the point of design.

• American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA): Life Cycle Assessment Certified Professional, Certified Life Cycle Assessment Reviewer and Certified Life Cycle Executive
• Circular Economy Alliance (CEA): Circular Economy Manager Advanced Certification, Circular Economy Specialist and Circular Economy Professional
• Circular Economy Institute (CEI): Circular Economy Trained Certificate and Circular Economy Advanced Practitioner
• Learn Biomimicry: Biomimicry Practitioner Certificate
• Packaging School: Certificate of Sustainable Packaging

There are additional non-certification-based options listed in this article detailing 14 training resources for designing circularity into business models and products.

Buildings, infrastructure and landscape certifications

Each of the below certifications is related to sustainability for the places in which we live, work and travel. Some focus on sustainable building design, construction or operations, some on sustainable landscapes and still others on sustainable infrastructure.

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): Green Building Engineer (GBE) Certification
• Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM): BREEAM Advisory Professional, Site Sustainability Manager and Certified European Passive House Designer
• Center for Active Design: Fitwel Ambassador Accreditation
• Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB): GRESB Accredited Professional
• Green Building Initiative: Green Globes Emerging Professional, Green Globes Professional, Guiding Principles Compliance Professional and Green Globes Assessor
• Green Roofs for Healthy Cities: Green Roof Professional Accreditation
• Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure: Envision Sustainability Professional
• International Living Future Institute (ILFI): Living Future Accreditation
• International WELL Building Institute: WELL Accredited Professional
• Phius: Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC), Phius Certified Builder (CPHB), Phius Certified Rater and Phius Certified Verifier
• Sustainable SITES Initiative: SITES Accredited Professional
• Social Equity Assessment Method (SEAM): SEAM Accredited Professional
• Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Rating System: TRUE Advisor Certificate
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): LEED Green Associate and LEED AP with specialty

You can read the 2023 certifications article for more details about the differences among these standards.

Water management certifications

Effective water management has become a critical issue for many organizations around the globe. These certifications allow you to demonstrate your ability to develop and implement strategies for meaningful water efficiency and stewardship.

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): Certified Water Efficiency Professional
• Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS): AWS Professional Credential
• SCS Global Services: Water Stewardship and Resiliency Certification

Nature and biodiversity certifications

As organizations increasingly recognize the importance of preserving biodiversity and integrating nature-based solutions into their strategies, these certifications provide professionals with the knowledge and skills to lead impactful conservation initiatives.

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Professional Certificate on the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions, Professional Certificate on Finance for Nature and Professional Certificate on Nature for Cities
• Board Intelligence: Climate and Nature Certificate Program

Travel and hospitality certifications

These certifications offer strategies for more sustainable tourism, travel and events. The certificate in sustainable business travel would likely be particularly helpful if your organization is pursuing Scope 3 reductions goals.  

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council: Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism and Professional Certificate in Sustainable Business Travel
• Events Industry Council: Sustainable Event Professional Certificate