Postgraduate Studies in ESG Fundamentals for Business
Postgraduate Studies in ESG Fundamentals for Business discover all nuances of ESG and its importance for your sector and company, apply reporting tools to analyze ESG indicators.
Interdisciplinary program – created by influential researchers and practitioners from academia, consultancy, strategic advisory
Practical approach – work on the ESG issues most important to your organization, using expertise and advice of our team
PwC and SGH experience – drawing on our achievements, you will get tools to create an ESG strategy for your organization
Why study?
- Interdisciplinary program: created by influential researchers and practitioners from academia, consultancy, strategic advisory, environmental, legal and institutional sectors.
- We concentrate on business needs and perspectives: our program is focused on equipping participants with practical skills and competencies necessary for ESG reporting.
- Practical approach: you can work on the ESG issues most important to your organization while working on you final project, using expertise and advice of our interdisciplinary team.
- Learning methods: our program is based on seminars, case studies, elements of lectures, and practical tools application. Examples, case studies and market analyses will be discussed in class. Students have the opportunity to ask questions, conduct discussions and stay in constant contact with lecturers during the whole program.
- Drawing on PwC exceptional achievements in the field of ESG, our team will equip you with necessary tools to create an ESG strategy for your organization.
- Building on SGH Warsaw School of Economics research heritage and teaching experience, our faculty will ensure knowledge you gain is adjusted to the business community needs.
- By participating in English-language program you are ready to work on the ESG issues in international environment and can learn from international experts.
Are they for me?
- Your company, just like any other, will face the necessity of ESG reporting either directly or indirectly as a part of larger value chain.
- 500,000 new ESG related jobs are expected this decade – don’t miss on this opportunity!
- ESG careers are opening in risk management, strategic planning, policy analysis, social impact, and business innovation – it’s a must for any developing business.
- ESG management is essential for employees who invest in building the ESG capacity of key management and staff.
- With the European Green Deal and its implementation, each company should be prepared to develop an ESG strategy and documentation.
Recommendation
- Recognize the macro trends, policy developments and economic drivers of ESG
- Identify different ESG stakeholders and the roles they play in the ESG reporting process
- Apply ESG reporting tools to analyze ESG indicators
- Discover all nuances of ESG and its importance for your sector and company
Our bespoke Postgraduate Studies in ESG Fundamentals for Business program is directed at business leaders, which a goal of equipping them in tools to adapt to the rapidly changing entrepreneurial landscape. Our program will provide you with knowledge, skills and network to navigate your ESG strategy decisions. In addition, you will gain understanding of key concepts and impact of ESG issues on business. Team of researchers from SGH Warsaw School of Economics and practitioners from PwC, experts on both business and ESG, will equip our participants with thorough understating of global ESG issues. Extensive knowledge and expertise of our Team will allow you to gain competitive advantage our competition.
Curriculum
The program of Postgraduate Studies in ESG Fundamentals for Business consists of 164 hours and is divided within 5 thematic modules:
- Introductory issues to ESG reporting: regulations, taxonomy, motivation
- Areas of ESG implementation at a company level
- Sustainable investment
- ESG measurement and reporting
- ESG as a business strategy
- Final project / Thesis
Students design an implementable ESG plan for a selected company or institution as a final project.
The studies are conducted in English.
Head of studies
Ewelina Szczech-Pietkiewicz gained her habilitation in economics and finance in 2020, after a PhD in economics (2007) at SGH Warsaw School of Economics. Her scientific interests are focused on issues of sustainable development, circular economy and urban development.
Lecturers
Tomasz Barańczyk has been engaged in advisory services for leading companies from various business sectors since 1996. His key clients are companies from the energy, oil and gas sectors. Since 2003 he has been a licensed tax advisor. In the years 2013-2018 he was the managing partner of the PwC Tax and Legal Department in Poland. He has been acting as tax and legal leader of client markets and ESG in the CEE region.
Úna has over 13 years of experience working with Global financial institutions in EMEA and APAC. She is experienced in helping banking Clients with large and complex transformational projects in the areas of ESG, Financial Crime and Compliance. She is passionate about Environmental, Social and Governance topics and aims to inspire and motivate colleagues and Clients to engage in discussions about the practical application of ESG practices.
Adam Czerniak is director for research at Polityka Insight and head of the Institutional and Political Economy Unit at the Warsaw School of Economics. Until 2012, he worked as a banking economist, previously he cooperated with the World Bank and the FOR Foundation, he was also a Ronald Coase Institute scholarship fellow.
José is a Manager at PwC with focus on sustainable business transformation, net zero and climate solutions. He is the lead author of PwC’s Net Zero Future50 Report - CEE Edition, which looks at the state of climate tech in 27 territories and 8 sectors. José has seven years of experience in sustainability advisory services gained in more than 20 projects across 3 continents.
Manager in the CEE Sustainability Hub at PwC with focus on ESG strategy development, sustainable supply chain management and ESG technology solutions. She has over 11 years of experience in environmental, social, and corporate governance analysis and engagement with multinationals as part of asset owners and asset managers’ active ownership strategy.
Regulatory lawyer certified as an expert in sustainable finance (CESFi) by Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. She specializes in banking law and ESG regulations. She has advised numerous financial institutions and non-financial companies on regulatory issues related to ESG such as implementation of Taxonomy Regulation, CSRD, SFDR, CSDD, regulatory mitigation of greenwashing risk and implementation of ESG aspects to MiFID II, IDD, Solvency II, AIFMD and UCITS Directive.
Senior Manager and Team Leader in the regional ESG team in Central and Eastern Europe and manages the ESG HUB, which is the main body of the ESG platform in the region, bringing together over 400 ESG experts. She has over 9 years of experience in advising on environmental, social issues and corporate governance.
PwC Partner in the sustainability, internal audit, internal control, risk management and compliance team in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). He has over 20 years of experience in corporate governance, risk management, compliance, internal audit, sustainability (ESG) and financial statement auditing in Poland, the UK and CEE.
Lawyer in the Banking & Finance practice specializing in ESG and FinTech/InsurTech projects, certified expert in sustainable finance by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, PhDc, lecturer, research projects manager and multiple laureate of Polish Ministry of Education and Science awards and grant programs for outstanding young scientists at the University of Warsaw.
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Admission
Recruitment for the 3rd edition is open; we invite you to sign up.
The lectures will begin on November 15, 2025.
Required documents:
- agreement on the conditions of the payment of tuition fees
- application form
- copy of the diploma awarded on completion of – at least – the first degree of studies (Bachelor),
In the case of foreign diplomas: Master’s or Bachelor’s degree diploma with transcripts (in some countries called: general opinion on diploma) certifying the completion of university studies. Apart from diploma and transcript/general opinion on diploma, foreign university’s degree-holder, has to submit Polish translation of both documents (diploma and transcript/general opinion on diploma). We accept only translations provided by a certified translators (PL: tłumacz przysięgły). Please note that foreign diploma recognition at SGH may last up to 30 days. Without having foreign diploma recognized at SGH, you can not be enrolled in post-graduate studies.
Diploma nostrification and recognition
Graduation certificate is issued based on:
- Oral final exam.
- Active participation in classes: participation in workshops and discussions.
- Assignments and case study elaboration (workshops).
Timetable
Classes will take place on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. twice a month.
The lectures will begin on November 15, 2025.
Scheduled lecture dates for the upcoming 3rd edition will be introduced by May 31, 2025.
Costs
Tuition fee: PLN 9,000 (with the possibility of payment in two installments):
- first installment: 4500 PLN - payable at registration,
- second installment: 4500 PLN - payable by January 31, 2026.
Tuition fee includes teaching materials and the issuance of a graduation certificate.
Contact details
Coordinator of studies
Wioletta Wicherska, M.A.
phone: +48 22 564 6855
phone: +48 508 338 731
e-mail: wszwed@sgh.waw.pl
Head of studies
Professor Ewelina Szczech-Pietkiewicz, Ph.D.
e-mail: eszcze@sgh.waw.pl
Postage address
Warsaw School of Economics
Collegium of World Economy
al. Niepodległości 162
02-554 Warsaw, Poland
Organiser
Institute of International Economic Policy
Collegium of World Economy
ADMISSION IS OPEN
- Onsite studies
- Total tuition fees are PLN 9000 (possible installments).
- Classes start 9:00 on Saturdays and on Sundays.
Professor Ewelina Szczech-Pietkiewicz, Ph.D.
e-mail: eszcze@sgh.waw.pl
Wioletta Wicherska, M.A.
phone: +48 22 564 6855
phone: +48 508 338 731
e-mail: wszwed@sgh.waw.pl