Build a strong foundation in natural capital by understanding how nature creates economic value and supports sustainable business and finance decisions. Associate Level Certification Certified Associate in Natural Capital Management
Understand Value & Measurement Learn how ecosystems create economic value and how it is measured. Learn Global Frameworks Understand the Natural Capital Protocol, TNFD, and ESG fundamentals. Explore Practical Use Cases See how organizations begin integrating natural capital into decisions.
In the Certified Associate in Natural Capital Management course, you will develop a clear and practical understanding of how nature creates economic value and why natural capital matters for businesses, finance, and sustainability. This foundational certification prepares you to confidently engage with nature-related topics and progress to advanced practitioner-level roles. What you will learn Build a Strong Foundation
in Natural Capital
This Associate-level program builds your foundational understanding of natural capital and ecosystem services. You’ll learn why nature matters for business and finance, how economic valuation works at a basic level, and how frameworks like the Natural Capital Protocol, TNFD, and ESG reporting are used in practice. By the end, you’ll be able to confidently discuss nature-related risks and opportunities—and be ready to progress to the Practitioner certification pathway. Build a strong foundation in natural capital: key concepts, ecosystem service categories, and how businesses and finance depend on nature. Explore real-world examples, test your understanding, and use a quick-reference glossary to support learning. Learn why valuing nature matters, explore practical valuation methods, and see how ecosystem service values can inform business and financial decisions. Apply your learning through a short assignment and expert audio insights. Understand the key global frameworks shaping nature-related strategy and reporting. Learn the Natural Capital Protocol and TNFD, and how natural capital fits into ESG disclosures, SDG alignment, and global nature commitments. Move from frameworks to action. Review leading corporate case studies, explore natural capital accounting approaches and practical tools, and learn the first steps to develop an effective natural capital strategy with strong stakeholder engagement. Understand career pathways in natural capital and sustainability, the skills employers look for, and how to grow through networking and professional development. Wrap up with a comprehensive final quiz and a downloadable career guide. There are 5 modules in this course
Module details Foundations of Natural Capital What's included
Videos
Quiz
Download
Module details Economic Value of Ecosystem Services What's included
Videos
Assignment
Audio
Module details Frameworks and Global Standards What's included
Videos
Download
Quiz
Module details Practical Implementation and Strategy What's included
Videos
Assignment
Survey
Template
Module details Building Your Natural Capital Career What's included
Videos
Final Quiz
Download
Earn a career certificate Add this Certified Associate in Natural Capital Management credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Demonstrate your foundational knowledge of natural capital, ecosystem services, and leading global frameworks.
What learners say about the Associate Natural Capital program
Natural capital refers to nature-based assets—such as forests, water, soil, biodiversity, and ecosystems—that support economies and businesses. Natural capital management means understanding how organizations depend on these assets, what risks arise when they degrade, and how nature creates value through ecosystem services. In this Associate-level course, you’ll learn the fundamentals and the common language used in sustainability and finance discussions (including TNFD and the Natural Capital Protocol). No. This certification is designed for beginners and career switchers. The course explains concepts in a clear, business-friendly way and focuses on practical understanding—not scientific depth. If you can follow basic business terms, you can do this course confidently. ESG courses are broad. This certification focuses specifically on nature and ecosystem services—what natural capital is, why it matters, and how leading frameworks talk about nature-related risks and opportunities. You’ll leave with stronger fundamentals in natural capital than most standard ESG introductions. You’ll be introduced to the Natural Capital Protocol and the TNFD framework, along with ESG reporting fundamentals and how natural capital connects to SDGs and global nature commitments. At the Associate level, the focus is on understanding the frameworks and terminology (not full implementation). Yes. Most industries depend on natural resources (directly or through supply chains). This course builds a foundation that applies across finance, manufacturing, services, energy, agriculture, technology, and more. The modules include examples that help you connect the concepts to real business situations. After completing the Associate certification, you’ll be able to: • Explain natural capital and ecosystem services clearly If your goal is hands-on implementation, the next step is the Practitioner level. Yes. On successful completion, you’ll receive the Certified Associate in Natural Capital Management digital certificate. You can add it to LinkedIn and include it in your resume or CV. The course is self-paced and includes 5 modules. The video lessons are designed in short, focused segments, and you’ll also complete quizzes, downloads, and short assignments. Most learners finish in a few sessions over 1–2 weeks depending on their schedule. Both. Individuals can enroll directly. We also support team and group enrollments for organizations that want a shared foundation across sustainability, finance, risk, and strategy teams. For group enrollments and customized programs, please contact us. Natural capital is a fast-evolving field. We refresh the course periodically to reflect updates in frameworks such as TNFD, emerging best practices, and changes in sustainability reporting expectations. Frequently asked questions
What is natural capital management (in simple terms)?
Do I need a background in ecology or environmental science?
How is this different from general ESG training?
Which frameworks are covered in the Associate level?
Is this course relevant for my industry?
What will I be able to do after completing the course?
• Identify nature-related dependencies, risks, and opportunities for a sector
• Understand the basics of valuation approaches and where they’re used
• Follow conversations and reports related to TNFD, ESG, and nature commitments
Will I receive a certificate?
How long is the course and what’s the time commitment?
Is this only for individuals, or can teams enroll?
How current is the content?
