A joint program of AIT and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research

The Professional Master's in Environment, Social & Governance
(PM ESG)

Thirty credits in one academic year, taught in hybrid weekend format at the AIT campus in Thailand and online with UNITAR's global experts — designed so mid-career professionals never have to leave their jobs to qualify.

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Program Structure

Admission & Contact

Faculty & Expert Network

ACADEMIC CREDITS
30

PROGRAM DURATION:
1 Year

DELIVERY
Hybrid

COHORT SIZE
21-30

01 — The partnership

Academic rigour from Asia,
standards from the
United Nations.

PM ESG builds on the program the AIT School of Management has run for working professionals in Bangkok, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — itself a descendant of one of the region's first professional master's degrees in corporate responsibility. Instructional materials have been rebuilt around ESG practice, and three high-demand courses added.

UNITAR, the training arm of the United Nations established in 1963, contributes throughout the program through its Division for Prosperity. Its experts bring sector-specific ESG practice, UN frameworks and international standards into the same classroom as AIT's faculty and its regional industry network.

AIT School of Management

Awards the degree, leads admissions, academic direction and quality assurance, and hosts the hybrid classroom in Pathum Thani, Thailand.

UNITAR

Delivers global expert modules and case studies, co-supervises the capstone and issues a Certificate of Completion for its components.

02 — Curriculum

8 modules, 1 capstone, 30 credits.

The program runs across three semesters within AIT's regular academic calendar. Each module is anchored in a live ESG topic and draws on the combined academic and practice network of the partnership. Curriculum and trainers are indicative and may be adjusted with expert availability.

Foundations, governance and value chains

Corporate Governance, Fair Operating Practices & Government Relations

Principles of good governance, shareholder and stakeholder issues, fair competition, government and inter-governmental relations, trade rules, and the economics of sustainable development.

ESG Value Chain Risk Management

Value chain structures and their social and environmental implications, international labour standards, health and safety, land and indigenous rights, deforestation — with a textile sector case study.

Environmental Management & Climate Change

Corporate sustainability and climate strategy, net-zero transition, circular economy, biodiversity, pollution, greenwashing and climate resilience, with a construction and real estate case study.

Social Enterprises, Community Investment & Enterprise-led Development

Strategic community investment, corporate social innovation, impact measurement and ESG reporting. Case material from Danone, Unilever and Vinamilk.

A six-credit project on a real problem in your own organisation.

Every student identifies an ESG challenge at their place of work or in their sector, then applies the tools acquired across the modules — applied quantitative and qualitative research, stakeholder interviews, analysis and a practicable set of recommendations. Supervision is shared between AIT faculty and UNITAR experts on global best practice.

Scope 3 emissions in aviation
ESG reporting in banking
Life-cycle assessment integration
Labour practices in manufacturing
ESG in real estate development
Corruption risk in shipping
Waste management systems
Community resilience to climate change

People, capital and applied practice

Human Resource Management, Diversity & Inclusion

Embedding DEI in human resource practice, inclusive workplaces, recruitment and retention, and real challenges drawn from finance, technology and manufacturing.

ESG Investing & Climate Finance

ESG factors in investment decisions, carbon markets and emissions trading, disclosure requirements and the regulatory landscape, with insurance and banking case studies.

ESG Practicum & Final Project — Part 1

Begins in the inter-semester break. Students frame a real ESG challenge from their own organisation or sector and design an applied research approach.

Foresight, innovation and the capstone

Innovation and the Future of ESG

Types of ESG innovation, stakeholder engagement, and managing the innovation process across construction, food, apparel and energy sectors.

ESG Scenario Planning & Trend Analysis

Scenario methodologies, trend identification, systems thinking and strategic narrative construction. Case material from Shell and McKinsey.

ESG Practicum & Final Project — Part 2

Stakeholder interviews, analysis and a practicable set of strategic recommendations, co-supervised by an academic supervisor and an expert practitioner.

03 — Who teaches

Academics and practitioners, in the same room.

Academic faculty establish the theory and evidence; professional practitioners bring first-hand cases, tools and processes. Each student is assigned an AIT faculty supervisor for the duration of the program.

Academic core faculty

Theory and evidence

Professors and practitioners in environmental management and climate science, corporate governance and business ethics, sustainability metrics and reporting, risk and compliance, and Asian business contexts — most with a decade or more of teaching plus industry consulting experience.

Global expert network

Practice and standards

UN Sustainable Development Goal specialists and international, sector-specific ESG experts drawn from UNITAR's Division for Prosperity and its wider network, bringing live case material and regulatory insight into the classroom.

Guest speaker series

Throughout the year

Regular sessions with global thought leaders, multinational case studies, regulatory updates from international bodies and practice sharing from UN Global Compact participants.

Regional practitioner network

Cases and careers

Corporate and development leaders from AIT's alumni base, the Yunus Academia Network spanning 97 universities in 37 countries, and partners from the Mekong Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance.

Voices from the first cohort

“The program's insightful and engaging methodology was essential to getting over many obstacles. It pushed me towards strategic, resilient ESG managerial excellence. I use the tactics I acquired in the Corporate Governance and ESG Scenario Planning modules to help corporations build long-term sustainability.”

Mr. Tran Quoc Bao

PM-ESG alumnus, Ho Chi Minh City Environmental lawyer, Pantheon Law, Vietnam

04 — Admissions and Contact Information

Who the program is for?

Academic credentials

A bachelor's degree (normally four years) in an appropriate major with a final score above 2.75 GPA.

Professional standing

At least three years of relevant work experience; the program is built for mid-career professionals in risk, strategy, operations, finance and social impact.

English proficiency

IELTS 5.0 or equivalent, or the AIT English Entrance Test (EET).

Application file

Online application form, academic transcripts, CV

Who awards the degree?

The Professional Master's degree is awarded by the AIT School of Management, an internationally recognised postgraduate institution founded in 1959. UNITAR issues a Certificate of Completion for the components it delivers, so graduates leave with a dual credential.

Can I keep working full time?

Yes. The program retains the modular weekend format that has defined PM ESG since its first cohort: class sessions are scheduled so working professionals can complete the degree without interrupting their careers, and materials remain available online between sessions.

What does hybrid delivery mean in practice?

Physical class sessions run at the AIT campus in Thailand and are streamed simultaneously through AIT's smart classrooms, while UNITAR's global expert network delivers its sessions online from Geneva and elsewhere.

How is the split between AIT and UNITAR organised?

Teaching is shared throughout the year: AIT faculty anchor the academic core, while UNITAR global experts bring international standards and sector practice into the same sessions. Admissions, academic records and the degree itself are administered by AIT; the capstone is co-supervised.

Can courses be taken individually?

Individual courses may also be offered as professional training workshops or as three-credit certificate courses for professionals who are not ready to commit to the full degree.

Contact Us

For all questions about the program, admissions, fees or arranging a call

Email: ait-unitar-pmesg@ait.asia

Phone, WhatsApp & LINE: +66 2 524 6424

One-to-one Zoom conversation:

Email or message us to request a private video call with a member of the program team. We will suggest a time that works across time zones and send you a meeting link.

The Professional Master's in Environment, Social & Governance (PM ESG)

ACADEMIC CREDITS 30

PROGRAM DURATION: 1 Year

DELIVERY Hybrid

COHORT SIZE 21-30