By Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO, Coursera
Coursera was founded to provide universal access to world-class learning so that anyone, anywhere, has the power to transform their life through learning. Our mission is deeply rooted in our business. It is what inspires our team members, attracts our partners, and enables our customers to make high-quality education a growing reality for millions of learners around the world. To that end, I am excited to introduce our first environmental, social, and governance (ESG) report.
In this report, we are pleased to share progress on several key initiatives:
- Increased workforce gender and race/ethnicity representation through our remote-first approach, including 48% of global leadership roles now held by women
- Expanded programs focused on employee wellness, including new mental health resources, corporate weeks of rest, and a global coworking program centered around local connections
- Achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification as part of our commitment to protecting the data of our learners, partners, and customers
- Broadened our catalog to promote literacy in ESG topics, including more than 200 courses in sustainability and over 100 addressing social justice
Coursera is a public benefit corporation, underscoring our deep commitment to making a positive impact on society. In 2022, we were recertified as a B Corp®, meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency, but our efforts are just getting started.
Our world is changing quickly. The forces of digital transformation, automation, and globalization continue to profoundly reshape labor markets and society at large. Challenges like social inequities, job displacement, and the growing digital divide are creating an urgent need to prepare learners, businesses, and governments to keep pace with this accelerated rate of change. A new model for education must meet this challenge with unprecedented speed and scale.
Our rapid expansion reflects Coursera’s growing prominence as a global destination for learners seeking job-relevant skills and credentials, as well as institutions looking to upskill workers. More than 118 million learners have come to Coursera to advance their careers and improve their lives, and more than 1,000 businesses, governments, and academic institutions are using our platform to broaden access to educational and economic opportunities worldwide.
Together with our educator partners, we are creating a more accessible, affordable, and relevant system of higher education. Our catalog combines durable skills from universities with practical, hands-on learning from industry leaders. Our entry-level Professional Certificates are creating pathways into well-paying digital jobs while providing credit towards college degrees.
We are pleased with our record of progress, but our work is not done. In collaboration with the Coursera community, we are focused on fulfilling our mission so that talent, and opportunity, can rise from anywhere in the world.
To that end, I am excited to introduce our first environmental, social, and governance (ESG) report.