By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• • Understand the concept and principles of strategic sustainability and corporate governance
  • Identify and prioritize the material ESG issues for your business and industry
  • Develop and implement a strategic sustainability and corporate governance plan that aligns with your business vision, mission, values, and objectives
  • Communicate and report your strategic sustainability and corporate governance performance and impact using global standards and best practices
  • Evaluate and improve your strategic sustainability and corporate governance practices using appropriate tools and frameworks

This course is designed for business executives who want to learn how to create value and impact for their business and society through strategic sustainability and corporate governance. It is suitable for executives from any industry, function, or region who are interested in or responsible for developing, implementing, or overseeing strategic sustainability and corporate governance initiatives in their organization.

Day One:

The Responsible and Ethical Corporate Board

• What are the roles and responsibilities of the corporate board in relation to strategic sustainability and corporate governance?
• What are the ethical dilemmas and challenges that the corporate board may face in relation to strategic sustainability and corporate governance?
• How can the corporate board ensure that its decisions are aligned with its values and impact?
• How can the corporate board foster a culture of responsibility and accountability within the organization?
• Case study

Day Two:

Green Strategy and Sustainability

• What is green strategy and why does it matter for your business and society?
• What are the global trends and challenges that affect green strategy?
• What are the drivers and benefits of green strategy for your business?
• How can you assess the materiality and impact of environmental issues for your business?
• How can you design a green strategy that aligns with your core competencies and competitive advantage?
• Case study

Day Three:

Sustainability Reporting Standards

• What is sustainability reporting and why does it matter for your business and stakeholders?
• What are the global standards and best practices for sustainability reporting?
• How can you use frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to report your sustainability performance?
• How can you ensure the quality, credibility, transparency, comparability, relevance, accuracy, timeliness, clarity, balance, reliability, assurance, accessibility, responsiveness, inclusiveness, materiality, completeness of your sustainability report?
• Case study

Day Four:

External Assurance Assessment

• What is external assurance and why does it matter for your business and stakeholders?
• What are the global standards and best practices for external assurance?
• How can you use frameworks such as the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000, the AA1000 Assurance Standard, and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) Code of Ethics to assure your sustainability report?
• How can you select and work with an external assurance provider effectively?
• Case study

Day Five:

Socially Responsible Investment

• What is socially responsible investment and why does it matter for your portfolio and society?
• What are the different approaches and criteria of socially responsible investment, such as ESG factors, PRI, and impact investing?
• How can you align your portfolio with your values and impact through socially responsible investment?
• How can you evaluate the performance and impact of your socially responsible investments using appropriate tools and frameworks?
• Case study

Day Six:

Sustainable Development Principles

• What is sustainable development and why does it matter for your business and society?
• What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how do they relate to strategic sustainability and corporate governance?
• How can you align your business with the SDGs?
• How can you support sustainable development in developing economies through socially responsible investment?
• Case study

Day Seven:

Globalization and Corporate Sustainability

• What is globalization and why does it matter for your business and society?
• What are the global trends and challenges that affect globalization?
• What are the drivers and benefits of globalization for your business?
• How can you assess the materiality and impact of globalization issues for your business?
• How can you address globalization and corporate sustainability issues through socially responsible investment?
• Case study

Day Eight:

Dealing with Activism and Climate Change

• What is activism and why does it matter for your business and society?
• What are the global trends and challenges that affect activism?
• What are the drivers and benefits of activism for your business?
• How can you assess the materiality and impact of activism issues for your business?
• How can you deal with activism and climate change issues through socially responsible investment?
• Case study

Day Nine:

Corporate Governance Fundamentals

• What is corporate governance and why does it matter for your business and society?
• What are the roles and responsibilities of the board, management, shareholders, and other stakeholders in corporate governance?
• What are the principles and best practices of corporate governance, such as accountability, transparency, fairness, and ethics?
• How can you use frameworks such as the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance, the UK Corporate Governance Code, and the King IV Report on Corporate Governance to guide your corporate governance practices?
• Case study

Day Ten:

• What is the role of the board in relation to strategic sustainability and corporate governance?
• How can the board set the vision, mission, values, and strategy of the organization in alignment with strategic sustainability and corporate governance goals?
• How can the board oversee the performance, risk, compliance, and reporting of the organization in relation to strategic sustainability and corporate governance issues?
• How can the board ensure that the organization has adequate resources, capabilities, culture, and incentives to support strategic sustainability and corporate governance initiatives?
• Case study

To enhance learning and practical application of concepts, the training course will use a combination of interactive lectures, case studies, group discussions, practical exercises, and real-world examples. Participants will also get the chance to collaborate on group projects and create action plans adapted to the needs of their respective organizations.