Summary
This course aims to meet the learning needs of those involved in the development and/or delivery of a corporate sustainability strategy and who need to develop their knowledge and understanding of corporate sustainability and ESG, in theory and practice.
To be eligible to receive the accreditation award from TU Dublin, 100% course attendance is required.
Please note this programme in May follow the schedule below:
- Tue 7 May 2024 | 09:30 - 17:00 - Online
- Tue 14 May 2024 | 09:30 - 17:00 - In person in Ibec Office Dublin
- Tue 21 May 2024 | 09:30 - 17:00 - Online
- Tue 28 May 2024 | 09:30 - 17:00 - Online
Subject Assessment:
- Participants complete their strategy presentation adding an action plan that sets out key actions needed to start implementing the strategy in year 1, and submit for assessment
- Participants complete a learning journal highlighting the specific actions they will take to apply the learning from this subject
At the end of the programme participants will be able to:
- Articulate the business case for sustainability and explain the relevance of ESG risks and opportunities for business
- Demonstrate an understanding of what is driving the sustainability and ESG agenda, including policy/regulation and pressure from stakeholders such as investors, customers, and employees
- Explain key environmental, social and governance topics and what they mean for business
- Demonstrate an understanding of key tools and concepts for managing ESG issues within a business, for example carbon footprinting, circular economy thinking, diversity and inclusion policies, good corporate governance
- Develop an appreciation for how to create a robust corporate sustainability strategy, following a structured process that includes doing a ‘materiality assessment’ to identify the most important ESG issues for a business
- Demonstrate an understanding of key sustainability and ESG reporting frameworks and standards
- Develop an appreciation for how to create a practical action plan to operationalise key elements of a corporate sustainability/ESG strategy
- Understand how to communicate and engage different stakeholders with a strong and authentic sustainability message
This programme is for:
Participants who want to develop their knowledge of the corporate sustainability agenda and how businesses need to respond, newly appointed members of a sustainability team or other functions who have a role in implementing their company’s sustainability strategy including marketing, HR, supply chain, product development, sales etc.
Approach
This is an interactive learning programme, where participants will work on their own action plan as a core element of the process. There are also a number of activities and case studies as part of the course, with participants being asked to complete a learning journal to document their thinking as it evolves over the course. All stages of the programme are designed to identify, highlight and foster the interaction of the participants’ practical experience with a supporting academic foundation.
Programme Schedule
Module 1: Why we need to act: Core ESG Topics for Business and the Business Case for Sustainability
- Definitions of key concepts and terms, including sustainable development, corporate sustainability, and ESG (environmental, social and governance)
- Overview of the policy response to global sustainability challenges, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement, the European Green Deal, and resulting regulation including CSRD
- Overview and definitions of key environmental, social and governance issues
- The role of key stakeholders in driving the sustainability agenda and what this means for your organisation
- The business case for sustainability for your organisation - both opportunities and risks – including, for example, meeting changing consumer demands, employee attraction and retention, appeal to investors and lenders, and business model resilience
Module 2: What we need to achieve: Sustainability Strategy Development Part 1
- Using a practical framework to develop a sustainability strategy
- Setting a sustainability ambition for your organisation
- Identifying material ESG issues for your organisation, using materiality analysis and stakeholder engagement
- Developing strategy pillars to address the material issues for your organisation
- Selecting metrics and setting targets for your organisation, including an overview of Science Based Targets for carbon reduction
- Overview of carbon footprinting and what is meant by Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
- Mapping your strategy to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Module 3: How we can achieve it: Sustainability Strategy Development Part 2 & ESG Reporting
- Prioritising initiatives by impact
- Discussion on the concept of carbon off-setting
- Navigating ESG reporting standards, certifications, ratings and initiatives, including:
- Overview of voluntary ESG reporting frameworks and standards and mandatory ESG reporting requirements, in particular the EU’s CSRD
- Overview of key sustainability and ESG certifications / tools for businesses and their supply chains
Module 4: From Strategy to Action
- How to construct a practical action plan to deliver on your organisation's sustainability strategy
- How to effectively engage internal and external stakeholders in your sustainability strategy and goals
- Leveraging external collaboration and partnerships to deliver your sustainability strategy
- Leading sustainably: How to be an effective change agent in your organisation
Accredited Partner
Collaborating since 2008 to deliver pragmatic education to support careers and organisational development
Programme Facilitator
Karen Deignan
Karen is a Co-Founder of SustainabilityWorks, a consulting firm on a mission to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a sustainable future. She helps organisations develop and communicate sustainability strategies. Over her 20-year career, Karen has advised multinationals and SMEs from many different sectors across the UK, Ireland, US, and Europe. She loves making the complex world of sustainability simple, so that people feel empowered to act.
Prior to setting up SustainabilityWorks, Karen worked in London for sustainability consultancies Salterbaxter, Corporate Culture, and the Carbon Trust. She has a Masters in Organisational Psychology from the London School of Economics and a BA in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin.
