Training Objectives

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Describe the EU Green Deal
• Develop an understanding of what ESG, Sustainability and Stakeholder capitalism is
• List the priorities of the EU relevant to ESG and Sustainability
• Name the key obligations that corporations will be required to meet relevant to ESG and Sustainability
• Identify the requirements stemming from existing ESG regulations
• Express the importance of producing appropriate ESG Reports
• Convey the ESG and Sustainability challenges corporations are expected to face
• Prepare the Compliance Unit to be best equipped for current and future ESG and Sustainable-related regulations
• Choose the relevant tools to use for ESG reporting
• Describe the existing recommendations by the UN on Sustainable Growth
• Clarify the difference between greenwashing and ESG policies
• Compare best practices in monitoring and reporting ESG for a corporation

Training Outline

Introduction to ESG and Sustainability

• Understanding the concepts of ESG and sustainability (Green Economy, Sustainability, Stakeholder Capitalism, Sustainable Development Goals)
• Exploring the business case for ESG integration

Regulatory Developments at the European Level

• EU Green Deal: Goals, initiatives, and impact on ESG regulations
• Overview of key ESG-related directives and regulations (CSRD, EU Taxonomy, CSDDD, Green Claims, Farm to Fork, FitFor55, EU ETS, CBAM
• Analysis of key sustainability topics: I.e. Energy, Water, Waste management, Human rights issues i.e. DE&I, H&S, HR considerations, CSR, anti-corruption measures, Responsible Procurement)

Reporting, Communication and Beyond (Case Studies and Practical Exercises)

• Impact, Risk & Opportunity Assessment
• Stakeholder analysis and engagement
• Double Materiality Analysis
• ESG Strategy development & transition plan
• Implementing effective data collection and management systems
• Crafting impactful ESG reports and communication strategies
• Engaging stakeholders through transparent and compelling ESG disclosures (stakeholders’ identification and materiality exercise)
• Aligning ESG practices with regulatory expectations.
• Integrating ESG considerations into corporate governance frameworks (ESG Strategy formulation exercise)
• Analysing real-world ESG reporting and communication examples – Avoid greenwashing

Future Trends and Emerging Issues

• Exploring upcoming regulatory developments and their potential impact
• Understanding the integration of ESG into global reporting frameworks
• Navigating emerging topics, such as climate risk disclosure and social impact reporting

Overview of major EU Regulations on Sustainability

• Key objectives of each regulation

Objectives of SFDR

• Basic criteria
• Scope of SFDR

SFDR Reporting Requirements for Fund Managers and Investment Firms (RTS)

SFDR Reporting Requirements for Funds and Investment Products (RTS)

Impact of SFDR on MiFID II

• MiFID II amendments

EU Taxonomy Regulation

• Impact of Corporations
• Impact on Investment Firms

Who Should Attend 

This course is suitable for persons interested in ESG and Sustainability, and holding positions in the following fields:

• Regulatory officers both in state agencies and corporations
• Professionals in the Treasury Department
• Compliance officers and management
• ESG & Sustainability Officers who wish to stay up to date with developments in the field
• Company executives from various departments who have been assigned the task of contributing towards their organization’s Sustainability Report, strategy and plan and wish to have a better understanding of the field
• Business consultants/ strategists
• Professionals interested in the upcoming challenges related to ESG and Sustainability regulations and policies

Training Style

The course is designed to deliver knowledge, initially by offering a theoretical assessment of ESG and Sustainable Finance, and then adopting a more practical perspective that seeks to illustrate the challenges and obligations relating to ESG Reporting. The teaching methodology rests on an interactive approach that will seek to engage the participants and accordingly place emphasis on those aspects/issues discussed that are deemed to have the greatest value for the participants.

Knowledge Test

At the completion of the knowledge areas, participants will be assessed via the form of Multiple-Choice Questions which will consist of questions related to the material taught. The aim of the assessment is to examine participants’ overall attention and knowledge of material taught as well as their competencies towards the implementation of practical cases.

CPD Recognition

This programme may be approved for up to 15 CPD units in Financial Regulation. Eligibility criteria and CPD Units are verified directly by your association, regulator or other bodies which you hold membership.

In-house Training

For groups within the same organisation, this course may be customized to meet any specific needs and delivered in-house.