Corporate ESG & Climate Strategy

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Develop and implement an ESG and climate strategy aligned with business goals and stakeholder expectations.

Course Category Sustainable Business Practices (Leadership Track)

Lecturer Grace Lee

Enrolled Learners

0 learners

Last Updated 22-12-2025

Level

All Levels

Available Language(s)

English

What you'll learn

Define material ESG issues and align them with business strategy.
Set governance structures and accountability for climate and sustainability outcomes.
Develop long-term climate targets and roadmaps across functions.
Communicate strategy to stakeholders and integrate it into decision-making processes.

Requirements

Experience in management or strategy roles is recommended. No formal prerequisites.

Description

This leadership-track course guides senior managers through analyzing material ESG issues, setting strategic objectives, and integrating climate considerations into long-term planning. It includes governance, risk, and performance measurement components tailored to corporate contexts.

Foundations of ESG and Climate Strategy: Key Concepts
Governance Structures for ESG Programs
Aligning ESG with Corporate Strategy
Stakeholders and Materiality in ESG
Frameworks and Standards Overview
Governance, Risk Management, and Decision Making in ESG

Climate Risk Fundamentals: Physical and Transition Risks
Value Chain Exposure to Climate Risks
Financial Impacts and Stress Testing for Climate Risk
Scenario Analysis: Pathways and Planning
Integrating Climate Risk into Governance and Decision Making

Global and Regional Regulators: Scope and Timelines
Frameworks and Obligations: TCFD, SASB, GRI, CSRD
Data Governance for ESG Reporting
Governance for Compliance
Disclosure, Assurance, and Transparency
Cross-border Regulatory Alignment and Product Disclosures
Implementation Roadmap and Change Management

Establishing Baseline Emissions and Scopes 1-3
Target Setting and Ambition Levels for Net-Zero
Identifying and Prioritizing Decarbonization Levers
Governance, Milestones, and Roadmapping for Net-Zero
Monitoring, Reporting, and Credible Progress
Integrating Decarbonization with Financial Planning and Risk Management

Introduction to Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management
Energy Efficiency in Operations
Water Stewardship Essentials
Waste Reduction and Circular Economy
Sustainable Materials, Procurement, and Supplier Engagement
Supplier Collaboration and Risk Management
Measurement, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement

Introduction to Measurement and Data Governance for ESG
Data Collection Methods and Data Quality Management
GHG Protocol, Emissions Data, and Scopes 1-3
Data Validation, Internal Controls, and Assurance
Developing KPIs and Dashboards for ESG Metrics
Third-Party Assurance and External Reporting Processes
Data Quality Assurance, Audit Trails, and Reporting Transparency

The course guides senior managers through identifying material ESG issues, establishing governance, setting long-term climate targets, integrating climate considerations into strategic planning, and measuring performance to drive sustainable value.

This course is suited for executives and managers in strategy, sustainability, governance, risk, finance, and operations who lead or influence ESG and climate initiatives, as well as cross-functional teams involved in strategic planning.

ESG strategy should reflect material issues that affect business value, stakeholder expectations, and risk, and be embedded into strategic objectives, decision-making processes, and performance metrics across functions.

Material ESG issues are topics with significant environmental, social, or governance impact and stakeholder importance. They are identified through materiality assessments, stakeholder consultations, risk analyses, and alignment with business context.

Effective governance includes a clear board or ESG committee oversight, executive sponsorship, defined roles and responsibilities, cross-functional working groups, and regular reporting and accountability mechanisms.

Begin with a baseline, establish credible targets, define milestones and time horizons, assign ownership, integrate targets into budgets and plans, and review progress regularly to adjust as needed.

Common frameworks include GRI, SASB/ISSB, and TCFD. The course covers how these standards relate to governance, data collection, and transparent disclosure, and how to apply them in practice.

Incorporate climate-related risks into risk registers, perform scenario analysis, align mitigation plans with controls, and embed climate resilience into business continuity and strategy reviews.

Use a balanced set of KPIs across governance, risk, and performance; ensure data quality and governance, maintain dashboards for leadership, and provide regular external and internal disclosures as appropriate.

Map key stakeholders, tailor communications to different groups, solicit feedback, involve representatives in governance activities, and maintain transparency to build trust and buy-in.

Establish shared targets, create cross-functional governance bodies, align ESG goals with budgets and performance reviews, and use regular coordination rituals to synchronize efforts.

Leaders set vision and tone, secure resources, enable culture change, make strategic decisions that prioritize ESG outcomes, and drive accountability across the organization.

Clarify scope definitions, establish a credible baseline, set ambitious reduction targets, involve the supply chain for Scope 3, and monitor progress with transparent reporting.

Establish data governance, verify data sources, implement validation and assurance processes, maintain audit trails, and integrate data systems to improve reliability.

ESG criteria should be incorporated into investment appraisals, risk-adjusted returns, and strategic budgeting, ensuring funding aligns with sustainability objectives and value creation.

Monitor developments, maintain flexibility in strategy, update controls and disclosures as needed, and engage with policymakers to anticipate and shape future requirements.

Yes. The course includes diverse case studies showing governance structures, target setting, and value creation from effective ESG and climate strategies across industries.

Common challenges include data gaps, misalignment across functions, and executive buy-in. Overcome them with clear governance, data improvements, stakeholder engagement, and strong leadership support.

Assessment typically involves practical exercises, strategy mapping, case analyses, and reflective activities designed to demonstrate the application of ESG and climate strategy concepts.

This assessment covers key concepts in Corporate ESG and climate strategy, including GHG accounting (Scopes 1-3), measurement and targets, governance, risk management, reporting frameworks such as TCFD and GHG Protocol, and practical actions to improve environmental performance across the value chain. Participants will demonstrate understanding of how to integrate sustainability into business strategy, how to assess climate risks, how to set credible targets, and how to communicate progress to stakeholders. The quiz is designed to validate knowledge and readiness to apply ESG and climate principles in corporate decision making.