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ICAEW Academy

ICAEW Sustainability Certificate

ICAEW’s Sustainability Certificate equips accountants and other finance professionals with the practical knowledge and skills to integrate sustainability reporting into their organisations. After completion of ICAEW’s online certificate, finance professionals will be able to confidently partner with sustainability experts to identify climate-related risks and incorporate performance and financial metrics into their risk management, financial planning and analysis, and ESG / sustainability reporting.

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Why take ICAEW’s Sustainability Certificate?

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Created by a chartered accountant with over 17 years’ experience advising businesses on sustainable business strategy.

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Engaging and high-quality eLearning taking a pragmatic and practical approach.

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Learn how to integrate sustainability into your reporting, risk management and decision-making processes.

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Insights from subject matter experts and accountants applying ESG and sustainability in business.

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Case studies for business accountants and advisors to put your learning into practice.

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ICAEW Certificate on completion of the case study assessment.

Certificate overview

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course learners will be able to:

  • Describe how ESG/sustainability regulation and stakeholder demand is driving change and what this means for the future role of accountants and finance teams.
  • Understand how to analyse and integrate the impacts of climate change and sustainability targets into financial planning and analysis.
  • Recognise how financial statements (and management accounting) are affected by climate-related matters; including an overview of the key accounting standards where this most commonly applies.
  • Explain why ESG (beyond climate) is relevant for the C-suite through exploring key drivers of uptake; common tools and frameworks; and how ESG data is used by stakeholders.
  • Work with sustainability experts to establish robust data processes, controls and metrics to monitor broader ESG performance.
  • Analyse, communicate and integrate ESG/sustainability assessment results into financial planning and analysis in your organisation.

Topics

  • Module 1: Introduction to sustainability and ESG
    • Understand how the core competencies of a Chartered Accountant mean they play a critical role in organisations achieving a sustainable and resilient business.
    • Define the key sustainability crises of our time (climate change; biodiversity loss; inequality).
    • Explain why sustainability is relevant for the C-suite through exploring key drivers of uptake; commonly used tools and frameworks; and how ESG information is used by stakeholders.
    • Describe how regulation is driving change and what this means for the future role of accountants.
  • Module 2: Climate change – risks, opportunities and reporting

    On completion of this module, you will be able to:

    • Explain why and how climate change can be recognised as a financial risk and opportunity.
    • Integrate the impacts of climate change into financial planning and analysis.
    • Explain current regulation and guidance around climate reporting, including the implications for accountants.
    • Support your organisation to ensure consistency between the narrative report and the financial statements.
    • Recognise how financial statements (and management accounting) are affected by climate-related matters; including an overview of the key accounting standards where this most commonly applies.
  • Module 3: Sustainability and ESG assessments – process, principles and the role of accountants

    On completion of this module, you will be able to:

    • Explain why and how environmental and social issues can be recognised as a financial risk and opportunity.
    • Explain current trends in regulation and guidance around environmental and social issues, including the implications for accountants.
    • Identify key environmental and social issues relevant for your organisation.
    • Work with sustainability experts to establish robust data processes, controls and metrics to monitor ESG performance.
    • Apply the accounting principles for disclosure to ESG information.
    • Engage in meaningful discussion with the business on what ESG information to disclose and what the options are for where to disclose it.
  • Module 4: Analysing, interpreting and applying ESG/Sustainability assessments

    On completion of this module, you will be able to:

    • Explain how non-financial topics could impact your business’ performance
    • Interpret and apply professional scepticism to ESG/sustainability assessment results
    • Apply data analytics principles to ESG/sustainability information
    • Identify key ESG data sources and tools to support your organisation’s sustainability analytics in your organisation
    • Integrate the impacts of, and dependencies on ESG issues into financial planning and analysis in your organisation
  • Module 5a: Case study – Business Accountant

    The case study acts as a final capstone assessment to the programme. Working through several tasks, learners will have a chance to apply all of the knowledge gained from the course within a practical, real-to-life integrated scenario.

    Learners will get hands-on with translating sustainability risks into business opportunities, by applying the knowledge gained during the course to collaborate with sustainability experts, assess and present their findings, and ultimately integrate sustainability information into business decisions.

  • Module 5b: Case study – Practice Accountant

    The case study acts as a final capstone assessment to the programme. Working through several tasks, learners will have a chance to apply all the knowledge gained from the course within a practical, real-to-life integrated scenario.

    Learners will get hands-on with translating sustainability risks into opportunities for their clients, by applying the knowledge gained during the course to work closely with individuals across finance and sustainability within the client organisation, assess and present their findings, and ultimately help their client integrate sustainability information into business decisions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Read the certificate FAQs to find out more

ESG is an evolving area, with multiple regulations and approaches developing. It was great to work through the qualification, cement my own knowledge and gain comfort that the strategies we have been taking with our clients are in line with best practice.

Sophie Parkhouse FCA PGCE Partner, Technical and Training

Prices

Team certification

To discuss purchasing 10 or more licenses for your team or your business please email academy@icaew.com or contact us through our enquiry form. You will be able to purchase up to nine licences immediately.

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