Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations have become an increasingly important component of corporate strategy, risk management, stakeholder expectations, and long-term value creation. Boards of Directors are now expected to understand ESG-related opportunities and risks and to provide effective oversight of how these issues are integrated into organizational strategy and governance.
ESG Governance & Board Oversight is an advanced executive programme designed specifically for Board Directors, senior executives, and governance professionals. The programme provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the Board's role in ESG governance, strategic oversight, risk management, sustainability, reporting, regulatory developments, and stakeholder accountability.
Over 10 days, participants will explore how Boards can establish effective ESG governance structures, challenge management decisions, oversee ESG performance, assess climate and sustainability risks, strengthen corporate accountability, and align ESG priorities with long-term organizational strategy.
Understand the strategic importance of ESG and its implications for Boards of Directors.
Define the Board's responsibilities for ESG governance and oversight.
Evaluate how ESG factors influence corporate strategy, risk, reputation, and long-term value.
Establish effective ESG governance structures, policies, and Board oversight mechanisms.
Identify and assess material ESG risks and opportunities.
Strengthen Board oversight of climate-related and sustainability risks.
Evaluate ESG strategies, targets, KPIs, and management performance.
Understand major ESG reporting, disclosure, and regulatory requirements.
Assess the quality and credibility of ESG information presented to the Board.
Strengthen Board oversight of ESG-related compliance and accountability.
Integrate ESG considerations into strategic decision-making and corporate planning.
Understand the relationship between ESG, corporate governance, ethics, and stakeholder expectations.
Evaluate executive compensation and performance through an ESG perspective.
Strengthen oversight of supply-chain, human-rights, social, and reputational risks.
Understand the Board's role in sustainability transformation and net-zero strategies.
Enhance Board-level decision-making through ESG scenario analysis and emerging-risk assessment.
Develop practical frameworks for strengthening ESG governance within the organization.
Board Directors
Non-Executive Directors
Independent Directors
Chairpersons and Board Committee Members
CEOs and Managing Directors
Chief Sustainability Officers
Chief Risk Officers
Chief Compliance Officers
Corporate Governance Professionals
Company Secretaries
Senior Executives responsible for ESG and sustainability
Senior Public-Sector Board Members
Government-Owned Entity Board Members
Investment Committee Members
Senior Risk, Audit and Compliance Professionals
Introduction to ESG and its evolution
Why ESG matters at Board level
ESG as a strategic and governance issue
Understanding Environmental, Social and Governance dimensions
ESG and long-term organizational value
The changing expectations of Boards and Directors
Board responsibilities in relation to ESG
ESG oversight versus management responsibility
ESG, corporate purpose and stakeholder expectations
The relationship between ESG and corporate governance
Emerging ESG challenges facing Boards
Board-level ESG governance maturity assessment
Designing an effective ESG governance framework
Board and management responsibilities
ESG governance structures and reporting lines
Role of Board committees in ESG oversight
ESG responsibilities of Audit, Risk, Nomination and Remuneration Committees
Establishing ESG policies and governance principles
ESG delegation of authority
Board reporting structures
ESG governance charters
Management accountability for ESG performance
Escalation of material ESG issues to the Board
Measuring the effectiveness of ESG governance
Practical Board ESG governance framework
Integrating ESG into corporate strategy
ESG and long-term value creation
Connecting ESG priorities with business objectives
Materiality and strategic relevance
Identifying ESG opportunities
ESG-driven business transformation
Board oversight of sustainability strategies
ESG objectives, targets and strategic priorities
Evaluating management ESG strategies
ESG scenario planning
Strategic decision-making under ESG uncertainty
Board questions for evaluating ESG strategy
Case study: Board review of an ESG strategy
Understanding ESG-related risks
ESG risk identification and assessment
Integrating ESG into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
Environmental and climate risks
Social and human-capital risks
Governance and compliance risks
Reputational and stakeholder risks
Emerging ESG risks
ESG risk appetite and tolerance
Board oversight of ESG risk registers
ESG risk monitoring and reporting
Crisis and emerging-risk oversight
Board responsibilities for ESG-related failures
Practical ESG risk assessment exercise
Climate change from a Board perspective
Physical and transition climate risks
Climate-related financial risks
Board oversight of climate strategy
Carbon emissions and organizational footprint
Net-zero strategies and corporate commitments
Decarbonization and transition planning
Climate scenario analysis
Climate targets and performance monitoring
Greenwashing and climate-related claims
Board oversight of sustainability investments
Climate-related opportunities and business resilience
Reviewing management climate proposals
Board-level climate risk case study
The importance of ESG reporting for Boards
ESG disclosure and corporate accountability
Understanding major ESG reporting frameworks
Sustainability reporting principles
ESG data quality and reliability
Material ESG information
Board approval and oversight of ESG disclosures
Assurance and verification of ESG information
Regulatory developments affecting ESG reporting
ESG compliance and regulatory risk
Avoiding misleading ESG statements and greenwashing
Board oversight of sustainability reports
Evaluating ESG reports presented to the Board
Practical ESG disclosure review
The "S" in ESG from a Board perspective
Human capital management
Employee wellbeing and organizational culture
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Human rights and modern slavery risks
Labor and workforce governance
Talent, succession and leadership
Executive culture and ethical behavior
Supply-chain social risks
Community engagement and social impact
Stakeholder expectations
Stakeholder mapping and Board oversight
Social-risk indicators and KPIs
Board oversight of corporate culture
The "G" in ESG
Principles of effective corporate governance
Board composition and ESG competencies
Board independence and accountability
Ethics and corporate integrity
Anti-bribery and anti-corruption
Conflicts of interest
Whistleblowing and speak-up culture
Compliance oversight
Governance failures and lessons learned
Board effectiveness and ESG
Director duties and accountability
Governance KPIs
Evaluating Board ESG effectiveness
Case study: Governance failure and Board response
ESG KPIs and Board dashboards
Measuring ESG performance
Linking ESG performance to executive accountability
ESG-linked executive remuneration
Incentive structures and ESG objectives
Evaluating management ESG performance
ESG benchmarking
ESG ratings and their limitations
Investor expectations
Stakeholder engagement
ESG communications and reputation
Managing ESG controversies
Responding to activist investors and stakeholders
Board-level ESG performance review
Developing an effective ESG Board dashboard
Emerging ESG trends and future challenges
ESG and the future of corporate governance
Artificial Intelligence and ESG governance
Technology, data and ESG oversight
Future climate and sustainability risks
Regulatory and stakeholder expectations
ESG transformation and organizational resilience
Integrating ESG into Board decision-making
Board ESG maturity assessment
Developing an ESG governance improvement plan
Establishing Board ESG priorities
Defining ESG oversight responsibilities
Developing a Board ESG dashboard
Practical Board-level ESG governance simulation
Final case study: Board ESG strategic decision
Individual Board ESG Action Plan
Course review and key takeaways
