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Sustainable Finance for Directors

At a glance

  • Identify and evaluate the key themes currently driving sustainable finance.
  • Develop and create a sustainable finance strategy for your organisation.
  • Critically examine the role of regulators, governments and investors.
  • Synthesise key strategic issues which will shape sustainable finance and board oversight in the future.
Subject area(s)
Board Directorship
Attendance
Short course
Fee
£2,805 + VAT
Course length
Two days
Suitable for
Current and future board members and senior executives. (Chair, Senior Independent Director, Non-executive Director, Chief Financial Officer, Company Secretary)
Delivery
In-person

Start dates

29 Apr 2025

Delivery: In-person
Location: Greenlands campus,

Book now

9 Dec 2025

Delivery: In-person
Location: Greenlands campus,

Book now

Looking for a date?

No problem. Get in touch with our team to be kept in the loop on future course dates.

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NOTE

All programmes are subject to limited availability. We recommend booking a minimum of 6 weeks before the programme start date, to guarantee sufficient time for your enrolment and on-boarding.

Overview

Sustainable Finance for Directors is suitable for current and future board members and senior executives. ​

In recent years sustainable finance has moved from being a fringe issue to being a critical topic for every board and organisation. ​

Intense pressure from consumers and environmental action groups has forced governments and businesses to factor ESG issues into their decision-making and monitoring. ​

Sustainable finance has become a disruptive force and is changing the way that organisations operate at a fundamental level. ​

Those that don’t change face marginalisation, declining influence, lower profits or, in certain cases, significant fines. ​

Every senior executive and board member should be aware of the key issues and trends in sustainable finance, how they are likely to develop in the future and what this means for their own board and organisation context.​

Key benefits

  • Equip senior executives and board members with the tools to construct and prioritise organisational sustainable finance strategies.

  • Discover how your organisation will offer higher returns for investors as a sustainable business.

£2,805 (in-person, including residential costs) + VAT

VAT

Standard rate VAT is applicable for UK businesses; overseas businesses based in the EU without a VAT number; and individuals based in the UK, EU, or rest of the world.

The programme is delivered as a workshop over two days, with interaction very much encouraged. Each session contains a core taught element, consisting of presentations and videos.

Led by Dr John Chessher the programme is based around practitioner-led experiences and research. All topics are linked to real-life examples. Each session contains a group activity, where participants work in teams to answer questions based on real-life case studies.

Programme Content

The module is delivered in seven sessions:

Session Name

Content

Overview of sustainable finance

The three elements of sustainable finance – environment, social and governance – are discussed. The development of sustainable ​
finance in recent years is analysed.​

Sustainable finance issues

These are identified and discussed, including greenwashing, transition finance ​
and regulation.​

ESG ratings and measurement

It is vital that we are able to measure ESG factors if organisations are going to make meaningful progress towards a sustainable future. However, this is a challenging and contentious issue.​

Sustainable finance strategies for organisations

Sustainable business thinking is a disruptive force in business. Thinking differently about ESG performance can drive change that delivers more business value while harnessing the power of enterprise to deliver better outcomes for people and the planet.​

Sustainable finance and governments

Governments are under intense pressure to find a balance between green strategies and maximising economic growth. We examine the different sustainable finance approaches of the governments in the USA, Europe and China to analyse what they mean to organisations.​

Sustainable finance strategies for investors

Investors no longer face a choice between profit and saving the planet: evidence is mounting that sustainable businesses offer higher returns for investors. But investors often face difficult choices, and these are analysed in this section.​

Sustainability and strategic oversight futures

The key future sustainable finance issues are identified and their impacts on board strategic monitoring and organisations evaluated.​


Lead Tutor:

Dr John Chessher

Lecturer in Finance

Programme Directors:

Dr Nadeem Khan

Lecturer in Governance Policy and Leadership

Professor Andrew Kakabadse

Professor of Governance and Leadership

Set in sweeping parkland on the banks of the River Thames, Henley Business School's Greenlands campus provides an inspiring and reflective environment for focused work and study.

Find out more about our facilities and how to find us

“Very thought provoking… .I feel confident to work with the board to further strengthen it.”

Warren Turner, Financial Director, Moneyhub Financial Technology Ltd

“Practitioners talking about their challenges and issues meant it wasn’t just theory, but was a balanced learning experience.”

Read full case study - Michael Spiers, Chief People Officer, London City Airport

“Offers a rich menu for those with board aspirations and those who have been there for a while.”

Read full case study - Mike Harwood, The Military Mutual

Why choose Henley?

No.3 in the UK
of Executive Education providers for open programmes - Financial Times 2024
(Financial Times Executive Education open enrolment programmes rankings 2024)
No. 20 in the world
for Executive Education (combined open and custom programmes) - Financial Times 2023
(Executive Education 2023: Top 50 combined ranking and school profiles)

For 75 years, Henley Business School has developed confident and resilient business leaders. Executive Education at Henley is:

  • Practical: we combine academic rigour with a strong practical focus, so you can immediately apply what you have learned back in your organisation.
  • Relevant: Henley faculty are experienced practitioners who can support you in exploring solutions to your organisation’s challenges.
  • Collaborative: Open programmes enable you to expand your network, gain new perspectives and share ideas with peers from a range of backgrounds and sectors.
  • Personal: deliberately small learning groups allow you to benefit from individual attention and a confidential environment. We encourage you to understand your unique strengths, leadership style, and areas for development.

Contact us

Open Programmes

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the programme, please contact our programme advisors.

Email: exec@henley.ac.uk
Telephone: 01491 418767

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