Governance for Impactful Organisations (ESG507)

This course ESG507 Governance for Impactful Organisations covers the fundamental principles of governance and introduces learners to the different models of organisational governance around the world. We begin by covering the roles and responsibilities of directors, including their legal and regulatory obligations. Learners will then be exposed to best practices for forming and maintaining a board, while ensuring board effectiveness, with particular emphasis on the role of sustainability committees and chief sustainability officers. We will also focus on the integration of sustainability governance frameworks into organisational decision making to achieve sustainability objectives, to identify and manage sustainability related risks and their reputational and financial impacts.

• Evolution and principles of organisational governance
• Role of boards, executive committee, and directors
• Board committees including sustainability committees
• Models and organisational governance
• Board composition, succession, and renewal
• Best practices for board effectiveness
• Evaluating board performance
• Interpreting financial statements and assessing financial health
• Integrating sustainability into organisational strategies
• Integrating sustainability into governance structures
• Climate and social risk management
• ESG target setting and compliance

• Compare different models of organisational governance
• Critique organisational governance practices
• Assess sustainability-related risks and opportunities
• Evaluate sustainability-linked performance metrics
• Design a sustainability governance framework for an organisation
• Propose ways to improve the governance of an organisation