Key Strategies for Business Sustainability

Four weeksTwo to three hours each week

Starts October 29, 2024

Live facilitated sessions with industry experts (virtual)

Price: $699.00 + applicable taxes View available early bird and alumni discounts

In partnership with the School of Accounting and Finance, WatSPEED's Key Strategies for Business Sustainability course provides emerging sustainability leaders with the foundational knowledge of the impact of sustainability on business strategy, risks, reporting, and business practices. This four-week course includes an overview of the process necessary to align sustainability practices with operations and strategy while emphasizing how to harness opportunities and identify emerging risks.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

Recognize the impact of science and advanced social topics on your organization.
Identify steps necessary to conduct a current state and materiality assessment within your organization.
Identify considerations in establishing baselines, metrics, and target setting.
Gain exposure to experts with experience integrating sustainability into business operations and organizational strategy.

Session 1: Understanding the Impact of Science and Advanced Social Topics on Your Organization	Understand the components of an organization’s carbon footprint Methodology overview behind measuring carbon emissions. Considerations for setting carbon targets to reduce carbon footprint in an organization and supply chain Understand how science-based topics such as biodiversity, and advanced social topics impact sustainability.
Session 2: Conducting your Current State & Materiality Assessments	Explore the importance of: Understanding your organization’s current state of sustainability Identifying your organizational ESG strategy / mission / vision / values. Double materiality Approach to: Identification of both internal and external organizational stakeholders necessary for materiality assessment Identify those topics that matter most to stakeholders. Identify topics with the greatest organizational impact. Methodology to develop a materiality matrix and identify key organizational focus areas to manage risk and capitalize on opportunities.
Session 3: Baselines, Metrics and Target Setting	Considerations in establishing baselines for metrics and in setting future targets. Investigate alternative metrics aligning with identified ESG/sustainability priorities. Explore challenges in obtaining and utilizing data for metric calculations.
Session 4: Operational and Strategic Sustainability Integration	Explore how sustainability integrates into operational processes and systems such as data governance; enterprise risk management; and controls. Explore the strategic advantages of integrating sustainability into corporate strategy. Explore how ESG factors intersect with higher-level processes and systems such as strategic planning and goal setting; budgeting and reporting; capital planning; and, compensation and bonuses.

This four-week course is designed for:

Senior and emerging leaders who wish to understand how sustainability reshapes businesses and industries.
Business managers and mid-to-senior level professionals interested in harnessing the impact of sustainability in their work environments.
Anyone looking to understand better the foundational concepts of participating in sustainable initiatives and reporting.
Individuals tasked with implementing sustainability initiatives and strategic reporting within their organization.

Learn alongside your team!

WatSPEED provides custom learning experiences tailored for large groups from any single organization. Register three or more employees from the same organization and receive 15 per cent off. Contact our team at watspeed@uwaterloo.ca for details.

This course offers multiple modes of learning that will allow you to get up-to-speed quickly on how sustainability plays a role in businesses. This includes:

90-minute live sessions, taking place via Zoom on Tuesdays (October 29-November 19) from 1- 2:30 p.m. ET, comprised of facilitated sessions with industry experts.
Curated readings that will allow you to dig deeper into specific topics of interest.

Receive a certificate from the University of Waterloo

Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a professional education certificate from the University of Waterloo.

headshot of Amanda Ackerman

Amanda Ackerman

Co-founder, Bloom ESG | Guest Speaker

Amanda Ackerman is a sustainability professional with 15+ years of experience in energy, decarbonisation strategy, and sustainable finance. Focused on providing advisory support to organisations around understanding ESG risks and opportunities. Currently, Ackerman is based in Netherlands and is a Co-Founder of Bloom ESG.

Sarah Keyes headshot

Sarah Keyes

CEO, ESG Global Advisors | Guest Speaker

Sarah Keyes is a leader in ESG and climate change, focusing on financial and operational performance and long-term value. In her role, Keyes helps establish strategies that align with core priorities, allowing for effective integration with existing risk processes.

Keyes is ISO 14064-3 Certified for Greenhouse Gas Verifications and received the 2018 Emerging Leader Award from CPA Ontario. In 2023, Keyes received a Top 50 Changemaker Award from the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. Sarah also facilitates a module on ESG and sustainable finance in the ICD’s Director Education Program and serves on the Boards of Directors of Leading Change Canada and Sustainable Buildings Canada.

Headshot of Jennifer Roedding

Jennifer Roedding

Executive in Residence - HUB for Sustainability Integration | Course Facilitator

Jennifer Roedding is the executive in residence at the School of Accounting and Finance’s HUB for Sustainability Integration. The HUB is a sustainability ecosystem that brings together students with a sustainability business council to incorporate professional development related to sustainability integration.

Roedding is an accomplished and innovative Corporate Director, Executive Leader, and Business Transformation Consultant. Her distinguished career in both audit and consulting includes 25 years at a national firm, where she was a National Consulting Partner for telecommunications and technology. Roedding is a Corporate Director for Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) and Chairs its Audit and Risk Management Committee.

She also Chairs the Board of Directors for Alimentiv, an international biotech and clinical research organization operating in 62 countries.

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