Sustainability training is designed for organizations that have started receiving sustainability requests from their customers, banks or parent company, to clarify what the request means and where to start.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) is the set of three headings that define an organization’s non-financial performance. Today these headings are no longer a voluntary communication activity; they are part of purchasing decisions, credit terms and customer contracts.
This training resolves the conceptual confusion: which regulation binds whom, where each request comes from, who should do which piece of work, and what can realistically be done in the first 12 months.
Why has this training come onto the agenda?
The request comes from the customer. Large buyers ask their suppliers for data, policies and assessments to meet their own reporting obligations. The request travels down the chain from the top.
Assessment platforms have become widespread. Scores obtained through platforms such as EcoVadis and NQC SAQ have turned into a supplier selection criterion.
Reporting regulations are in force. National sustainability reporting standards aligned with IFRS S1/S2, and the EU’s CSRD and related regulations, bind companies above certain size thresholds directly; their suppliers are affected indirectly.
The concepts get mixed up. Carbon footprint, sustainability report, ESG rating and supply chain due diligence are different pieces of work. Starting the wrong one wastes time and budget.
Who should attend?
- Employees newly assigned as sustainability officers
- Quality, environment and integrated management system officers
- Purchasing and supplier development teams
- Human resources and corporate communications managers
- Finance and reporting units
- Middle and senior managers who will bring the topic to the board
There are no prerequisites. General knowledge of management systems makes participation easier.
Training Content
Conceptual framework
- Distinguishing sustainability, ESG, CSR and the circular economy
- The scope of the environmental, social and governance headings
- The stakeholder concept and mapping stakeholder expectations
- The relationship between sustainability and management systems
The regulatory environment
- National sustainability reporting standards and their scope
- How EU regulations affect exporters outside the EU
- An overview of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- The logic behind supply chain due diligence obligations
- Voluntary frameworks: UN Global Compact, GRI, SBTi
Measurement and assessment tools
- The logic of carbon footprint calculation and scope boundaries
- ESG rating and supplier assessment platforms
- The difference between self-assessment, document verification and an on-site audit
- The content and verification of a sustainability report
Materiality analysis
- The concepts of impact materiality and financial materiality
- The logic of the double materiality approach
- Identifying priority topics and building the materiality matrix
The corporate roadmap
- Current-state analysis and identifying gaps
- Building the policy set and the governance structure
- Data ownership, data quality and evidence management
- Target setting and monitoring progress
- A realistic priority order for the first 12 months
Practical exercises
Participants map the stakeholders of a sample organization, identify priority topics and prepare a draft roadmap. In in-house programmes the work is carried out on your own organization.
Learning Outcomes
- Using sustainability and ESG concepts correctly
- Distinguishing the regulations and customer requests that bind your organization
- Identifying which tool answers which need
- Identifying priority sustainability topics
- Preparing a draft roadmap specific to your organization
- Presenting the topic to top management in a structured way
Duration and Participation Options
Duration: 1 day in open-enrolment programmes. In in-house programmes, planned as 1–2 days depending on the scope and participant profile.
Level: Awareness.
Participation type: Open enrolment or in-house.
Training method: In person (at your organization or in our training room), live online, on-demand recording.
Dates: Set according to demand. When you submit the request form, we share suitable date alternatives together with the proposal.
Certificate of Attendance
Participants who complete the training receive a certificate of attendance. The certificate includes the participant’s name, training scope, date and duration. It can be used as evidence of competence in your competence records and in audits.
- Corporate Carbon Footprint — ISO 14064-1 Training
- EcoVadis Preparation Training
- SAQ / S-Rating Preparation Training
- ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Training
- SA 8000 Social Accountability Training
- ISO 50001 Energy Management System Training
Beyond Training: Implementation Support
- Sustainability current-state and gap analysis
- Building the policy set and the governance structure
- Running the materiality analysis workshop
- Setting up the data collection infrastructure and the evidence file
- Preparing the roadmap and monitoring progress
You can make use of our consulting services in every area where support is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sustainability and ESG Training
Are ESG and sustainability the same thing? Close but not identical. Sustainability is the broader concept; ESG is that concept structured into three measurable and reportable headings, and is generally used from the investor and buyer perspective.
We are a small company — does this bind us too? Reporting regulations bind companies above certain size thresholds directly. If you are a supplier to such a company, however, the request reaches you through the contract. In practice, most SMEs encounter this through their customer rather than through the regulation itself.
Where should we start? First clarify the source of the request. If the customer wants a platform score, the path is different from a bank wanting data, which is different again from export legislation being in force. Starting the wrong piece of work is the most common mistake.
Will our existing ISO 14001 system help us? Yes. Your environmental management system provides a ready infrastructure in terms of data collection and document discipline. Building on your existing system is far faster than starting the sustainability work from scratch.
Are we obliged to prepare a sustainability report? The obligation depends on the scope thresholds. Even if you fall outside the scope, many organizations prepare a voluntary report at their customer’s or investor’s request.
Do we receive a certification at the end of this training? A certificate of attendance is issued. A “certification” granted to organizations in the sustainability field is not within the scope of this training; the training is aimed at building competence.