Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and accounting organizations AICPA & CIMA announced today the launch of the Sustainability Reporting and ESG Data Management Programme, a new executive management program focused on sustainability reporting strategies.
According to Amir Amel-Zadeh, Associate Professor of Accounting at Saïd Business School, the new course comes as companies face a series of new sustainability reporting compliance requirements, and are moving from a voluntary reporting environment to mandatory sustainability reporting systems.
Amel-Zadeh said:
“Finance leaders sit at the intersection of strategy, compliance, and value creation. Fluency in sustainability reporting and ESG data management is therefore key. This program equips finance professionals not only with the technical knowledge to meet evolving standards but also with the strategic insight to embed sustainability into the core of decision-making by translating ESG data into actionable insights.”
According to Oxford, AICPA & CIMA, the new eight week program, designed for senior finance team members, consultants, auditors and risk managers, is aimed at enabling professionals to develop, implement and enhance sustainability reporting strategies within their organizations, and to master sustainability reporting frameworks and standards including the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) underlying the EU’s CSRD regulation.
Key focus areas of the course include the integration of ESG data into decision-making processes, leveraging technology to create business value, fostering robust governance and control systems for sustainable growth, and identifying best practices in preparing for sustainability assurance.
The program includes multimedia learning material, webinars, and optional weekly group sessions led by course tutors, with participants receiving a certificate jointly signed by Saïd Business School and AICPA & CIMA upon completion.
Jeremy Osborn, Global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Matters for AICPA & CIMA, said:
“Accounting and finance professionals who complete this program will have the necessary tools to lead their organizations in sustainability reporting, employ best practices in meeting compliance with evolving regulations, and will have a better ability to anticipate trends in this rapidly maturing area.”
