Public financial managers are now facing an increasingly urgent issue – the need to devise strategic transition plans to meet their environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainable development goals.
This must include an appreciation of the broader transformation needed to help their organisation transition towards its own Net Zero, ESG and Nationally Defined Contributions (NDC) goals. To ensure the organisation meets its ESG and climate-related financial disclosure, transparency and reporting obligations, they must also play a leading role in adapting the finance function in line with an overarching transition strategy to drive the organisation forwards in a sustainable way.
This course will help participants to examine and adopt green public financial management (PFM) strategies and practice. In the context of current and emerging ESG risks and opportunities, participants will critically assess their PFM policies, financing strategy and capital investment framework, planning and resourcing capacity, and accounting and reporting frameworks. They will also explore issues of ethics and integrity and how to mitigate against ‘greenwashing’ and corruption risks.
This highly practical training will equip public financial managers with the necessary understanding, skills and tools to confidently address these complex issues as a strategic priority, and help their organisations to deliver on its environmental and social impact goals.
Course Participants
This course is for public financial managers: finance officers, executives and accountants.

Course Objectives

On completion, you will be able to:

• Identify key ESG and climate change risks and opportunities facing your organisation
• Adapt public finance policy and strategy in response to ESG risks and opportunities and obligations
• Assess, plan and budget for capital and other investment in the context of your country’s NDCs
• Appreciate the range of financing options available for sustainable investment
• Outline key ESG issues for finance staff, procurement staff, auditors and pensions investors
• Understand and meet ESG and climate-related disclosure, reporting and accounting requirements

Key Topics

• The local and global drivers for Green PFM and ESG
• ESG and Net Zero transition planning and organisational transformation
• Strategy and policy implications for the finance function
• Capital budgeting, planning and sustainable procurement
• ESG and sustainability in programme/project appraisal
• Environmental, climate and social impact assessment
• ESG investment strategies and opportunities
• Sustainable finance, ESG bonds and financial instruments
• Pensions scheme investor perspective and ESG screening or investing
• Transparency, greenwashing, ethics and corruption risks
• Sustainability and integrated ESG reporting under the international frameworks
• Internal and external audit and oversight - ESG issues and expectations

All courses will be conducted entirely in English. A proficient level of both spoken and written English is required by all delegates so that they are able to fully benefit from the course and participate in our interactive style of training.