In this course, learners will understand the benefits of integrating sustainability into local government finance practices, equipping them to excel in their roles and deliver value to both taxpayers and the environment.
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Buy ICAEW CIPFA Public Sector Sustainability Certificate.
CIPFA members should contact customer services for a discount code to use when booking or, for group bookings of five or more contact customerservices@cipfa.org.
About the course
In this course, learners will understand the benefits of integrating sustainability into public sector financial management, equipping them to excel in their roles and deliver value to both taxpayers and address the environmental emergency. After completion of the online certificate, public sector finance professionals (also other functional professionals) will be able to confidently evaluate the impact of sustainability risks and opportunities. This will be by applying the knowledge gained during the course to collaborate with sustainability experts, assess and present findings, and ultimately integrate sustainability information into investment appraisal decisions.
Who is the course for?
The course will support finance (and wider) professionals working in the public sector to integrate sustainability issues and standards across a variety of roles including management accounting, financial planning and analysis, decision making/support, financial reporting, audit and business advisory roles.
Whilst the content has been heavily contextualised for those working in UK Local Government, it will also be useful and relevant for those working in other public sector environments such as the Police or NHS, and also for those working in Global Public Services.
Certificate outline
On completion of this course learners will be able to:
- Understand how to analyse and integrate information about the impacts of and impacts on climate change into decision-making.
- Analyse and explain the costs and benefits of climate actions, including climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
- Consider the financial, economic and social costs of climate change.
- Identify strategic priorities and develop programmes and projects that incorporate broader sustainability considerations.
- Apply the guidance in the Green Book in developing and reviewing business cases.
- Understand and explain the processes and data required to prepare Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Course outline
Module 1: Introduction to sustainability
On completion of this module you will be able to:
- Understand how the core competencies of a finance professional mean they play a critical role in the public sector achieving sustainable and resilient policies, programmes and projects.
- Explain why sustainability is relevant for the public sector by exploring key drivers of uptake; commonly used tools and frameworks; how sustainability information is used by stakeholders.
- Describe how regulation is driving change and what this means for the future role of the finance function.
Module 2: Climate change – risks, opportunities and reporting
On completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Integrate the impacts of climate change into planning, analysis, and decision-making; understand the importance of considering financial, economic and social costs and benefits in a connected way.
- Analyse and explain the costs and benefits of climate actions, including climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
- Explain current regulation and government guidance around climate reporting, including the implications for finance professionals.
- Support consistency between the narrative report and the financial statements.
- Recognise how financial statements (and management accounts) are affected by climate-related matters; including an overview of the key accounting standards where this most commonly applies.
Module 3: Integrating sustainability into investment appraisals
On completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Explain the importance of expanding sustainability beyond climate.
- Explain materiality in relation to sustainability and why social value is relevant.
- Use finance skills to support effective integration of key sustainability risks and opportunities across government business cases, ensuring that programmes and projects achieve their objectives and delivers value for money for the government.
- Work with other experts to establish robust data processes, controls and metrics to monitor sustainability performance.
- Apply core guidance in the Green Book and the Orange Book in developing and reviewing business cases.
Module 4: Sustainability – inclusive decision making and reporting
On completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Interpret and apply professional scepticism to sustainability assessment results.
- Recognise key sustainability frameworks that may feed into sustainability goal setting.
- Explain how to integrate the impacts of and dependencies on sustainability issues into financial planning and analysis, policy design and strategic objectives.
- Apply the accounting principles for disclosure to sustainability information.
- Explain the importance of monitoring and evaluation and the processes and data needed.
- Explain the role of internal audit in enhancing good governance and public accountability.
Module 5: Case study assessment
The case study acts as a final capstone assessment to the programme. Working through a number of tasks, learners will have a chance to apply all of the knowledge gained from the course within a practical, real-to-life integrated scenario.
Learners will get hands-on with evaluating the financial impact of sustainability risks and opportunities, by applying the knowledge gained during the course to collaborate with sustainability experts, assess and present their findings, and ultimately integrate sustainability information into investment appraisal decisions. Learners will hear about sustainability project delivery successes and also a few instances where things have not gone well. This will aid learners in programme and project delivery, which ultimately is vital in addressing the environmental challenges we face.
Duration and CPD hours
The course is self-directed learning taking approximately 11 hours to complete with a case study assessment and certificate at the end.
Price
The price is £260 + VAT, discounted to £225 + VAT for CIPFA members.
To book directly with ICAEW please visit: ICAEW CIPFA Public Sector Sustainability Certificate – Local Government.
CIPFA members should contact customer services for a discount code to use when booking.
Discounts are also available for multiple purchases. For more information please contact customerservices@cipfa.org.