IMA Sustainability Business Practices Certificate

The courses included in this certificate program will provide the education needed to navigate the developing complexities of the management accounting role in sustainable business practices by covering topics including the deymstification of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters, partnering for the integration of sustainability in business, strategies, planning, performance, monitoring, and reporting in a sustainable business environment.

• Course 1: Sustainability 101 - This course will demystify ESG, define sustainability, and describe business information, management, and critical decision making related to this topic. Participants will be introduced to the ten principles and 17 sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. The impact of sustainability on the role of the CFO and management accountants within the CFO function will be explained.
• Course 2: Finance Function Partnering - Drawing from previous research publications,  Finance Function Partnering for the Integration of Sustainability in Business  and  CFO As Value Creator   Finance Function Leadership in the Integrated Enterprise , this course discusses the pivotal role management accountants and financial professionals will play in cross-functional collaboration, driving sustainable business initiatives and reporting.
• Course 3: Managing Climate Risk - The basis for this course is the recently published  A Management Accountant s Guide to Decarbonizing a Business: Drivers and Practices . The course will discuss potential economies in which CHG emissions carry a cost to businesses, while explaining potential costs, actions, and assessments essential to appropriate decision making.
• Course 4: Sustainable Business Information and Reporting - Focusing on compliance requirement resources, information quality, supply chain oversight and organizational sustainability performance indicators, this course promises to be timely and educational as companies strive to understand and comply with evolving global regulations and initiatives.
• Course 5: Measuring the Value of Human Capital - Exploring the importance of diversity, the equality-related SDGs, and employee engagement, this course will provide sound education on the CFO team s support of connecting HR-based metrics to overall business strategy and performance.
• Course 6: Sustainable Business: Strategy, Planning, & Performance - This course will bring all elements of sustainable business together to educate learners on driving the concepts and practices in the series into their own organization.