Course content

Students gain insight into how to make informed and forward-looking decisions in the face of increasing complexity and uncertainty. This complexity arises not only from nature loss and the transition to a net-zero society, but also from demographic and technological change, and from the growing need for societal security and emergency preparedness.

The course provides knowledge about the responsibilities and role of board members in strategic sustainability management, strategic priorities, and follow-up of sustainability ambitions and goals. It addresses the board’s responsibilities and room for manoeuvre in sustainable transformation related to investments, risk, innovation, and growth, and how to balance short-term profitability with long-term value creation. It aims to help participants ask the right questions of management.

The course also addresses how increasing complexity and uncertainty — driven by climate change, technological development, demographic shifts, and societal security — require forward-looking and informed decisions. Participants learn to ask the right questions of management and identify strategic priorities that balance short-term profitability with long-term sustainable growth.

This course provides a strategic understanding of how environmental sustainability and natural capital influence organisations and create new business opportunities. Participants gain insight into how nature loss, climate risk, and resource scarcity are not only external threats but also strategic drivers of innovation, competitiveness, and long-term value creation.

Throughout the course, participants develop the ability to identify and capitalise on business opportunities arising from the transition to a more sustainable economy — both nationally and globally. Emphasis is placed on how the financial sector can play a key role in mobilising capital, influencing markets, and accelerating the transition through investments, product development, and partnerships.

The course provides a deeper understanding of environmental sustainability in both national and global contexts. Participants will become familiar with, and understand, the sources of knowledge on nature, ecosystem condition, and the degree of impact from different industries, as well as the financial sector’s important role in transforming the economy in a more sustainable direction. Furthermore, the course offers knowledge about how nature loss, climate risk, and resource scarcity are not only external threats but also internal strategic challenges that affect access to capital, customer behaviour, regulatory trust, and market position.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - upon completion, the student shall have knowledge of:

• How nature loss, climate risk, and resource scarcity are not only external threats but also strategic challenges that affect access to capital, customer behavior, regulatory trust, and market position.
• Environmental sustainability in a national and global perspective, with a focus on key challenges and trends, as well as knowledge of the financial industry’s crucial role in transforming the economy toward greater sustainability.
• How to make informed and forward-looking decisions in the face of increasing complexity and uncertainty—where complexity stems not only from nature loss and the transition to a net-zero society, but also from demographic and technological changes, and the growing need to strengthen societal security and emergency preparedness.
• Strategic risk understanding related to nature and climate, and how these factors influence access to capital, regulatory trust, customer preferences, and market position.
• Regulatory developments, including the EU’s sustainability agenda and how this affects an organization’s strategic room for maneuver.

Skills - upon completion, the student shall be able to:

• Apply ESG frameworks and methodology in strategic sustainability management to identify and manage sustainability risks and opportunities.
• Use double materiality analysis as a tool for integrating sustainability into strategy, management, and board work — with the aim of strengthening profitability and reducing risk.
• Contribute to boards fulfilling their responsibilities and leveraging their opportunities in sustainable transformation related to investments, risk, innovation, and growth.
• Understand what types of questions the board should ask management in order to follow up on the organization’s sustainability responsibilities, implementation of strategic priorities, and achievement of sustainability ambitions and goals.
• Demonstrate insight into the board’s role and responsibility in setting direction, following up sustainability objectives, and ensuring that sustainability is integrated into the organization’s core decisions.

General competence - upon completion, the student shall:

• Have a holistic understanding of strategic sustainability management and how sustainability can be used as a competitive advantage in the financial sector.
• Have strengthened ability to understand the organization’s role in a broader economic and societal context.
• Be able to reflect on how strategic sustainability initiatives affect value creation, profitability, and risk—both in the short and long term.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of how Europe’s strategic direction and priorities, green transformation, demographic and technological changes, and the need for increased societal security and preparedness affect organizations.
• Have sufficient competence to stay updated on developments within strategic sustainability management, ESG, circular economy, and regulatory requirements.

Compulsory assignments

• Oblig

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Bachelor's degree or equivalent