Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We’d also like to set optional analytics cookies to help us improve it. We won’t set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Cookie policy

Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, compliance and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Analytics cookies

We’d like to set Google Analytics cookies to help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone.

:

Academy

The A4S Academy is an 18 month online learning and implementation programme for senior finance leaders to embed sustainability. The programme empowers and equips finance teams with the skills needed for their businesses to succeed in the face of environmental and social risks and opportunities.

Making a direct impact on the organization is built into the course. Following a series of seminars, participants develop and deliver a personal implementation plan to drive change within their organizations.

key information

  • Application deadline: 31 March 2023
  • Start date: June 2023
  • Duration: 18-month programme, with 5 months of live, interactive seminars and 12 months of implementation planning
  • Format: online seminars, followed by practical implementation within own organization
  • Hours: 21-37 hours of contact time, and 20-30 hours of pre-work*
  • Language: English
  • Participants: senior finance professionals (more details on eligibility can be found below)
  • Geography: global

*estimates do not include time spent on Implementation Plans

THE BENEFITS

Equipping you with technical know how

93% of participants said they have gained the technical knowledge and skills to lead on change.

Empowering you with leadership and influencing skills

98% of participants have felt empowered to drive change as a result of the A4S Academy.

Connecting you to resources and a peer network

“The A4S Academy provided us a great forum to exchange thoughts with other professionals from various organizations working on climate and sustainability.”

Supriya Sobti, Head of Regulatory Assurance, NatWest Group

Join the waitlist

Applications for the A4S Academy 2023/24 have closed. Spaces on the programme may become available over the next few weeks.
If you are interested in joining the programme, click on the button below to submit your application and a member of the A4S team will be in touch.

Contact us: academy@a4s.org

Download our Academy brochure

Download our Academy brochure to see the course outline, Syllabus and eligibility criteria.

Thank you for downloading our brochure.

Yearbook (2022)

Download the Yearbook to read the stories and key achievements of the 2022 graduates. These stories illustrate what is possible by rethinking the role of finance.

WHY CFOS SHOULD SEND THEIR TEAMS

In a recent survey of finance leaders (A4S Finance Leaders’ Sustainability Barometer), it was found that there is a gap between sustainability ambitions and the work needed to make them a reality. Less than half of those surveyed believed their finance team had the skills and competencies for supporting ESG efforts.

The A4S Academy aims to close this skills and knowledge gap, and helps organizations work towards their sustainability ambitions.

“The access and insights on offer from the A4S Academy are essential for any finance professionals looking at how to embed sustainability. It’s through initiatives like this that the profession will maintain relevance and shape the future.”

Mark Kaye, Chief Financial Officer, Moody’s

Summary for CFOs

Download our two page information sheet for CFOs considering sponsoring their team.

Hear why CFOs send their teams to the Academy

Further Information

ELIGIBILITY

Participants must be senior finance professionals. For example:

  • Divisional CFO or functional head for FTSE100, S&P 500 or equivalent 
  • Reporting directly to the CFO for smaller organizations
  • Participants must have the capacity and aspiration to lead and/or influence change within the finance function.
  • Participants must be endorsed by their Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Typical participants include: Divisional CFOs, Controllers, Treasurers, Head of Investor Relations, Head of Internal Audit, Financial, Planning & Analysis Leaders, Head of Financial Reporting.

Knowledge of, and interest in, sustainability issues will be useful but is not essential.

FEES

The standard fee for the 18 month programme is £4,500 per participant.

A 20% discount is available for organizations sending more than five participants.

A small number of subsidized places are available for participants from emerging/developing markets and the public sector. If you are interested in joining the programme and want to find out more about the subsidized places and eligibility criteria, please click here. Alternatively, please email academy@a4s.org.

TOPICS COVERED

Topics covered

Participants have access to a variety of knowledge-based materials, experienced practitioners and skills development sessions to support them in embedding sustainability.

Topics covered on the course include:

  • Strategic planning
  • Budgeting
  • Management information
  • Capex
  • Natural, social and human capital accounting
  • Debt finance and investor engagement
  • Reporting
  • TCFD

For more information on the course syllabus, download our brochure or take a look at the What to expect overview.

WHAT PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS HAVE SAID

  • 93% of participants said they have gained the technical knowledge and skills to lead on change. 
  • 98% of participants have felt empowered to drive change as a result of the A4S Academy. 
  • 98% of participants would recommend the A4S Academy to a peer.
  • 90% of participants reported that their participation has already made an impact on ESG integration in their organization. 

 

“A4S Academy participants are being viewed as the thought leaders in the organization.”

Gregory Giardiello, Deputy Finance Chief Operating Officer, QBE

 

“Participating in the A4S Academy has given me valuable insights and useful tools to help me reach our sustainability objectives. I would recommend the A4S Academy to all finance professionals who seriously want to make their organizations more sustainable.”

Fred Nieuwland, Chief Investment Officer, Mars, Inc.

WHY WE SET UP THE A4S ACADEMY

Businesses are at a critical juncture. Over the next few decades, the success and failure of organizations will be determined by how they respond to environmental and social risks. There are also huge opportunities to be made from the innovation, efficiencies and new markets which sustainable business models create.

To achieve a sustainable economy, businesses need to be able to deliver financial returns in the short and long term, while generating positive value for society and operating within environmental constraints.

Finance has a vital role to play. To ensure finance professionals excel in the new economy, their skills and competencies need updating. How will they price externalities, how will they navigate the changing business landscape and how can they deliver on ‘purpose’?

There is a lot to explore. However, with our global network, we can show you what today’s leading companies are doing and offer up-to-date tools and frameworks for putting it all into practice. 

There’s never been a better time to join the A4S Academy.

A4S ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

The A4S Academy awards are given to participants who have shown particular commitment and resilience, they have innovated and inspired, and became true champions of sustainability in finance. 

Read the award winners’ stories here.

INTERACTIVE WEBINARS

As part of the Academy you will participate in a series of live ‘Sustainability in Action’ webinars delivered by A4S. These interactive webinars supplement your learning and cover specific topics focusing on how organizations can embed sustainability considerations into finance processes. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with expert speakers and peers with practical insights into how others are implementing changes and overcoming challenges.

Discover upcoming webinars > 
Watch previous events on demand >

 

Participating organizations

412 participants from 178 organizations have already taken part in the A4S Academy, including:

ABN AMRO 

Allianz Global Investors  

Ampol  

Amundi Ireland  

Anglian Water  

Asahi UK  

Asda  

Autodesk  

Bank of America  

BBC  

British Land  

BTG Pactual  

Burberry  

Busy Bees  

Campbell Soup  

Capita  

Centrica  

CHANEL  

Cisco  

City of Vancouver  

Coca Cola Amatil  

Couche Tard  

Deutsche Post DHL  

Diageo  

Direct Line Group  

 

Equinix  

EY 

Fonterra 

Gap 

Greggs 

GSK 

Heathrow Airport Holdings 

IHG Hotels & Resorts 

Intel 

International Paper Company 

Japfa 

John Lewis Partnership 

Landsec 

Levis Strauss & Co 

Mars 

MassMutual 

Metro Pacific Investments 

Moody's  

National Grid 

NatWest Group 

NFU Mutual 

Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) 

OMERS 

Pennon Group 

Procter & Gamble 

 

QBE 

Ramsay Health Care 

Royal Ahold Delhaize N.V. 

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) 

Royal London  

S&P Global 

Sainsbury's 

Salesforce 

SAP  

Schneider Electric 

Securian Financial 

Sky TV 

Stora Enso  

Storebrand 

Suzano 

TELUS 

Temasek International  

Tesco 

The Co-operators Group 

The Crown Estate 

THE HERSHEY COMPANY  

Unilever 

United Utilities Group 

Verizon 

Zurich Insurance Group 

Accounting for Sustainability is a Charitable Incorporated Organization, registered charity number 1195467. Accounting for Sustainability is part of The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation (PWCF) Group of Charities.
Registered Office: 9 Appold Street, 8th Floor, London, EC2A 2AP