Industry-driven short training courses designed to equip leaders and professionals with skills to guide their organisations and implement sustainability strategies and action plans.  

Who is this programme for?

We offer a suite of short courses suitable for all levels.  We have designed shorter courses for executive leaders—including COOs, CFOs, Directors of People, and senior management teams—who are responsible for embedding sustainability into their organisations.  These are purposely short in duration to enable them to fit into busy schedules.  We also offer longer more in-depth courses for subject matter experts for specialisation.

Participants will gain the insights needed to: 

  • Confidently deliver sustainability initiatives to their teams.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance and meet evolving ESG requirements.
  • Advance sustainable practices across business functions.
  • Position their organisation as a leader in the net zero transition. 

What will they learn?

A comprehensive understanding of how sustainability can be integrated into business strategy which is essential for creating long-term value. Participants will learn about the evolving regulatory landscape and emerging sustainability trends that are most relevant to their organisation. With this knowledge, leaders can confidently delegate sustainability initiatives to their teams, ensure compliance with ESG requirements, and drive sustainable practices across all business functions. Ultimately, this will position the organisation as a proactive leader in the transition to a net zero future. 

Key facts

Level
CPD Continuous Professional Development

Qualification

Certificate of completion

Duration

Bespoke

Provider

Teesside University and Grant Thornton

Entry requirements

No prerequisites

Schedule

Courses run regularly and can be booked to suit your schedules.

Delivery

Interactive half-day or two-day sessions blending case study analysis, group discussions, and practical exercises. Each course is tailored to address your organisation’s unique challenges, delivering actionable insights that create immediate impact.

Assessment

This course is not assessed

Fees and funding

Prices on application

Key benefits

Strategic insight

Discover how to align sustainability with your strategic goals to unlock long-term value for your organisation.

Drive impactful change

Gain the tools to guide your organisation toward ESG success with a customised sustainability action plan.

Developed by academia and industry

A unique collaboration blending Teesside University’s academic expertise with Grant Thornton’s practical sustainability insights

Short courses

1

Sustainability Discovery Day

This half-day masterclass for senior leads helps leaders integrate sustainability into strategy by understanding regulatory trends, exploring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) value creation, and crafting actionable next steps for embedding sustainability across organisational processes. 

2

The Sustainable Leader 

This two-day programme equips executives with the ability to navigate regulatory landscapes and drive environmental social governance (ESG)-focussed change. Guided by experts, participants develop actionable plans, explore human resources' role in fostering change, and learn to measure performance using proven frameworks. 

3

Deep Dive into Sustainability Topics for subject matter experts

These CPD accredited modules allow businesses to study in-depth sustainability topics.  They are 1 day of learning per week over 10-12 weeks. Each module is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools to address real-world sustainability challenges, providing valuable insights that can drive positive change in their organisation.

Driving Sustainable Change Strategies 

  • Learners explore innovative strategies for organisational transformation, focusing on corporate social responsibility, ethical leadership, stakeholder engagement, and how businesses can thrive while embracing sustainability. 

Evaluating Sustainable Global Operations 

  • This module dives into sustainable value/supply chain management, exploring tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Value Chain Analysis (VCA) to identify operational improvements and manage environmental impact. 

Sustainability and Regulatory Frameworks 

  • Learners gain a deep understanding of international, European, and UK sustainability regulations, focusing on how businesses can adhere to these frameworks to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. 

Sustainability Principles and Data Reporting 

  • This module covers key sustainability theories and policies, teaching learners how to assess climate-related risks and report on their impact using effective data reporting tools. 

Sustainable Finance and Legislation 

  • Focuses on the relationship between sustainability, finance, and legislation, exploring the role of sustainable finance in driving businesses toward a resilient and low-carbon economy. 

Communication and data informed Sustainability 

  • Learners explore how to promote sustainability initiatives and raise awareness of the importance of transparent information.  

Principles for Developing a Sustainability Strategy 

  • Gain the tools, techniques and models you need to create, develop and integrate effective sustainability action plans within your organisation.  

Sustainability, Compliance and Risk Management 

  • Develop your understanding of compliance responsibilities, learn how to monitor budgets effectively, and ensure quality in the planning and delivery of sustainability initiatives. 

Sustainable Engagement and Commercial Operations 

  • Explore how to identify and engage both internal and external partners in your organisation’s sustainability agenda, locally and globally. 
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4

Bespoke Sustainability Solutions

We offer tailored training to help businesses navigate sustainability challenges and seize emerging opportunities, with customised programmes ranging from seven days to 12 months.

Our Partnership with Teesside University

Innovative collaboration for future-focused learning

Our partnership with Teesside University is designed to bring you cutting-edge training programmes that equip your organisation for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. 

By combining Teesside University’s reputation for academic excellence with Grant Thornton’s practical expertise and industry networks, we deliver a learning experience that’s innovative, impactful, and tailored to your needs. 

Why Teesside University? 

  • Home to the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC)
    A £13.1m facility focusing on research and knowledge exchange to address global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges. Teesside is at the forefront of the UK’s green industrial revolution. 

  • A commitment to responsible leadership
    As a signatory of the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative, Teesside integrates sustainable and responsible leadership principles into its curricula, preparing learners to lead with purpose. 

  • Digital leadership
    As an Adobe Creative Campus, Apple Distinguished School and Microsoft Innovative Educator, apprentices build valuable digital skills alongside their academic development.
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    “Being able to do an apprenticeship through Teesside University in a really flexible way, has been one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life! My cohort are really supportive, the lecturers have been absolutely fantastic and the content has been helped to affirm my sustainability knowledge, although every day is a learning opportunity. I'm really lucky to have a fantastic supportive employer and I’m really appreciative of all the opportunities that Teesside and Grant Thornton have been able to give us.”
    Jessica Wilkes-Ball Head of Sustainability & Net Zero, Mills & Reeve LLP

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