Sustainability Essentials for Executives
Description
On 25 May 2023, in cooperation with Ernst & Young and the Prague University of Economics and Business, we organised an ESG-related event called Sustainability Essentials for Executives.
The participants of this event utilised this great opportunity to learn from experts not only what new EU regulations – CSRD and EU Taxonomy – entail for them but also how to perceive ESG as an opportunity. They can now strengthen the resilience of their business and secure financing for sustainable projects while fulfilling their fiduciary obligations; all set in the context of fast-evolving sustainability reporting and finance frameworks.
The main theme of this seminar was that all the business leaders are now responsible for implementing effective Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies within the company; they will also need to comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a new EU legislation that makes ESG reporting (about their sustainability performance) mandatory.
Course graduates received a certificate of completion confirmed by EY, Prague University of Economics and Business, and the British Chamber of Commerce.
Agenda
- Sustainability: seeing obligation as an opportunity
- Overview of the regulatory and reporting frameworks (EU, US and RoW)
- Value in reporting – building a resilient company (risks versus opportunities)
- Importance of data – are sustainability data gaining the same weight as financials?
- Fiduciary obligations in the context of ESG
- Sustainable finance: attracting capital in the world of net zero financed emissions
- Banking industry trends: banks are increasingly looking at financed emissions in their drive towards Net Zero
- Implications for borrowers: your management of transition risk will increasingly determine the availability and pricing of funding
- Overview of sustainable financing instruments: determining the most appropriate instrument for your business
- Zooming in on the EU reporting framework
- CSRD – Disclosure and compliance requirements beyond the scope of the company
- Who, what, where and when?
- Assurance
- ESRS – Transitioning to integral reporting
- ESRS – Environmental pillar
- ESRS – Social pillar
- ESRS – Governance pillar
- Due Diligence (CS3D)
- CSRD – Disclosure and compliance requirements beyond the scope of the company
- EU Taxonomy: What does it take to be aligned?
- Eligibility, alignment and related disclosure
- Bottlenecks – DNSH, MSS, TC
- Taxonomy Barometer – Lessons learned from the first reporting year
Lecturers
Markéta Horková | EY Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services
With over 15 years years of experience in international corporate finance, collaborating with leading players in the industry. At present, she advises multinational companies on ESG strategies, policies, and disclosures.
Daniel Houska | Member of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance and a Vice Dean of Education at the Faculty of International Relations, Prague University of Economics and Business
Daniel is engaged in sustainable finance frameworks in the EU since 2019 and teaches Sustainability Reporting aligned to the upcoming European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Apart from that, he is also a lecturer at the Czech Chamber of Auditors and a member of the expert groups at the Czech Chamber of Commerce.
Petr Karel | Managing Director, London Market; Vice-chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the BCC Sustainability Working Group
London Market, based in Prague/London, focuses on services in the areas of export and structured finance, international trade and cross-border investment. Petr has been also involved in projects concerning renewable energy, a transition from fossil to sustainable energy and an international scientific regenerative farming project addressing the global issues of climate change, land degradation and bio-sequestration of CO2 emissions.
Ross Keeling | Origination Director, HSBC’s Sustainable Finance
Ross has led HSBC Ireland’s CRE & Infrastructure proposition since 2018 and has worked on various sustainable finance transactions in recent years, having developed a keen interest in the topic. Earlier this year, Ross moved into a dedicated Sustainable Finance role tasked with building out HSBC’s proposition across Europe. Prior to joining HSBC, Ross worked in Project Finance with KBC and also covered Food & Agriculture clients with Allied Irish Banks.
Alice Machová | EY Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Services
With over twenty years of experience in consulting, Alice is leading ESG transformation & Sustainable finance projects for a number of Czech and multinational companies. The EY CCaSS team is supporting clients with CSRD, EU Taxonomy and other hot topics. Alice is one of the founding members of the Sustainability Working Group at the British Chamber of Commerce.
Ondřej Štolba | EY Senior Consultant, Climate Change and Sustainability Services
Ondrej focuses on existing regulations in the area of non-financial reporting and EU Taxonomy. Prior to joining EY he has been involved in setting up national and European subsidy programmes and in preparing energy efficiency-related legislation at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. He currently advises multinational companies on ESG strategies, policies, and disclosures.
