HRDA Vital Importance: Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Integrating ESG Criteria into Business Strategy for Green Business Transformation

The programme is approved by the Cyprus Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) as a “Vital Importance” training programme. HRDA Vital Importance programme fees are fully subsidised by the HRDA for up to three (3) eligible participants per business entity.

Course Overview

This 16-hour programme – comprising 12 hours of classroom training and 4 hours of inhouse consultation – aims to equip participants with a solid understanding of the fundamental principles of sustainable development, particularly the concept of Due Diligence across an organisation’s entire value chain. Participants will learn how to identify the social and environmental impacts of their company’s operations, as well as the financial risks and opportunities that may arise from environmental and societal developments—both locally and globally. They will then be guided in developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy for their organisation, one that includes setting clear goals and developing action plans based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to sustainability.

Moreover, this training addresses an urgent need as organisations face increasing pressure to transition toward a greener economy. This transition requires innovative changes across internal systems, processes, strategies, corporate structures, cultures, and governance frameworks, often encountering internal resistance. Many organisations struggle to incorporate sustainable practices into their operations and financial models due to a lack of specialised ESG knowledge and skills, limited access to effective organisational tools, and, most importantly, a lack of conviction among key decision-makers about sustainability as a competitive advantage. By showcasing real examples of successful transitions and integrating crisis management approaches in environmental and social domains, this programme seeks to inspire and enable leaders to drive sustainable transformation. In light of the increasing regulatory demands from European legislation on corporate social responsibility and climate-related governance, staff training and upskilling is no longer optional but essential for organisations seeking to boost resilience, innovation, competitiveness, and compliance.

The Programme Learning Areas

A detailed programme outline, its objectives and learning outcomes are noted on the programme’s Training Schedule (clickable).

Training Objectives

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

Training Outline

Introduction

Environment

Society

Governance

ESG Due Diligence

Next Steps - Plan for the In-house Training/Advisory Session

Who Should Attend

This training is primarily aimed at executives and professionals involved in the development of their organisation's sustainability strategy, the implementation of related actions, and the promotion of a sustainability culture within the organisation.

These individuals typically form part of the organisation's Sustainability Team, which may include:

Training Style

The programme is interactive in nature. Participants will be actively involved, using their own experiences and challenges to reinforce and adapt the new knowledge and skills to their own reality, as well as examples, case studies, tools and simulations provided by the training team tailored and applied to their unique business needs. The use of assessments, tools and reflective exercises will also allow participants to increase their awareness and provide ample opportunity for reflection and discussion.

The training sessions will combine PowerPoint presentations, open discussions, case studies, audio/visual material and experiential exercises/tools.

In-house Training/Advisory Session

Upon completing the 12-hour in-class training programme, participants will engage in a tailored 4-hour in-house session offering focused guidance, advice, and training to address the specific needs and challenges of both the participants and their organisation.

During the 4-hour in-house training session, participants will apply the knowledge gained during the theoretical part by completing an Impact, Risk, and Opportunity (IRO) Assessment. Within this framework, they will be asked to map their organization’s value chains and identify the relevant IROs associated with their specific operations.

Furthermore, participants will develop a draft sustainability strategy for their organization, outlining the goals and actions to be undertaken for its implementation. This strategy will consist of three main components: Environmental Strategy, Social Strategy and Governance Strategy.

Finally, after the completion of the in-house session, the trainer will prepare a report outlining the approach followed, the topics examined, key findings, and tailored recommendations for the organisation.

CPD Recognition

This programme may be approved for up to 16 CPD units in Financial Regulation. Eligibility criteria and CPD Units are verified directly by your association, regulator or other bodies which you hold membership.

For the CySEC requirements, CPD units attained from this course should not exceed the 50% of the total CPD Units of each individual.

In-house Training

For groups within the same organisation, this course may be customized to meet any specific needs and delivered in-house.