New Bespoke Finance Leaders Sustainability Programme for Food and Drink Industry
Once considered optional for competitive advantage, sustainability has now become a must have for all businesses. With rising customer expectations and increasing legislation on regulatory mandates, sustainability challenges cannot be addressed by isolated sustainability teams within organisations.
Sustainability must be championed by those leading the strategy within businesses, such as board members and executive teams — i.e. those making the business and investment decisions. Immediate action and the accelerated leadership of sustainability is now an urgent requirement.
To address this critical need, Bord Bia, in collaboration with UCD Smurfit Executive Development, launched the
Leaders Sustainability Acceleration Programme (LSAP)
in 2022. Tailored specifically for senior executives in the industry, this executive education programme aims to equip participants with the knowledge to elevate sustainability to a guiding principle for businesses.
The Inflection Point
The drive to address business's impact on climate change and other Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives has gained momentum. The establishment of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) mark a turning point, highlighting the growing importance of sustainability on the global agenda. The gathering and sharing of this information will lead to increased scrutiny of public and private firms in society. One likely impact of this is a change in the ability and increased unwillingness
of the investment community to invest in activity which is not climate friendly, regenerative, or restorative. The food, drink, and horticulture industry is rapidly adapting to these changes, reshaping how resources are managed and capital is allocated. Agriculture and food hold a pivotal role in Ireland's efforts to achieve carbon emission targets, emphasising the impending shift towards sustainability.
Finance Leaders Programme now open for registration
The finance function may be the most important one in the delivery of effective sustainability initiatives. In conjunction with UCD Michael Smurfit Executive Development, Bord Bia have designed a one-off programme specifically for senior financial executives, taking place over five days in May, June, and September 2024. By incorporating sustainability considerations into their decisionmaking processes and ensuring sustainability is seamlessly integrated into business strategy and investment decisions, senior financial executives can contribute significantly to the long-term success and resilience of their organisations, and of the Irish food, drink, and horticulture sector as a whole.
Programme Features
This programme is a modular offering designed to provide a rapid and concentrated input to the toolkit of senior financial leaders and the organisations that sponsor them.
In-person residential modules delivered in UCD Michael Smurfit Executive Development.
Discussion and analysis of sustainability and food-specific industry examples. The introduction of new and existing case studies with thought leaders in sustainability.
Development of actionable insights for financial executives to accelerate sustainability within their organisation.
Peer-to-peer learning through immersive discussions with fellow participants and alumni of the Leaders Sustainability Acceleration Programme.
Executive exchange with global industry thought leaders.
Participants will be provided with a toolkit at the end of each module, summarising all learnings.
Dates
Module 1: May 1st & 2nd, 2024 Module 2: June 5th & 6th, 2024 Module 3: September 5th, 2024
Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to equip yourself with practical information you can apply to ensure you are CSRD ready whilst gaining strategic insights to help you embed sustainability into business growth strategy.
Next Steps How Do I Apply?
For further information on the programme fees and how to apply, scan the QR code above. Email: exec.dev@ucd.ie Tel: +353 1 716 8889