Sample Course Outline (See Below)
Course Outline and Assignments
PART I: INTRODUCTION
Session 1:
Course Introduction and Overview
Readings:
Business Sustainability Reporting and Analysis: Introduction
Session 2:
Defining Sustainability
Readings:
1987 Brundtland Report: Our Common Future (skim Overview on pages 10-27)
UN Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda (read web page)
Questions: Session 2 Discussion Questions
Session 3:
Defining Materiality
Readings:
GRI 1: Foundation 2021 (focus on pages 8-10)
SASB Conceptual Framework Exposure Draft (focus on pages 22-23 and 30-31)
IFRS S1: General Requirements (focus on pages 6-8)
ESRS 1: General Requirements (focus on pages 5-9)
Questions: Session 3 Discussion Questions
Session 4: Thursday, September 1
Overview of Business Sustainability Reporting
Readings:
The KPMG Survey of Sustainability Reporting 2022 (browse pages 1-37)
Questions: Comprehensive Case Question 1
Session 5:
Sustainability Disclosure Frameworks and Standards
Readings:
SASB Standards Overview (read webpage)
SASB Conceptual Framework Exposure Draft
Questions: Session 5 Discussion Questions
Session 6:
Sustainability Disclosure Frameworks and Standards (continued)
Questions: Comprehensive Case Question 2
Session 7:
Sustainability Disclosure Frameworks and Standards (continued)
Readings:
IFRS S1: General Requirements (skim)
ESRS 1: General Requirements (skim)
WEF Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 3 and 4
Sessions 8:
Sustainability Disclosure Regulations
Readings:
EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting (read webpage)
SEC Proposed Rules to Enhance and Standardize Climate Disclosures to Investors (read webpage)
Questions: Session 8 Discussion Questions
Session 9:
Economics of the Environment
Reading:
The Struggle to Govern the Commons
Questions: Session 9 Discussion Questions
Session 10:
Reporting on Climate Impact
Readings:
The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (skim)
Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard (skim)
EPA Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator
Questions: Session 10 Discussion Questions
Session 11:
Net Zero Targets
Readings:
Science-Based Targets (SBTi) (read webpage)
SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard
Questions: Comprehensive Case Question 5
Session 12:
Overview of Global Inequality, Human Rights & Labor Standards
Readings:
World Inequality Report 2022 (Read Executive Summary, Skim Rest)
UN OHCHR Summary of Human Rights
Introduction to International Labor Standards
Questions: Session 12 Discussion Questions
Sessions 13:
Reporting on Impacts on Society
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 6 to 9
Session 14:
Governance
Readings:
Principles of Corporate Governance (Business Roundtable)
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 10 to 12
Session 15:
External Assurance
Readings:
Frequently Asked Questions on External Assurance of Sustainability Reporting
Questions: Comprehensive Case Question 13
Session 16:
Midterm Exam
Session 17:
ESG Ratings
Readings:
Aggregate Confusion: The Divergence of ESG Ratings (focus on Introduction)
MSCI ESG Ratings (browse website)
S&P Global ESG Scores (browse website)
Sustainalytics ESG Ratings (browse website)
LSEG ESG Company Scores (browse website)
Questions: Session 17 Discussion Questions
Session 18:
Deep Dive on S&P’s ESG Scores
Readings:
S&P Global ESG Scores Methodology
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 14 to 16
Session 19:
ESG Indices
Readings:
MSCI ESG Focus Index Methodology
Questions: Session 19 Discussion Questions
Session 20:
Sustainability Investment Strategies and Products
Readings:
Definitions for Responsible Investment Approaches (CFA Institute)
Global Sustainable Investment Review 2022 (GSIA)
iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 17 and 18
Session 21:
Guest Speaker: Preparer (Corporate ESG Officer)
Session 22:
ESG Activism
Readings:
Shareholder Proposals in the 2023 U.S. Proxy Season (ISS)
The Illusion of Success: A Critique of Engine No. 1’s Proxy Fight at ExxonMobil
Engine No. 1 on Exxon 1 Year Later
Questions: Session 22 Discussion Questions
Session 23:
ESG Activism (continued)
Readings:
ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines 2024
Glass Lewis Proxy Voting Guidelines 2024: Shareholder Proposals & ESG-Related Issues
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 19 to 22
Session 24:
NGOs
Reading:
GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey: 2023 Sustainability Leaders
WWF: Changing the Nature of Business
Net Zero Tracker (use for comprehensive case)
Good Jobs First: Violation Tracker (use for comprehensive case)
Questions: Session 24 Discussion Questions
Session 25:
NGOs (continued)
Questions: Comprehensive Case Questions 23 and 24
Session 26:
Guest Speaker: User (ESG Investor)
Session 27:
Integrating Sustainability Analysis with Financial Analysis and Valuation
Readings:
PRI: Principles for Responsible Investment
PRI: ESG Integration in Listed Equities (just pages 23-36)
Questions: Session 27 Discussion Questions
Session 28:
Comprehensive Case Question 25 Presentations
Questions: Comprehensive Case Question 25