THE RETAIL BANKING SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME

A FOUNDATION-LEVEL PROGRAMME FOR PROFESSIONALS SHAPING THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA AT RETAIL BANKS, INCLUDING DECISION MAKERS AND SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALISTS

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Course Details:

Online, self-paced.

Hours: 40– 60

Price: €1,595

3 Candidates:    €2,995   5 Candidates:    €3,995 10 Candidates:  €4,995                               

Business as usual is no longer an option. Retail banks won’t get away with paying homage to environmental sustainability while making minor adjustments on their peripheries. This kind of thinking has been completely discredited: empty PR-talk, spurious self-regulation, and coalitions of banks lobbying as usual to maintain the status quo.The climate emergency is at the top of the banking regulatory agenda. The new laws and regulations coming into effect all over the world mean that retail banks must fundamentally rethink how they do business.

Businesses caught ‘greenwashing’ will face serious repercussions. Investors and shareholder lobby groups are increasingly challenging boards who don’t appreciate the urgency of taking climate action. Most importantly, public sentiment is firmly behind change.

This programme is divided into four modules, covering what makes retail banking unique, climate reporting practices today, the changing regulatory landscape, and new product opportunities.

• Module 1
• Module 2
• Module 3
• Module 4

SUSTAINABILITY & THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY: WHAT MAKES RETAIL BANKING DIFFERENT?

Why is climate change one of the greatest risks to financial institutions in modern times – and what unique challenges do retail banks face? This module examines what sustainability really means – beyond the buzzwords – and how retails banks must fundamentally rethink the services they offer to individuals and SMEs, as well as their own greenhouse gas emissions.

CLIMATE REPORTING PRACTICES TODAY –AND WHERE THEY FALL SHORT

The key bodies providing guidance to banks, the rules as they currently stand, and how retail banks are currently reporting on sustainability. This module discusses voluntary ‘ESG reports’, greenwashing, and dissatisfaction with the status quo by regulators, investors, and the public at large. Change is coming – and failing to act seriously will pose existential risks to banks.

THE CHANGING REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: MOVING FROM GUIDELINES TO RULES

What are the new rules and regulations sweeping the major retail banking markets? This module focuses on the change in emphasis from ad hoc disclosure guidelines to mandatory reporting requirements. It discusses the most important recent developments in regulatory thinking, and the likely implications for retail banks – both in the short term and over the coming years.

OPPORTUNITIES: CREATING NEW PRODUCTS AND BUILDING A SUSTAINABILITY CULTURE

This module examines how the climate emergency creates opportunities for banks to reorient their business models and serve customers in new ways. It will look at green products that retail banks can offer individuals and SMEs, spanning deposit taking, lending, and investment. Banks need to go beyond what’s required by law, by developing a sustainability culture.

Candidates take an online exam after completing the programme material and those who pass successfully are awarded the Retail Banking Institute Certificate in Sustainability Programme.