Key details
Mode of delivery: Classroom-based
Course code: CG18B
Duration: 8 days
Fee: £7,005.00 + VAT
CPD Hours: 48
Course Overview
This course offers an in-depth exploration of how corporate boards must evolve to lead responsibly in an era defined by sustainability, technological disruption, and heightened regulatory and stakeholder expectations. Participants will gain a strategic understanding of board accountability for ESG and climate-related risks, the growing influence of institutional investors and activism, and the distinct governance challenges across different ownership structures. The programme also addresses the board’s role in overseeing emerging technologies, including AI, cybersecurity, and data governance, within complex regulatory environments. Additionally, it provides practical insights into managing human rights and integrity risks through effective due diligence, ethical leadership, and compliance with global standards. The course equips directors with the foresight, frameworks, and tools to govern ethically, adaptively, and for long-term value creation.
This course also explores the core functions of the board, including legal and behavioural responsibilities, collaboration with executives, and managing effective board-executive dynamics. It emphasises fostering psychological safety, constructive challenge, and trust within the boardroom. The programme addresses performance evaluation, linking rewards to outcomes, and strategic succession planning to ensure long-term board effectiveness.
Agenda
Day — 1 Sustainability and Climate Governance
- ESG expectations and board responsibility for sustainability
- Climate risk governance and global disclosure frameworks (e.g., CSRD, TCFD)
- Defining the sustainable company: indicators and leadership
Day — 2 Investor Pressures and Activism
- Institutional investors and ESG mandates
- Managing shareholder activism and reputational risk
- Governance in public vs private and state-owned enterprises
Day — 3 Tech, AI, and Regulatory Oversight
- Board accountability in AI, data privacy, and cyber resilience
- Digital regulation: EU AI Act, NIST frameworks, and beyond
- Regulatory culture and internal controls in complex systems
Day — 4 Human Rights and Integrity Risk
- Supply chain ethics and board-level due diligence
- Human rights legislation (CSDDD, Modern Slavery Acts) and reporting
- Ethical governance strategies and risk management frameworks
Day — 5 Weekly Review
- Summary and recap of key learning objectives
- Action Planning
Day — 6 Board Roles and Relationships
- Legal duties and behavioural expectations of directors
- Functional collaboration: Chair, CEO, Company Secretary, NEDs
- Board–Executive interface and managing healthy tension
Day — 7 Behavioural Governance and Group Effectiveness
- Boardroom psychology: trust, groupthink, and challenge
- Chairing for psychological safety and constructive dissent
- Board dynamics in hybrid and high-stakes environments
Day — 8 Performance, Reward, and Succession
- Evaluating board and director performance
- Linking accountability to incentives and outcomes
- Board renewal and succession planning under pressure
Course Review
- Summary and recap of key learning objectives
- Action Planning
Post-Course
- Five (5) x hour-long Executive Coaching sessions at monthly intervals following Course Completion
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- New and aspiring Non-Executive Directors.
- Board Members seeking to refresh their understanding of governance foundations.
- Company Secretaries, CEOs, Senior Managers, and Governance Professionals.
- Leaders in private companies, public institutions, state-owned enterprises, and NGOs.
- Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Professionals seeking grounding in governance fundamentals.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to implement a successful strategy that enables you to:
- Understand the role of the board in overseeing ESG integration and develop strategies for embedding sustainability into corporate governance.
- Identify key climate risk management practices and comprehend the requirements of major global disclosure frameworks.
- Assess sustainability indicators and demonstrate leadership qualities essential for fostering a sustainable organisational culture.
- Recognise the influence of institutional investors and how ESG mandates shape corporate strategies.
- Anticipate, manage, and respond to shareholder activism while protecting organisational reputation.
- Compare governance structures across different enterprise types and analyse their unique challenges and opportunities.
- Ensure ethical AI use, protect data privacy, and maintain cyber resilience in accordance with board responsibilities.
- Identify key regulatory frameworks affecting digital and AI technologies and evaluate their implications for governance.
- Foster a strong regulatory culture and implement effective internal controls within complex technological systems.
- Manage supply chain ethics and conduct effective due diligence to uphold ethical standards.
- Interpret relevant human rights legislation and implement compliant reporting practices.
- Develop and execute strategies that promote ethical governance and mitigate integrity risks.
- Understand the legal duties and behavioural expectations of directors to ensure compliant and ethical governance.
- Recognise the importance of functional collaboration among the Chair, CEO, Company Secretary, and NEDs to promote effective board functioning.
- Develop strategies for managing the healthy tension between the board and executives to facilitate balanced oversight and decision-making.
- Comprehend the psychological dynamics within the boardroom, including trust, groupthink, and the importance of challenge for effective governance.
- Apply techniques for chairing meetings that foster psychological safety and encourage constructive dissent.
- Navigate the complexities of board dynamics in hybrid and high-stakes environments to maintain effectiveness and engagement.
- Learn methods for evaluating the performance of the board and individual directors to enhance overall effectiveness.
- Understand how to link accountability with incentives and outcomes to drive organisational success.
- Develop approaches for board renewal and succession planning that are resilient even under pressure or changing circumstances.
Course dates
Jun 8, 2026 - Jun 17, 2026
Oct 5, 2026 - Oct 14, 2026
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