Oxford Sustainability Reporting and ESG Data Management Programme

The Oxford Sustainability Reporting and ESG Data Management Programme gives you the skills to master global reporting frameworks, harness ESG data, and prepare your organisation for assurance readiness. Designed with AICPA & CIMA, it blends Oxford’s academic excellence with industry expertise to help you drive transparency, compliance, and sustainable growth.

Sustainability and ESG reporting are now essential for competitiveness, compliance, and credibility. The Oxford Sustainability Reporting and ESG Data Management Programme equips professionals to master leading frameworks such as TCFD, ISSB, and ESRS, enabling them to integrate ESG data into decision-making, leverage technology for business value, and build robust governance systems. Beyond compliance, the programme develops leaders who can connect sustainability and financial reporting to achieve assurance readiness, foster innovation, and drive long-term growth.

Over six modules, you’ll explore the full landscape of sustainability reporting and ESG data management—from the foundations of global frameworks and evolving regulations to building effective governance and assurance systems. You’ll gain practical skills to embed ESG data into financial strategy, apply technology and analytics to unlock insights, and design a comprehensive reporting and data strategy that prepares your organisation for future regulatory and market expectations.

Delivered in partnership with AICPA & CIMA, this programme combines Oxford Saïd’s world-class academic research with industry-leading expertise, blending theory with practical application. Learning alongside a global cohort of peers, you’ll gain the knowledge, tools, and network to strengthen financial strategy and lead with confidence in a sustainable future.

The course begins with an orientation module to present you with an overview of the concepts to be examined during the programme and to familiarise you with the online learning platform.

This module aims to prepare you for the rest of the programme and will:

This is followed by six modules that progressively build your understanding and expertise.

Modules

Module one analyses the role, importance, and challenges of sustainability reporting. You'll assess key sustainability reporting frameworks and analyse the significance, challenges, and reliability of ESG data in sustainability reporting and its impact on business decisions.

Module two focuses on interpreting key climate-related reporting frameworks, such as Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), US standards (SASB) and climate disclosure rules (e.g. California’s SB 253 and SB 261), and the role of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in global sustainability reporting. You'll determine how International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2 improve transparency and consistency in sustainability reporting and analyse the crucial link between sustainability reporting and creating long-term value.

During module three you will assess key EU sustainability regulations and then contrast these with global frameworks. Next, you will evaluate the challenges and opportunities of adhering to both European and global sustainability reporting standards in practice.

Module four focuses on evaluating your organisation's governance and control systems for effective sustainability reporting. You'll formulate plans to improve ESG risk management through enhanced policies, procedures, and internal audit strategies. Using the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) framework and real-world examples, you'll strengthen sustainability reporting controls systems to ensure compliance and transparency.

During module five, you will evaluate the benefits and limitations of ESG data and ratings in making business decisions. You'll recognise how to leverage technology and AI to analyse ESG data then integrate that data into capital budgeting and investment strategies.

In the final module, you synthesise what you have already learned to formulate a comprehensive sustainability reporting strategy. You will also analyse the connections between sustainability and financial reporting, ensuring interoperability across frameworks and jurisdictions. And in order to future-proof your organisation, you'll start to predict and assess new trends in sustainability reporting, including emerging technologies and regulations.