Managing Sustainability Competently and Effectively
Author: Thorsten Rienth
Whether it’s new regulations and laws, marketing opportunities, business benefits, or personal values, no company can afford to ignore ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) issues anymore. The DEKRA Academy provides support with its sustainability manager training program and a wide range of specialized courses and seminars.
Companies are under significant pressure when it comes to sustainability: lawmakers, customers, investors, and employees are all demanding action. Businesses are expected to align their operations with socially, environmentally, and societally responsible practices. The pressure has reached critical levels, as highlighted in the 2023 CFO Study by management consultancy Horváth. According to the study, a quarter of CFOs don’t believe their companies will achieve their complex sustainability goals. Another quarter feels completely unable to integrate sustainability into corporate management. Additionally, 83 percent anticipate the problem will only get worse.
EU Directive: severe penalties for non-compliance
Dr. Lisa Marie Ley, Service Group Manager for Sustainability Trainings at DEKRA, understands the companies’ concerns. A few years ago, companies could use modern sustainability initiatives as a way to promote themselves – “Look at us, we’re pioneers!” Now the narrative has shifted to “Attention: We must address this as a company and if we don’t get it right, it could cost us dearly.”
With the latter, Ley refers to the substantial penalties for non-compliance, for example in reporting under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Fines can reach up to ten million euros or five percent of annual revenue. Even board members and supervisory directors can be held personally liable.
Additionally, the obligation to report on sustainability – accompanied by extensive documentation requirements – is affecting an increasing number of organizations. For instance, the CSRD directive must now be gradually incorporated into management reports. Starting in 2025, smaller companies will also be directly impacted if they meet two of the following three criteria: a balance sheet total exceeding 40 million euros, revenues over 25 million euros, or more than 250 employees. Since reporting often extends across the entire supply chain, almost all companies are indirectly affected.
Sustainability management requires qualified professionals
Modern sustainability management requires qualified personnel, such as sustainability managers – a role the DEKRA Academy plays a key part for. “We help companies train their employees to become sustainability managers through targeted courses,” explains Ley. The sustainability manager profession is relatively new. “Essentially, sustainability managers in industry and business strive to develop supply chains, services, or products further while ensuring they meet ecological, economic, and social standards.”
Customers can choose between live online training and in-house workshops
The Sustainability Manager Compact Training is one of the key educational offerings in DEKRA Academy’s portfolio. The training is typically offered as a live online course on a monthly basis. In-house workshops can also be arranged outside of the regular schedule upon request.
“In this training, we provide participants with the necessary tools to manage sustainability competently and effectively,” Ley explains the three-day program. It covers key ISO standards, regulations, laws, and directives such as the EU Taxonomy Regulation, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), as well as sustainability ratings. “Building on that, we focus on the central areas of action for handling sustainability concepts, examining them from the perspectives of companies, their products and buildings, and their supply chains.” The training concludes with a written online exam, with an optional certification as a Corporate Sustainability Manager.
Specific training programs with clearly defined learning objectives
The DEKRA Academy’s sustainability training is characterized by two approaches. The first focuses on foundational training programs, such as the Sustainability Manager Compact Training, the Avoiding Greenwashing Seminar, or the Sustainable Supply Chains – CSDDD Basics Course, which covers CSDDD obligations and the necessary steps for implementation within a company.
“Secondly, we build on that foundation with specific application-focused training programs that emphasize methodology and have clearly defined learning objectives,” Ley explains, providing an example: Successfully integrating sustainability within a company requires as many colleagues as possible who can discuss the topic empathetically, effectively, and efficiently. “This is where our course Sustainability in Business – Training for Effective Internal Communication comes in. We equip participants with a selection of proven tools to gain support for sustainability initiatives and effectively handle differing opinions and attitudes.”
The DEKRA Academy continuously evolves its training programs
The sustainability training courses and their learning objectives are far from set in stone. “As our clients’ needs change, we continuously adapt our training programs,” Ley explains. “Our approach is consistently customer-focused: What new regulations impact our customers? And what do they need to effectively meet these requirements within their organization?”
Regarding sustainability, there is a German saying that goes along the lines of "after one regulation is before the next regulation”, highlighting that implementing one regulation is just the start of preparing for the next.
Here are more examples of DEKRA Academy’s comprehensive sustainability training programs: The practical seminar Sustainability Reporting in Accordance with CSRD and ESRS for Companies provides a thorough understanding of the new disclosure requirements and prepares participants to effectively meet regulatory demands. The module Materiality Analysis (CSRD) – Practical Seminar for Companies equips participants with hands-on methods for conducting a materiality analysis, allowing them to apply their knowledge through practical exercises and case studies. The Photovoltaic Systems Inspection Training certifies electrical specialists and the people responsible for photovoltaic systems to perform proper system inspections, a requirement now mandated by law for PV system operators.
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