ESG for Leaders
From Policy Initiatives to Successful Implementation
A Transformative 5-Day Workshop
In-Person in Zagreb, CROATIA, 7 – 11 December 2026, Le Premier Boutique Hotel
26 – 30 October 2026 online (Zoom) – five afternoons
Workshop Lead: Dr Gordana Kierans
Background
Most organisations now have ESG policies, commitments, and targets. Far fewer have turned them into results. This programme focuses on the hardest part of the ESG journey: implementation.
Participants will learn how to translate policies and pledges into governance structures, strategy, measurable action, and long-term value creation – while navigating stakeholder expectations, sustainability frameworks, and reporting requirements. Leaders leave equipped to close the gap between what their organisation has committed to and what it actually delivers, turning ESG from a statement of intent into a source of trust and competitive advantage.
ESG for Leaders – Course Description
Over five days in Zagreb, participants work with real cases, proven frameworks, and the shared experience of peers facing similar challenges. The programme is designed for executives and senior professionals who carry responsibility for sustainability outcomes (in strategy, operations, finance, or governance) and who want practical answers, not another overview. Leaders return to their organisations with a concrete action plan they can put to work on day one.
Why this course?
The programme moves beyond ESG awareness into how decisions are actually made at the top of an organisation.
Participants learn to apply systems thinking in complex environments, understanding interdependencies, anticipating unintended consequences, and identifying the leverage points where effort produces the greatest effect. Energy transition and circular economy principles are woven throughout, so that sustainability is embedded into infrastructure, resource management, and long-term planning rather than treated as a separate agenda. By the end of the five days, each participant will have designed an actionable ESG roadmap tailored to their own organisation, grounded in regulatory realities and built for impact.
Who Should Attend?
This programme is designed for executives and senior professionals who carry responsibility for how their organisation responds to environmental, social, and governance expectations. It is especially relevant for leaders in strategy, operations, finance, risk, compliance, supply chain, and corporate affairs, whether in large corporations, mid-sized companies, financial institutions, or organisations preparing for new reporting obligations. Anyone who shapes direction, allocates resources, or answers to boards, investors, and regulators on sustainability matters will benefit from the tools provided.
A Detailed 5-Day Delivery Structure:
Day 1 – ESG From Concept to Mandate
The first day reframes ESG as a core instrument of corporate governance and strategy. Participants explore how ESG has evolved from a voluntary commitment into a regulatory and competitive necessity, driven by global agendas such as the SDGs, the EU Taxonomy, and tightening disclosure requirements including CSRD. The session examines the expanding role of business in this landscape, not only as the subject of regulation but as investor, innovator, and stabiliser within the wider economy. ESG is positioned as a practical tool for managing systemic risks spanning climate, financial, and social challenges, while influencing access to capital, markets, and talent. The day concludes with translating ESG into a clear organisational mandate, owned at board level and integrated into strategy.
Day 2 – Systems Thinking and Materiality in Policy Design
The second day introduces ESG as a complex system rather than a linear checklist. Participants engage with systems thinking concepts such as feedback loops, delays, and unintended consequences, and are introduced to Donella Meadows’ leverage points as a framework for intervention.
Through stakeholder mapping and value flow analysis, participants begin to understand how decisions interact across business units, value chains, and time horizons. A key focus is placed on defining materiality, where commercial priorities, stakeholder demands, and competing trade-offs must be carefully balanced through double materiality assessment.
Day 3 – Environmental Dimension: Energy, Resources, and Circular Economy
Day three connects ESG to physical systems, i.e., energy, infrastructure, and material flows. Participants explore the energy trilemma of security, affordability, and sustainability, alongside the risks of asset lock-in and delayed transition.
The circular economy is introduced as a strategic response to resource dependency and environmental pressure, moving beyond waste management into business model redesign. Participants examine how companies capture value through circularity in product design, procurement, operations, and investment planning, with a clear focus on resilience and decarbonisation.
Day 4 – Social and Governance Dimensions: From Risk to Legitimacy
The fourth day shifts focus to the social and governance dimensions of ESG, emphasising the importance of trust, accountability, and legitimacy in the eyes of employees, customers, and communities.
Participants examine the concept of a just transition, including its implications for workforce change, inequality, and the regions in which companies operate. The session also addresses public perception, resistance to change, and the reputational and financial risks of ESG failure. Governance is explored not only as a compliance function, but as a foundation for effective decision-making and stakeholder alignment. A practical stakeholder management simulation allows participants to apply these concepts in a dynamic setting.
Day 5 – ESG Implementation: Regulation, Reporting, and Impact
The final day focuses on turning strategy into results. Participants explore the levers available to business, including standards and certifications, incentives, supplier requirements, and sustainable procurement.
The session challenges the common pitfall of reporting without impact by distinguishing between KPIs and real outcomes. Participants learn how to define priority areas, select appropriate instruments, and design measurement approaches that reflect actual change. The programme concludes with final presentations, where each participant applies the full framework to develop and communicate their own ESG roadmap.
The Online Edition
26–30 October. The same programme, delivered live over five consecutive afternoons on Zoom (14:00–17:30 CET). Sessions are fully interactive, and participants complete the same ESG roadmap, presented in the final session. Materials are provided digitally; sessions are not recorded, keeping discussion candid.
Learning Outcomes
Participants leave with the ability to analyse their own organisational systems, identify the intervention points that matter, and translate ESG commitments into a concrete, board-ready roadmap. They do so in a highly interactive setting with peers facing similar challenges, in the historic capital of Zagreb – ‘Little Vienna‘ – during its celebrated Christmas season.
Set in Zagreb during the festive December season, the programme offers more than a learning experience – it provides an atmosphere. The city’s historic charm, illuminated streets, and renowned Christmas markets create an exceptional backdrop for reflection, exchange, and inspiration. Easily accessible from across Europe and beyond, Zagreb also offers an inviting setting for accompanying partners or family members. Optional evening tours will be arranged, allowing participants and their guests to experience the city’s unique blend of culture, warmth, and seasonal spirit.
Allow Croatia’s capital to draw you into its distinctive Christmas atmosphere – where professional development meets a memorable winter experience.
Your investment
In person, Zagreb — €3,200 (excl. VAT)
Your fee covers the complete five-day programme:
– All five training days, led personally by Dr Gordana Kierans
– Your ESG for Leaders participant workbook and course materials
– Daily lunches and refreshments at Le Premier Boutique Hotel
– Your individual ESG roadmap, developed across the week and presented on Day 5 with structured peer and facilitator feedback
– Optional evening tours of Zagreb’s Christmas markets for you and accompanying guests
– Certificate of completion from MGT OPEN
Accommodation is not included. Le Premier Boutique Hotel offers preferential rates for programme participants – details on registration.
Online (Zoom) – €1,600 (excl. VAT)
Your fee covers the complete programme delivered live over five afternoons:
– All five live sessions, led personally by Dr Gordana Kierans
– Your ESG for Leaders participant workbook and course materials in digital form
– Your individual ESG roadmap, developed across the week and presented in the final session
– Certificate of completion from MGT OPEN
In conclusion, we personally invite you to join us. The knowledge and strategies in this ESG for Leaders programme are strategic, operationally grounded, and built to accomplish systemic change.
Are you ready to join us?
Prefer to pay by invoice?
