When I began this journey toward a certificate in sustainability finance, it was initially about optics — a way to align my professional work with my personal passion for the environment. I’ve also talked about it several times in CFO forums and events and really want the added knowledge. When we say sustainability, we easily associate it with compliance and with the environmental and social cost of our activities.
When we stop seeing sustainability as just a compliance tool, we get to see that it goes straight to the heart of your business value chain. It dives deeply to each of the key roles of finance leader from a risk manager, to a story-teller, as a business strategist and a diver for growth.
Finance as a Risk Manager
One of the roles I have a love-hate relationship with is risk management. I love how it unlocks my creativity, problem-solving mindset, and vision — but it can also be draining. Sustainability takes it further by widening the lens: it looks how the external forces impacts the company, and how the organization affects its social and environmental surroundings. It also establishes strong governance to support compliance and internal control systems across the Company’s operations.
Finance as a Story Teller
Triple Bottom-line!!! That’s the first thing that caught my attention in the course. I’ve seen how fund raisers and other stakeholders have evolved from seeing just the profits to seeing three dimensions, Planet, People and Profit. The narrative has evolved from simply boasting about profits to a more meaningful story — one that considers how your revenue affects customers, how your costs influence the supply chain, how labor expenses impact employees and society, and how taxes contribute to nation-building.
Finance as a Business Strategists
Finance is front and center in driving sustainability. With a deeper understanding of your sustainable value chain and business model, you can create greater impact across the organization. Decision-making becomes clearer when it’s supported by data, aligned with sustainability goals, and guided by a compelling narrative. You’ll also have a better visualization on your short, mid-term and long-term goals both for your business and sustainability roadmap.
Finance as a Growth and Value Driver
In the context of sustainability, Finance plays a dual role — managing costs while uncovering growth opportunities. Sustainability initiatives come with a price: renewable energy often involves long-term ROI, and compliance efforts can be costly. However, the potential upside is significant. These efforts can lead to a more resilient supply chain, increased trust from responsible customers, improved access to capital, stronger employee retention, and the prevention of community-related disruptions.
And the Bigger Picture
Sustainability goes beyond individual roles within an organization, an organization’s responsibility to society, or even society’s duty to the planet. At its core, sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The battle in saving the planet is as important as ever. It’s a shared responsibility — one that each of us has a part in fulfilling.
The effects of climate change are already evident — from rising global temperatures and biodiversity loss to more frequent and extreme weather events. Simple everyday actions, like reducing our carbon footprint through less travel, conserving energy, recycling, and planting trees, may seem small but collectively make a meaningful difference in protecting our planet.
My Journey to Certification in Sustainability Finance
My journey into sustainability finance has been more than just aligning my work with my values — it’s been about understanding the power of finance to drive meaningful change, both within ourselves and across our organizations.
I embarked on the course to deepen my knowledge, and with each week of the 5-week program offered by ACCA through PICPA, my appreciation for sustainability finance grew. Earning the Certification in Sustainability for Finance has not only enhanced my expertise but also given me a sense of purpose, both as an individual and as a finance professional committed to sustainability.
I’ve come to realize that sustainability finance is not just a niche or trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how we think and act. Sustainability is no longer just an emerging trend — it’s critical to the world’s healing and to ensuring a livable future for generations to come.
