AI & Sustainability Masterclass

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important business, investment, governance and sustainability issue. While organisations are investing heavily in AI-enabled transformation, models, cloud services and data infrastructure, decision-makers also need to understand their full financial, environmental and organisational implications.

At the same time, AI can support sustainability objectives in areas such as climate-risk analysis, asset monitoring, energy optimisation, supply-chain due diligence, sustainability reporting and process automation.
This Masterclass therefore addresses two interconnected questions: How can organisations manage the sustainability implications of AI itself, and where can AI create credible sustainability value?
Rather than focusing on technical model development, the programme is structured as an executive decision lab. Participants work continuously on a practical case, applying concepts immediately to assess alternative AI solutions, compare costs and impacts, evaluate governance requirements and ultimately develop a board-ready recommendation. The learning journey follows a clear decision cycle: Frame → Assess → Compare → Govern → Decide → Implement

Module Overview
Day 1 – Sustainability of AI: Assessing the Investment

• AI economics and the physical AI stack
• Building the sustainable AI investment case
• Total cost of ownership, business value and counterfactuals
• Measuring energy, carbon, water and hardware impacts
• Working with estimates, assumptions, disclosure gaps and uncertainty
• AI governance, regulation, data protection, cybersecurity and accountability
• Comparing AI strategies, vendors and implementation options

Day 2 – AI for Sustainability: Designing and Governing the Solution

• Resource-efficient AI design and model right-sizing
• Process redesign and efficient AI workflows
• Identifying and prioritising AI-for-sustainability use cases
• Climate-risk analysis, energy optimisation, supply-chain due diligence and sustainability reporting
• ESG data quality, provenance, traceability and assurance
• Human oversight, monitoring and accountability
• Building the board case and preparing an investment committee recommendation
• Developing an individual 90-day action plan

Throughout both days, participants combine expert input with case analysis, peer challenge, practical exercises and decision simulations. The programme culminates in an investment committee simulation in which participants defend their recommendations against questions on value, cost, environmental impact, regulatory exposure, data, governance and implementation feasibility.

This Masterclass is designed for senior professionals who are involved in approving, financing, governing, procuring or advising on enterprise AI initiatives. It is particularly relevant for finance and CFO functions, sustainability and ESG leaders, risk, compliance and governance professionals, procurement and vendor-management teams, corporate strategy and transformation specialists, digital and AI programme sponsors, investment and portfolio managers, as well as senior consultants and strategic advisers. The programme is especially suited to directors and experienced senior managers who need to make or support strategic decisions on AI without requiring technical or coding expertise.

During this programme, participants will learn to evaluate AI initiatives from an integrated business, financial, environmental, governance and implementation perspective. They will assess total cost of ownership and environmental footprint, identify key AI value-chain dependencies, compare models and sourcing options, translate regulatory and governance requirements into practical controls, challenge vendor proposals, and prioritise AI applications that can generate credible sustainability value. Participants will also develop the ability to formulate board-ready recommendations and translate sustainable AI principles into concrete organisational actions.

Learn on Your Terms. Boost Your Career.

Our on-site Masterclass trainings are designed for professionals who want to take their expertise further through intensive, face-to-face learning and networking. Over two days, you'll benefit from expert-led sessions, real-world case studies, and tailored discussions that connect theory with practice.

Key elements include:

• focused expert input on AI, sustainability, finance and governance
• a continuous executive case connecting both programme days
• hands-on application of practical assessment and governance tools
• peer challenge and exchange with experienced professionals
• an investment committee simulation based on a realistic decision scenario
• a 90-day action plan to transfer learning into participants' own organisations

Join a global community of professionals who are advancing their careers and shaping the future of sustainable finance and beyond through hands-on, collaborative learning.