CRD: CLIMATE STATEMENT ANALYSIS 101
Climate Statement Analysis 101 is a one-day focused and practical course designed exclusively to support Primary Users (investors, lenders, creditors) practically understand how to read, interpret, and critically analyse the essential information contained within a Climate Statement.
Climate Statement Analysis 101 is a one-day focused and practical course designed exclusively to support Primary Users (investors, lenders, creditors) practically understand how to read, interpret, and critically analyse the essential information contained within a Climate Statement. The course aims to empower those tasked with making investment or lending decisions and allocating capital accordingly.
- Why climate reporting matters and what’s the role of Primary Users in addressing climate change.
- What should a Primary User find within a Climate Statement?
- How should a Primary User practically critique a Climate Statement? Including how to identify the areas preparers have done well and the areas that warrant attention – including a deep dive into critiquing preparer’s transition plans.
- How to use the information to support investment (or lending) decisions.
- How best to leverage stewardship to support preparers with the transition to a low-emissions, climate-resilient future state.
BACKGROUND
Released in January 2023, the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards were a world first.
These standards ultimately seek to provide a support Primary Users by providing entities (preparers) with a consistent framework to consider and report their climate-related risks and climate-related opportunities, such that in Primary Users can use the information to support investment decisions, and ultimately allocate capital towards activities that are consistent with a low-emissions, climate-resilient future state.
Benefits & Outcomes
The course will be of benefit to investors, lenders and creditors, and other Primary Users who will use the Climate Statements prepared by preparers to support their investment or lending decisions.
Outcomes for participants include
- Understanding the objectives of the Climate Standards, and the role of Primary Users
- Appreciating just why and how a changing climate can impact investment returns and increase risk
- Knowing what to expect in a Climate Statement and the role of the FMA in driving compliance
- Identifying key considerations when reading and interpreting a Climate Statement
- Practically critiquing a Climate Statement – including identifying what is not included
- How best to leverage stewardship to support preparers with the transition to a low-emissions, climate-resilient future state.
Using publicly available disclosures, the course will include deep dives into selected elements of a Climate Statement, including the governance, risk management, metrics and targets sections. Critically, the course will also cover how to critique a preparer’s strategy and the transition plan elements of their strategy.
All sessions will be interactive and will include workshop exercises based on publicly available Climate Statements released by preparers. There will also be opportunities for participants to ask questions.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This practical training course is designed specifically for professional Primary Users of the Climate Statements released by Climate Reporting Entities (Preparers).
It has been designed to focus on the needs of investors, lenders, and other users who will be involved in reading and interpreting the Climate Statements and allocating capital accordingly, including:
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PROGRAMME
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SESSION TOPICS
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SESSION 1. The Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards - Introduction and overview of the Climate Standards This session will provide a high-level introduction to the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards, including why were they introduced?
FACILITATOR: Erica Miles, Director, West Nine Consulting |
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SESSION 2. Climate-related risks and opportunities - fundamentals for investors The session will provide participants with a high-level overview of climate science, climate-related risks, and climate-related opportunities. It will help participants appreciate the sheer magnitude of impact and why climate change will have a profound impact on our economy – and on investments Key topics will include:
FACILITATORS: Andrew Jameson (AJ) and Hunter Douglas, PwC |
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SESSION 3. The FMA’s role and key considerations when reading a Climate Statement This session will initially cover the role of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) in the regime and their compliance monitoring approach. The FMA will also provide an overview of their expectations around the synergies between Financial Statements and Climate Statements. The session will then progress into the key considerations Primary Users should be aware of when making their own assessments of a Climate Statement. This includes challenges around uncertainty, comparability, alignment between other preparer reports, and the need for preparers to consider risks and opportunities across a value chain. The session will conclude with the FMA providing their initial observations on recently published Climate Statements. FACILITATORS: Jacco Moison Head of Audit, Financial Reporting & Climate Related Disclosures and Michael van Zijl, Acting Manager, Climate Related Disclosures, FMA |
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SESSION 4. Using Climate Statements to support investment decisions - With a focus on governance and risk management This practical and interactive session will look at Climate Statements, raise some questions and consider how the disclosures support Primary Users to make investment decisions. Focusing on the governance and risk management disclosures of the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standard NZ CS 1, this interactive session will provoke critical thinking, and give Primary Users a chance to identify and discuss the key insights they can take from the information the preparer has, and has not, provided. With a focus on materiality (information to support investment decisions), participants will learn to practically critique the governance and risk management sections of a Climate Statement. FACILITATORS: Judy Ryan, External Reporting Board |
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SESSION 5. Using Climate Statements to support investment decisions - With a focus on risks, impact and strategy Following the earlier session, this practical and interactive session will focus on the strategy pillar of the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standard NZ CS 1, and how to use the information to support investment decisions. The session will focus on whether preparers have effectively assessed and presented the material risks and opportunities applicable to their sector, and how Primary Users can practically critique a scenario analysis and the preparers’ strategic response(s) to the risks. FACILITATOR: Sue Walker, Harbour Asset Management |
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SESSION 6. Using Climate Statements to support investment decisions - How to critique a preparers' targets and their approach to the transition This workshop session will help equip Primary Users to interpret and critique a Preparer’s targets and their approach to the transition. Using publicly available disclosures as worked examples, the session will focus on assessing a preparers’ targets, whether there is a credible strategy to deliver those targets, and how the transition (including mitigation and adaptation) is addressed in their strategy.FACILITATOR: Olaf Adam, Head of ESG Advisory, Westpac New Zealand Limited |
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SESSION 7. Investor/lender action through effective engagement - How best to utilize stewardship to improve issuer resilience This interactive and practical session will help Primary Users identify the key areas of risk and opportunity for an entity and prioritise which are most important to influence through stewardship. Using publicly available disclosures as worked examples, the session will then focus on how Primary Users can constructively use engagement to improve issuer resilience to climate change. This will include practical tips on how to develop an influential engagement strategy, and when and why engagement escalation would be needed. FACILITATOR: Jackson Rowland, Aotearoa New Zealand Stewardship Code |
PRE-REQUISITE READING
PRE-REQUISITE
Prior to attending, it is recommended participants be familiar with the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards (NZ CS1 to NZ CS3) as well as the Readers Guide: Navigating the Climate Statements, prepared the External Reporting Board and Financial Markets Authority in June 2024. https://www.xrb.govt.nz/dmsdocument/5123/
DATES & VENUE
8.30am to 5.00pm
At Westpac on Takutai Square, 16 Takutai Square, Briotmart, Auckland CBD
PRESENTERS
The session will be facilitated by recognised specialists in their fields, including:
PwC
West Nine Consulting
PwC
FMA
ANZ Stewardship Code
External Reporting Board
FMA
Westpac
Harbour Asset Management
INVESTMENT
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INFINZ member price
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Non-member price
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Places are limited and will be provided on a first in first served basis.
Please advise any dietary requirements when enrolling.
SPECIAL OFFERS:
10% discount off total for 3 or more registrations from same organisation
(including directors) - applies to members and non-members
20% discount off total for 5 or more registrations from same organisation
(including directors) - applies to members and non-members
25% discount for members outside of Auckland (INFINZ members only)
Only one discount applies to any single registrant
CONTACT DETAILS AND HOW TO REGISTER
Places are limited and will be provided on a first in first served basis.
Contact Faith Taylor support@infinz.com to enquire.
Please advise dietary requirements when registering.