Global professional services firm KPMG announced today the launch of the KPMG ESG Academy, aimed at delivering learning to businesses on a wide range of ESG topics and disciplines and support their sustainability initiatives.

Courses featured in the digital academy include content and lectures developed by ESG specialists from leading universities in collaboration with KPMG sustainability subject matter professionals, across ESG areas ranging from corporate sustainability transformations and ESG regulation to climate risk and business decarbonization strategies.

John McCalla-Leacy, KPMG International’s Global Head of ESG, said:

“In my conversations with business leaders, I routinely hear that complexity, a lack of understanding and the challenge of actually accessing information and insights is what’s holding them back on their ESG journey. The launch of the KPMG ESG Academy is about bringing that much needed information together in one place – to empower decision makers to deliver positive change.”           

According to KPMG, the academy provides fully customizable and scalable course content that can be delivered as a standalone virtual learning tool or integrated into clients’ in-house learning platforms, targeting executive-level, mid-management as well as non-management learners, and offering basic-level, comprehensive and advanced training across a broad range of ESG topics.

The ESG academy is being launched in collaboration with Microsoft, leveraging KPMG’s training platform, LEAP (KPMG Learning Enablement and Analytics Platform), powered by Microsoft Cloud solutions including Microsoft 365, Azure, Teams and Microsoft Viva Learning.

Shelly Blackburn, VP Cross Solutions at Microsoft, said:

“Since 2015, nearly 6,000 companies have announced science-based sustainability targets, representing a third of global market capitalization. Skilling is a vital prerequisite for driving progress. To meet their commitments, these companies need to gain insights, take action, and ultimately transform their businesses. We’re proud to collaborate with KPMG on closing the skilling gap.”

KPMG added that the ESG academy builds on its global alliance with Microsoft, as well as on its investment to accelerate global digital solutions for ESG issues. KPMG and Microsoft launched a multi-year collaboration in 2019, as part of the professional services firm’s $5 billion digital strategy to modernize its workplace using cloud-based tools and expand its digital offerings for clients. In 2021, KPMG launched a multi-year program aimed at accelerating global solutions for ESG issues, and to support clients in their own sustainability efforts, including plans to invest over $1.5 billion in its initiatives to further embed ESG in the organization and client solutions.

McCalla-Leacy said:

“In a time of deep uncertainty, business leaders are seeking information and insight to inform their decision making and futureproofing. The combination of economic, geopolitical and climate crises is making planning for growth more challenging than ever before. KPMG and Microsoft’s shared commitment to innovation and sustainability is what’s driving us to deliver new products and initiatives.”