Masterclass in Sustainable Finance for Journalists
In brief
Details
| Dates | TBC |
|---|---|
| Duration | x4 sessions of 90 minutes |
| Location | Online |
| Fees | Free |
| Contact | P3SA@smithschool.ox.ac.uk |
Overview
Trillions of dollars of privately-run capital has been committed to Net Zero by 2050 and sweeping policy packages have been proposed all around the world to align economies with environmental and social objectives. Headlines about these commitments are now a daily occurrence - in the mainstream press as well as in specialist media. Journalists therefore play a critical role in advancing the sustainability agenda, both through their ability to report on, and hold to account financial markets and actors, but also as an instrument in providing credible and accessible information to their audiences. This masterclass is for non-financial journalists that are interested in covering efforts to decarbonise the economy and make financial markets more sustainable across the globe.
Objectives
By the end of this Masterclass participants will be able to:
- Identify key actors and outline their perspectives and motivations for engaging with sustainability issues.
- Understand how some of the big headlines we’re seeing in the media have much more nuanced stories behind them, and why it’s important to understand some of the tensions and competing interests at play as financial institutions try to integrate sustainability objectives into their strategies.
- Asses different types of greenwashing and analyse different efforts being made globally to get a handle on the sustainability claims being made by institutions, as well as examine ‘greenhushing’ and what that means for journalists and other stakeholders.
- Explain how the ‘just transition’ fits into the Paris Accord, how it impacts different countries and regions, and what investors and companies are doing to try and bake social considerations into their decarbonisation efforts
Masterclass Syllabus
Session one - What is the role of the private sector in tackling climate change?
Many banks, investors and companies are backing away from their environmental and social commitments, saying they can’t achieve them in the current technological, legal and political landscape. Is it right to expect the private sector to drive the climate transition, or is a rethink happening?
Session two - Greenwashing in the private sector
This session explores the different forms that greenwashing can take in the private sector, and looks at the kind of things journalists should keep in mind when identifying and writing about it.
Session three - Why are carbon offsets so controversial and are they always bad?
The debate about the role of carbon offsets in reaching net zero continues to rage in 2025. Why are they so controversial?
Course Director
Sophie Robinson-Tillett, Senior Associate, Public and Third Sector Academy for Sustainable Finance
Sophie is a London-based sustainable finance journalist. She is the founder of Real Economy Progress, a newsletter covering the sustainability-related expectations companies face from investors and regulators. She has been writing about responsible investment for nearly a decade and is currently a contributing editor at Investment & Pensions Europe, where she helps steer ESG coverage for the region’s asset owners. Sophie was formerly the editor of Responsible Investor, a publication focused on environmental and social developments in global capital markets. She was also news editor at Environmental Finance. She is particularly interested in the role of financial regulation in promoting real-world decarbonisation. Sophie did her masters in print journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London, after receiving a scholarship from the Guardian. Before moving into financial journalism, she wrote and produced articles for the Guardian, where her work on housing regeneration was shortlisted for The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain's Social Evils.
Applications
Places on this course are limited to those who have primary employment in journalism, but we may also consider candidates from other media and communication professions. Evidence of this may be requested and required.
To apply please complete the application form, for both individual and group bookings. We aim to respond within 10 working days of receipt of the application.
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Application form – collection notice
Information collected in the Application Form above will only be used for the purpose of evaluating your application to the Masterclass in Sustainable Finance for Journalists at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (SSEE), School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE), University of Oxford, and will not be made available to third-parties. Information provided will only be kept for as long as is necessary to fulfil this purpose. Information is handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. By supplying this information you are consenting to the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, SoGE holding and using it for the purposes for which it was provided. For more information, please see the SoGE's Privacy Policy.
In brief
Details
| Dates | TBC |
|---|---|
| Duration | x4 sessions of 90 minutes |
| Location | Online |
| Fees | Free |
| Contact | P3SA@smithschool.ox.ac.uk |