Leadership in Practice Program

Developing the capability required to progress sustainable finance in practice.

An evolution of ASFI’s Leadership Working Groups, this program focuses on the capabilities required to lead and implement change within organisations.

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Sustainable Finance Courses

Online Learning

Nature Finance

Convenient and affordable online training courses for sustainable finance professionals looking to increase capability across public and private sectors.

Sustainable Finance Courses

Foundational work to support the integration of nature-related risks, dependencies and value considerations into financial decision-making across the Australian financial system.

Natural Capital Program
Research & Reports

Building leadership and capability in practice

Leadership and capability on sustainability are widely recognised as critical enablers for the transformation to a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive financial system.

Action at multiple levels is required to build the momentum and capability required for system-wide change, however in practice, this work often sits within small teams navigating complexity, competing priorities, and the need to build alignment across organisations.

Progress depends not only on technical expertise, but on how effectively change is led and implemented within organisations.

Leadership in Practice Program
  • We expected the ASFI leadership programme to provide a valuable opportunity to learn from industry peers and reflect on the key issues shaping sustainable finance. It delivered on that expectation through well-structured, thoughtfully designed content and discussion
    Senior Associate
    Clean Energy Investor?
  • Working through real barriers with peers across the system assured me that we are often dealing with similar issues and offered different perspectives on where leadership can unlock progress
    Head of Sustainable Finance
    Institutional Asset Manager
  • Exploring real barriers to progress with peers from across the system provided practical perspectives on common challenges, including governance, board engagement, internal alignment, stakeholder buy-in and embedding sustainable finance across the organisation
    Director of Sustainability
    Clean Energy Investor
  • The practical tools shared by ASFI and the honest discussions that ensued were supportive in my day?to?day role, reinforcing for me that sustainable finance is as much about leadership and influence as it is about technical expertise
    Head of Sustainable Finance
    Institutional Asset Manager

Program Overview

ASFI has hosted successful Leadership Working Group programs in 2023, 2024 and 2025, offering ASFI members the opportunity to share lessons and approaches to common challenges and opportunities in progressing sustainability work and outcomes.

Building on that foundation, Leadership in Practice has been developed for both ASFI member and non-member organisations to strengthen the leadership capability needed to progress sustainable finance in practice. 

The Leadership in Practice program has been developed to support practitioners working to progress sustainable finance within their organisations.

Designed for a senior leader and a junior or emerging colleague from the same organisation, the program combines cohort learning and tailored coaching support to help participants navigate complexity, build alignment, and apply learning to a real organisational issue.

The programme will bring together two participants from the same organisation, at different career stages, recognising that effective change requires alignment across levels.

It combines cohort-based learning with tailored consultation support, enabling participants to apply this work to a current sustainable finance issue within their organisation.

Cohort Sessions

The program includes four half-day cohort sessions focused on the leadership capabilities needed to progress sustainable finance in practice

  • Leading change within organisations

  • Planning transition and navigating its tensions

  • Understanding influence and decision-making dynamics

  • Recognising cultural and capability constraints

  • Identifying structural barriers and opportunities

Coaching Sessions

Alongside the cohort sessions, participants will receive tailored coaching support from ASFI to work through:

  • A live sustainable finance issue, challenge or opportunity from within their organisation

  • Testing thinking, refining approach and working through barriers in context

  • Practical and credible next steps for progressing the issue internally

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Program Details

The next Leadership in Practice program will commence in 2027.
Timing
Cohort commencement: 2027

Session cadence: Quarterly sessions held across July, October, February and May
Delivery Format
Sessions: Four in-person half-day cohort sessions, supported by one-hour coaching sessions, designed to support application to a live organisational issue.

Participants: Two participants from the same organisation, at different career stages.
Eligibility
Eligibility: Open to ASFI member and non-member organisations

Location: Determined based on cohort location

Find out more

Complete the form to receive the Leadership in Practice program prospectus.