Frequently Asked Questions

The CSL Fellowship is a leadership development programme designed to engage, inspire and propel Fellows forward in their efforts to advance the climate agenda within their institution.

While other programmes focus on the technical changes banks need to enable a just and equitable transition to net zero, the Fellowship focuses on the systemic changes required, and developing the leadership capabilities of Fellows to create and influence these changes.

Unlike many other online courses, the Fellowship is uniquely tailored to each cohort, meaning that the content of sessions will respond directly to the needs and interests of cohort members, in relation to the current context within which they are working. Our emphasis on live workshops and learning alongside peers, means that each Fellow is an active participant in and contributor to the learning.

Participants get 30+ hours of contact time with trainers and a cohort of peers. It combines training in the form of tools and skills to support Fellows in their work as climate intrapreneurs, as well as tailored support to move forward on a specific Critical Shift related to their climate action work.

We consistently hear from previous Fellows about the value of hearing the experiences of their peers and the supportive nature of relationships built through the Fellowship. The programme is participatory and anchored in a confidential, pre-competitive peer learning environment. As a community of practice, Fellows will engage in collaborative learning, share best practice, and develop new ideas together with others in their cohort.

Fellows also have access to the wider alumni community of Fellows, as well as resources, workshops and networking events organised by the Climate Safe Lending Network.

Not directly - there are other courses and forums, including the PRB Academy that do this. The core CSL Fellowship programme emphasises supporting participants to explore the organisational development, cultural, behavioural and personal leadership dimensions of accelerating climate action within their bank (i.e. joining up transformation in culture, operations and strategy to meet the bank's climate goals). However, there will also be opportunities to access support on the technical components of climate strategies (e.g. targets, methodologies, disclosures etc). These include Responsive Peer Learning sessions which will be adapted to the specific needs of Fellows, sharing of resources and connections among Fellows on the cohort and access to additional resources curated by the Climate Safe Lending Network.

Yes! Climate action needs to be catalysed, supported and embedded within the core strategy, operations and culture of financial institutions. The programme is designed to support individuals who want to more effectively lead this change, irrespective of their functional area or seniority, and regardless of whether they are working on climate within their day job or side-of-desk. Past participants have included Chief Risk Officers, Commercial Relationship Managers, Portfolio Managers, Operations, Learning & Development leaders, Innovation Managers, Legal representatives, Sustainability leaders, and VC Partners.

We are curating the 2025 cohorts to include any financial institutions that provide primary investments into the real economy (e.g. banks, lending institutions, venture capital, CDFIs, etc.). We do this to encourage innovative, collaborative thinking amongst individuals looking to extend not only their leadership, but also the realms of what is possible. The systemic change required for a credible and just transition to a climate safe world will require everyone to play a role. Given our programming is not overly technical, we believe the content will be applicable to the above mentioned institutions. We alos work to make sure applicants do not have any conflicts of interest that would jeopardize the value, safety or confidentiality of its members.

We are looking to build a diverse cohort, made up of participants working across the world. Previous years’ Fellows found that this international exchange was one of the most valuable aspects of the programme. It is also important to recognise that economically developing countries are experiencing a disproportionate amount of impact from climate change, so it is vital for those elsewhere in the world to hear about these experiences and learn of the existing innovations to adapt.

Yes, the programme is suitable for participants with all levels of experience driving climate action forward within their banks - so long as you have at least 3 years of experience working in finance. Participants with less experience of climate action have a lot to contribute to the cohort as the ‘beginner’s mindset’ you bring will likely lead you to ask fundamental questions, and offer an objective perspective which will be valuable for all participants. As the majority of the programme does not focus on the technical aspects of climate change - but instead on the skills and most effective approaches for driving action by your organisation - most core sessions will not be technical in nature. Because we will have participants who work in varied roles and areas of finance, where we do cover technical content, we will ensure that this is accessible to participants with all levels of understanding.

The Fellowship is designed specifically for those trying to drive internal change within their finanical institution. Please get in touch with us so we may explore other possibilities for getting involved.

The purpose of a just and regenerative economy is ecological restoration, community resilience and social equity. A just and regenerative economy shifts economic control to communities, democratises wealth and the workplace, advances ecological restoration, drives racial justice and social equity, relocalises most production and consumption, and retains and restores cultures and traditions. This is in contrast to the current dominant economic model, which is an ‘extractive economy’ driven by the accumulation, concentration and enclosure of wealth and power.

Achieving a just and equitable transition to a climate safe world is complex, involving many interrelated challenges and stakeholders. There is no single silver bullet that can address it all. A systemic approach to change considers not just individual parts of the system, but seeks to shift the entire system by working with interdependent leverage points. It also focuses not just on fixing the symptoms of the problem, but seeks to understand and work with the deeper causes - including the structures, relationships and mental models that often sit below the surface. In the context of bank climate action, systemic change means fundamentally transforming every part of business-as-usual to be fit for purpose in a just and sustainable world, rather than siloing sustainability within CSR.

We encourage Fellows to bring to the programme a Critical Shift in your institution that you are (or would like to be) part of creating. This should be a shift that: (i) could be achieved in the next 12 months; (ii) is something you can directly or indirectly influence; and (iii) would make a significant difference in enabling your bank’s climate transition.

Examples of Critical Shifts include:

1. A shift from client-facing colleagues viewing sustainability as irrelevant to their role → to relationship managers having the willingness, knowledge and skills to support clients to transition their own business models toward climate goals.

2. A shift from sustainability as a small team working on the bank’s own operational carbon footprint → to sustainability leading a fully integrated strategy for climate safe banking across business-as-usual.

3. A shift from sustainability within the bank being viewed as a CSR strategy → to sustainability being a core foundation of corporate strategy.

4. A shift from the bank’s climate strategy only focusing on environmental impacts → to integrating a justice and equity lens.

5. A shift from portfolio alignment to the Paris Agreement being a top-level priority of the bank → to business committees taking climate into account together with risk-return considerations in credit decision making.

6. A shift from short-term financial KPIs only → to introducing employee incentives for contribution to climate goals.

7. A shift from evaluating new deals based on short term risk and return → to having a process to decline new business in service of net zero targets.

8. A shift from a lack of colleague capability around sustainability → to compulsory sustainability training for all.

9. A shift from climate strategy being the responsibility of a central strategy team → to climate strategy owned within all business areas across the bank which then contributes towards Group strategy

Peer coaching involves structured, facilitated learning alongside peers through the use of active listening, powerful questions and sharing of challenges and experiences. An example of a peer coaching methodology we will be using in the programme is Action Learning. Fellows can take basic peer coaching skills back into their workplace and apply them to cultivate meaningful learning environments and collaborative team cultures.