Who should attend

This course is ideal if you want to:

• Understand how climate transition planning fits within your organisation, and with key stakeholders.
• Learn practical ways to decarbonise and embed net zero into strategy and operations.
• Build confidence with the language and concepts of credible transition planning.
• Align your strategy, processes and governance with the fast-changing expectations facing organisations today.
• Learn alongside peers from across sectors who are tackling the net zero transition in real time.

What you will learn

This course breaks down what it takes to design and deliver a credible climate transition plan. Across the course, you will:

• Learn how to navigate the transition planning process, from setting targets and engaging stakeholders to embedding strong governance and implementation frameworks.
• Gain a clear understanding of what makes a transition plan credible, and how to assess it against emerging best-practice standards.
• Explore how effective planning can create business value, helping your organisation to build resilience, attract investment, and drive long-term success.
• Build confidence and clarity in responding to climate change. Demystify key concepts, gain the language to engage across your organisation, and know where to take action.

Program structure

Pre-work

Ahead of the course, participants will develop a shared understanding of the net zero transition including the regulatory and market drivers of net zero and the basics of emissions accounting.

Part 1: The Net Zero Transition

Gain clarity on the latest net zero drivers and trends, and the implications for economies, sectors, and organisations. Participants will explore sectoral decarbonisation pathways and consider the risks and opportunities that will shape their organisation’s success in the transition.

Part 2: The Role, Value, and Purpose of Climate Transition Plans

Examine the role and purpose of climate transition plans, how they fit into broader organisational planning and regulatory contexts, and how they can enhance accountability and trust across different stakeholder groups. Discussion will focus on why transition plans are increasingly valuable tools for navigating the net zero challenge, responding to investor pressure and protecting against risks such as greenwashing.

Part 3: Credibility in Climate Transition Planning

Participants will delve into the specific phases of transition planning and the criteria that underpin credibility. Here, we introduce Climateworks Centre’s eight criteria for best practice transition planning and provide guidance on evaluating plans for rigour and impact. Case studies will illustrate how organisations are developing and implementing credible plans, and overcome common challenges.

Part 4: Embedding and Driving Action

How can plans be translated into meaningful action? Participants will explore strategies to embed net zero into organisational processes, governance frameworks, and culture. Practical exercises will support participants to identify ways to align internal incentives, engage stakeholders, and drive long-term organisational change.

Featured Experts & Course Facilitators

Our facilitators are drawn from this group of experts, with teaching teams and industry speakers varying by delivery.

Holly Dillabough
Senior Lecturer
Sustainable Development Education

Holly is a Senior Lecturer in the Sustainable Development Education team, where she leads the professional education portfolio including the Net Zero Academy. Through transformative education informed by the latest research and industry needs, she builds capability across leaders and organisations to shape and accelerate sustainability transitions. Drawing on sustainability expertise and experience working across government, not‑for‑profit and corporate sectors, Holly oversees the development and facilitation of applied executive and professional learning programs. She also teaches across the Monash Business School, empowering future business leaders with the skills needed to drive, and thrive in, a resilient, low‑carbon future. Holly holds a Master of Environment (University of Melbourne) and a Bachelor of Biology specialising in ecology (Laurentian University).

Elspeth Taylor
Program Manager
Climateworks Centre

Part of Climateworks Centre’s Capacity Building team, Elspeth works with the experts within Monash University to design and deliver professional education experiences that equip participants with the skills, knowledge and mindsets to take action in the transition to a Net Zero world. Elspeth’s background is in Change Management, working with PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide businesses and governments with strategic advice and implementation using a people-first framework. Prior to joining Climateworks Centre, Elspeth was a Strategic Designer and Project Manager at leading social enterprise STREAT. Here, Elspeth developed her passion for inclusive, accessible and engaging facilitation and education practice, using Trauma-Informed Design principles. Elspeth holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Business (Management) from Monash University.

Will Lewis
Project Advisor
Climateworks Centre

Working within Climateworks Centre’s Capacity Building team, Will supports the corporate sector to understand why decarbonisation is critical and how to turn commitments into action. His role provides a range of high-level project coordination, research and education content development services to support the end-to-end delivery of projects within Climateworks’ capacity building and education program. Will began his career in education working as a primary school teacher – both in Australia and abroad. He later moved into the world of sustainable international development, providing program and partnerships coordination for the Australian Volunteers Program (managed by AVI). Will holds a Master of Environment with University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Education from Deakin University.

For any additional information please contact MSDI-NetZeroAcademy@monash.edu