Syllabus - Our Programme for International Aid Organisations

OUR ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL AID ORGANISATIONS

Last updated September 2025

About the Climate Action Accelerator The Climate Action Accelerator is a non-profit initiative based in Geneva that aims to mobilize a critical mass of high-social trust organisations around the world to scale up implementation of climate solutions within planetary boundaries, keep global warming well below 2°C and avoid the risk of dangerous drift.

The goal is to help move the aid, health and higher education sectors towards greater resilience and a radical transformation of their practices, pursuing science-based emission reduction targets and a 'net zero' trajectory, in line with the Paris Agreement.

Programme overview Goal Helping organisations deliver essential services to populations — within planetary boundaries

Target audience Designed for individuals responsible for environmental sustainability in their organisation Typically includes sustainability managers, but may also involve staff from logistics, procurement, or finance Leadership support is critical to the programme’s success, with active involvement required at key moments.

2-year cycle Introduction & Onboarding​

Phase 1. Measure your footprint

Phase 2. Create your roadmap

3 months

6 months

9 months

2-year collective cycle

Methodology Method, mentoring and quality review Blended learning, collaborative online programme Part of a community of practice

Phase 3. Launch roadmap implementation

9 months

Phase 1.

Measure your footprint In this phase, you’ll gain knowledge and tools for measuring your organisation’s carbon emissions and conducting a waste assessment. You’ll receive hands-on guidance to set your organisational and operational boundaries, collect relevant data, and calculate your carbon footprint using fit-for-purpose tools.

Results will be reviewed by experts to ensure accuracy and credibility.

This phase will enable you to: Learn methodologies for carbon accounting and waste assessment Apply these methodologies to measure your carbon accounting Define your scopes and operational boundaries Gather the necessary data Calculate your carbon footprint Analyze the carbon results to prioritize high-impact reduction actions

Footprint methodology & carbon measurement 6 months

Programme Launch Workshop

1 Introductory course

4 weeks

Carbon & waste footprint basics & tools

Self-paced module Boundaries and data collection plan workshop Internal Steering Committee

to validate footprint boundaries

collection & carbon footprint 2 Data calculation Mentoring begins

15 weeks Collect data & calculate footprint

Weekly Collective Mentoring Individual Mentoring Drop-in Sessions Special Events

Submit Carbon Footprint

3 Carbon Footprint Quality Review

5 weeks

Phase 2.

Develop your roadmap In this phase, sessions support you in preparing internal surveys, leading cross-functional workshops, and selecting climate and environmental solutions suited to your operational context. The roadmap includes an indicative cost–benefit analysis to support informed decision-making, and undergoes an external review to ensure consistency and quality.

This phase will enable you to: Assess the current state of affairs Identify solutions and actions Set targets Carry out modelling Draft your roadmap

1 State of affairs Module 1 Kick-off with leadership Interpreting the footprint State of affairs survey

Internal session led by organisation Group mentoring & quality review

2 Solutions, Actions & Benefits Module 2.1 Solutions & actions - Functioning (Travel, energy & buildings, good office practices)

Module 2.2 Solutions & actions - Supply

Module 2.3 Solutions & actions - Core activities & programmes

Module 2.4 Solutions & actions - Environmental Protection

Internal session led by organisation

Internal session led by organisation Internal session led by organisation Internal session led by organisation Individual mentoring & quality review Executive Committee and/or Board

9 months

Roadmap methodology

to validate solutions

scenario building, 3 Reduction Impacts & Feasibility Module 3.1 Target setting preparation

Internal session led by organisation

Module 3.2 Emissions reduction targets - Functioning

Internal session led by organisation

Module 3.3 Emissions reduction targets - Supply

Internal session led by organisation

Module 3.4 Transformation Levers - Core activities & programmes

Internal session led by organisation Individual mentoring & quality review

4 Planning for Impact Module 4 Carbon modeling & financial implications

Module 5 Implementation principles, list of priority projects. Tips on drafting the roadmap

Individual mentoring Internal session led by organisation

Drafting the roadmap Executive Committee and/or Board to validate the roadmap

Phase 3.

Launch the implementation of your roadmap In this phase, the focus shifts to priority actions that most organisations need to address — such as procurement and supply chains, travel policies, and waste management — as well as developing a practical monitoring framework to track progress over time.

This phase will enable you to: Establish a monitoring framework Define priority projects Use the implementation toolkits Participate in thematic workshops based on the following themes:

air travel waste

procurement fleet

energy

digital

1 Conditions of Success

6 weeks

Module 1 Kick-off with leadership Change management & conditions of success

Module 2 Monitoring Framework: Maturity Model

Individual mentoring Internal session led by organisation Quality review Internal Steering Committee

9 months

Implementation methodology

to validate the monitoring framework

2

Priority actions

7.5 months

Implementation week Thematic workshops:

Module 3 | Mainstreaming in project design and management Module 4 | Air Travel Module 5 | Procurement Module 6 | Energy Module 7 | Waste Module 8 | Fleet Module 9 | Digital

Internal sessions led by organisation

Mentoring begins Monthly collective mentoring sessions 4 individual quality review sessions​

Remain part of the community of practice

As organisations develop priority solutions (e.g. air travel or procurement policies), they will have access to expert support.