Free live webinar · Wednesday 28 October 2026 [DATE - TO CONFIRM] · [TIME SAST - TO CONFIRM]

From Auditor to Sustainability Practitioner: The AA1000 Pathway

You already audit management systems. In 45 minutes, see how AccountAbility's AA1000 standards turn those skills into stakeholder engagement, sustainability management and sustainability assurance, and the DQS Academy route to get there.

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[FRANCOIS 60-SEC INVITE VIDEO - OPTIONAL]

Suggested script: “Hi, I'm Francois from DQS Africa. If you've trained as an auditor, you already have half the skills sustainability assurance needs. On 28 October, Lucinda and I will show you the AA1000 pathway. Save your seat below.”

Stay for live Q&A with our technical lead.

Ask about entry requirements, what's changing in AA1000SES v3, or how your audit experience counts.

This is for you if you're:

IMS, SHEQ or quality auditors

including DQS Academy Internal and Lead Auditor alumni who want their next qualification.

Sustainability, ESG and CSR practitioners

who run stakeholder engagement, materiality or sustainability reporting.

Assurance and verification professionals

moving into sustainability assurance.

Managers building team capability

who need people who can plan, report or commission credible assurance.

This isn't a deep technical course. It's a 45-minute introduction to the standards and the pathway.

In 45 minutes you'll discover:

Why sustainability claims now need evidence, and what King V, the national ISSB roadmap and EU reporting rules mean for SA organisations.
How the AA1000 standards fit together: the AccountAbility Principles (2018), the Stakeholder Engagement Standard and the Assurance Standard v3.
What's changing with AA1000SES v3, based on AccountAbility's consultation draft (final standard expected Q4 2026).
The progression path: IMS auditing → stakeholder engagement → sustainability management → sustainability assurance, and which of your audit skills carry straight over.
The DQS Academy pathway: Module A, Module B (Sustainability Practitioner) and Module C (ACSAP), with entry requirements, time and prices.

[FRANCOIS HEADSHOT]
[LUCINDA HEADSHOT]

Your presenters

Francois Labuschagne & Lucinda Kuys

Francois Labuschagne, CEO, DQS Africa [PRESENTER - TO CONFIRM]. Lucinda Kuys, DQS South Africa [CO-PRESENTER AND TITLE - TO CONFIRM]. [FRANCOIS BIO - TO ADD] [LUCINDA BIO - TO ADD]

Hosted by [HOST - TO CONFIRM] (suggested: Sophy Raselabi).

When: Wednesday 28 October 2026 [DATE - TO CONFIRM] · [TIME SAST - TO CONFIRM] SAST · Online via [PLATFORM - TO CONFIRM] · 45 minutes incl. Q&A [DURATION - TO CONFIRM]

Save My Free Seat →

FAQ

Is the webinar free?

Yes [CONFIRM].

Do I need to know AA1000 already?

No. The webinar is introductory, and Module A has no prior AA1000 knowledge requirement.

What are the entry requirements for the programme?

Modules are taken in order (A → B → C). A short 20-question pre-assessment is required before you start. A GHG reporting module and assessment are required before Module C. [ENTRY REQUIREMENTS - CONFIRM WITH ACADEMY]

How long does it take?

Self-paced eLearning of about 8 hours per module, with one year to complete.

What does it cost?

Module A R9,600 · Module B R10,800 · Module C R12,000, as listed on DQS Academy Online [VAT STATUS - TO CONFIRM]. Instalments and group discounts are available.

Is there CPD?

DQS states each module earns 2 CPD points. CPD for attending the webinar: [WEBINAR CPD - TO CONFIRM].

Will there be a recording?

[REPLAY POLICY - TO CONFIRM]

Is AA1000SES v3 already published?

Not yet. AccountAbility's public consultation closed on 26 June 2026 and release is expected in Q4 2026. Until then, the 2015 edition applies. [VERIFY AGAINST FINAL STANDARD]

Questions?

academy.sa@dqs.de · +27 11 787 0060 [CONTACT - CONFIRM]