OUR PROGRAMMES
Three formats for reading sustainability-finance documents well.
From a focused two-evening session to a twelve-month structured track — all three formats share the same commitment to reading primary documents slowly and without an advisory agenda.
← Back to HomeOUR APPROACH
How every Plaintext session is structured.
Every programme at Plaintext begins with a text — not a slide presentation, not a summary, not a discussion of current events. A specific document, or a section of one, is selected in advance and distributed to participants before the session.
Sessions open with five minutes of quiet individual reading. The facilitator then guides the group through the passage, pausing at each piece of terminology that might be unfamiliar, asking participants to describe in their own words what a sentence means before the facilitator offers context. This method is slow and deliberate by design.
By the end of a session, participants have not covered a great deal of ground — but they have understood what they did cover. That comprehension is transferable. A participant who has worked through one GRI disclosure section carefully will find the next section easier to read independently.
Text selection and preparation
Source documents are chosen for their relevance to the programme's vocabulary focus. Facilitator notes and a vocabulary glossary are prepared and shared with participants before the session.
Quiet individual reading
Each session begins with uninterrupted reading. Participants annotate their own copy, noting anything unfamiliar or unclear before discussion opens.
Facilitated close reading
The facilitator guides the group through the text sentence by sentence where needed, pausing at terminology clusters and inviting participants to articulate what they understand before context is given.
Open discussion and questions
The final portion of each session is open. Participants can revisit any passage, ask about connections to other documents they have encountered, or raise questions beyond the text itself.
Sustainability Vocabulary Workshop
A two-evening literacy workshop on the vocabulary commonly used in publicly available sustainability-finance literature — terminology, conceptual frameworks, and how to read a sample report calmly. The workshop is purely literacy-focused and does not include commentary on whether to acquire, hold, or dispose of any specific instrument or fund.
Each evening runs for approximately ninety minutes. The first evening covers foundational vocabulary (ESG categories, reporting frameworks, disclosure norms). The second evening applies this vocabulary to a sample public document, working through it as a group.
- ESG terminology and framework vocabulary
- Reading a public sustainability report together
- Vocabulary glossary to keep
- Maximum 16 participants per cohort
Sustainability Literacy Reading Group
A six-week paced reading and discussion group on accessible literature about sustainability-related finance vocabulary and conceptual frameworks. Sessions are facilitator-led with the focus on building reading comprehension. The group does not evaluate or recommend any specific instrument, company, or strategy.
Sessions meet once a week for ninety minutes. Between sessions, participants are given a short reading assignment — typically a single document section or a brief explainer — to prepare for the following week's discussion. The group is small enough that no participant's question goes unanswered.
- Six weekly evening sessions, 90 min each
- Short weekly reading assignments provided
- Six to twelve participants per cohort
- Session notes shared after each meeting
- All source materials included
Annual Sustainability Reading Track
A twelve-month structured literacy track combining monthly evening sessions, quarterly reading assignments, and a printed annual companion. Topics rotate through sustainability-related vocabulary, document-reading skills, and reflective reading on the broader cultural conversation around sustainability and finance. Content is educational throughout.
The Annual Track is Plaintext's most substantial format. It is designed for participants who want a sustained reading practice rather than a one-off introduction — journalists, researchers, educators, and professionals in related fields who benefit from a year-long structure and a community of consistent readers.
- Twelve monthly evening sessions
- Quarterly extended reading assignments
- Printed annual companion included
- Rotating vocabulary themes across the year
- Organisational invoicing available
CHOOSING A PROGRAMME
Which format suits where you are right now?
| VOCABULARY WORKSHOP |
READING GROUP |
ANNUAL TRACK |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2 evenings | 6 weeks | 12 months |
| Vocabulary foundation | |||
| Weekly reading assignments | |||
| Printed companion | |||
| Best for... | First introduction to the vocabulary | Building a regular reading habit | Sustained, structured annual practice |
| Fee (RM) | 480 | 1,640 | 4,420 |
SHARED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMMES
Standards we apply to every format.
No financial advice
All programmes are strictly educational. No session includes commentary on any instrument, fund, strategy, or market direction. This applies without exception.
Participant confidentiality
Attendance, contact details, and discussion contributions are treated as confidential. We do not share participant information and do not use session content for marketing.
Public-source materials only
Every document used in sessions is publicly available. Participants receive copies and are encouraged to continue reading independently after the programme ends.
Prepared, qualified facilitators
Facilitators prepare written session notes and vocabulary glossaries for every meeting. No session runs without preparation, regardless of how well-worn the material.
Post-session feedback review
Participant feedback is collected after every session and reviewed by the team. Session formats and reading lists are updated based on what participants find most useful.
Organisational invoicing
Organisations enrolling staff participants can receive formal invoices. A single point of contact can coordinate multiple enrolments across the same cohort.
FEES
Transparent pricing — nothing hidden.
VOCABULARY WORKSHOP
RM 480
per person
- Two evening sessions
- Vocabulary glossary included
- All source materials provided
- Up to 16 participants
READING GROUP
RM 1,640
per person
- Six weekly sessions
- Weekly reading assignments
- Session notes after each meeting
- All materials included
- 6–12 participants
ANNUAL TRACK
RM 4,420
per year
- Twelve monthly sessions
- Quarterly reading assignments
- Printed annual companion
- All materials included
- Organisational invoicing available
Not sure which programme to start with?
Get in touch and describe where you are as a reader — we'll suggest which format is the most practical starting point for you.
Get in Touch