Environment, Social and Governance (ESG)

Course Overview

Environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria and impact investing have gained a lot of traction in recent years and will become even more prominent as economies recover from the pandemic. Regulation now requires that investors are very transparent about the impact targeted as ESG metrics used in the industry are coming under greater scrutiny. 

The EU’s Green Deal and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are good examples of how ESG criteria and impact investing have been incorporated into policy objectives. Strategies, metrics and evaluation of ESG and impact investing are therefore relevant for a wide range of investors such as private asset managers and institutional investors, family offices and philanthropic investors, as well as donors and development agencies. As a Frankfurt School Certified Expert in ESG and Impact Investing you will be in a position to translate best practices in the industry into investment projects that create impact and persuade asset owners.

Target Audience

This six month online course is designed for professionals and executives working in private asset management and institutional investors, international development and donor organisations who want their investments to achieve positive impact and/or offer ESG compliant options to their clients. Rating agencies, technical assistance providers, as well as financial institutions in emerging and developing countries that are required to target non-financial objectives will also benefit from this course.

Workload

The course takes approx. 6 months assuming 4-6 hours of self-study per week. It consists of 6 mandatory units. The units need to be completed in a sequence. The next unit opens only if you complete the online test of the previous unit.

Registration

Registrations for the course beginning on 1 March 2025 are now open.

Awarding Boby

The certification is awarded by Frankfurt School of Finance and Management,Germany.

Learning Objectives

Environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria and impact investing have gained traction in recent years and will become even more prominent as economies recover from the pandemic. Regulation now requires that investors are very transparent about the impact targeted as ESG metrics used in the industry are coming under greater scrutiny. This course is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between ESG criteria and traditional finance while familiarising them with major stakeholders, initiatives, and approaches for integrating non-financial issues into investing.

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Module 1: Disclosure and Reporting of ESG & Impact

Understand how investors and private companies disclose their ESG and other impact.

Understand the spread of initiatives as well as what these initiatives require in terms of non-financial management and or reporting.

Applying the requirements of the main regulatory frameworks and emerging legislation in individual financial instruments and disclosure.

Module 2: Historical and Theoretical Context

Understand key historical trends and theoretical concepts

Understand what is relevant for diverse operational contexts

Be ready to apply theory to practice

Module 3: Quality Assurance Approach to Managing ESG Issues and Impact

An understanding of the conceptual underpinnings of the Quality Assurance process to managing ESG and Impact.

A high-level understanding of each of the eight strategies that are used to manage exposures, risks, outputs and outcomes

Understanding what a Quality Assurance process is: what makes a good Quality Assurance process, how a Quality Assurance process is used and what it achieves.

Module 4: Integrating ESG and Impact Management in the Investment Process

Understanding each of the eight strategies in detail, including data and reporting requirements and the ESG and Impact claims made possible by each strategy.

Understanding that the eight strategies are independent of each other and the implications this has for using the QA process to identify which strategies are being used by other actors.

Understanding the types of behaviour that can be considered impact washing.

Module 5: Introduction and Overview: What are ESG Criteria and Impact Investing?

Understand basic terms, trends and the landscape in ESG and impact investing

Understand how and why ESG / impact investing affects risks and returns

Understand how and why climate risks affect ESG and impact investing

Module 6: Integration of ESG & Impact Features into Financial Instruments and Legal Contracts

Introduction to the most commonly used asset classes for ESG and impact investing purposes.

Understanding of the role of equity and debt as well as hybrid structures for ESG and impact investing as well as the different investor types’ investment rationale.

Incorporation of ESG & impact features into sustainable finance instruments and introduction of drafting ESG and impact features in legal (financial) agreements.

Price: €2,150

This Course includes:

   Text-based content

   6 Months