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ESG and Sustainable Finance

Certificate Course on ESG and Sustainable Finance

Dieser Kurs wird nur in englischer Sprache angeboten.

Spring 2025

Zurich or Online

A certificate program offered by Prof. Dr. Markus Schmid, Professor of Finance at the University of St.Gallen, Managing Director of the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance, and Academic Director of the Center for Financial Services Innovation, in cooperation with ESG industry experts from

  • Ethos
  • Inrate
  • MSCI
  • radicant
  • UBS
  • Vontobel
  • Walder Wyss
  • Zürcher Kantonalbank
     

The course consists of six weekly events, to be held in May and June 2025, on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm, with two (once three) lectures per event and a weekly networking reception that allows participants to get into contact with speakers and fellow course participants. Online participation is possible as well. In-person participants unable to attend individual events can flexibly opt to participate online.


Contents

ESG and Sustainable Finance are now in the focus of public and political attention. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement have provided a roadmap for sustainability for governments and regulators, but also for financial institutions. By directing financial flows into sustainable activities and integrating ESG criteria into the investment process, the financial sector has great potential to change markets and to shape sustainable economic systems. Hence, the interest in sustainable investing has grown to such an extent that the investment community has shifted from asking whether to adopt ESG principles to how to implement them. This course is intended to serve as an in-depth introduction to ESG and sustainable finance that combines both rigorous academic evidence and hands-on industry experience on

  • how to implement ESG standards into the investment process, 
  • how to measure ESG and deal with data issues,
  • how to address regulatory challenges and certification issues,
  • how to navigate legal ESG risks,
  • how to manage ESG and climate risk,
  • how to pick up customer needs and communicate ESG targets and achievement to clients,
  • how to assess the financial performance of sustainable investments, and
  • how to assess the real-world impact of sustainable investments.


Target Audience

The target audience includes finance professionals in asset management, banking, financial advisory, pension funds, risk management, insurance, and finance IT, corporate treasury and finance employees involved in ESG compliance and reporting, and of course everybody interested in ESG and sustainable finance.

Please note that the number of places on site is limited. Online participation is possible at any time. 


Course Duration and Modalities

  • In-person course participation: Wednesday, 16.00 – 20.00, with the following time schedule:
     16.00 – 17.30 Lecture 1
     17.30 – 18.15 Reception / Networking
     18.15 – 19.45 Lecture 2
     20.00  End of the event
  • Alternatively, participants may decide to register for (live) online participation, which allows to ask questions (plus access to all the course materials and video recordings until a month after course end).


Course Fee

CHF 1’950 (including certificate and participation in the six weekly receptions)


Terms and Conditions

Cancelations until three weeks before the start of the course will be fully reimbursed. In case of a late cancelation, 50% of the course fee will be reimbursed. Cancelations after the start of the course cannot be reimbursed.

In case of an insufficient number of participants, the course may be cancelled or postponed. In that case, the course fee will be fully repaid to registered participants.

Contact

Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance
University of St.Gallen
Ms. Beatrix Kobelt
Unterer Graben 21
9000 St.Gallen

Email: esg-courseunisg.ch
 

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