Sustainable Investments and Corporate Social Responsibility

Aims

This course examines the evolution of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, and draws linkages to their impact on the a firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement. Beginning with a comprehensive background of SRI and ESG investing and the development of relevant strategies, the course discusses the development of ESG risks, and provides an overview of ESG rating systems. It also outlines the current position of ESG investing in portfolio management and provides insights into common investor concerns about ESG investments and provides an overview of ESG investment performance.

The course aims to enhance the skills and expertise of participants on sustainable investing. This achieved through the use of real-world examples throughout the text and extended case studies. The course enriches knowledge on concurrent issues of sustainability reporting, as well as on important frameworks and guidelines that influence corporate responses to sustainability issues. Moreover, it introduces participants to the principles of responsible investment, while demonstrates the key challenges and opportunities arising from the global trends in responsible investments (i.e., realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, responsible production, waste and emissions etc.).

Learning Outcomes

On completing the course the participants will have the ability to evaluate issues related to:

  • The importance of the terms Socially Responsible Investment (SRI), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
  • Develop an understanding of the sustainable investing sector and its importance and viability
  • Understand the role of ESG factors in public market investing
  • Identify sources of value-add in private impact investing
  • Analyze how managers weigh financial and social returns
  • Describe, explain, and critically analyze, common management practices designed to facilitate and encourage ethical business.
  • Identify, describe, explain, and critically analyze, corporate reporting practices and communication channels between the firm and its stakeholders.

Content

  • The evolution of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement.
  • SRI and ESG investing, strategies and performance.
  • ESG risks and ESG rating systems.
  • Current position of ESG investing in portfolio management
  • Common investor concerns about ESG investments.
  • ESG investment performance.
  • Sustainability reporting: Evolution of sustainability reporting, determinants of sustainability reporting and empirical evidence (benefits and costs) from sustainability reporting engagement.
  • United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): value relevance and recognition of the SDGs, determinant of firm-level SDG performance and reporting contribution to the SDGs.