CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing & Preparatory Programme
About CFA Society Singapore
CFA Society Singapore aims to cultivate excellence and integrity in the financial industry through educational programmes, networking events, and collaborative initiatives.
Members contribute to the Society through mentoring, career guidance, and university outreach.
As an integral part of the global CFA Institute network, we operate as a worldwide, not-for-profit organization with the collective aim of leading the global investment profession. This is achieved by promotng the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence.
Our objective is to create an environment that prioritises investor interests, optimises markets, and fosters flourishing economies. This mission thrives through the deciated efforts of our global network, including volunteers, regulators, and corporate partners.
Why Study With Us?
Expert Guidance
Learn from team of established practitioners who bring invaluable real- world experience and perspective.
Peer Learning & Networking
Join a community and build your network as you learn alongside a diverse cohort of industry peers. Form valuable connections and continue converstaions beyond the programme.
Structured Approach
Benefit from time-saving strategies, focused study sessions, and targeted practice exams for efficient prepration.About the Course
This course will equip participants with an overview, knowledge, and practical application in the integral and fast-growing field of environmental, social, and governance (ESG). Societal pressure, local regulation, and the growing evidence of the financial benefits of incorporating ESG practices have led to ESG being mainstream.
This course draws heavily from material developed by CFA Institute, a global premier organisation for investment management professionals. The material was developed in consultation with leading firms and supported by the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which will enable you to expand your ESG knowledge and develop the skills and competencies to fulfil your and your firm’s responsibilities.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, learners should be able to demonstrate:
- An understanding of the context for different approaches to responsible investment and specifically, consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors
- An understanding of the underlying issues that constitute factors within each of the environmental, social and governance areas.
- An understanding of the broader sustainability context and global initiatives
- An understanding of the ESG market: relevance, size, scope, key drivers and challenges, and risks and opportunities
- An understanding of environmental factors, systemic relationships, material impacts, megatrends and approaches to environmental analysis at country, sector and company levels
- An understanding of social factors, systemic relationships, material impacts and approaches to social analysis at country, sector and company levels
- An understanding of governance factors, key characteristics, main models and material impacts
- An understanding of engagement and stewardship
- An understanding of ESG analysis, valuation and integration
- An ability to analyse how ESG factors may affect industry and company performance, and security valuation across a range of asset classes
- An understanding of ESG-integrated portfolio construction and management
- An ability to apply a range of approaches to ESG analysis and integration across a range of asset classes
- An understanding of investment mandates, portfolio analytics and client reporting
Why Attend?
- Improve your chances of passing the CFA Institute Certificate of ESG Investing exam on the first attempt
- Improve your chances of snagging an ESG position in the finance sector Gain an edge in a fast-moving and ever-evolving ESG market
- Be part of the solution to existential issues impacting the world
Who Should Attend?
Investment practitioners who want to learn more about how to analyse and integrate material ESG factors into their day-to-day roles
Professionals working in front or back offices and adjacent roles — including those in sales and distribution, wealth management, product development, financial advisory, consulting, compliance, and risk management
Individuals looking to improve their understanding of ESG issues
Busy professionals or full-time students juggling multiple commitments
Professional Learning Credits
CFA Members earn 21 CPD & PL credits. Each participant will earn a certificate upon completion of the programme.
Course Outline
Unit 1: Introduction to ESG
- What is ESG investing?
- Types of responsible investment Why integrate ESG?
- Putting ESG into practice Key initiatives
Unit 2: The ESG Market
- History
- ESG investing in numbers
- Market drivers of ESG and challenges in ESG integration
Unit 3: Environmental Factors
- Key environmental issues
- Systemic relationships between business activities and environmental issues
- Key “megatrends” and drivers influencing environmental change in terms of potential impact on companies and their environmental practices Assessment of materiality of environmental issues
- Approaches to account for material environmental analysis and risk management strategies
- Apply material environmental factors to financial modelling, ratio analysis and risk assessment
- Opportunities relating to climate change and environmental issues
Unit 4: Social Factors
- Social megatrends and their effects
- Key social issues and business activities
- Identifying material social factors for investors Application of social factors in investments
Unit 5: Governance Factors
- What is governance? Why does it matter?
- The development of a formalised governance approach
- Shareholder engagement and minority shareholder alignment Key characteristics and structural differences
- Why audit matters and what matters in the audit
- Impact of governance on investment opportunities
- Incorporating governance into investment and stewardship processes
Unit 6: Engagement and Stewardship
- What is stewardship? What is engagement? Why engagement?
- Codes and standards Engagement styles
- Practicalities of effective engagement Asset classes
Unit 7: ESG analysis, valuation and integration
- Why investors integrate ESG
- The different approaches to integrating ESG Typical stages of integrated ESG assessment
- Mutual fund and fund manager ESG assessment Company ESG assessment and rating
- Primary and secondary ESG data sources
- Other uses of ESG and sustainability systems data
- Fixed income, credit rating agencies and ESG credit scoring
Unit 8: ESG integrated portfolio construction and management
- Integrating ESG into strategic asset allocation models
- Introducing ESG integration within portfolio construction and management
- The evolution of ESG integration and its application to indices and benchmarking Applying ESG screening investment strategies within portfolios and across asset classes
- Managing the risk and return dynamics of an ESG-integrated portfolio Integrating ESG in passive portfolios
Unit 9: Investment mandates, portfolio analytics and client reporting
- Accountability to clients and alignment with them
- Clarifying client needs: defining the ESG investment strategy Fully aligning investment with client ESG beliefs
- Developing client-relevant ESG-aware investment mandates Tailoring ESG investment approach to client expectations
- Holding managers to account: monitoring delivery
- Holding managers to account: measurement and reporting
Course Fees
*Fees are not inclusive of GST
The indicated full course fee includes one (1) attempt of the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing Exam and two (2) attempts of the IBF Assessment.
NOTE:
CFA Society Singapore is currently operating this programme on a full fee model. Individuals who fail to meet the requirements will be disqualified from IBF funding and will not receive the refund of subsidised course fee amount.
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IBF-STS Course Recognition
The CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing and Preparatory Programme has been accredited under the IBF Standards and is eligible for funding under the IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS), subject to all eligibility criteria being met.
About the IBF Certification
This course addresses the following Technical Skills and Competencies (TSCs) and proficiency level:
Environment and Social Governance – Level 4
Participants are encouraged to access the IBF MySkills Portfolio (https://www.ibf.org.sg/home/for-individuals/resource-tools/myskills-portfolio) to track their training progress and skills acquisition against the Skills Framework for Financial Services. You can apply for IBF Certification after fulfilling the required number of Technical Skills and Competencies (TSCs) for the selected job role.
Find out more about IBF certification and the application process on https://www.ibf.org.sg/home/for-individuals/ibf-certification/why-be-ibf-certified.
Eligibility Criteria for IBF-STS
Eligible Participants
Applicants must:
- Be a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident, physically based in Singapore. This scheme is available for both self-sponsored and company-sponsored individuals.
- Successfully complete the training programme (including passing all relevant assessments and examinations), with minimum 75% class attendance rate.
Funding Requirements in details:
- Class Attendance: 75% or
- IBF Assessment: Complete with passing mark within the two stipulated
- CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing: Pass the examination within 6 months from commencement date of CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing and Preparatory Subsequent resits are at the own and non-refundable costs of individual students, and must be completed within 9 months from the commencement of this programme.
NOTE: IBF will not partake in any dispute resolution pertaining to the refund due to the full fee collection as this is a private arrangement between CFA Society Singapore and trainees.
Funding Quantum
This programme has been accredited under the IBF Standards, and is eligible for funding under the IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS), subject to all eligibility criteria being met.
IBF-STS provides 50% funding for direct training costs, subject to a cap of S$3,000 per candidate per programme, for all Singapore Citizens and Singapore PRs who are physically based in Singapore. Singapore Citizens aged 40 years old and above are eligible for 70% funding amount of direct training costs.
For more information on funding, IBF Certification and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, please visit www.ibf.org.sg.