ISFB Certificate
Sustainable Finance

Catalog | Asset Management

Context

With more than 30,000 billion francs managed worldwide according to the principles of sustainability and a sustained annual growth, sustainable finance is today a major and unavoidable phenomenon. The marked interest of investors, the important changes in thinking as well as the adaptation of regulatory constraints encourage the industry to approach this theme with proactivity and professionalism. After providing the keys to understanding this ecosystem, this training will address the various investment strategies that an institution can adopt to offer clients investment solutions that meet their objectives and preferences.

Key objectives

  1. Master the ecosystem of sustainable finance as well as its various issues and perspectives
  2. Evaluate and identify ESG criteria and translate them into an appropriate investment strategy
  3. Advise a client on existing investment solutions focused on the E, S and G domains

Target audience

  • Banking and financial sector employees in contact with private or institutional customers
  • Middle and senior managers working in the banking and financial industry

Stakeholders

ISFB lecturers have been working in the banking and financial world, or in their respective fields, for many years and are recognized as some of the best experts in our ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland.

Organization

Program Director: Antoine Mach

Product Manager: Joseph Baud-Grasset

Certifications

  • 4 non-consecutive days 
  • In person at the ISFB premises
  • Weekdays, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
  • Language : French

The certificate consists of 8 modules of 4 hours each:

Module 1: Challenges and context of sustainable finance (CWMA-ISFB-21-1080)

  • Sociological context: capitalism and morality
  • Sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
  • ESG issues
  • Sustainable business models
  • The basics of ESG analysis: disclosure versus reputation data
  • Challenges and limitations of ESG analysis

Module 2: Legal & strategic framework for sustainable finance (CWMA-ISFB-21-3073)

  • Principles of good governance
  • Exercise of voting rights at general meetings
  • Engagement in shareholder dialogue
  • Example of a collective climate commitment initiative: Climate Action 100+.

Module 3: ESG analysis & impact assessment (CWMA-ISFB-21-3074)

  • Understanding the main components of a company's ESG score or rating
  • Engage in an ESG conversation with a client and develop investment proposals taking into account ESG criteria
  • Know the difference between practices and impact
  • Understanding the market dynamics of measuring non-financial criteria
  • Analysing tools to better meet clients' needs and interpreting impact criteria

Module 4: Sustainable investment strategies (CWMA-ISFB-21-1081)

  • Evolution of demand and supply of products and services, trends, ESG market players
  • Issues related to customer sustainability requirements
  • The ESG product offering
  • Strategies: inclusion, exclusion, best in class, etc.
  • Financial performance of sustainable investment
  • Measuring the level of sustainability

Module 5: Investment solutions focused on social impact (CWMA-ISFB-21-3075)

  • M&SME Finance funds and their investment universe
  • Microfinance institutions - SME financing and mixed actors
  • Rationale for investment in SME and SMI financing and performance of the asset class
  • Institutions for SMEs, description of structure and activity
  • Typology of benefit bonds
  • The drivers of market growth
  • Liability for bond debt securities
  • Bond investment process with benefits

Module 6: Environmentally focused investment solutions (CWMA-ISFB-21-3076)

  • Overview of clean technologies and their sub-themes
  • Examples of investment opportunities
  • Analyses of various investment vehicles
  • Environmental and social impact considerations
  • Climate issues and impacts on finance
  • Decarbonisation of portfolios: differentiating the impact in the financial sphere from the impact on the real economy
  • Climate strategy: exclusions versus optimization
  • Portfolio decarbonisation measure
  • Climate-related financial products and services
  • Activism: Exclude or engage with business

Module 7: Philanthropy and finance: issues and solutions (CWMA-ISFB-21-3077)

  • Donor motivations, targets and ambitions
  • Relationships to be clarified to implement a philanthropy strategy
  • Organisation, resources, governance and impact
  • Theoretical insight into what people who sit on boards of trustees need to know
  • Practical illustrations through animations on the challenges of good governance of foundations
  • Key contributions from the financial and private management professions on this little-known subject of philanthropy

Module 8: Impact investing (CWMA-ISFB-21-3082)

  • Impact, investment and the ecosystem
  • Definition of impact objectives and selection method
  • Analysis of investment vehicles
  • Measuring the impact

Price

CHF 3'550.00 (member price)

CHF 4'735.00 (non-member price)

The member prices apply to all ISFB member institutes and their employees.

This training course can be partially financed by the FFPC for employees in the banking and finance sector in the canton of Geneva. Please contact your human resources department for details.

Registrations

Please complete the online application form.

Your registration will then be considered as firm and definitive. 3 weeks before the beginning of the training, you will have access to our ISFB collaborative space, then a few days before the beginning of the training to the specific space reserved for the participants of this training.

The general conditions of the ISFB apply as soon as you validate our offer.

Opening of the next session

Kick-off: May 26, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.

The next session starts on June 6, 2025 at 08:30.
The full training schedule is available here.

Examination information

The validation of the certificate is done through a written exam of the QCS type (simple choice questionnaire, one and only one correct answer) of 120 minutes. The emphasis is on understanding, application and the ability to analyze and solve concrete cases using the tools and methods seen in training. Candidates are allowed to consult course materials, appendices and personal notes (open-ended exam concept)

Review - open book - July 09, 2025

Examination schedule

Application for registration