Social Investing and Sustainable Development

By attending this course, you will look at sustainability from a global, environmental perspective. Following on from the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is refocusing on global warming and climate change, and what actions companies and citizens can take to slow the negative impacts of CO2 emissions. Many organizations avoid the consequences of their unsustainable business practices, and seek to “externalize” – that is to say, transfer- the costs of pollution and climate change to others. Meanwhile the poorest countries suffer from poverty, poor sanitation, hunger or lack other fundamental human rights. Our course considers collaborative initiatives from a range of corporate and global actors, such as the United Nations, allowing us to unpick the threads of sustainable development, globalization, climate change and environmental sustainability.

The course will wrap with a summary of the key learning points, followed by an action planning exercise with a view to apply the acquired knowledge and skills immediately upon your return to work. Post-course support is also available in relation to the implementation of your action plan, up to six (6) months following course completion.

Socially Responsible Investment

• ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing
• The shareholder perspective on ESG
• Principles for Responsible Investment
• The links between responsible investing and financial performance

Sustainable Development Principles

• Sustainable Development
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Sustainability in Developing Economies

Globalization and Corporate Sustainability

• The costs of carbon on climate change and how are these being mitigated?
• The Paris Climate Agreement
• What does “”Net Zero”” mean for emissions?
• What initiatives are taking place to accelerate the decarbonization of the economy?

Sustainability – Dealing with Activism and Climate Change

• Developing Trends in the Sustainability agenda
• Recent anti-globalization trends.
• The impact of Covid-19 on the sustainability agenda.
• Will a global recession make sustainability unaffordable?

Course Review

• Summary and recap of key learning objectives
• Action Planning

This course is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will be of real value to:

• Community Relations managers and executives
• Health, Safety and Environmental managers and officers
• Risk managers and professionals
• Legal and compliance managers and professionals
• Managers and staff who wish to develop business practices to help their organizations act in a responsible way.
• Managers and staff concerned with influencing or implementing corporate strategies that consider environmental, social and governance issues.
• Managers and staff responsible for CSR projects.
• Managers and staff who plan and implement corporate policies in relation to community relations, environmental protection, health and safety, procurement and the supply chain.
• Any member of the organization who is tasked with developing sustainability or corporate responsibility initiatives or strategies.
• Executives tasked with delivering business results while at the same time protecting and enhancing their company’s reputation for responsible behaviour.

Upon completion of this course, you will have:

• Understood how investors apply ESG measurement techniques when selecting investments.
• Considered the purpose of Sustainable Development and the global initiatives to deal with it.
• Debated the aspirations for a carbon-neutral economy to reduce the impact of Climate Change.
• Developed an Action Plan to be implemented at your workplace using the knowledge and skills acquired through the course.