CAM-SUF - Presentations

Sustainable Finance

Online short course

Gain an in-depth understanding of the pressures facing the current financial system, and explore how sustainable finance strategies can create long-term value for business, society and the environment.

8 weeks, excluding 1 week orientation.

8–10 hours of self-paced learning per week, entirely online.

Call:  +44 1223 622 443

About this course

Global sustainability challenges – including climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising inequality – are affecting the commercial environment in a way that presents both risks and opportunities for the financial sector.1 The Sustainable Finance online short course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) gives you the tools needed to address and take advantage of these changes. Over the course of eight weeks, you’ll gain an understanding of how the current financial system works, the social and environmental pressures it faces, and how it can be rewired to create better value for society and your organisation. With expert guidance from CISL faculty, you’ll develop the ability to channel your organisation’s financial success through sustainable approaches and initiatives such as the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing, impact investing, and positive screening. You’ll also unlock new perspectives on how businesses, banks, and insurers are shifting investment towards more sustainable business models to lower risk and capture long-term growth opportunities. Walk away with tangible, real-world models that can deliver positive long-term returns for your business, clients, and society.
1 International Monetary Fund (Dec, 2019).

This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 60 hours of learning.

Note: should students wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon them. The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming
or validation of hours or points.

Global green bond issuance is forecasted to reach, or even pass, $1 trillion by the end of 2022.

Reuters (Oct, 2021).

What this course covers

Over eight weeks, you’ll develop an understanding of the critical role that the financial system has to play in creating a sustainable global economy. First, you’ll gain an overview of how the current financial system works, the pressures and trends that affect it, and the flow of capital. Then you’ll go on to explore strategies for sustainable finance, examine the relationship between risk and return, and learn about the key attributes underpinning successful sustainable finance initiatives. You’ll also investigate the role that the public sector has to play in sustainable finance, examine disruptive megatrends and the innovations required to deal with them, and develop a practical action plan to promote sustainable finance within your sphere of influence. Finally, you’ll walk away with an enhanced skill set of core competencies, including systems, strategic, and long-term thinking, and the ability to address complexity across teams, organisations, and the wider financial system.

This course forms part of the Sustainable Business and Finance bundle from CISL, where you can sign up for two courses at a reduced rate and on one of several start dates throughout the year.

A powerful collaboration

The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is collaborating with digital education provider GetSmarter, a 2U, Inc. brand, to provide an interactive and supported learning experience, equipping you to lead with impact in a changing business world.

About CISL

CISL is an impact-led institute within the University of Cambridge that activates leadership globally for people, nature and climate. Through our global network and hubs in Cambridge, Cape Town and Brussels, we work with leaders and innovators across business, finance and government to accelerate action for a sustainable future.

Trusted since 1988 for our rigour and pioneering commitment to learning and collaboration, we create safe spaces to challenge and support those with the power to act.

Learn more about CISL here.

Gain access to the CISL International Alumni Network

The CISL Network comprises more than 30,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners who represent business, the public sector and civil society in every industry on every continent. Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll become an entry-level member of this prestigious global community. This forum includes students from all of CISL’s executive education programmes spanning the past 25 years, alumni of CISL’s graduate programmes, members of our business platforms and expert faculty and contributors to our work. Through it, we aim to provide opportunities for members of our Network to keep up to date with the latest thinking and action, the space to debate ideas and share experiences and the chance to collaborate and influence change.

About GetSmarter

GetSmarter, part of edX, partners with the world's leading universities and institutions to select, design and deliver premium online short courses with a data-driven focus on learning gain.

Technology meets academic rigour in GetSmarter’s people-mediated model, which enables lifelong learners across the globe to obtain industry-relevant skills that are certified by the world’s most reputable academic institutions.

As a student of this course, you will also gain unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network at no extra cost. This platform will provide you with valuable career resources and events to support your professional journey. You can look forward to benefits including rich content, career templates, webinars, workshops, career fairs, networking events, panel discussions and exclusive recruitment opportunities to connect you with potential employers.

What you'll learn

Meet and engage with your learning and peer networks as you navigate the Online Campus.

  • Become familiar with your new virtual classroom
  • Meet your success team and get to know your fellow classmates

Learn about the current financial system.

  • Define the role that financial institutions and supporting organisations play in the financial system
  • Describe the relationship between financial institutions and supporting organisations in the current financial system
  • Describe the growing VUCA pressures on the current global economic system
  • Discuss the pressures and trends in the current financial system
  • Identify the areas where the current financial system is not fit for purpose
  • Explain the impact of the current financial system on business, society, and the environment

Investigate the flow of capital in the financial system.

  • Describe how capital flows are changing and need to change to create a sustainable finance system
  • Determine the impact that megatrends are having on the real economy and the different ways that actors in the financial system should respond
  • Identify possible barriers to change in the financial system
  • Describe winners and losers from the current financial system
  • Identify the initiatives that support a sustainable future and those that do not
  • Indicate how to change the incentives so that capital underpins a sustainable economy

Explore sustainable finance approaches.

  • Describe how sustainable finance initiatives have emerged
  • Show how early sustainable finance initiatives were slow to be adopted and had challenges being scaled
  • Describe how and why sustainable finance initiatives are increasingly applied across the financial system
  • Articulate the degree to which sustainable finance initiatives are scalable
  • Outline the range of system-wide sustainable finance initiatives that manage risk and identify opportunities
  • Determine the effectiveness of system-wide sustainable finance initiatives

Understand the relationship between risk and return, and the impact on sustainable finance.

  • Review how the Five Capitals framework broadens perspective on value in the economy
  • Illustrate how value is created, transferred or destroyed over time
  • Determine how current approaches to risk and return promote short-termism
  • Illustrate the elements of risk and return that are not currently included in most financing decisions
  • Describe how systems thinking can lead to better financing decisions
  • Illustrate the steps required to transform current approaches to risk and return at all levels of the financial system

Learn about the key attributes for promoting sustainable finance.

  • Describe the key attributes needed to be effective in sustainable finance
  • Illustrate how the key attributes needed to be effective in sustainable finance can be applied at an individual level
  • Analyse the effectiveness of specific sustainable finance initiatives that operate within organisations
  • Articulate the limitations of specific organisation-level initiatives
  • Articulate the importance of system-wide approaches to promote sustainable finance
  • Compare the effectiveness of different system-wide initiatives

Investigate the role of the public sector in sustainable finance.

  • Describe the important role that the public sector plays in the financial system
  • Illustrate how the public sector can enhance the private sector's ability to drive sustainable finance
  • Investigate how the public and private sectors can collaborate to deliver sustainable outcomes
  • Assess how you and your organisation can engage with the public sector to revise the necessary incentives
  • Assess how your organisation and industry can collaborate with others to influence the public sector to promote sustainable finance

Explore megatrends and the innovations required to deal with them.

  • Identify disruptions and innovations happening in the finance system
  • Investigate how disruption and innovation in sustainable finance may transform the financial system over time
  • Articulate the case for incorporating innovation into business strategy to achieve sustainable finance outcomes
  • Analyse the importance of taking a broad view of innovation when moving toward a sustainable finance system
  • Reflect on the importance of incorporating a wide range of stakeholder perspectives into sustainable finance
  • Justify the need to continually innovate in sustainable finance

Develop an action plan that promotes sustainable finance in your environment.

  • Explain your role in leading change within your organisation or sphere of influence
  • Identify the barriers to adopting operational change and taking action within your organisation
  • Illustrate the importance of gaining internal support for overcoming barriers to organisational culture change
  • Identify colleagues who can assist you in influencing sustainable finance-related change within your organisation
  • Investigate a range of support mechanisms beyond your existing network to help you to be more effective in your current role
  • Construct a personal action plan for overcoming the barriers and seizing opportunities associated with sustainable finance

Who should take this course

This course will benefit anyone interested in exploring the implementation of sustainable finance at both a micro and macro level. Company managers, bankers, insurers, investors, policymakers, and NGOs working in the finance sector will all learn how social and environmental issues can inform their investment decisions and drive returns. Both existing and aspiring professionals working in finance-related roles, such as financial service providers, advisors, consultants and pension-fund trustees, will learn how best to direct capital towards economic activities that support a sustainable future. Additionally, public sector policymakers and individuals concerned with overhauling the global economic status quo will gain tools and frameworks for positively changing mindsets and creating long-term impact both environmentally and financially.

This course is for you if you want to:

Build value
Build value

Understand how sustainable finance strategies, including impact investing and new sustainability disclosures, can de-risk your organisation, drive long-term business value, and improve social and environmental impact.

Upskill
Upskill

Develop key competencies for the world of finance, including managing complexity, systems thinking, and long-term strategy that builds sustainability into business models.

Be an agent for change
Be an agent for change

Learn how the financial system can be reconfigured to positively impact society, and construct a personal action plan to widen your sphere of influence.

Validate your knowledge
Validate your knowledge

Earn recognition of your skills with a digital certificate of completion from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

About the certificate

Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll earn a digital certificate of completion from a world-leading sustainability institution, the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.

Your digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you via email upon successful completion of the course, as per the stipulated requirements.

Who you'll learn from

These subject matter experts from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership guide the course design and appear in a number of course videos, along with a variety of industry professionals.

Your Course Convenors

Alice Chapple

Alice Chapple

Subject Matter Expert

Chapple has worked on sustainable finance for more than 30 years. Her career has focused on finding ways to ensure capital creates positive social and environmental outcomes alongside financial return. Through her company, Impact Value, she works with several funds and companies to help them articulate, measure, and maximise their social and environmental impact. She is also the independent chair of the CDC Plus Committee, a trustee of the Shell Foundation, a member of the advisory board of the Sainsbury’s Foundation, and a chair of Investor Watch. Previously, Chapple was director of sustainable financial markets at Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity, as well as an investment analyst and portfolio manager at CDC, the UK’s development finance institution. She holds an MA in economics from the University of Cambridge and is a chartered accountant.

Martin Roberts

Martin Roberts

Director of Digital Learning, the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Roberts joined CISL as a programme director in 2008. He is an expert in digital learning, sustainability, and business leadership, having worked in diverse sectors around the globe, including helping NGOs in Africa develop their own solutions to natural resource challenges. Roberts is responsible for digital learning at CISL, and has a keen interest in using technology to promote learning and change. As Course Co-Convenor, he draws on his vast experience of helping business leaders to effectively and sustainably reshape their organisations by applying innovative business models of the future.

Guest Lecturers

Martin Rich

Co-Founder and Executive Director, Future-Fit Foundation

David Blood

Senior Partner, Generation Investment Management

William Day

Fellow and CISL Chair, Sainsbury's Foundation Advisory Board; Sustainability Advisor, PwC

Will Oulton

Global Head of Responsible Investment, First State Investments

Nick Villiers

Director of Sustainable Finance, CISL

Sarah Gordon

CEO, Impact Investing Institute

James Arbib

Co-Founder, RethinkX

Dimitri Zenghelis

Senior Associate, CISL; Project Leader, Bennett Institute, University of Cambridge

Sabrin Rahman

Regional Head of Sustainability (Middle East, North Africa and Turkey), HSBC Bank Middle East

Rhian-Mari Thomas

CEO, Green Finance Institute

Nick Robins

Professor in Practice for Sustainable Finance, CISL

Christopher Egerton-Warburton

Partner, Lion’s Head Global Partners

Michele Giddens

Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Bridges Fund Management

Richard Burrett

Fellow, CISL; Chief Sustainability Officer, Earth Capital; Independent Non-Executive Director, Triodos Bank UK

Thomas Vergunst

Programme Director, CISL

Kanini Mutooni

Former Board Chair, The Global Innovation Fund; Managing Director, Toniic Impact Network

Mark Campanale

Founder and Executive Chair, The Carbon Tracker Initiative

Zoë Arden

Leadership and Communications Consultant; Fellow, CISL

Dr Steve Waygood

Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Aviva Investors; Senior Associate, CISL

Catherine Howarth

CEO, ShareAction

Tony Greenham

Executive Director, South West Mutual; Senior Fellow, Finance Innovation Lab

Daniel Hanna

Global Head of Sustainable Finance, Standard Chartered

Zoë Knight

Group Head, HSBC Centre of Sustainable Finance; Managing Director, HSBC Holdings Plc

Trevor Maynard

Head of Innovation, Lloyd’s

How you'll learn

Every course is broken down into manageable, weekly modules, designed to accelerate your learning process through diverse learning activities:

  • Work through your downloadable and online instructional material
  • Interact with your peers and learning facilitators through weekly class-wide forums, journal activities and reviewed small group discussions
  • Enjoy a wide range of interactive content, including video lectures, infographics, live polls, and more
  • Investigate rich, real-world case studies
  • Apply what you learn each week to quizzes and ongoing project submissions, culminating in the ability to influence your organisation’s success by implementing sustainable finance strategies

Your success team

GetSmarter, with whom CISL is collaborating to deliver this online course, provides a personalised approach to online education that ensures you’re supported throughout your learning journey.

Head Tutor
Head Tutor

A subject expert who will guide you through content-related challenges.

Success Advisor
Success Advisor

Your one-on-one support available during University hours (8am–4pm GMT) to resolve technical and administrative challenges.

Global success team
Global success team

Available 24/7 to solve your tech-related and administrative queries and concerns.

Technical requirements

Basic requirements

In order to complete this course, you’ll need a PDF Reader. You may also need to view Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, as well as read and create documents in Microsoft Word or Excel.

Additional requirements

Some courses may require certain software and resources, which will be communicated to you upon registration and/or at the start of the course. Please note that Google, Vimeo and YouTube may be used in our course delivery.