ESG (environmental, social and governance) training teaches users what ESG is, why it's important and explains the core concepts around ESG. Training raises users’ awareness of how ESG impacts an organisation’s strategy and financial considerations. There might be a variety of courses covering ESG on different levels such as an introductory course giving basic explanations of the factors and a more in-depth course that will cover areas such as disclosure, financial analysis, climate risks, and training on the social and governance parts of ESG such as diversity and inclusion, customer satisfaction, policy making, and more.
A good course will be tailored to the user’s role and provide users with an understanding of the personal role each employee plays in their company's ESG initiatives.
Besides impacting how organisations perform, ESG factors also affect the planet and people and can contribute to bettering society. ESG investing has become a vital factor for investors as they see how ESG-focused companies outperform those with low rankings. Becoming a consultant who is certified in ESG consulting and training can give you a competitive edge in today’s job market, where ESG adoption rates continue to rise significantly and sustainable innovation is becoming the new standard and a necessity for growth and success. Incorporating ESG practices into an organisation can provide it with an edge and help them survive and excel in a hyper-competitive market. The certification signifies your ESG knowledge, skills and experience in the field and that you have a deep understanding of how they affect investing and an organisation’s risk management, performance and resilience.
A certificate in ESG investing and consulting offers both practical application and technical knowledge in this fast-growing field. Having globally standardised credentials helps avoid greenwashing and looks more credible to investors and customers, and having ESG certification can help effectively evaluate and deliver on sustainability goals.
For companies or consultants looking to become ESG certified, there are already at least seven available globally recognised and accredited ESG certifications available. These certification programs require that applicants complete rigorous assessments that scope several different areas of areas under ESG such as corporate governance, employee contentment, community drive, environmental impact, customer satisfaction, risk resilience, and other assessments.
This depends on your needs. There are some certifications that are best tailored to the finaciance or asset management sector. Others focus more on climate-specific considerations in investing. If you're in risk investment, there are certifications that are focused on helping risk management professionals understand and assess the ESG risks for organisations. Finally, there are certifications that would be best tailored to financial advisors looking to strengthen their client relationships by incorporating sustainable investing principles into their investment recommendations.
Yes, there are several ESG certification training programs that are available as online courses.
The ESG trend has quickly become a core part of investment policy and corporate philosophy and is expected to continue for the coming decades. Global businesses are no longer working on environmental, social and governance issues in a silo. They are bringing them together under the banner of ESG to demonstrate the positive impact their existence is having on the world. Anyone that wants to keep up with this important field should educate themselves on ESG issues.
The length of ESG training courses varies depending on your learning needs. From a fifteen minute introduction to the basics to longer, in depth courses of 45 minutes or longer, including courses that can be self paced and spread over the course of weeks, there are levels and ESG course durations appropriate for everyone.