This course is suited for:

Board members / Trustees / C-suite and senior leaders / Other fiduciary roles

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this course you will be able to:

  • Explain what responsible investment is and why it matters for long-term performance.
  • Understand the link between ESG factors, financial materiality, and fiduciary responsibilities.
  • Identify ESG risks and opportunities that can impact investment decisions.
  • Assess and better oversee responsible investment policies and strategies.
  • Ensure engagement with managers and stakeholders aligns with your organisation’s sustainable investment strategy.
  • Recognise emerging responsible investment trends.

Description

Strong governance is essential for effective sustainable investment.

This course equips board members, trustees, and senior leaders with the knowledge and confidence to oversee and hold to account their organisation’s responsible investment strategies.

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of responsible investment principles and learn how ESG factors can affect financial performance and investment outcomes. The course offers practical guidance on assessing ESG risks and opportunities, challenging investment practices, and integrating sustainability considerations into investment oversight.

By the end of the course, participants will be better equipped to contribute to and monitor their organisation’s approach to responsible investment.

After finishing the course and passing the short assessment, participants receive an industry-recognised certificate from the PRI and a digital badge to showcase their achievement.

IELA Award

This course includes:

This Course Includes

IELA Award

Course Outline

  • Course overview
  • What is responsible investment?
  • Introducing ESG
  • Key ESG issues
    1. Climate change
      Human rights
  • ESG incorporation
    1. Screening, ESG integration, thematic investing
    2. Greenwashing
  • Stewardship and engagement
    1. The value of engagement
    2. Collaborative engagement;
    • Why invest responsibly?
      1. Financial and double materiality
      2. Client demand
      3. Investor sustainability regulations
    • Fiduciary duty
      1. What are fiduciary duties?
      2. Overview of US, EU, UK positions regarding rights/duties to consider sustainability factors
    • Global and local regulation and standards
    • Defining investment beliefs
      Assessing organisational readiness
    • Implementing a responsible investment policy
      1. Components of a responsible investment policy
    • Monitoring and reporting
      1. Tools for reporting responsible investment activity
      2. Approach to incorporating reporting into responsible investment policies.
    • Stewardship policies
    • Engaging with external managers
      1. Investment manager selection, appointment and monitoring
  • Current and emerging trends
    1. Regulation, systemic challenges, corporate sustainability commitments, nature and biodiversity
  • ‘Anti-ESG’ narratives

07. Next steps

08. End of course assessment

A diverse group of professionals collaborating on a project by using sticky notes on a board indoors.

The PRI Academy partners with firms to deliver tailored learning experiences that build a shared understanding of responsible investment across departments and regions.

Or learn more on our organisational page.

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