Sustainable finance is a very broad concept that integrates social, environmental and governance (ESG) criteria into financial decision making. However, it is a global trend characterized by an extremely fragmented market where each country tends to set its own standards. Complexity is high and increasing at the level of regulatory compliance requirements, analytical methodologies and reporting standards.
In Switzerland alone, according to a recent study by Swiss Sustainable Finance, sustainable investments will amount to o1,520.2 billion francs at the end of 2020, an increase of 31 percent over 2019 and a growing importance assumed by impact investing. While the increase is also due to the positive performance of financial markets in 2020, it is now undeniable that we are facing a phenomenon that is no longer niche: sustainable funds now represent 52% of the total Swiss fund market. Investment practices are also becoming increasingly sophisticated: overall, 87 percent of total sustainable investment volumes combine two or more sustainable investment approaches.
There are many reasons for this growth: on the one hand, more and more investors want to invest in more ethically and socially responsible ways; on the other hand, numerous studies attest to good performance of investments that take sustainability criteria into account.
At the regulatory level, sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role. There are countless initiatives at the international and national level that aim to introduce new regulations and standards in the area of ESG investments. The new regulations aim at multiple objectives: first, through the proper integration of ESG risks, to achieve greater stability in the financial system; second, to provide greater transparency to clients about the ESG performance of investments; and finally, to ensure that finance fosters the transformation of the real economy through a greater flow of investments in sustainable solutions.
In this context, Centro Studi Villa Negroni (CSVN) offers a training course that is aimed at financial advisors active in banks and fiduciaries, as well as insurers, and has been structured according to the guidelines for the integration of ESG criteria in the advisory process for private clients (Swiss Bankers Association, June 2020), which provide appropriate training on the subject for these professional profiles. The blended learning teaching mode combines self-study with classroom instruction. The course has a total duration of 16 hours. For the purpose of effective transfer of skills, a self-assessment at the end of the 4-hour introductory preparatory module and group work on a practical case concerning portfolio sustainability assessment are noted. Those who pass the optional final test will receive a Certificate issued by CSVN.
The course is recognized for the maintenance of the Swiss Association for Quality (SAQ) bank client advisor certification: 16 hours (technical and behavioral skills). Finally, it is CICERO accredited. VSV I ASG-accredited training.
