This course is part of the ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux Specialization

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26 ratings

Steven Levine

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ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux SpecializationInteractive Brokers

About this Course

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The ESG Investing: Setting Standards & Conducting Analysis course provides students with basic knowledge of traditional financial products with some fundamental concepts to help better define what ESG is, including the rationale behind its inception, and how it has developed. Through the series of video, webinar, and reading modules in this course, you’ll learn how to identify and describe the basic principles underpinning the “E”, “S” and “G” in ESG, as well as obtain a brief background of ESG’s origins and evolution. You should also acquire insights into certain global and domestic goals and frameworks that drive and support issuers’ ESG agendas for economic, financial, and ethical purposes, as well as learn how to examine and construct different investment strategies aligned with investment returns, such as negative/exclusionary screening and integration. You should also gain a clearer view of how businesses form their ESG strategies, as well as some of the risks they face, and how they may be mitigated.

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Course 1 of 4 in the

ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux Specialization

Beginner Level

Previous investment experience is helpful but not required.

Approx. 26 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Describe how environmental, social and governance principals originated and how related practices have been evolving in the financial markets.
Identify global initiatives that helped drive, and continue to support, the framework for ESG investing.
Differentiate the risks a company may face when analyzing it for “E”, “S”, and “G” factors.
Provide details about certain business sector trends such as those in water and waste management, clean transportation, and energy.

Skills you will gain

UN Sustainable Development Goals
ESG investing strategy
ESG integration
ESG history
ESG factor analysis

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 1 of 4 in the

ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux Specialization

Beginner Level

Previous investment experience is helpful but not required.

Approx. 26 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.77/5 (11 Ratings)

Steven Levine

Senior Market Analyst

44,350 Learners

8 Courses

Offered by

Interactive Brokers

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

8 hours to complete

ESG's Origins & Evolution

How have environmental, social, and governance issues come to influence the financial markets and investors’ decision-making? In this introductory module, you will learn how ESG was derived from socially responsible investing (SRI) practices through some examples of its impacts in the 20th century, including the establishment of the Community Reinvestment Act and the formation of the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. Building on these events, the UN published pivotal reports that led to the integration of ESG factors in the financial markets, spurring a flurry of related, supporting initiatives such as the Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI), the International Integrated Reporting Council, and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), among others.

8 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 10 min), 7 readings, 6 quizzes

3 videos

ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux – Overview2mESG Investing: Setting Standards & Conducting Analysis – Course Overview2mESG’s Origins5m

7 readings

ESG's Origins - Study Notes10mUN - Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future (1987)1hUN - Who Cares Wins (2004)1hUN - Freshfields Report (2005)1hUN - Sustainable Development Goals15mGoby - A Breakdown of SASB Framework and Benefits10mThe White House - Executive Order (Jan 20, 2021)10m

4 practice exercises

Specialization Overview - Quiz30mCourse Overview - Quiz30mESG's Origins - Quiz30mESG's Origins & Evolution - Final1h

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

ESG Investing: Industry Insights – Gabelli Funds (Parts 1-3)

The further we progress in this specialization, the more you may spot certain unresolved issues within the ESG investing framework, beginning, perhaps, with how ESG investing itself is defined. The following webinar, “Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG): The Three Hottest Words in Investing”, presented by Gabelli Funds, will further explore the meaning of ESG investing through some of its objectives, including altering corporate behavior by influencing the cost of capital, mitigating idiosyncratic risks, and identifying investment opportunities in areas such as geological and social change.

3 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 17 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

3 videos

A Brief Background About ESG Investing7mSelect ESG Factors, Ecosystem & Objectives3mExploring Sustainability Themes: Water, Waste, Mobility & Energy6m

1 reading

Gabelli Funds - Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG): The Three Hottest Words in Investing30m

3 practice exercises

A Brief Background About ESG - Quiz30mSelect ESG Factors, Ecosystem & Objectives - Quiz30mExploring Sustainability Themes: Water, Waste, Mobility & Energy - Quiz30m

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

ESG Investing: Industry Insights – Gabelli Funds (Parts 4-6)

The “Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG): The Three Hottest Words in Investing” webinar continues with Chris Marangi, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, responding to participants questions. In this Q&A series, Marangi addresses climate change, and supply chains, then offers insights into nuclear power, integrated oil companies, and performing due diligence. He also addresses ESG and related volatility concerns. Please keep in mind that we may explore some of these topics more in depth later in the specialization.

4 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 15 min), 2 readings, 4 quizzes

3 videos

Q&A: Addressing Climate Change, and Supply Chains5mQ&A: On Nuclear Power, Integrated Oil, and Due Diligence5mQ&A: Addressing ESG and Volatility4m

2 readings

S&P - Dutch raise the bar in chocolate industry's fight against child labor10mSentifi - ESG Taxonomy (Reference)10m

3 practice exercises

Q&A: Addressing Climate Change, and Supply Chains - Quiz30mQ&A: On Nuclear Power, Integrated Oil, and Due Diligence - Quiz30mQ&A: Addressing ESG and Volatility - Quiz30m

Week4

Week 4

5 hours to complete

ESG Investing: Industry Insights – Gabelli Funds (Parts 7-9)

The “Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG): The Three Hottest Words in Investing” webinar continues with Chris Marangi, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, responding to participants questions. In this Q&A series, Marangi addresses regulation, negative and positive screening, and fund management. He then offers insights into energy-related environmental impacts, and corporate accountability. Please keep in mind that we may explore some of these topics more in depth later in the specialization.

5 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 19 min), 2 readings, 5 quizzes

3 videos

Q&A: On Regulation, Screening, and Fund Management6mQ&A: Addressing Energy-related Environmental Impacts5mQ&A: On ESG-influenced Innovation & Corporate Accountability6m

2 readings

GM Boosts Investment, Grows Electric Portfolio to Lead in EV Race10mReference - ESG Taxonomy (Sentifi)10m

4 practice exercises

Q&A: On Regulation, Screening, and Fund Management - Quiz30mQ&A: Addressing Energy-related Environmental Impacts - Quiz30mQ&A: On ESG-influenced Innovation & Corporate Accountability - Quiz30mESG Investing: Industry Insights – Gabelli Funds - Final1h

Reviews

4.5

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TOP REVIEWS FROM ESG INVESTING: SETTING STANDARDS & CONDUCTING ANALYSIS

by NVJan 18, 2022

the course is comprehensive but the videos could be improved as they are all very static

by OHNov 15, 2022

A very comprehensive course that will be useful to me in the near future.

by OAJan 20, 2023

Fantastic. You really cannot avoid to be lazy on the course and I have really enjoyed learning about the origins of ESG

View all reviews

About the ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux Specialization

As ESG investing continues to evolve towards a global standard, certain initiatives such as the UN’s sustainable development goals, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, have already spurred significant changes across the financial markets.

As the title of this specialization suggests, financial decisions by investors, as well as capital deployment by companies, organizations, and governments, have been shifting amid increasing attention to environmental, social, and governance-related concerns. By the end of this specialization, students with basic knowledge of traditional financial products (e.g., stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, commodities) should obtain a solid background on how ESG investing principles originated, and how related governing frameworks, analytical strategies, and investment products are evolving in the financial markets, including a proliferation of various fixed-income instruments and thematic ETFs. Moreover, you'll acquire insights into some of the benefits and drawbacks of Big Data as a complement to fundamental analysis, and how developments in data science, including machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and sentiment analysis algorithms, may be used for actionable accountability. You will further be able to detail why ESG investing remains a work in progress and list some anticipated developments for its future. We look forward to you joining us! For more information about Interactive Brokers, visit https://ibkr.com

ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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ESG Investing: Setting Standards & Conducting Analysis

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