📗 CFA ESG / Sustainable Investing

An independent, free exam-preparation course built around the publicly published CFA Institute Sustainable Investing Certificate (formerly the Certificate in ESG Investing) curriculum. It walks through the nine official chapters — from the ESG market and the rationale for responsible investment, through the environmental, social and governance factors in depth, to engagement and stewardship, ESG analysis and valuation, integrated portfolio construction, investment mandates and client reporting. It adds the surrounding ecosystem an analyst is expected to know: the PRI Principles, ESG ratings and data, the regulatory landscape (EU SFDR, the EU Taxonomy), climate risk and the TCFD/ISSB framework, materiality standards (SASB), and a dedicated exam-strategy module. It uses visual lessons, worked examples, original self-check questions and a 45-question final exam to build exam-ready understanding. It is awareness/prep only — not the official CFA Institute curriculum or the proctored certificate exam — and claims no CFA Institute affiliation or endorsement. The course is organized into 22 modules, ending with a final exam (pass mark 80%). It is independent, free exam-preparation training — not an official or accredited review course.

What you'll learn

• What ESG & Sustainable Investing Are
• The ESG Market: Size, Drivers & Rationale
• Environmental Factors I: Climate Change
• Environmental Factors II: Natural Capital & Pollution
• Social Factors I: Human Capital & Labour
• Social Factors II: Stakeholders & Human Rights
• Governance Factors I: Boards & Ownership
• Governance Factors II: Remuneration & Audit
• ESG Strategies: Screening, Integration, Thematic & Impact
• ESG Analysis, Valuation & Integration
• ESG Integration in Equity
• ESG Integration in Fixed Income
• Engagement & Stewardship
• The Six PRI Principles
• ESG Ratings, Scores & Data
• Materiality: SASB & ISSB Standards
• Reporting & the TCFD Framework
• Regulation I: EU SFDR
• Regulation II: The EU Taxonomy
• Climate Risk in Portfolios
• Portfolio Construction, Mandates & Client Reporting
• Exam Strategy & Final Review

Learning objectives

• Explain what ESG and sustainable investing are, why demand has grown, and how responsible-investment approaches differ.
• Analyse environmental factors — climate change, natural capital, pollution and resource use — at country, sector and company level.
• Analyse social factors — human capital, product liability, stakeholder relations and human rights — and their financial materiality.
• Evaluate corporate-governance structures: board quality, ownership, remuneration, shareholder rights and audit.
• Apply ESG integration across equity and fixed-income analysis and valuation.
• Design and conduct engagement and stewardship activities, including proxy voting and escalation.
• Map the regulatory landscape: the PRI Principles, EU SFDR, the EU Taxonomy and TCFD/ISSB climate disclosure.
• Distinguish ESG strategies — screening, integration, thematic and impact — and assess ESG ratings, data and materiality (SASB).
• Construct ESG-integrated portfolios, define investment mandates and report to clients with credibility.
• Pass a 45-question exam (80% to earn your certificate).