Sustainable Finance and the Green Transition Toolbox

This course addresses current concepts of sustainable finance and their application. Sustainable finance is generally defined in a broader context of sustainability that integrates environmental as well as social and economic issues into financial decision making and includes climate finance, socially responsible investing, impact investing, and green bonds. Sustainable finance is split into two main parts: the relation between the sustainability performance and financial performance of corporations on one hand, and sustainable banking and financial services on the other hand. The first part of the course will address sustainable corporate finance and will use a tool to develop corporate sustainability projects including financial planning and the use of indicators. After introducing sustainable finance, the basics of banking and finance will be looked at. The second part of the course will have a look at the financial industry, sustainable financial products and financial regulations as well as codes of conduct, such as green bonds, socially responsible investing, and impact investing. Course participants will collaborate to develop an idea of a sustainable finance institution or a sustainable financial product. The course will finish with a general discussion about the contribution of sustainable finance to sustainable development and about how to support the application of sustainable finance in Canada and abroad, to innovate the economy, and to foster the transition to a low carbon economy and the way to achieve the SDGs.