BFF5510 · Sustainable finance

Overview

This unit provides you with a comprehensive understanding of sustainable finance concepts from the perspective of organisations, issuers and investors. You will be introduced to practices in this rapidly evolving field such as; sustainable investment instruments and strategies; sustainability-related disclosures. Other topics include the role of credit rating agencies, ESG rating agencies and external reviewers.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. describe the different sustainable investment strategies and understand which ones are the most popular among market participants
2. differentiate between the different types of sustainability debt instruments, specify which instruments apply to different funding situations, and develop a working knowledge of their underlying principles and acceptance in the capital markets
3. evaluate sustainability-related disclosures and the different disclosure frameworks available to organisations, including the role of such disclosures in the capital markets
4. compare processes used to issue sustainable instruments including the roles of credit rating agencies, ESG rating agencies and external reviewers
5. critique sustainability taxonomies being developed globally, and their role and processes involved in diverting capital flows towards sustainable economic activities
6. investigate opportunities and challenges in the path to sustainability, including the use of carbon offsets, decarbonisation in hard to abate sectors, greenwashing, and circularity.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.