Sustainable Finance and Investing: Unlock Global Investment Strategies
This programme explores the focus on sustainability in the global finance and investment community
Course key facts
-
Date
4 Jun - 16 July 2026
Duration
6 weeks
-
Credits
Non credit bearing
-
Format
Online
Fee
£1,450
Overview
Sustainable finance has rapidly become a major growth area, with the total value of ESG investments poised to exceed $53 trillion by 2025. The Sustainable Finance: Unlock Global Investment Strategies programme explores the focus on sustainability in the global finance and investment community, and helps you distinguish between different types of sustainable finance products and relevant eligibility criteria.
This six week online programme draws on expertise from Imperial faculty, industry experts and case studies. You will also draw on the expertise of your peers. You will experience live online teaching sessions, video lectures, interactive activities and assignments whilst receiving personal support from a dedicated Learning Team.
You will finish the programme prepared to implement your learnings, and with a verified Digital Certificate.
Learning Journey
Module 1: Introduction to sustainable finance
Module 2: Sustainable finance policy and regulation
Module 3: Sustainable finance markets and instruments
Module 4: Nature-based finance and investment
Module 5: Applications of sustainable finance (Regional deep dive: South East Asia)
Course details
This programme is designed to demystify sustainable finance and help you to understand its trends, risks, and opportunities. By the end of the programme, you will be able to:
- Identify the latest developments and trends in sustainable finance, with a special focus on environmental, social, and impact-aligned investment
- Distinguish between different types of sustainable finance products in the capital markets and relevant eligibility criteria
- Explore the regulatory and policy environment currently driving the sustainable finance agenda
- Apply various sustainability scoring and assessment approaches to real-life case studies
- Understand how sustainable finance is evolving in emerging markets
This programme grounds investment professionals and asset managers in sustainable finance principles and delivers the tools and frameworks to identify and plan ESG-based investment opportunities, especially in emerging markets. Those who will benefit the most include:
- Investment managers, institutional investors and investment bankers seeking to create investment strategies that account for environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and uncover new product opportunities and projects for their institutions
- Asset managers and financial managers seeking to make more informed investment decisions and employ techniques that support sustainable investing, especially in emerging markets
- Consultants seeking to make profitable yet sustainable investment decisions and offer guidance for their clients
Upon successful completion of this programme, you will receive a verified digital certificate of completion via email.
Note: You will earn the Associate Alumni status upon successful completion of the programme. Visit the Associate Alumni page to find out more.
Take your partnership with Imperial to the next level by becoming an Associate Alumnus. Complete one (1) of our on-campus, online, and virtual programmes to claim 'Associate Alumnus' status and join our active alumni community.
Some of the benefits of becoming an Associate Alumnus include:
- Access to the Imperial Alumni LinkedIn group
- Invites to relevant events and webinars
- 25% Discount on future learning for yourself and up to three your colleagues
If you are interested in finding out more, contact us today!
Course instructors
Michael Wilkins
Executive Director and Professor of Practice, Imperial Business SchoolMichael Wilkins is Executive Director and Professor of Practice at the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment at Imperial Business School. Until recently, he was a Senior Research Fellow for Sustainable Finance at S&P Global Ratings, and a Visiting Lecturer in Sustainable Finance at Cambridge University Judge Business School. He is a senior sustainable finance professional with 28 years of experience in sustainable finance, corporate and infrastructure credit analysis, project finance, structures finance, and carbon markets.
Iva Koci
Teaching Fellow, Imperial Business SchoolIva Koci is a postdoctoral researcher specialising in sustainable finance. Her research investigates how institutional investors convey environmental and social preferences to their holding organisaitons. She previously worked in business consultancy at Deloitte, and is also affiliated with the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment at Imperial London.
Anastasiya Ostrovnaya
Senior Teaching Fellow, Imperial Business SchoolAnastasiya Ostrovnaya is a Senior Research/ Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment, Imperial Business School, where she researches the climate-related risks faced by financial institutions and investors. She also teaches courses on risk management. Prior to joining Imperial London, Dr Ostrovnaya worked for over 10 years as a credit trader at a global investment bank.
Pernille Holtedahl
Research Fellow, Imperial Business SchoolPernille Holtedahl has over 25 years of international experience in climate finance and sustainable development. Her expertise lies in green finance, green bonds, investor trends, and public-private financing of nature-based solutions, as well as conservation finance and how to monetise environmental benefits and increase private investment in conservation.
Industry Partner: ICMA
For over 50 years, the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) has helped develop cross-border fixed income markets by connecting issuers, intermediaries, investors and market infrastructure providers. With over 620 member firms in 70 jurisdictions, it provides standards and recommendations for issuance, trading and settlement.
ICMA plays a recognised leading role in supporting the development of sustainable finance in the bond and wider debt capital markets, providing the Secretariat for the Green Bond Principles (GBP), the Social Bond Principles (SBP), the Sustainability Bond Guidelines (SBG) and the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles (SLBP) - collectively known as "the Principles" – the de facto global issuance standard for the $6 trillion international sustainable bond market (referenced by 97% of issuers in 2024).
To further support its work, ICMA promotes high professional standards by providing education and training opportunities to members and non-members alike.
Industry Live Session
This programme includes a live session titled Sustainable Bonds – Capital Market Instruments for Sustainable and Transition Finance, delivered by Simone Utermarck, Senior Director of Sustainable Finance at ICMA, the International Capital Market Association. This live session will provide participants with an overview of the sustainable finance landscape, highlighting current market trends and regulatory initiatives. It will explore how sustainable bonds, aligned with the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) principles, can be leveraged to finance green and social projects, as well as support the transition toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. The session draws on extensive experience in supporting major sustainable finance initiatives such as The Principles, the Advisory Council, and the Global Sustainable Finance Council. It will also cover impact measurement and the important role of external reviewers in ensuring transparency and credibility.