CFA Society UK’s ESG Certificate now available in Finland!
CFA Society Finland is happy to announce that finance professionals in Finland have now an opportunity to take the Certificate in ESG Investing offered by CFA Society UK. The examination will be available in Finland from this week onwards. The CFA UK Certificate in ESG Investing is a new qualification which delivers the benchmark knowledge and skills required by investment professionals to integrate ESG factors into the investment process.
As ESG investing progresses into the mainstream, investors’ demand for clearly defined standards and proven expertise has become inevitable. For the industry this means significant change and there is a pressure on employers to ensure - and evidence - that their workforce has the necessary skills and expertise to meet emerging demands. The new certificate has been developed by CFA Society UK to make sure that investment professionals are equipped to meet their client’s needs.
Developed in consultation with leading firms and recognised by the UN PRI, the Certificate will enable practitioners to expand their ESG knowledge and stay ahead in their field. It has been designed for practitioners working in investment roles who want to learn how to analyse and integrate material ESG factors into their day-to-day roles. It is set at level 4 on the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (Ofqual’s RQF); this is level 5 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) – equivalent to first year of degree study.
The ESG certificate gives you a real competitive edge on today’s job market. It is suitable for investment professionals in all roles, from asset management to sales and distribution, as well as students seeking a career in the investment sector. The content is deliberately non-prescriptive, enabling individuals and organisations to continue to hone their own approaches to ESG while ensuring a standard level of competency.
“I had a pleasure to attend the pilot exam last year and based on my experience, I can highly recommend this certificate to all investment professionals looking to improve their understanding of ESG issues! The learning materials give a practical understanding of ESG investing by covering several approaches, including ESG integrated portfolio construction and management among others. The syllabus also offers a comprehensive overview on ESG market, its factors and agents, and not to forget the great number of acronyms.”
Niina Arkko, CFA, member of the board, CFA Society Finland
The examination and certificate are governed by CFA Society UK and you should register for the exam on their website https://www.cfauk.org/study/register-for-esg. The test can be done in a Pearson Vue test centre in Helsinki from 19th February 2020 onwards. The exam will require around 130 hours of study time and it is an online multiple-choice test. The cost is £485 per candidate including access to the online Official Training Manual. During the registration you can also choose to purchase a paper copy of the study material for £40 + postage&packing. The exam is composed of 100 questions and time allocated for the exam is 2 hours 20 minutes.
When you register for the exam you will have the option to carry out the exam at an OnVue testing center or via online proctoring.
If you would like to know more of how the ESG certificate came about, please take a look at an article written by Will Goodhart, Chief Executive, CFA Society UK, ESG investing: putting theory into practice.
Also a good idea is to go to the CFA Society UK website and check out the ESG FAQ’s page. It will take you through the whole process and answer any questions you might have concerning this qualification.