Innovation in business education: the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification program
Business professionals interested in sustainability now have access to a certification in sustainable investment.
The David O’Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise (DOCSE), at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB), has created the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification (SIPC). The program is designed to meet the needs of professionals in finance, investment or other functional areas in business through a rigorous training curriculum in the field of sustainability.
The program offers 70 to 80 hours of self-study curriculum material, online study guidance and certification testing, culminating in the Sustainable Investment Professional Certificate. Topics covered include sustainability, governance, ethics, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. The SIPC is a self-study program modeled on other professional certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst © designation.
“The SIPC program is designed for practitioners, guided by a Business Advisory Council, thereby representing a fruitful collaboration between academics and practitioners,” says Paul Shrivastava, JMSB Management Professor and Director of the DOCSE. “It teaches investment professionals practical ways of incorporating sustainability, environmental, social and governance issues into investment decisions."
Mary C. Larson, Steering Committee Member at the Finance and Sustainability Initiative (FSI), underscores the linkages between education, community and business in the realm of sustainable development. “Our goal is to build awareness and recognition of the impact of sustainability efforts and to provide a vehicle through which professional, business and organizational partnerings can flourish”. FSI, a non-profit organization, worked with the DOCSE to develop the SIPC and led the effort to finance the creation of the course.
A Business Advisory Council, formed of practitioners in the fields of sustainability and finance, guided the development of the program. Organizations represented include Addenda Capital, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Cascades, Desjardins Group, Groupe Investissement Responsable, and Osisko, assisted in the creation of a well-rounded curriculum focused on relevance, practicality and applicability.
For the complete version of the press release and links to the partners, visit the John Molson School of Business website.
Related link:
• David O’Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise
Media Contact:
Mai-Gee Hum, MSc
Communications Officer
John Molson School of Business, Concordia University
Tel.: 514-848-2424 ext. 4142
mhum@jmsb.concordia.ca