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ESG-focused Financial Products
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 22 hours
  • Course by Interactive Brokers
  • Offered by

About

As ESG investing continues to evolve, so do the funding mechanisms many companies, organizations, and governments use to finance their stated goals. Indeed, ESG-focused financial products, or ‘green assets’, have been growing in volume – as well as by type. In the fixed income space alone, instruments available to investors include green bonds, social bonds, sustainability-linked bonds, climate awareness bonds, gender bonds, and others – not to mention a growing list of ESG-themed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Through this series of videos, webinars, and readings, students with basic knowledge of traditional financial products (e.g., bonds, ETFs) will learn how to describe various characteristics of green assets, including the supply, demand, and performance of green bonds, as well as holdings of certain ESG-themed ETFs, and discuss the recent growth of related fund flows. They should also be able to explain the principles and frameworks behind the issuance of different ESG-related fixed income products, as well as provide insights into how certain government and central bank policies may pose some critical challenges in this space.

Modules

An Introduction to Green Assets

    • 2 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 2 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • An Introduction to Green Assets - Quiz

2 Peer Review

  • Green Bond Principles - Practical Assessment
  • Social Bond Principles - Practical Assessment

2 Videos

  • An Introduction to Green Assets - Course Overview
  • ESG-focused Financial Products: Benefits & Risks

3 Readings

  • ESG-focused Financial Products: Benefits & Risks - Study Notes
  • ICMA - Green Bond Principles
  • ICMA - Social Bond Principles

GSSS Market Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
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1 Videos

  • GSSS Market Overview

2 Readings

  • The Global State of GSSS Bonds - Handout Presentation
  • Climate Bonds Initiative - Sustainable Debt - Global State of the Market (2020)

Brief History & Growth of GSSS Issuance

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Brief History & Growth of GSSS Issuance

Green Bonds: Consumer Composition and Considerations

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Fixed Income Product Perspectives - Truvalue Labs (Parts 1-3) - Quiz

1 Videos

  • Green Bonds: Consumer Composition and Considerations

1 Readings

  • Alphabet issues sustainability bonds to support environmental and social initiatives

Green Bond Performance & the Greenium Effect

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Green Bond Performance & the Greenium Effect

Green Bonds: Further Evaluation of Issuers and Performance

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Fixed Income Product Perspectives - Truvalue Labs (Parts 4-5) - Quiz

1 Videos

  • Green Bonds: Further Evaluation of Issuers and Performance

Q&A: On ESG Scoring

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Q&A: On ESG Scoring

Q&A: Addressing Green Bonds & Green Washing

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Fixed Income Product Perspectives - Truvalue Labs (Parts 6-7) - Quiz

1 Peer Review

  • Examining Green Bond Issuance: "Use of Proceeds" - Practical Assessment

1 Videos

  • Q&A: Addressing Green Bonds & Green Washing

2 Readings

  • Apple - Green Bond Prospectus
  • Bank of America - Green Bond Prospectus

ETFguide - Strategies for the Mindful Investor

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • ETFguide - Strategies for the Mindful Investor

ETFguide’s ETF Battles - Vanguard vs. iShares: Which Socially Responsible ETFs are Better?

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • ESG-themed ETFs - Quiz

1 Peer Review

  • ESG-themed ETFs: Comparative Study - Practical Assessment

1 Videos

  • ETFguide’s ETF Battles

Reading Reinforcements

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Reading Reinforcements

Additional ESG-focused Fixed Income Issuance Principles & Guidelines

    • 3 Readings
    • 2 PeerReview
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2 Peer Review

  • Sustainability Bond Guidelines - Practical Assessment
  • Sustainability-linked Bond Principles - Practical Assessment

3 Readings

  • ICMA - Sustainability Bond Guidelines
  • ICMA - Sustainability-linked Bond Principles
  • AMMC - Gender Bond Guidelines

ESG-focused Bonds - Issuance Examples & Commentary

    • 5 Readings
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5 Readings

  • Bank of America - Fifth Corporate Green Bond for $2 Billion (Oct 2019)
  • IBKR - SMFG Sells Green Bonds As Climate Change Gains Ground (Jan 2021)
  • Apple - $4.7 billion Green Bond spend is helping to create 1.2 GW of clean power (Mar 2021)
  • Moody's - Sustainable bond issuance hits record high in Q3 as green bonds recover (Nov 2020)
  • IDB Invest - Gender Bond (Mar 2021)

ESG Fund Flows

    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • ESG Fund Flows - Quiz

2 Readings

  • Lipper - ESG-SRI U.S. Funds Steadily Attract Inflows (July 2021)
  • Reuters - Investors storm into alternative energy funds (Jan 2021)

Green Bond Challenges & Central Bank Criticism

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • Baker McKenzie - Critical Challenges Facing the Green Bond Market
  • WSJ - Fixing Climate Change Is Not the Central Bank's Job (July 2021)

Auto Summary

Discover the transformative world of ESG-focused financial products in this comprehensive Business & Management course, designed for individuals with a basic understanding of traditional financial instruments. Led by Coursera, this foundational course delves into the rapidly expanding domain of green assets, including green bonds, social bonds, sustainability-linked bonds, climate awareness bonds, and gender bonds, as well as ESG-themed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Over a duration of 1320 minutes, participants will engage with a rich blend of videos, webinars, and readings to explore the intricate details of these financial products. The course covers the supply, demand, and performance of green bonds, the holdings of prominent ESG-themed ETFs, and the recent surge in fund flows within this sector. Learners will also gain insights into the principles and frameworks guiding the issuance of various ESG-related fixed income products and the impact of government and central bank policies on this evolving market. Subscription options include Starter and Professional plans, catering to a wide range of learners eager to enhance their understanding of ESG investing. Ideal for those looking to deepen their knowledge in sustainable finance, this course offers valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the ESG investment landscape. Join now to stay ahead in the dynamic field of ESG-focused financial products.

Steven Levine
Instructor

Steven Levine