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Are you interested in understanding how finance and socially responsible investment can contribute to sustainable development? Explore the objectives and topics of this MOOC.

Teaching team

Coordinators

• Marta de la Cuesta González
• Eva Pardo Herrasti

Teaching Team

• Marta de la Cuesta González (UNED) Content coordinator.
• Eva Pardo Herrasti (UNED)
• Cristina Ruza y Paz Curbera (UNED)
• Juan Diego Paredes Gázquez (UNED)
• Raquel Arguedas Sanz (UNED)
• Rodrigo Martín García(UNED)
• Roberto Pasca di Magliano (Unitema, Italy).
• Mario La Torre(Sapienza University Italy)
• Marco J. Menichetti (University of Liechtenstein).

Objectives:

This course forms part of an Erasmus+ project From Enviromental, Social and Governance (ESG) Integration to Impact Investing dedicated to how to use the beneficial of capital markets in order to finance socially responsible projects.
The course content will focus on the role of sustainable investing in addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The framework for a Sustainable Society and their goals as well as fundamental concepts of Sustainable Investing will be described, and interdependencies will be illustrated.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the main implications of sustainability
• Know in which way(s) are the environment and the economy related
• Be able to critically analyse what opportunities do the United Nation’s SDGs offer and how businesses can contribute to achieving the SDGs
• Be able to reflex about what motivates companies to manage social, ethical and environmental issues
• Have and overview of the functions of financial markets and their main instruments
• Learn how to implement a strategy and principles for responsible investment and impact investment
• Know some examples of socially responsible projects, investments and companies
• Examine and best practices of how investors can implement socially responsible and impact investment and methodologies to measure impact  
• Put in practice what you have learnt in the course through a case study.

Modules

The course is structured in 3 sections and composed by 12 units. This open course starts by explaining the implications of climate change commitments and the SDGs on economy, businesses and finance. These bases serve as an introduction to the main principles, strategies and management tools used like exclusions, engagement and voting, ESG integration, norms-based screening, best-in-class, sustainability themed, and impact investing.
Unit 1. Sustainability, implications, and historical development
Unit 2. Transformations for a sustainable economy
Unit 3. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Unit 4: Business contribution to the SDGs
Unit 5. Sustainable finance
Unit 6. Financial markets and sustainability
Unit 7. Main sustainable financial instruments
Unit 8. Defining Socially Responsible Investments (SRI)
Unit 9. SRI strategies and ESG criteria
Unit 10. SRI indexes and ESG rating agencies
Unit 11. Social impact investing
Unit 12. Social impact investing: A case study

Targeted learners and requirements

The MOOC is intended for anyone, especially students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in increase sustainable financial education and literacy.
This is the first open course of three courses. The second course is designed for use in tertiary education, especially for students in finance. The third course is intended for potential investors and practitioners interested in impact and ESG investments. https://www.sri-europe.eu/

There is no entry requirement, as the course starts assuming no prior knowledge. All that is required is an interest in the subject matter and a B1 level of English, as the course is in English.

Duration

The course is 6 weeks long, but it can be done at your own pace.

Activities and assessment

The course content is based on videos, readings and activities such as self-evaluation tests or forum discussions.

This course has been developed as part of an Erasmus+ project called
From ESG Integration to Impact Investing: https://www.sri-europe.eu/