ACCA and CFA Institute join forces to deliver climate finance skills

Finance and investment professionals have a critical role to play in helping organisations adapt as they adjust their activities and strategies to build a more sustainable future. ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, have worked together to respond to the demand for skills and training in this fast-developing area and help drive it forward.

As part of a partnership that combines their deep expertise across accountancy and investment, ACCA and CFA Institute have launched a new Climate Finance course designed by experts from both bodies.

The launch comes as this year’s COP27 United Nations Climate Change Conference highlights the urgency of the climate crisis.

ACCA chief executive, Helen Brand, said:

“This Climate Finance course is unique in its holistic approach, looking at the perspectives of both issuers and of investors. And so we’re confident that learners will gain a strong practical understanding of climate implications to apply to their day-to-day work. Both accountancy and investment professionals have a vital role to play in the fight against climate change and creating a better world, so we’re delighted to be working with CFA Institute on this.”

CFA Institute President and Chief Executive, Margaret Franklin, CFA, commented:

“Together with ACCA, we at CFA Institute are pleased to leverage our 75-year history of creating educational content to launch this unique and interactive learning experience for individuals wishing to develop their understanding of the climate aspects of ESG in an investment context. Concerns over greenwashing and a demand for products and skills to support sustainable investing have created a real need for finance professionals to develop a deeper understanding of how these factors are impacting the industry, clients, and the world at large.”

About our Climate Finance course:

• This course provides an introduction to climate change and its related economic and environmental impacts, as well as climate solutions.
• It covers climate change, carbon pricing, sustainable business models, and climate risk and opportunities in the context of business as well as portfolio construction and investment analysis.
• This course is unique in its holistic approach because it presents the topic from the perspectives of both issuers and investors, and hence is suitable for diverse audiences.
• It is a practical and applied digital course to support business, finance and accounting professionals. It is also useful for individuals seeking practical guidance on climate change and related finance matters.
• The course can be used as verifiable CPD and requires around 10 hours of self-paced study. 

Find out more at www.accaglobal.com/climatefinance and https://store.cfainstitute.org/climate-finance/

ACCA and CFA Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2018 and work together on areas of common interest, such as research, thought leadership and learning opportunities, particularly on issues such as ESG, sustainability and ethics.