As the first internationally recognized ESG certification in Asia, the European Federation of Financial Analyst Societies’ (EFFAS) Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) programme is a pioneering initiative aimed to provide fund managers, investment analysts and other industry insiders and corporate stakeholders with the necessary training for the efficient Valuation, Measurement and Integration of ESG issues into investment analysis.
Since the launch of the CESGA programme in 2014, nearly 5,000 professionals from 53 countries have already been accredited with the CESGA designation from EFFAS. Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing regions for CESGA exam registrations, with more than 1,000 people in Asia (most of them are based in Hong Kong) having been accredited with this designation by 2022.
The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) is a Pan-European grouping of the National Societies of Financial Analysts, bringing together leading experts from all of Europe’s Equity and Fixed Income markets. EFFAS comprises over 20 member societies representing more than 20,000 investment professionals.
Lianhe Green has been appointed as The European Federation of Financial Analyst Societies’ (EFFAS) partner to help administer the EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) program in mainland China for candidates to become an EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst.
Trend & Demand for ESG integration:
The global trend for environmental, social and governance (ESG) has accelerated in recent years and regulators around the world have gradually increased ESG regulatory requirements. For example, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx) has twice increased the disclosure requirements for listed companies’ ESG reports since 2016. Despite this trend, there is still a lack of training courses in the market to enhance practitioners’ ESG professional skills.
The need of ESG analysis methodology:
Many financial analysts and fund managers are increasingly focusing on the integration of ESG factors into their investment considerations, and there is an increased demand for analysis of the relevant information in the market. To take a more accurate and critical look at sustainability reports, understanding ESG disclosure standards and metrics will help analysts to take advantage of opportunities and minimize risks through integrating ESG disclosures. There is an urgent need to strengthen ESG professional development in Asia, especially in ESG data analysis and investment capabilities. The ability to analyze ESG data can help identify “greenwash” and increase confidence in investing in ESG.
CESGA is for those who would like to acquire and build up essential ESG knowledge or for users to become ESG Analysts and specialists. EFFAS CESGA Holders are internationally recognized in Europe, Asia, the U.S. and Latin America. CESGA® is the sole international financial professional certification that allows you to put your ESG professional qualification on your business card.
CESGA holders will be invited to join the official CESGA Asia membership, which allows them to join the exclusive LinkedIn and Whatsapp communities, where they can share the latest ESG market news with other members and expand their ESG network.
The CESGA is a comprehensive program structured in 9 Modules plus an additional complementary Module 10. The program covers a wide range of ESG aspects including corporate ESG reporting, integration of ESG factors into business models, case analysis on the latest ESG trends, etc.
1.Recent Developments in ESG integration
2.Regulatory Environment
3. ESG – Strategies
4.Responsible investing across asset classes
5. ESG Reporting (with a more European orientation)
6.ESG Integration in Research
7.ESG Integration in Valuation
8.Investment Decisions Process
9.Case Study – ESG Integration in the Investment Decision
10. ESG Regional Developments*
**This content is complementary and will not enter in the exam.
The CESGA® online course facilitates self-paced study and is supported by online training courses and practice exams. Candidates without ESG related knowledge are advised to spend a minimum of 80 to 120 hours studying.
Investors
Corporates
The EFFAS CESGA programme is a comprehensive tool made by practitioners for practitioners and covers all relevant topics that an ESG expert needs, making special emphasis in areas that other programmes in the market tackle superficially or oversee at all, such as:
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01 ESG Data: The current challenge of ESG valuation is the lack of data and quality of such data. |
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02 ESG Reporting and Regulation: the CESGA analyses recent developments and lay emphasis on the regulatory environment. These regulations are especially important as they are highly relevant to all companies and investment professionals. Since the regulations in these fields change so quickly, the Programme is updated every year. |
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03 Asset Classes: unlike other programmes, CESGA accentuates the importance of different asset classes dedicating one complete module. As the ESG market for equity is well established we also cover such areas as sovereign and green bonds, private equity and commodities. |
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04 Due Diligence and Investment Analysis: the CESGA provides a pattern to approach systematically the ESG valuation that the professional can apply in their daily work. |
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