Coming soon
CFA UK is delighted to announce that we are currently piloting a new Certificate in Impact Investing. Registrations for the new Certificate in Impact Investing will be open from early 2024 onwards with first examinations taking place in March 2024 onwards. If you would like to be the first to find out more about the new Certificate in Impact Investing, please register your interest.
What is the Certificate in Impact Investing?
The CFA UK Certificate in Impact Investing is a level 4 qualification aimed at practitioners who want to develop or enhance their expertise in the growing field of impact investing. Impact investing is where investments are made with the intention of generating positive societal or environmental impact alongside financial returns. Our qualification delivers the essential knowledge and skills required to understand impact as it relates to investing and how to integrate impact considerations throughout the full investment chain.
Why should I take the Certificate in Impact Investing?
There is mounting support that our financial systems and the investment management sector have a crucial role to play in creating a fairer and more sustainable society and delivering positive societal outcomes, particularly given the deepening climate crisis and associated social and biodiversity challenges. Impact investing harnesses capital and innovation to contribute to solving some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges to drive positive and lasting change.
As we begin to see a shift from a world of risk and return to one of risk, return and impact, investment professionals will need to expand their skill set to incorporate impact considerations throughout the full investment chain, incorporating relevant frameworks and approaches to impact management, measurement and reporting.
The Certificate in Impact Investing has been developed by practitioners for practitioners and will be helpful for anyone who needs to understand or undertake impact investment analysis in their day-to-day roles, including those working in the following areas:
- Portfolio / Fund management
- Research / investment analysis
- Sales & distribution
- Product development
- Financial advice
- Consulting
- Risk
- Compliance
- Accountancy
How is the Certificate in Impact Investing different to the Certificate in ESG Investing?
Whilst the Certificate in ESG Investing offers a broad foundational framework to incorporate ESG factors into the investment decision-making process, the Certificate in Impact Investing considers the implications of impact through the full investment chain from due diligence and selection through to management, measurement and reporting.
In practice, integrating ESG alongside impact analysis can enable practitioners to evaluate whether negative effects from an investee’s operations undermine the positive impact from the investee’s products and services and, conversely, whether positive effects from its operations complement the impact from products and services. Both are different but examine complementary parts of a company’s business.
Entry criteria
There are no formal entry criteria for this qualification, however it is strongly recommended that candidates have a solid grounding in the investment process achieved via formal qualification or experience.