Specialization Materiality of ESG factors

In this specialization, students will be introduced to the fundamentals and history of ESG investing and will take a close look at a range of investment approaches based on environmental, social, and governance factors. You will learn about the five materiality pathways and how they interact with ESG metrics. You will explore the concepts of positive and negative screening and identify ESG factors that cause investors to reject or negatively screen certain assets. Next, you will look at private environmental governance, the active role that private companies play in combating climate change, and the parallels between the public and private sectors. Finally, you will assess the effectiveness of corporate authenticity and the influence of politics in shaping corporate ESG policy, as well as the importance of establishing independent directors to maintain neutrality and protect stakeholder interests. By the end of this specialization, you will understand best practices for creating a robust risk management plan, understand sophisticated indexing and measurement methods used in the ESG space, explore climate disclosure and climate action, and how social activism is impacting the corporate world in the 21st century. Applied learning project Each course module in this specialization concludes with an assessment. These assessments are designed to test learners' knowledge and provide them with the opportunity to apply course concepts such as investment analytics, indexing tools, and critical analysis of ESG policies, activism, and greenwashing. The assessments will be cumulative and cover ESG investing fundamentals, public and private governance, and sustainability factors, allowing you to build a diverse and risk-resilient ESG portfolio.