Innovation in business education: the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification program - Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business launches a professional designation in sustainable investment

Business professionals interested in sustainability now have access to a certification in sustainable investment. The David O’Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB), has created the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification (SIPC). The program is designed to meet the needs of professionals in finance, investment or other functional areas in business through a rigorous training curriculum in the field of sustainability.

The program offers 70 to 80 hours of self-study curriculum material, online study guidance and certification testing, culminating in the Sustainable Investment Professional Certificate. Topics covered include sustainability, governance, ethics, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. The SIPC is a self-study program modeled on other professional certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst © designation.

“The SIPC program is designed for practitioners, guided by a Business Advisory Council, thereby representing a fruitful collaboration between academics and practitioners,” says Paul Shrivastava, JMSB Management Professor and Director of the David O’Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise. “It teaches investment professionals practical ways of incorporating sustainability, environmental, social and governance issues into investment decisions."

Mary C. Larson, Steering Committee Member at the Finance and Sustainability Initiative (FSI), underscores the linkages between education, community and business in the realm of sustainable development. “FSI is a not-for-profit organization which serves as a medium through which education and research around sustainable investment is developed and disseminated. Our goal is to build awareness and recognition of the impact of sustainability efforts and to provide a vehicle in which professional, business and organizational partnering can flourish.”

A Business Advisory Council, formed of practitioners in the fields of sustainability and finance, guided the development of the program. Organizations represented include Addenda Capital, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Cascades, Desjardins Group, Groupe Investissement Responsable, and Osisko. The companies assisted in the creation of a well-rounded curriculum focused on relevance, practicality and applicability.
SIPC Website: www.ifd-fsi.org/sipc