Course description
Rapid growth in the sustainable bond market is driving unprecedented demand for skilled professionals and for targeted training in the fundamentals of the products and the application of the Green, Social and Sustainability Linked Bond Principles, the foundations for sustainable bond issuance.
This introductory course gives you a deep understanding of the mechanics of green, social, sustainability and sustainability linked bonds, taking you from the big picture policy context to introducing the underlying drivers of market development, main product features and regulation. We discuss the Green and Social Bond Principles and Sustainability Bond Guidelines, and then the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles. We then explain how they work in practice, including evaluation and selection of eligible projects for funding, the role of external reviewers and guidance on reporting.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
- Firms who are looking to issue or invest in green, social and sustainability bonds
- Market professionals involved in underwriting, research or professional services for sustainable bonds; this includes capital markets lawyers, external reviewers including rating agencies, stock exchanges, data and index providers official sector representatives promoting, supervising or developing policies on sustainable finance
- Press, academics and other professionals with an interest in sustainable finance and the merits of sustainable bond markets
Outcome / Qualification etc.
By completing this course you will be able to:
- Identify recent trends and potential future developments and opportunities for sustainable bonds
- Discuss why the market matters and how it works
- Understand the foundation skills necessary for taking part in the sustainable bond market (i.e. how and why to align with and apply the Principles), including:
- Benefits of sustainable bonds and developing the positioning in your organisation
- Decision-makers: Identifying who is relevant
- Strategy: Alignment with overall corporate / environmental strategy
- Regulation: The Principles’ importance in regulatory trends
- Players: Mapping leading market players
- Identify principles aligned issuance framework: 4 pillars of GSS bonds and 5 core elements of SLBs
- Define green and social: Types of projects eligible for GSS bonds
- (For SLBs) identify recommendations and practice in reporting, including on the performance of KPIs and ambition of SPTs
- Recognise reporting frameworks covering recommendations and practice in reporting, including allocation and impact reports and templates offered by the GBP SBP
- Understand the role and value-added of external review (and other) service providers as recommended the various principles.
- Identify perspectives and roles of the key players in the sustainable bond market including regulators, investors, underwriters, issuers, external reviewers including rating agencies, stock exchanges, data and index providers
Training Course Content
Product Landscape
- The Big Picture: Policy Context of Sustainable Finance
- Product Snapshot: Green and Social
- Market organisation and product guidance
- Dynamics in GSS bond markets
Green Bond Principles
- GBP Pillar I
- GBP Pillar II
- GBP Pillar III
- GBP Pillar IV
Social Bond Principles
- Social Bond Principles
Coming to Market
- External Reviews
- Market Participants
- Preparing for Market
Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles
- Transition Finance and the Climate Transition Finance Handbook
- Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles
- SLB Market
- SLB vs UoP – the differences
Course delivery details
Livestreamed Course
ICMA livestreamed courses are delivered via video conferencing accessed on our digital learning platform, using the most effective pedagogical approaches and incorporating interactive functions like virtual breakout rooms.
The Introduction to Sustainable Bonds live sessions are delivered in three 3.5 hour sessions over the course of three days. You will be given access to the course materials before the live sessions, and will have access to those for a total of six months. During these six months you will have the option to keep working through the course materials at your own pace.
Expenses
2023 Livestreamed course fees
- ICMA Members: EUR 1,550 (VAT not applicable)
- Non-members: EUR 2,050 (VAT not applicable)
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International Capital Market Association
For close to 50 years, ICMA’s educational offering has played a major part in its mission to raise standards in the international capital market. Our courses are designed and delivered by industry professionals for industry professionals. The offering comprises a...