• C-suite executives and board members, general secretaries and highly specialized top professionals that provide boards with relevant information (management and strategy consultants, financial analysts, asset managers, corporate consultants, financial planners, corporate sustainability officers, investor relations, auditors etc).
• Have minimum 5 years of professional experience in the field of ESG and/or Sustainability or hold ISF II – Specialist Level + 2 years of experience in the field of ESG and/or Sustainability.
• Comply with IASE 4 E Standards.
• Sign the IASE Code of Ethics.
ISF III – Expert Level
Certificates & Renovations
Requirements:
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP:
• Earn your IASE designation and join the international community of the ESG professionals.
• Starting next year after receiving the designation you need to keep up with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in your role and to provide your 15hrs. CPDs (continuing professional development) annual declaration.
• Annual membership fee is: € 95.
• To maintain your IASE designation and the enhanced status as an international recognized ESG professional you need to comply with all of the above requirements.
Validity:
• Certification valid for 12 months.
• After this period, the professional can request its renewal through the My IASE section.
Certificate
- Understand the broad concept of sustainability in its environmental, social and governance aspects: definitions, history, and principles.
- Realise the potential of sustainable finance for achieving sustainable development.
- Learn the evolution of corporate sustainability and explain motivations for incorporating sustainability into organizations; Analyse in detail the potential effect of ESG factors on firm performance, valuation, operations and supply chain.
- Understand the corporate governance processes involved in implementing a sustainable strategy.
- Master existing frameworks that coordinate and promote ESG reporting; analyse why companies voluntarily report; gain knowledge of the rating scores in the ESG dimension.
- Describe existing methods and approaches to incorporate sustainability in asset management and financing choices; analyse motivations, advantages and disadvantages of each approach; delineate a comparison among different approaches.
- Analyse in detail the ESG investments universe and distinguish between different asset classes: sustainable fixed-income products, sustainable real assets and sustainable funds.
- Understand the role of financial advisor in informing customers and promoting ESG investments.
- Comprehend the principles of Islamic Finance and Shariah-compliant financial products.
- Recognize and analyse the role of Governments and National/International Financial Institutions in addressing sustainability concerns; understand the levers and tools they can use to facilitate sustainable transition.
- Ascertain general trends in the financial system and determine the role of banks in fostering sustainability; Assess the impact on the banking sector of major financial sustainability guidelines and initiatives.
- Analyse how banks are changing their business model: management system, reporting, risk management, lending approaches, products and services offerings.
- Realise the role of Social Banking, its peculiarity and its main international actors.
- Comprehend the current challenges of the insurance sector and the ways in which it can intervene; Learn the main events and initiatives that took place within the insurance sector.
- Master sustainable insurance products and understand the role of reinsurers.
- Analyse the asset side of insurance companies.
- Apply the above notions to concrete situations and relevant practical cases.
IASE promoted a Public Consultation with important companies, professionals, and institutions to determine what knowledge should be considered so that a professional can act under good practices for ESG, the so-called “Basic ESG Certification“.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE IASE CERTIFICATION EXAM:
- Applications can be made through the IASE website.
- Examination fees may be obtained from the Member licensed to represent the IASE in the candidate's geographic area.
- The IASE certification fee for the Expert Level is €350 + VAT.
- Examination: ONLINE, 60 MCQ – multiple choice questions
- Duration: 120 min.
- Pass mark: 70% (min. 42 correct answers out of 60).
[CERTIFICATION SERVICES are charged with TAXES].
- IASE Training Programs for ISF ® and ISB ® level I are offered by Exponential Education at €1250 [WITHOUT VAT applied for TRAINING SERVICES].
- Identity checks, qualification criteria, payments, etc., will be done through a combination of facial recognition technology and the local IASE member/affiliate in the aspirant's geographic area before being able to enter the Board Exams.
- It is the aspirant's responsibility to ensure that he is aware of the date, time, and location of his exam.
- A candidate may drop out of an exam before starting the exam. In such cases, your exam fee will be carried over to a future date. Arrangements regarding special needs or illness during an exam can be made by contacting the regional body member of the IASE. IASE Exam Terms and Conditions section below for more information. Link to the Terms and Conditions.
- All IASE Board Examinations exams are delivered online only.
- Aspirants have the flexibility to take the Board Exam from anywhere in the world.
- Expert Level III Exam format: Closed questions; 60 multiple choice questions (MCQ); 4 options per question, with only one correct answer; 120 minutes allowed to complete all ExpertLevel Board Exams; Approval 70% (42 correct answers or more).
- Available languages: English. Others upon request.
- The scheduling of the exams is done electronically before being sent to a Board of Examiners for final approval.
- Results will be formally communicated via an online basis directly to individual aspirants only. The results will only be communicated to third parties if it is possible to provide proof of consent from individual aspirants.
- Within a period of 10 working days, after the results are issued, applicants will have the opportunity to request an observation/review or appeal question/s. See the IASE Exam Terms and Conditions section below for more information. Link to the Terms and Conditions.
How is the test done?
How is the registration for the certification done?
Continuing Certification and 4Es Standard.
Becoming certified with IASE involves much more than being approved in our online exam. With IASE, you also make a commitment to professional attitude and practice called the 4Es Standard, to be renewed annually through a recertification process.
Education
For each certification level, there is a minimum academic and/or professional qualification required. The certificates also require a commitment to lifelong learning.
Exam
Pass our Certification Exams and Board of Ethics Exams.
Ethics
Agree to and comply with the IASE Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, a set of principles that ensure the maintenance of integrity standards and ethical conduct.
Economic
To carry out the test and to maintain the certification, a fee is required at the time of admission.
Academic Partner
ISF III – Expert Level
Preparatory courses
Exponential Education
TBA (to be announced)
Languages: IN
Investment
TBA (to be announced)
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Description
The ISF Level III preparatory course is designed for leaders and professionals in managerial positions in finance industry who are decision makers and set the course for their institutions. This is a strategic level course that provides the tools, concepts, frameworks and decision points you need for sustainable finance and investment.
Training: ONLINE; min. 120 study hrs/24 weeks.
Programmatic Contents - ISF III
IASE INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE FINANCE (ISF) CERTIFICATION
1. INTRODUCTION a. Introduction to ESG b. Environmental aspects, climate change and green transition c. Social and governance aspects d. Sustainable finance
2. CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE CORPORATE FINANCE a. Corporations and sustainability b. Sustainable corporate governance c. Measuring and reporting sustainability d. Supply chains e. Case study f. Benefit corporation g. Firm valuation
3. SUSTAINABLE INVESTING, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL ADVISORY a. Introduction b. Sustainable investing c. Sustainable fixed-income products d. Sustainable real assets e. Investment funds f. Case studies and analysis g. Advisory
4. GOVERNMENT, CENTRAL BANKS and MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS a. Overview of financial institutions b. Governments c. Central banks d. Multilateral development banks
5. SUSTAINABLE BANKING a. Introduction b. New banking business model c. Case studies and analysis d. Social banking
6. SUSTAINABLE INSURANCE a. Introduction b. Sustainable insurance products c. Reinsurance d. Asset side
