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Up to 100% of course fees reimbursable for Hong Kong residents
About the Pilot Support Scheme
The HK government has introduced a Pilot Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity Building Support Scheme (“Scheme”) to support talent development in green and sustainable finance (“GSF”) by providing subsidies to market practitioners as well as prospective practitioners in undertaking relevant training and acquiring relevant professional qualifications. The Scheme will run for a pilot period of three years and is administered by the Secretariat of the Centre for Green and Sustainable Finance1 (“Secretariat”). The Government of Hong Kong has earmarked HK$200 million for the Scheme. Only relevant fees of programmes registered under the Scheme as “Eligible Programmes” are reimbursable under the Scheme. Eligible applicants may apply for reimbursement of relevant fees upon successful completion of Eligible Programmes, subject to a number of conditions set forth in this Guide.
About the Course
Sustainable bonds, which focus on providing financing for environmental and social objectives and advancement, surpassed the USD 2 trillion-dollar milestone in September 2021, 14 years after the first green bond in 2007. The various sustainable bond principles, for which ICMA is the secretariat, remain the foundation of the global marketplace and practices.
This course is designed for professionals who already have a reasonable understanding of fixed income but need to know more about the theory and real market application of sustainable bonds and all the ICMA principles (green, social, sustainability and sustainability linked), coupled with the rapidly evolving global policy, taxonomies, and other relevant regulation. We will use practical examples and case studies throughout the course to enhance the learning. The course will be further enhanced with presentations from leading market participants – e.g., investors, external reviewers and issuers.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this course you will be able to:
- Identify and apply the key components of the ICMA Green Bond, Social Bond and Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles and the Sustainability Bond Guidelines, including their governance.
- Discuss the practical application of a Sustainable Bond/Finance Framework and the follow-on impact reporting from a sustainable bond.
- Discuss how the ICMA Climate Transition Finance Handbook works and how issuers can align with its guidance as we progress towards the Paris climate goals.
- Recognise the different types of external reviews such as SPOs that can be assigned to sustainable bonds and frameworks.
- Appreciate the wider context of practicalities of the sustainable bond marketplace including the steps in coming to market, what investors are looking for and have come to expect, the role of indices, listing authorities and data providers, etc.
- Link the main regulations and legislative initiatives that resulted from the 2018 EU Action Plan with an emphasis on the EU’s Disclosure Regime. Specifically Article 8 under the EU Taxonomy, the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the proposed Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
- Describe the how the EU Taxonomy works and appreciate the proposed EU Green Bond Standard. Identify the main features of other global taxonomies and standards and the interplay of those with the sustainable bonds market and the Principles.
Who should attend?
The qualification is intended for candidates who have at least basic grounding in the fixed income markets and some awareness of sustainable finance that are seeking an in depth understanding of the theory and practical application of sustainable bonds. Given the complete nature of the course it is well suited to investors, issuers, debt capital markets bankers, reviewers, researchers, lawyers and any others that touch this rapidly growing and key marketplace.
Assessment
The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions of which candidates must answer a minimum of 30 questions, or 60%, correctly in order to pass with a score of 45 or more earning a distinction.
Prior to the exam, you will need to login with the proctor to check that your chosen exam equipment and space is adequate for the exam - you will receive further guidance when you register for the course.
Certification and Programme Recognition
This course is certified by ICMA and accredited by CPD® Certification Service.
ICMA recommends that 50 learning hours can be associated with this course, based on attended/undertaken hours of study required to successfully complete the learning outcomes.
A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who successfully pass the final exam of this course – see Assessment section for more details.
ICMA is a member of the CPD® Certification Service and approved by the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong as provider of Continuous Professional Training (CPT).
Please note that your course certificate of attendance or completion should be sufficient to satisfy any professional development requirements – if you require further evidence, please contact us at education@icmagroup.org.
Trainer
Sustainable Finance Overview
- Big Picture: Main Policies and Initiatives
- Governance of the Principles
- Sustainable Bond Product Snapshot
- Dynamics in the Sustainable Bond Market
- Global initiatives, standards, uptake, incentives
- Green Bond Frameworks
Use of Proceed Principles
- Pillar 1: Use-of-Proceeds
- Pillar 2: Process for Project Evaluation and Selection
- Pillar 3: Management of Proceeds
- Pillar 4: Reporting
- The Social Bond Principles
SLBs + Transition Finance
- Sustainability Linked Bond Principles
- Climate Transition Finance Handbook
- Global transition finance - COP26, global uptake, EU taxon, SBTi, TPI
External reviews and reporting
- Overview of External Reviews (included CBI certification)
- Allocation and Impact Reports
Coming to Market
- Market participants
- Preparing for market
Taxonomies
- Context setting: taxonomies, eligibility approaches etc.
- GBP’s green eligibility guidance
- EU Taxonomy
- China Green Bond Catalogue and other national taxonomies
- Common Ground Taxonomy, CBI Taxonomy and other market-based Taxonomies (MDBs-IDFC&ISO)
Disclosure
- Context & Regulatory environment
- CSRD/NFRD
- Benchmarks
- SFDR
- TCFD
Standards and Labels
- Context setting: GBP and its global influence
- The EU Green Bond Standard
- Climate Bonds Standard
- EU Ecolabel and other sustainable fund labels
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 Sustainable Bond Certificate live sessions are delivered in eight 3.5 hour sessions over the course of three weeks. You will be given access to the course materials a week before the live sessions begin, and you 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. Please note to ensure you book and take the exam within these six months.
Eligibility Requirement
To be eligible for reimbursement under the Scheme, applicants must be:
- Hong Kong residents ; and
- Either:
- Practitioners in the financial services industry (currently or previously in service); or
- Practitioners in non-financial services industries whose roles and/or responsibilities involve GSF considerations (currently or previously in service); or
- Full-time or part-time students at a university or local tertiary institution, with a view to obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher qualifications in relevant disciplines; or
- Holders of bachelor’s degrees or postgraduate degrees in relevant disciplines.
In addition, applicants must enrol in an Eligible Programme after the Eligible Programme is registered under the Scheme, and must have successfully completed the Eligible Programme on or before 12 December 2025.
Please refer to the Guide to Reimbursement Application of Eligible Programmes (Guide) for details.
Livestreamed course fees
EUR 1,850 + VAT (if applicable)
For security reasons, delegates who have not registered in advance will not be admitted to the live sessions.
- All payments must be made in Euro but will be reimbursed in HKD equivalent. For more information, see Reimbursement Procedures tab
Contact
Should you have any queries, please contact education@icmagroup.org.
Interested applicants should read the Guide to Reimbursement Application of Eligible Programmes carefully before making an application.
Application Method
You should submit one application for each successfully completed Eligible Programme only. To initiate an application, you shall:
- create a personal account.
- submit a completed Application Form for Reimbursement of Eligible Programmes, together with all the required supporting documents via your personal account.
Required Supporting Documents
The following supporting documents are required for your application:
- Copy of Hong Kong Identity Card;
- In relation to the bank account nominated for receipt of reimbursement, copy of bank statement / front of bank card / front page of bank passbook showing the name of the account holder, account number and bank name or bank code;
- ONE of the following as applicable:
- For practitioners in the financial services industry – Documentary proof of the latest relevant employment showing the applicant’s name, position, and name of company (e.g. employment contract, salary slip, letter issued by the employer); or
- For practitioners in non-financial services industries – Documentary proof of the latest relevant employment showing the applicants’ name, position, name of company and GSF-related job duties/nature (e.g. employment contract, salary slip, letter issued by the employer); or
- For full-time or part-time students at a university or local tertiary institution in relevant disciplines – Documentary proof (e.g. academic transcript, tuition fee receipt, student card) showing the applicant’s name, name of institution and field(s) of study; or
- For holders of bachelor’s degrees or postgraduate degrees in relevant disciplines – Documentary proof (e.g. graduation certificate) showing the applicant’s name, name of institution, field(s) of study and graduation date (if any);
- For applicants who were full-time students during the whole period of the Eligible Programme and wish to claim up to 100% of the reimbursable fees - Documentary proof (e.g. academic transcript, tuition fee receipt, student card showing the applicant’s name, name of institution and field(s) of study) that demonstrates that the applicants were a full-time student during the whole period of the Eligible Programme;
- Payment receipt(s) of the paid Eligible Programme fees issued by the programme provider;
- For Eligible Programme fees denominated in currency other than Hong Kong dollars but settled in Hong Kong dollars - the relevant payment records in Hong Kong dollars of the Eligible Programme;
- Documentary proof (e.g. stamped certificate of completion) of successful completion of the Eligible Programme; and
- Documentary proof of subsidy or financial assistance received for the Eligible Programme (e.g. notification of application results, record(s) of receipt of subsidy or financial assistance).
Timeframe
The application should be submitted within 3 months from the date of completion of the Eligible Programme. Late applications will not be processed. An acknowledgment of receipt with an Application Reference Number will be provided shortly after submission. After the processing of an application is completed, a notification of result will be sent to the applicant. The applicant will be notified via both email (from no-reply@greentalent.org.hk) and SMS message (from +852 6452 2670). You may log in the portal to check your application status.
