Livestreamed
Live sessions: 9, 10 & 11 December
10:30 - 14:00 CET | Time Zone Converter

Course access period: 6 months

 

 

Classroom | London
Session dates: 19 & 20 May
11:00 - 19:00 CEST | Time Zone Converter

Course access period: 6 months

(please complete and return the registration form to education@icmagroup.org)

 

 

OVERVIEW
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE DETAILS
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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.


Learning Outcomes

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


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

 
Assessment

The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions of which candidates must answer a minimum of 30 questions correctly, with a score of 45 or more earning a distinction. You will have six months in which to study the material, book and complete an online, fully invigilated exam.

We use a third-party exam invigilation service called ProctorU to administer the exams on our assessed courses. We recommend you take a few minutes to watch this video before you take your exam, which provides information on what to expect on the day. You can also take a look at some further information here.

More information regarding your specific exam will be available in the Exam Orientation page on Moodle, the ICMA training platform.


Certification and Programme Recognition


ICMA is a member of the CPD® Certification Service, an FCA-approved qualifications provider and approved by the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong as provider of Continuous Professional Training (CPT).

This course is certified by ICMA and accredited by CPD® Certification Service.

ICMA recommends that 15 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.

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.


Course Trainers 

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

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.

Livestreamed course fees

ICMA Members: EUR 1,950 (VAT not applicable)
Non-members: EUR 2,350 (VAT not applicable)

Classroom Course

Our classroom courses are delivered in-person at a confirmed location.

The Introduction to Sustainable Bonds classroom sessions will be delivered in London over 2 full days of training. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided during the course but please note these courses are not catered. If you have any dietary requirements please let us know when you complete the registration form.

You will be given access to our learning management system and the course materials before the live sessions, and will have access to those for a total of three months. During these three months you will have the option to keep working through the course materials at your own pace.


Location Address


Venue TBC


Classroom course fees*

ICMA Members: EUR 3,150 + VAT (if applicable)
Non Members: EUR 3,950 + VAT (if applicable)

*Our prices do not include travel/accommodation. Please do not book any logistics until you receive email confirmation that the course will go ahead. This will be provided 4 weeks in advance of the start date.



For security reasons, delegates who have not registered in advance will not be admitted to the live sessions.



Please note:
  • All payments must be made in Euro.



Contact

Should you have any queries, please contact education@icmagroup.org.


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