The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) is proud to announce that it has appointed Friends of the Earth Hong Kong (FoE (HK)) as EFFAS’ Value Added Partner to help administer and promote the EFFAS CESGA® Programme to professional bodies, educational organisations and NGOs in Hong Kong and Singapore. They will also host workshops and the exams too for candidates to become an EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst.
Friends of the Earth (HK) was established in 1983 and launched its Green Finance Advocacy Roadmap in 2019. Through lobbying Hong Kong’s policy makers and advocating ESG investing to the business and charity sectors, Friends of the Earth (HK)’s goal is to make the Hong Kong climate ready for a resilient and sustainable future.
ESG causes have gained a lot of momentum in recent years. This has not only impacted the commercial sector, but also transformed into a global movement that has caught the attention of regulators. Taking the Hong Kong market as an example, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited has tightened its ESG reporting obligations for listed companies for the second time since 2016. However, up till now, there has been hardly any training to bridge the skill gap between the regulatory requirements and the ESG practitioners. Therefore, Friends of the Earth (HK) has been actively pushing for a professional accreditation in the field. We are delighted to see that it is finally in place,” explained Anthony Cheung, Board Governor of Friends of the Earth (HK). More information about CESGA in Hong Kong can be found on FoE(HK)’s website here
Jesús López Zaballos, President of EFFAS, pointed out, "In an environment in which sustainable decisions are gaining weight in portfolios, the importance of quality training in this area for analysts and portfolio managers grows." He went on to add, “This cooperation will help promote the ESG values shared by both associations. It is an honour that CESGA®, which is the result of an extraordinary contribution from academics and market practitioners, has been chosen by Friends of Earth in Hong Kong’’.
Alex Bassen, Academic Director of the CESGA® programme, added, “This is a great opportunity for the financial community and ESG practitioners in Hong Kong to get direct access to this top-tier ESG training programme with its practical focus and academic rigor.”
“Hong Kong is Asia’s leading financial hub. However, when it comes to ESG investing, we are a late comer. To maintain our competitive edge, it is crucial for us to make good use of our sound economic fundamentals to gain a competitive edge in green finance. Hong Kong needs urgently to enhance its ESG professional development, especially with regards to ESG data analysis and assessment capability. Data integrity and accountability are vital for debunking ‘green washing’ and for upholding the market confidence in ESG investing” explained Mrs. Mei Ng, Chairperson of Friends of the Earth (HK).
This agreement facilitates the worldwide diffusion of the CESGA® Programme, which has been running in the main financial markets in Europe, Asia, on the American continent and in the United States for some time. EFFAS expects the current 800 holders of the EFFAS certified ESG Analyst certification to double by the end of the year as examinations for professionals to obtain this prestigious certification can now be taken online making the Programme 100% online minimizing disruption to candidates during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has helped highlighted how fragile and interconnected our environment is making education and information on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) investment decisions important for our future.
Comprising 10 modules, CESGA® covers a wide range of ESG aspects including corporate ESG reporting, integration of ESG factors into business models, and case analysis on the latest ESG trends. To find out more visit www.effas-academy.com.