Sustainable Finance Track

Climate change and the investment required in the low-carbon transition will redefine all parts of the financial sector. Financial firms will need to manage new types of risk, not least to comply with local regulation and expectations by supervisors. Investors and international development agencies expect much greater transparency and disclosure of exposures, and often a clear pathway to a sustainable loan portfolio. All parts of a bank’s management structure and governance will likely be affected. At the same time, the low-carbon transition opens new opportunities for lending that is aligned with ESG principles, often in partnership with development institutions or impact investors.

We will explore the physical risks that result from climate change, and the various tools and data that are now available to assess and manage such risks. We will also explore green lending and refinancing opportunities (such as green bonds) which are now increasingly contested by financial firms in both advanced and emerging markets. All sessions will be highly practical and demonstrate the use of data, tools and management concepts, also in group-work presented to sustainability professionals who are leaders in their field.

Registrations for the 2024 Summer Academy are now open. 

Spaces for the programme are limited! Register today to book your place.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the impact of climate change and biodiversity conservation on the financial landscape, and analyze how climate risk management, carbon accounting, and climate stress testing contribute to risk mitigation strategies.
• Explore innovative green finance products and their role in promoting sustainability, gaining insights into how financial institutions develop, market, and utilise these products.
• Evaluate how financial institutions align with sustainability transformation goals, examining strategies, policies, and best practices for integrating sustainability into core business operations.

Site Visit

On the afternoon of Wednesday 10 July, participants will get the chance to visit a German instituion for an external site visit. The site visit offers a more practical perspective on some of the industry's most pressing challenges.

Trend Elective

The trend elective opens up the whole Summer Academy for all participants. Network and engage with participants from other tracks while taking a deeper diver into further topics that matter to you, outside of your selected track. This year, we will explore:

- Robo Investing

- Refugee Financing 

- Impactful Innovation

- Climate Risk Management

- Adaptation Planning

The Summer Academy will cater to a wide range of finance professionals from commercial banks, microfinance institutions, central banks and regulatory/government institutions, development organisations, and donor agencies.

Finance experts and professionals, including retail bankers, financial advisors, asset managers, risk managers etc., and all other financial industry professionals interested in the topic of sustainable finance or who want to move forward the sustainability agenda in their respective institution/work.