Philippe Lavigne is the first person to complete all three courses, just eleven months after the program’s relaunch in February of 2018. “I took it seriously, doing the readings and everything,” he says, adding that the self-paced program does require focus, effort and a desire to work in the industry. Lavigne was in the process of searching for something to study when he heard about the SIPC program. Having a background in finance, it made sense that he try it out. “I ended up enrolling in [the] program, which, from what I heard afterwards, helped me get the job I have right now,” he says. As Senior Advisor of Investments at a fund management company, Lavigne says he uses his knowledge of sustainable investing more than half of the time. “I wasn’t sure when I took the program that I would end up doing that as much as I am,” he says. “I didn’t know to which extent these kinds of jobs were available.”
Blog post
Sustainable Investment Professional Certification: Positive Impact, Positive Returns
Sustainable investing examines aspects regarding the ethics and sustainability of an investment in addition to the considerations all investors must make. Environment, social and governance (ESG) are the three main categories that are taken into consideration when determining the sustainability of an investment, and issues of sustainability and ethics are assigned to one or more of these categories. The Sustainable Investment Professional Certification (SIPC) introduces sustainable investing, teaches participants about ESG concepts, and provides participants with an opportunity to apply those concepts in a final project of their choosing.
Split into three parts, the courses of the SIPC are Intro to Sustainable Investing, ESG Concepts, and Sustainable Investment Certification. Participants are given a maximum of three, nine, and six months respectively to complete each course on an independent and self-paced basis. Each course is independent of the next, however to achieve certification all three must be completed, and each serves as a prerequisite for the following course.
It was after completing just two of the three courses towards the SIPC certification that Lavigne was hired at his current job.
Photo: © Bénédicte Brocard
It was after completing just two of the three courses towards the SIPC certification that Lavigne was hired at his current job, which also gave him the opportunity to experience the program on both a full-time and part-time basis. “The fact that it’s web-based is extremely convenient, being able to do it at your own pace,” he says. In addition to the fully online and independent environment, other aspects of the program’s design allow it to be compatible with a full-time job. Participants may choose the exact day they would like to begin the program, and the end date of each section is set to a specific date in relation to the participant’s unique chosen start date.
For someone who really wants to work in Sustainable Investment, I think the format is perfect.
JMEC’s goal in creating and renewing the SIPC was to ensure that the material was not only informative, but also relevant. Participants have access to the mandatory content and readings used in the program, as well as a large collection of supplementary resources and readings. “It covers a lot of material,” Lavigne says. “Everything is covered, and one thing that struck me was that it’s all recent material.” In order to give the program the best of both an online and a classroom environment, participants receive detailed feedback on assignments and exams, which provides them with the information needed to improve and learn. Should participants require additional assistance and support, professors are available to provide guidance. While the program may be primarily independent, participants are not alone.
Lavigne does have a word of caution to share with those looking at completing the certification. “If they are taking it just to have another certificate to put on their resume, I would warn them that there is still a lot of work to put into it,” he says. “For someone who really wants to work in Sustainable Investment, I think the format is perfect. I definitely enjoyed the way it was done.”
