DATES
Session 1: April 17, 2024 — 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Session 2: May 1, 2024 — 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Session 3: May 22, 2024 — 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Transition finance and climate finance frameworks
Micro-certificate
Expand your knowledge of transition finance and facilitate the shift to a more sustainable global economy with certification from the esteemed John Molson Executive Centre.
Designed by the Concordia Sustainability Ecosystem in collaboration with Addenda Capital and the Trottier Family Foundation, this program delves deeply into transition finance, examining the latest developments and best practices. Crafted by experts in sustainable finance, the Transition Finance Micro-Certificate delivers hands-on knowledge and skills, enabling individuals to participate in transition finance initiatives within their respective domains.
This program explores transition finance from the investor’s perspective and is best suited for investment professionals with foundational sustainability knowledge. While not required, complementary certifications such as the SASB FSA Credential, Sustainable Investment Professional Certification, and/or the CFA’s Certificate in ESG Investing may enhance participants’ learning experience.
Key takeaways
This program will enable you to:
- Grasp relevant frameworks and standards for contextualizing transition finance
- Identify key components of taxonomies
- Compare and contrast country-level transition implementation strategies
- Identify the basis for setting credible transition plans
- Evaluate a corporate transition plan
- Identify opportunities for investing in the transition
Who benefits?
- ESG and sustainability employees, asset owners, and asset managers
- Corporate investment and finance professionals
- Portfolio managers and analysts who lack in-house ESG and sustainability support
- Investment consultants conducting due diligence
- Students looking to bolster their credentials and expand their professional network
- ESG and sustainability consultants looking to gain complementary knowledge, enhance their credentials, and expand their network
Program structure
- Three in-person sessions of three hours each
- There will be dedicated periods for networking and discussion in each session
- There will be active learning opportunities through case study analysis and group work
To contribute to class discussions, debates, and group activities, participants are expected to complete assigned reading prior to class.
Session 1
Introduction to transition finance, overview of green taxonomy frameworks, taxonomy case study
Session 2
Setting, assessing, and implementing credible transition plans, investor climate plan case study
Session 3
Financial instruments and climate technologies
LANGUAGE
English
LOCATION
District 3 Innovation Hub: 1250 Guy St., 6th floor, Montreal, Quebec, H3H 2L3
FEE
Early bird fee: $995 CAD (+taxes) until March 27, 2024
Regular fee: $1,200 CAD (+taxes) as of March 28, 2024
Benefit from preferred rates by enrolling in at least four of our micro-certificates in sustainability. Employers can also unlock preferred rates by registering three or more members of their organization. Contact our program manager to explore our packages.
Experienced, passionate, innovative, our faculty members and experts are leaders in their field.
Anne-Marie Monette, FSA Credential
Director of institutional equity & ESG sales at RBC Capital Markets
Anne-Marie Monette is a Director at RBC Capital Markets and leads its Montreal equity sales team and ESG sales efforts for equities. Prior to joining RBC, she occupied the position of Senior Director, Responsible Investment, at PSP Investments, one of Canada’s largest public pension plans, where she led stewardship and ESG integration activities for public markets. Anne-Marie also occupied the role of Director at Desjardins Global Asset Management, where she was responsible for the Client Relations and sat on the management committee as well as the responsible investment committee. Anne-Marie began her career in 1998 with Goldman Sachs. She has close to 20 years’ experience in the investment industry, chiefly in roles geared to customer service and portfolio management. During her career, she has held various functions at major financial institutions, particularly JP Morgan Chase in New York City and the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec as portfolio manager.
She has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from HEC Montréal and is a holder of the SASB FSA certification and the CFA ESG Certificate.
Melissa Paris St-Amour
ESG & Impact Associate, Cordiant Capital
Melissa Paris St-Amour serves as an ESG & Impact Associate at Cordiant, dedicating her efforts to refining their Responsible Investment Strategy. Before joining Cordiant, she specialized in impact management, contributing to sustainability project management at the municipal level and co-leading the development of impact-focused methodologies at an Impact and ESG rating Agency. Melissa advocates for aligning human social progress with planetary boundaries, a philosophy that drove her to Cordiant, where she is developing the integration of ESG and Impact analysis to manage risks and drive positive outcomes for people and the planet. Actively involved in industry working groups, Melissa was recently chosen to join the Transition and Green Finance Working Group led by the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), collaborating on developing a GHG accounting standard for financial institutions to measure their contribution to decarbonizing the economy.
Melissa holds a Bachelor's in Environment and Development from McGill University and a Master's in Sustainability Management from HEC, along with a number of GHG accounting certifications.
Bursary
One student from each of the five micro-certificate programs will be granted a bursary that covers half of the regular cost of tuition.
Submit your completed application form to jmec@concordia.ca to be considered for available bursaries.
Check out our FAQs to learn more.
FAQs
These programs will be conducted in person to provide students with an opportunity to participate in interactive group exercises that promote practical application, obtain direct feedback from instructors, and build connections through networking, all of which enhance their overall learning experience. Before the first session of each micro-certificate, students will participate in a 30-minute introductory networking session to connect with instructors and fellow classmates.
Students must actively participate in all three sessions to earn their certificate. To emphasize our skill-focused approach, we intentionally omitted a formal evaluation process to prioritize hands-on learning and real-world application.
Before each of the three micro-certificate sessions, students should allocate one to two hours for pre-reading. This will ensure they are fully prepared for hands-on class activities designed to maximize their learning experience.
Each micro-certificate was intentionally scheduled on a different date during the spring term to allow students to register for as many programs as they wish.
Yes, the John Molson Executive Centre will provide you with a certificate for each program you complete.
One student from each of the five micro-certificate programs will be granted a bursary that covers half of the regular cost of tuition. The bursary may not be withdrawn to pay for other expenses or transferred to other programs and courses at Concordia University. You must apply to be considered for available bursaries. Submission of an application does not guarantee a bursary offer. Should the recipient not complete all three sessions of their micro-certificate, the bursary will be forfeited.
The bursary is available for the 2024 spring term and will be granted to each of the five recipients at the latest three weeks before the start of their program.
Students must submit their completed application to jmec@concordia.ca to be considered for the bursary.
Bursary recipients are selected following an evaluation by the selection committee. One student from each of the five micro-certificate programs will be granted a bursary that covers half of the regular cost of tuition. Each application is considered and compared to its peers in the applicant pool. Applicants will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Personal statement: Successful applicant will demonstrate how their experiences have shaped their hobbies, passions, or future aspirations.
- Career objectives statement: Successful applicants will describe their personal, academic, or career goals, demonstrating ambition, drive, and passion in their pursuit.
- Financial need: Successful applicants will explain the need for financial support to pursue their career objectives.
Following the adjudication period, each applicant will be notified of the results.
- Transition Finance and Climate Finance Frameworks: March 20, 2024
- ESG Fundamentals for Communication and Marketing Professionals: April 1, 2024
- Economics of Biodiversity and Natural Capital Markets: April 5, 2024
- Carbon Markets and the Economics of Carbon Removal: February 21, 2024
- Water Stewardship and Market Mechanisms: May 1, 2024
