WWF Singapore and ASFI launch online courses to build sustainable finance expertise in Asia

| 23 Sep 2021

A new suite of accessible, practical and technology-enabled sustainable finance e-learning courses based on the latest sustainability science is now available for Asia-based finance professionals.

The courses are available through ASFI Academy that was launched earlier this week by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore and its partners in the Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) – the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF), the Investment Management Association of Singapore (IMAS), the Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA), and Singapore Exchange (SGX).

ASFI Academy’s courses are developed through multi-stakeholder collaboration between ASFI Knowledge Partners including WWF, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and EDHECinfra, among others; ASFI Advisory Group Members including ABS, IBF, IMAS and SGX; and have been pilot-tested by financial professionals across the region.

The courses are short in length (30 minutes – 4 hours), easy to navigate and practical – incorporating interactive activities and Asia-specific case studies. Singapore-based financial professionals eligible under the IBF-STS scheme can access the courses at a subsidized rate via the IMAS iLearn and ABS E-learning platforms.

The Academy’s launch comes amidst growing momentum around sustainable finance in Singapore and the region.

Since 2019, IBF Singapore has launched its Skills Framework for Financial Services , which includes a set of ESG skills and competences; MAS issued Guidelines on Environmental Risk Management for banks, insurers and asset managers and established a Green Finance Industry Taskforce.

Commenting on the launch of ASFI Academy WWF Singapore senior vice president of Asia sustainable finance Anders Nordheim said,” Singapore is emerging as a regional leader in sustainable finance and is well placed to help scale global efforts to shift finance to low-carbon and sustainable activities.”

“Financial professionals around the world are increasingly looking to Singapore to offer expertise in this area, and those that are able to offer up-to-date advice will lead the way when it comes to capturing this segment of the market. The launch of courses on ASFI Academy is a big step forward in plugging the knowledge gap and upskilling Singapore’s finance professionals with the knowledge they need to talk about sustainable finance with confidence.”