Federated Hermes Inc. has launched the Responsible Investing Institute, designed to educate the investment community on responsible investing and the role of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investments, the company announced.
The institute will offer three 50-minute courses that were jointly developed by the Pittsburgh-based global investment manager and KKS Advisors, a global advisory firm that works with investors, corporations, foundations, and nongovernmental organizations to develop ESG integration and impact strategies, the release said.
The courses, which are eligible for continuing education credit, are interactive and web-based, Paul Uhlman, president of Federated Securities Corp., noted in the release.
Uhlman said a 2020 Federated Hermes survey revealed that 90% of financial advisors were being asked about ESG investing, while less than 25% of them felt confident about having a client conversation about it.
The Responsible Investing Institute, he said, is “designed to ensure financial professionals were not only fluent, but confident in their understanding of responsible investing and authentic ESG integration in order to deepen client conversations.”
The three-course curriculum includes:
• ESG 101, which is designed to help investment professionals identify what ESG is while defining key concepts, themes and approaches.
• ESG data and investment implementation designed to expand investors’ knowledge about authentic ESG integration and help advisors navigate the ESG data landscape and recognize the value of engaging with corporate issuers.
• ESG business implementation to act as a practical guide for advisors and asset allocators to help them identify ESG interest and talk about responsible investing with new and existing clients.
In addition to the courses, podcasts on responsible investing will be available., the compamy said.