Sustainable Finance and Human Rights

Over the past few years, and following the adoption of the Paris climate agreement (COP21) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responsible finance considerations, including Environmental Social Governance (i.e. ESG) factors, have increasingly been in the spotlight.

While environmental issues are very much in the focus and governance is also widely discussed (among others in terms of gender diversity and equality), less light has been shed on the “S” element, which very much relates to human rights issues (social sustainability). The trend is to introduce measurement indicators over the “S” in ESG criteria.

The global momentum around human rights is driven by:

• increased recognition in the financial community that ESG factors play a material role
• understanding that ESG factors are part of inves­tor’s responsibility towards their clients
• increased need to take the “S” in ESG more seriously and to integrate human rights considerations into assessments and decision making processes
• increased political and public pressure to move forward on this issue
• increased legal requirements at EU level to pro­tect the long-term interests of investors, benefi­ciaries and the wider financial system

Knowledge Acquisition: Equip learners with foundational knowledge about sustainable finance, its impact on human rights, and the key frameworks guiding its implementation (e.g., the Paris Agreement, UN Sustainable Development Goals).

Critical Thinking: Foster critical analysis skills by examining case studies where financial decisions have impacted human rights, encouraging learners to evaluate the ethical implications of financial activities.

Practical Application: Develop the ability to integrate sustainable finance principles into banking, investment, and insurance practices, focusing on real-world applicability and the role of regulatory frameworks.

Future-Oriented Mindset: Cultivate a forward-thinking approach, encouraging learners to explore emerging trends in sustainable finance and their potential to support human rights, preparing them to contribute to the evolution of the field.

In order to provide professionals working in the financial and banking sector with fundamental knowledge on Human Rights in finance, the House of Training offer a 4-hours training course that will focus on both the opportunities as well as the risks posed by integrating or failing to integrate human rights into daily business practices.  The course will be based on the following topics:

• Underdstanding how human rights can be incorporated into (sustainable) finance
• Understanding the regulators requirements (current and upcoming regulations)
• Understanding the clients expectations (with examples)
• Understanding what you can and should do (with practical guidance)

All professionals working in the financial sector, who need to capture fundamental knowledge on this theme, including; 

• operations managers, directors,
• CSR officers,
• legal counsel,
• supply chain/procurement and vendor managers,
• human resources and training,
• marketing and public relations,
• compliance or audit/risk managers (all hierarchical levels). 

At the end of the training, a certificate of attendance will be available either on your client account or on demand to the customer service.