Socially Responsible Investing
PostgraduateTAS-BFA7572025
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 24 Feb 2025
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Socially Responsible Investing
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Critique the risks and opportunities that the sustainability agenda creates for investors and lenders
- Apply the tools for evaluating socially responsible investments
- Critically reflect on how socially responsible investments can create positive social and environmental impacts
- Appraise high-profile international guidance pertaining to socially responsible investing and lending
- Collaborate with other professionals/practitioners to communicate recommendations relating to socially responsible investing and lending to a range of stakeholders
- Week 1 - Introduction, Overview and historical survey of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing
- Week 2 - The development of ESG risk and ESG rating system
- Week 3 - Commonly held ESG views and practical considerations
- Week 4 - Portfolio management: Exclusion-based and integration-based ESG investing
- Week 5 - Portfolio management: Impact investing and engagement
- Week 6 - Portfolio management: Investment trends, regulation and developed markets
- Week 7 - Assessment
- Week 8 - The impact of common investment theories on ESG investment trends. Impact investing
- Week 9 - Common investor concerns regarding ESG investment strategies
- Week 10 - Methods for modelling risk and return for traditional investments
- Week 11 - Corporate engagement and shareholder activism
- Week 12 - Sustainability-themed investment readings and UTAS case study - Tasmanian green bonds
- Week 13 - Review
Investors and lenders have an important role with respect to sustainable development. Through directing their financial resources to socially and environmentally responsible investment options, investors and lenders have the power to make significant contribution to sustainable development. This applies to both small- and large-scale investors and lenders.
Apart from the moral aspects associated with socially responsible investing, a failure to consider the social and environmental risks inherent in particular investments expose investors and lenders to potential financial loss.
Investors need to be aware of the risks and opportunities that the sustainability agenda creates; they need to be aware of, and be able to critically evaluate, different approaches to ethical investment and lending; and they need to have an awareness of the products available within the market place.
This subject responds to these needs as it:
• Explores the meaning and role of socially responsible investment
• Identifies the sustainability related risks and opportunities that aspects of an investee’s/borrowers operations create for investors or lenders
• Identifies and explains some tools used to assess investments from a sustainability-related perspective
• Discusses some available products available to ‘socially responsible’ investors and lenders.
- Individual Assignment (30%)
- Individual Assignment (35%)
- Team Assignment (35%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- TAS-SBS-GCE-2025 - Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business
Elective
- TAS-MPA-MAS-2025 - Master of Professional Accounting
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: Pre-recorded lecture, up to 2 hours (3-5 short lectures of maximum 20 minutes each), 13 weeks. Online students will attend workshops with on-campus students via Zoom, 50 minutes x 12 weeks.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business
PostgraduateTAS-SBS-GCE
Master of Professional Accounting
PostgraduateTAS-MPA-MAS