Master/Coach Certification • Executive-Level Program

Certified Master/Coach in Sustainable Investment Management

Step into an executive leadership and coaching role in sustainable investment. Learn how to lead enterprise ESG transformation, advise boards and C-suites, manage greenwashing crises, influence policy and standards, and build a powerful thought-leadership platform—supported by master classes, simulations, and practical coaching projects.

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Executive Leadership & Governance

Lead ESG strategy at board level, navigate C-suite dynamics, and make high-stakes decisions under uncertainty.

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Coaching & Advisory Mastery

Coach investment teams, facilitate ESG workshops, and deliver executive advisory engagements with confidence.

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Industry Influence

Shape policy and standards, manage complex stakeholders, and build thought leadership that moves the market.

About this course

Lead, Coach & Transform
Sustainable Investment at Scale

In Certified Master/Coach in Sustainable Investment Management, you will move beyond technical ESG skills into executive leadership, coaching, and institutional transformation. This program is built for senior professionals who need to influence boards, guide investment teams, manage reputational risk, and embed sustainable investment across strategy, culture, operating models, and governance.

You’ll develop a practical coaching and advisory toolkit through simulations, workshops, case studies, and master classes with senior leaders—so you can lead complex stakeholder environments and create long-term, measurable impact. Certificate awarded upon successful completion.

✔ Lead executive ESG strategy: board communication, C-suite alignment, and decision-making under uncertainty.
✔ Design and drive enterprise transformation: maturity diagnostics, multi-year roadmaps, operating models, and culture change.
✔ Master coaching & mentoring: facilitate ESG workshops, manage resistance, and build internal training capability.
✔ Build influence: policy engagement, standard-setting participation, thought leadership, and complex stakeholder management.

There are 10 modules in this course

This Master Coach curriculum is built for senior finance, investment, risk, ESG, and sustainability leaders who need executive-level capability in sustainable finance transformation, board governance, coaching, and industry influence. Each module blends leadership practice, advisory methodologies, real-world simulations, and master classes with senior practitioners.

Executive Leadership in Sustainable Finance

Module 1 • Includes master class

Module details

Lead sustainable finance at executive depth—aligning purpose with strategy, navigating complex stakeholder expectations, and building high-performance investment teams. Learn how to handle reputational risk, board communications, and C-suite dynamics with confidence.

What's included

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Executive leadership

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Strategy alignment

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Master class

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Topics covered

• Module 1

Leading with Purpose: Aligning Organizational Mission with Sustainable Finance (45 min)
Board-Level Communication: Presenting ESG Strategy to Directors and Shareholders (50 min)
Executive Decision-Making Under Uncertainty and Competing Stakeholder Demands (40 min)
Building and Leading High-Performance Sustainable Investment Teams (45 min)
Crisis Leadership: Managing Greenwashing Allegations and Reputational Risk (50 min)
Personal Leadership Brand: Establishing Yourself as an Industry Authority (40 min)
C-Suite Dynamics: Navigating CIO, CFO, Chief Sustainability Officer Relationships (45 min)
Master Class: Panel with 3 CEOs/CIOs of Major Sustainable Investment Firms

Organizational Transformation Architecture

Module 2 • Includes case study

Module details

Design and deliver enterprise-scale ESG integration. Build transformation roadmaps, define operating models, align incentives, shift culture, and manage political resistance—while ensuring ESG is embedded across investment processes and M&A integration.

What's included

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Transformation roadmap

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Operating model

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Case study

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Topics covered

• Module 2

Diagnostic Framework: Assessing Organizational ESG Integration Maturity (60 min)
Designing Multi-Year Transformation Roadmaps (50 min)
Operating Model Design: Centralized vs. Embedded ESG Teams (45 min)
Technology Architecture for Enterprise ESG Integration (40 min)
Culture Change: Shifting Investment Culture Toward Sustainability (55 min)
Managing Resistance: Political Navigation in Large Organizations (45 min)
Performance Management Systems: Aligning Incentives with ESG Goals (40 min)
M&A Integration: ESG in Acquisitions and Post-Merger Integration (50 min)
Case Study: Complete Organizational Transformation of $100B Asset Manager

Coaching & Mentoring Mastery

Module 3 • Includes practical application

Module details

Become a master coach for sustainable investment professionals. Learn coaching fundamentals, frameworks for ESG challenges, facilitation for workshops, mentoring emerging leaders, and building internal training and learning organizations.

What's included

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Coaching frameworks

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Facilitation

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Practical build

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Topics covered

• Module 3

Coaching Fundamentals for Sustainable Investment Professionals (45 min)
The GROW Model Applied to ESG Investment Challenges (40 min)
Coaching Difficult Conversations: Skeptics, Resistors, and Laggards (50 min)
Group Facilitation: Leading ESG Integration Workshops and Offsites (45 min)
Mentoring Emerging Leaders: Developing the Next Generation (35 min)
Creating Learning Organizations: Knowledge Management Systems (40 min)
Train-the-Trainer: Building Internal ESG Training Capabilities (45 min)
Practical Application: Develop Your Personal Coaching Framework

Strategic Advisory & Consulting Methodologies

Module 4 • Includes workshop

Module details

Transition from practitioner to trusted advisor. Learn stakeholder analysis, diagnostics, proposal scoping and pricing, workshop design, and how to deliver difficult messages to senior leadership—while building long-term advisory relationships and IP.

What's included

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Advisory toolkit

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Stakeholder mapping

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Workshop

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Topics covered

• Module 4

Consulting Fundamentals: From Practitioner to Advisor (40 min)
Stakeholder Analysis and Political Mapping in Client Organizations (45 min)
Diagnostic Tools: Conducting ESG Maturity Assessments (50 min)
Proposal Development: Scoping and Pricing Advisory Engagements (40 min)
Workshop Design: Creating High-Impact Executive Sessions (45 min)
Delivering Difficult Messages: Challenging Senior Leadership (40 min)
Building Long-Term Advisory Relationships (35 min)
Creating Proprietary Methodologies and IP (45 min)
Workshop: Design a 3-Month Consulting Engagement for Asset Owner

Board Governance & Fiduciary Leadership

Module 5 • Includes case study

Module details

Operate at board level: fiduciary duty, committee dynamics, ESG dashboards, director responsibilities, and risk oversight. Learn how to prepare for investment committee service and manage shareholder engagement during ESG controversies.

What's included

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Governance

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Board reporting

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Case study

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Topics covered

• Module 5

Fiduciary Duty in the Age of ESG: Legal and Ethical Dimensions (50 min)
Board Committee Structure: ESG, Risk, and Investment Committee Dynamics (45 min)
Board Reporting: Creating Effective ESG Dashboards for Directors (40 min)
Serving on Investment Committees: Preparation and Contribution (45 min)
Director Duties in Sustainable Investment Organizations (40 min)
Board-Level Risk Oversight: Climate, Reputational, and Regulatory Risks (50 min)
Shareholder Engagement: Managing Activist Investors and Proposals (45 min)
Case Study: Board Crisis - Responding to ESG Controversy at Board Level

Policy Influence & Standard-Setting

Module 6 • Includes master class

Module details

Learn how to influence policy and standards responsibly—across regulators, industry bodies, and NGOs. Build advocacy skills (comment letters, consultations, policy papers), coalition strategies, media positioning, and global coordination for multi-jurisdictional agendas.

What's included

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Policy strategy

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Coalition building

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Master class

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Topics covered

• Module 6

Understanding the Policy Ecosystem: Regulators, Industry Bodies, NGOs (40 min)
Effective Advocacy: Comment Letters, Consultations, and Policy Papers (45 min)
Coalition Building: Working with Industry Associations (40 min)
Media Relations: Positioning Your Organization in Policy Debates (45 min)
Contributing to Standard-Setting: ISSB, GRI, TCFD Processes (50 min)
Regulatory Strategy: Anticipating and Preparing for Future Regulation (45 min)
Global Policy Coordination: Managing Multi-Jurisdictional Advocacy (40 min)
Master Class: Conversation with Former SEC Commissioner / EU Policy Official

Thought Leadership & Industry Influence

Module 7 • Includes project

Module details

Build a credible public voice in sustainable finance. Learn how to develop a niche, publish research, write op-eds, speak effectively, plan a book, and run executive social media and media interviews—supported by a deliberate network strategy.

What's included

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Publishing

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Speaking & media

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12-month plan

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Topics covered

• Module 7

Developing Your Unique Perspective: Finding Your Thought Leadership Niche (40 min)
Research Publication: From Idea to Published Paper (50 min)
Op-Ed Writing: Crafting Influential Opinion Pieces (35 min)
Speaking Strategy: Building Your Conference and Media Presence (45 min)
Book Writing: Planning and Executing an Industry Book (40 min)
Social Media for Executives: LinkedIn, Twitter/X Strategy (30 min)
Podcast and Media Interviews: Mastering the Long-Form Conversation (40 min)
Building a Personal Advisory Board and Network (35 min)
Project: Develop Your 12-Month Thought Leadership Plan

Complex Stakeholder Management

Module 8 • Includes simulation

Module details

Master multi-party stakeholder environments—clients, beneficiaries, NGOs, media, regulators, and internal power structures. Learn negotiation strategies, crisis response, and how to navigate anti-ESG backlash while protecting organizational trust and legitimacy.

What's included

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Stakeholder mapping

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Negotiation

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Simulation

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Topics covered

• Module 8

Multi-Stakeholder Analysis: Mapping Competing Interests (45 min)
Client Relationship Management at Institutional Scale (40 min)
Managing Beneficiary and Public Expectations (45 min)
Engaging with Civil Society and NGOs Strategically (40 min)
Navigating Political Pressure: Anti-ESG Backlash and Response (50 min)
Media Crisis Management: Protecting Organizational Reputation (45 min)
Negotiation Mastery: High-Stakes Discussions with Multiple Parties (50 min)
Simulation: Multi-Party Negotiation Exercise

Innovation & Future of Sustainable Finance

Module 9 • Includes workshop

Module details

Prepare for what’s next: innovation labs, emerging technologies, biodiversity finance, just transition, regenerative finance, and scenario planning for 2030/2050 landscapes. Build the skills to design new products and frameworks with credibility.

What's included

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Innovation strategy

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Future asset classes

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Design workshop

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Topics covered

• Module 9

Innovation Strategy: Building an ESG Innovation Lab (45 min)
Emerging Technologies: AI, Blockchain, Quantum in Sustainable Finance (50 min)
Nature and Biodiversity Finance: Designing the Next Asset Class (55 min)
Just Transition Finance: Social Equity in Climate Action (45 min)
Regenerative Finance: Beyond Sustainability (40 min)
Developing New Standards and Frameworks (45 min)
Scenario Planning: 2030 and 2050 Sustainable Finance Landscapes (50 min)
Workshop: Design a Novel Sustainable Finance Product or Framework

Legacy & Long-Term Impact

Module 10 • Includes reflection

Module details

Consolidate your long-term leadership impact—defining legacy, building institutional memory, designing succession plans, creating centers of excellence, and contributing to teaching and research. Close with structured reflection and a personal roadmap.

What's included

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Legacy roadmap

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Institution building

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Reflection

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Topics covered

• Module 10

Defining Your Legacy: What You Want to Be Known For (40 min)
Institutional Memory: Creating Enduring Capabilities (45 min)
Succession Planning: Preparing Your Organization for Transition (40 min)
Creating Centers of Excellence and Research Institutes (45 min)
Endowments and Charitable Vehicles for Impact (35 min)
Teaching and Academic Contributions (40 min)
Reflection: Career Arc and Continuous Evolution

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Earn a Master Coach certificate

Receive your Master Coach in Sustainable Finance certificate after completing the full pathway. Showcase it on LinkedIn, CVs, and internal profiles to signal executive-level capability in leadership, advisory, coaching, and governance.

What leaders say about this Master/Coach program

Meera Iyer

Head of Sustainable Investing • Asset Management

“What I valued most was the executive-level framing. The board communication and C-suite dynamics lessons helped me tighten our ESG narrative and anticipate the questions directors actually ask—without slipping into jargon or overclaiming.”

Kunal Sharma

Transformation Lead • Institutional Investor

“The organisational transformation module is incredibly practical. The maturity diagnostic and multi-year roadmap approach gave me a blueprint I could take straight into our operating model review—especially for aligning incentives and managing internal resistance.”

Laura Chen

ESG Strategy Advisor • Consulting

“As someone who advises senior stakeholders, the consulting methodology and workshop design pieces were gold. It sharpened how I scope engagements, deliver difficult messages, and build long-term advisory relationships—while keeping integrity front and centre.”

Ahmed El-Sayed

Risk & Governance Executive • Financial Services

“The focus on governance, fiduciary duty, and crisis leadership is exactly what’s missing in most ESG courses. The greenwashing crisis case and stakeholder negotiation simulation helped me stress-test our escalation playbooks and strengthen how we handle reputational risk.”

Frequently asked questions

Is this Master/Coach program a finance course, a leadership course, or both?

It’s both—but built for senior professionals. The program focuses on executive leadership, organisational transformation, governance, and coaching skills specifically applied to sustainable investment management. You’ll learn how to lead ESG integration at enterprise scale, not just understand ESG concepts.

Who is this program best suited for?

It’s designed for senior leaders and advisors: portfolio leaders, CIO/CFO/CSO office teams, heads of ESG/sustainable investing, risk and governance leaders, consultants, and professionals who guide investment organisations through ESG transformation—or coach others to do it.

Do I need advanced ESG technical skills before joining?

You don’t need to be a quant specialist, but you should have a working familiarity with ESG and sustainable investing. This is a leadership-and-implementation program—focused on decision-making, governance, stakeholder strategy, organisational design, and coaching high-performance teams.

What practical outcomes will I take back to my organisation or clients?

You’ll leave with reusable playbooks: an ESG integration maturity diagnostic, a multi-year transformation roadmap approach, board-ready reporting patterns, a stakeholder/political mapping method, and your own coaching framework—plus templates for executive workshops and advisory engagement scoping.

Does the program cover governance, fiduciary duty, and board-level risk oversight?

Yes. Governance and fiduciary leadership are core modules. You’ll learn how boards evaluate ESG strategy, how to design board dashboards, how investment committees operate, and how to manage climate, regulatory, and reputational risk—especially during controversies or greenwashing allegations.

How is coaching covered—will I actually learn a coaching method?

Yes. You’ll learn coaching fundamentals, the GROW model applied to ESG challenges, facilitation for workshops/offsites, mentoring next-gen leaders, and a train-the-trainer approach. You’ll also develop your personal coaching framework as a practical deliverable.

Is this relevant if I’m a consultant or internal advisor?

Very. The program includes advisory and consulting methodologies: conducting maturity assessments, scoping and pricing engagements, designing executive workshops, delivering difficult messages, and building long-term advisory relationships—grounded in sustainable investment transformation work.

What makes this “Master/Coach” level compared to expert or practitioner programs?

This level is about leading and enabling others. You move beyond frameworks and tools into executive influence, organisational change, governance, stakeholder negotiation, policy influence, thought leadership, and legacy building—so you can drive transformation across institutions and coach teams through it.