Masterclass in Sustainable Investing

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Course Director:

John is a prominent advisor in environmental investment funds with a 25-year track record in financial planning. As the Owner and Managing Director of various research and investment businesses, he has provided counsel to notable charitable trusts and organisations including WWF-UK, Greenpeace, Vivienne Westwood Ltd, Carbon Tracker, and Client Earth. John has held key positions such as Chair of the Ethical Investment Association (EIA), Director of UKSIF, and Head of Responsible Investment at Helm Godfrey.

About

This masterclass delves into sustainable and impact investing products tailored for not for profit organisations and guides participants through developing and implementing financial-first and mission-aligned investment strategies within the retail markets. Participants will learn how to align portfolio construction with their organisation’s values and mission, meet impact mandates, and balance financial returns. They will also gain skills to translate organisational impact goals into actionable investment targets.

Format

3x sessions of 90 minutes

Online

Dates

29 April – 13 May 2025

Each session integrates aspects of financial analysis, strategic planning, social and environmental impact, and the regulatory and policy context relevant to not for profits. Designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by not for profit organisations, this masterclass provides a comprehensive overview of financial products and impact frameworks, emphasising actionable insights. Guest interviews, podcasts, and real-world case studies from the not for profit sector to enrich the learning experience.

The course is designed for decision-makers, including not for profit executives, financial officers, program directors, and trustees, who oversee or influence investment strategies within their organisations. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Set parameters for evaluating sustainable and impact investment opportunities that align with their organisation’s mission and financial objectives.
Track and assess how asset managers implement sustainable and impact strategies, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s goals.
Develop mission-aligned investment strategies tailored to not for profit objectives.
Lead or contribute to investor-corporate dialogues on sustainability and ESG, ensuring investments reflect the not for profit’s mission and ethical stance.
Analyse key concepts such as impact investing, thematic investing, and responsible investing from a not for profit perspective, with practical applications at the portfolio and project levels

Lectures are designed to empower not for profit professionals to integrate sustainable finance practices into their organisations and take on leadership roles in advancing impact investing initiatives.

Fees

Free

Applications

Places on this course are strictly limited to those who have primary employment in:

central or local government
regulatory agencies
supervisory authorities
central banks
multilateral institutions
non-profit civil society organisations
registered charities
philanthropic organisations

Evidence of this may be requested and required.

To apply please complete the application form, for both individual and group bookings. We aim to respond within 10 working days of receipt of the application.

Objectives

By the end of this Masterclass participants will be able to:

Discuss and comment on the range of sustainable products and services available to investors.
Understand how to use an impact investing approach to grow your organisation’s mission and increase access to funding.
Break down key concepts like impact investing, responsible investing, and the theory of change to apply them in a not for profit context.
Learn how to turn your organisation’s goals into clear, actionable targets for investment strategies.
Discover how to assess sustainable and impact funds based on your organisation’s mission, risk tolerance, and financial expectations.
Understand how financial regulators assess risks and opportunities and how this applies to your organisation’s impact and valuation.
Describe some of the frameworks and tools commonly used to measure and report impacts, and identify key organisations and approaches involved

Masterclass syllabus

Session one

Session 1: Foundations of Sustainable and Impact Investing

Focus: History, Key Concepts, and Introduction to Not for Profit Applications.

Historical Context and Evolution

Origins and growth of sustainable and impact investing
Key milestones in responsible investing globally and in the not for profit sector

Core Concepts

Theory of Change

Key investment strategies: impact investing, thematic investing, responsible investing.
Understanding financial-first vs. mission-aligned approaches

Not for Profit Investment Challenges and Opportunities

Unique financial sustainability needs of not for profits
Importance of aligning investments with mission and values

Session 2: Regulatory Frameworks and Risk Management

Focus: Policies, Regulations, and Risk Assessment for Not for Profit

Regulatory and Policy Landscape

Key regulatory bodies (e.g., SASB, SDR, TCFD, CSRD, TNFD, MiFD, EU Taxonomy) and their relevance to not for profits
Emerging standards for impact disclosure and reporting (GRI, Impact Frontiers)
Understanding fiduciary responsibility in sustainable investing
UK Trustees Act 2000 and Charities Act 2011

Identifying and Managing ESG Risks

Financial risks associated with environmental and social issues
Evaluating risks and opportunities through sustainability frameworks

Impact Investing in Practice

Overview of sustainable and impact investment products for not for profits
Tools to evaluate mission alignment, risk, and return
Identifying greenwashing risks

Session 3: Defining Impact

Focus: Standards, Metrics, and Stakeholder Communication

Measuring and Tracking Impact

Key metrics and methodologies for impact measurement (e.g., IRIS+, SDGs alignment)
Tools to translate impact goals into actionable targets

Reporting on Financial and Mission Impact

How to communicate impact to stakeholders, donors, and boards
Integrating financial performance and mission-aligned outcomes in reports

Advancing the Not for Profit Agenda Through Investment

Strategies for advocating mission-aligned investing to leadership
Leading investor-corporate dialogues on sustainability and ESG

Download Course Brochure

OxSFG was established in 2012 and is a multidisciplinary research centre working to be the world’s best place for research and teaching on sustainable finance and investment. We work globally across asset classes, finance professions, and with different parts of the financial system.