Sustainable finance is reshaping the financial sector by linking environmental, social, and governance factors to business performance and risk management. This training equips professionals with the knowledge and tools to implement ESG strategies, understand regulations, and assess sustainable investments.

This masterclass is organised in collaboration with HEC Liège - School of Management and leads to a joint certificate issued by Febelfin Academy and HEC Liège. It combines academic excellence with real-world industry expertise, offering participants an unparalleled opportunity to master the principles, regulations, and practices of sustainable and climate finance.

The objectives of this training are to:

• understand the fundamentals of sustainable finance and ESG principles;
• recognize governance, regulatory, and reporting requirements in the EU context;
• apply ESG strategies and assess their impact on banking and investment decisions;
• develop practical skills through case studies and portfolio exercises;
• learn from industry experts through panels, guest lectures, and interactive sessions.

CONTENT

Day 1 – Foundations & Strategy of Sustainable Finance

• Foundations of Sustainable & Climate Finance by Mrs. Caterina Santi (Associate Professor of Finance HEC Liège Management School)
  • Introduction to sustainable finance: principles, definitions, and international context
  • Definitions and principles
  • Historical milestones (UN SDGs, Paris Agreement)
  • Key stakeholders: regulators, investors, corporates
  • Sustainable finance instruments and practices
  • Global and EU initiatives

• Governance as the Engine of ESG Integration by Mrs. Anne-Catherine Delaye-Noirot (Head of Responsible Investing at Belfius Asset Management)
  • ESG as a governance & decision issue 
  • Governance foundations
  • ESG challenges in practice
  • How governance drives ESG
  • Short-term vs long-term trade-offs
  • Investor influence 
  • Effective ESG governance examples

• Social Responsibility & ESG ROI by Mrs. Karine Vandenberghe (lecturer Febelfin Academy & ESG advisor ResultX)
  • From compliance to value creation: impact on financial performance.
  • Real impact on customers, investors, employees
  • Proven actions and case examples
  • Practical exercise: analyzing sustainability profitability
  • Building long-term sustainability strategies
  • Turning sustainability into business value

• Case Study Exercise by Mrs. Karine Vandenberghe (lecturer Febelfin Academy & ESG advisor ResultX)
  • Translating ESG goals into measurable KPIs and ROI simulations.
  • Quantifying ESG objectives
  • Analyzing profitability drivers
  • Developing KPIs for ESG monitoring

• Panel Discussion: Sustainability as a Strategic Lever
  • Experts discuss sustainability as a competitive advantage.
  • Best practices in ESG integration
  • Challenges balancing shareholder expectations
  • Opportunities from ESG innovation and regulation

Day 2 – Regulation, ESG Disclosure, Risk & Reporting

• EU Sustainable Finance Framework by Mr. Benoît Sauvage (lecturer HEC Liège Management School & Head of AML -Regulatory management Handelsbanken)
  • Overview of the European sustainable finance regulatory architecture.
  • EU Green Deal overview
  • EU Taxonomy: objectives, scope, and classification
  • CSRD and SFDR: disclosure requirements and timelines
  • Interaction with global standards (ISSB, TCFD)

• ESG & Regulatory Reporting for Banks by Mr. Ruben Olieslagers (lecturer Febelfin Academy & Head of CFO Office at BNP Paribas Fortis)
  • Reporting requirements and challenges for banks and insurers.
  • EU climate/ESG risk frameworks (EC, ECB, EBA)
  • ESG standards and best practices for banks
  • Data management: quality, traceability, collection, and reporting
  • Case study: Preparing for CSRD compliance

• Greenwashing and Data Challenges in ESG by Mr. Ruben Olieslagers (lecturer Febelfin Academy & Head of CFO Office at BNP Paribas Fortis) & Mr. Ro Van den broeck (International Relations & Sustainability Policy FSMA)
  • Data quality and greenwashing risks in ESG context.
  • Importance of data quality and ESG reporting requirements
  • ESG data management cycle and system setup
  • Definition, typology, and case studies of greenwashing
  • Regulatory and supervisory approaches to prevent greenwashing

• Guest Speaker: Regulatory Perspectives on ESG by Mrs. Brenda Van Tendeloo (Climate and environmental risks advisor National Bank of Belgium)
  Insights on supervision and ESG risk expectations from regulators.

Day 3 – Sustainable Investments & Risk Modelling

• Sustainable Investments: Products & Strategies by Mrs. Caterina Santi (Associate Professor of Finance HEC Liège Management School)
  • Introduction to sustainable investment products and market trends.
  • Types of sustainable investment products: green bonds, ESG funds, impact investing
  • Market evolution and investor demand
  • Performance evidence: ESG vs. traditional portfolios
  • Labeling and certification of sustainable products (e.g., EU Green Bond Standard)

• ESG Portfolio Construction & Integration by Mr. Stephan Desplancke (lecturer Febelfin Academy, Founder Toward Wealth Management & Board Member VFB)
  • Practical approaches for integrating ESG factors in portfolios.
  • ESG data integration in asset selection and weighting
  • Screening, best-in-class, thematic investment approaches
  • ESG scoring models and portfolio optimization
  • Impact measurement and performance attribution

• Climate Risk Modelling by Mrs. Oriane Schoonbroodt (Co Founder & Partner for Sustainable Investment and Resilience Lab - Asset & Wealth Management & Partner Leader for Sustainable Investing and Emerging Assurance at Deloitte)
  • Methodologies for assessing and managing climate-related financial risks.
  • Physical and transition risk typology
  • Scenario analysis and stress testing (NGFS, ECB)
  • Quantitative modelling of climate risk exposure
  • Integration into credit and market risk models
  • Useof data analytics for climate risk assesment

• Hands-on Exercise: ESG Portfolio & Risk Analysis
  Practical session building and analyzing an ESG-compliant portfolio.

Day 4 – Banking, Insurance & Case Studies

• Sustainable Banking & Insurance by Mr. Vincent Delfosse (Managing Director - Chief Operating Officer Deutsche Bank Belgium)
  • How banks and insurers integrate sustainability into products and strategies.
  • Sustainability in banking and insurance business models (EP, GABV)
  • Sustainable lending and green credit practices
  • ESG risk integration in underwriting and product design
  • Green insurance and sustainable finance innovations

• Case Studies in Sustainable & Climate Finance by Mr. Vincent Delfosse  (Managing Director - Chief Operating Officer Deutsche Bank Belgium) & Febelfin Academy
  • Real-world applications of sustainable finance across sectors.
  • Case studies from European and international financial institutions
  • Analysis of ESG integration and performance outcomes
  • Lessons learned from climate finance and impact investing

• Interactive Certification Session: Group Case & Jury Presentation
  • Workshop-based certification exercise.
  • Group work based on acquired knowledge
  • Preparation and analysis of a practical case
  • Presentation and defense before an expert jury
  • Evaluation of analysis quality and presentation skills

• Certification Ceremony & Networking Drink
  • Conclusion of the program with certification and networking.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• Duration: 4 days of training (6 class hours per day)
• Hours: 09:00 to 17:00
• Location: Febelfin Academy: Phoenix building, Koning Albert II-laan/Boulevard du Roi Albert II 19, 1210 Brussels
• Language: This training will be given in English
• Certification: Participants who successfully complete the programme receive a joint certificate issued by Febelfin Academy and HEC Liège, officially recognising their expertise in sustainable & climate finance.
• Qualification and examination information: The program leads to the certification " Certified Professional in Sustainable & Climate Finance" at the conclusion of the full program and after successfully completing the corresponding tests.
  • The tests for day 1, 2 & 3 at the end of the course consist of multiple-choice questions (no disc correction). These tests are made remotely at your (work)place.  One must complete the online tests before the end of the program. You have 2 attempts to pass these tests.  
  • The test for the 4th day consists of group assignment and is administered in class during the scheduled session. This cannot be retaken.
  • For a satisfactory result, you must obtain at least 60% for each test. If you pass, you will receive the certificate proving that you have passed the tests and that you have the required technical knowledge.
• Modular subscription is not possible.

You follow a ‘Classroom training’ face-to-face in a group. You, the other participants and the teacher are all present in the same classroom at an agreed time. There is an opportunity for interaction and feedback, both from the participants to the teacher and vice versa. The teaching material consists as a basis of a presentation via the MyFA learning platform, supplemented with various other items (such as digital syllabus, presentation, audiovisual fragments, etc.).

Training material:

• PowerPoint presentation (slides)
• Case study materials
• Hands-on exercises

• For those who wish to go beyond the basics
• Learn in a group, in a motivating and targeted way
• Deepen your knowledge and obtain recognized continuing professional development hours

• Be on time for the training. It’s best to arrive 10 minutes before it starts.
• Unexpected delay? Inform your on-location contact.
• Febelfin Academy’s reception desk can be reached at +32 (0)2 507 69 61.
• We recommend to review the learning material in advance and prepare your questions.

• To receive your (CPD) participation certificate for a classroom training, your presence and active participation are required throughout the entire session. Interaction is key to our trainings.
• Your (CPD) participation certificate will be published on your MyFA account the day following the course.
• Febelfin Academy wishes you a great learning experience.

The training course can be followed by various target groups:

• Professionals in banking, investment, insurance, and finance who want to deepen their understanding of sustainable finance and ESG integration;
• Compliance officers, risk managers, and legal advisors;
• Anyone involved in ESG strategy, reporting, or sustainable investment initiatives.