Robeco has produced a series of educational stories that take the reader through SI in easy steps. Aimed at investment professionals, or those considering their first steps in sustainability, we explain what SI is, and how far it has come.

From its origins as a protest against slavery, SI is now a multi trillion-dollar global business, and is no longer solely focused on environmental issues, but social and governance (ESG) as well. Most people profess an interest in it, even if they have reservations about how it can work for them.

In our contact with financial institutions, we noticed the need for educational materials which are not commercial but can help advisors to understand themes. This program should therefore help professional investors such as private bankers to understand and explain themes like sustainability to their end-clients.

SI Essentials has therefore been designed to give someone sufficient knowledge, with a test at the end. This can then be used as part of a self-study programs, including those seeking hours that count towards Continuous Professional Development (CPD) certification.

As a pioneer in this field, we have tried to explain the essence of what we have learned in all those years about this fascinating subject. The SI Essentials program has nine chapters, taking the reader through the basics, into more advanced issues, and then summarizing what has been learnt before the test can be taken.

“Demand for sustainable investing is increasing from your clients, while studies show that clients perceive a lack of advice. To an economist, a lack of supply and increasing demand means an opportunity”, says Masja Zandbergen, Head of ESG Integration at Robeco.

“If you want to advise your clients on sustainable investing, the first step to take is to build up knowledge on one of the biggest investment themes of our time. They may not realize just how far SI has come since its early days as a protest movement, when exclusions were the only option available. Now there are a wide range of highly advanced tools with which to use SI, particularly in the field of integrating ESG factors into the investment process.”

“So, don’t be left behind. If you still think sustainability means objecting to things rather than adopting them, you need to read our SI Essentials series, and get up to speed with the latest developments!”

We hope you will enjoy reading it and taking the test, and that it will inspire you to discuss SI with your clients and others. We also plan a future educational module on another celebrated Robeco pillar, factor investing.