Dr Julia Morley (MAR 3.22) and Dr Xi Li (MAR 3.40) 

This course is available on the BSc in Accounting and Finance, BSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, BSc in Economics and Diploma in Accounting and Finance. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

In the past decade, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues have attracted enormous attention from investors, regulators, and other stakeholders. This is evidenced by the exponential growth of sustainable investing in global capital markets and the mandating of ESG-related disclosures across the world.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of business ethics, sustainability reporting, and responsible investing. It evaluates the potential benefits of firms disclosing ESG information, as well as significant challenges to be overcome, including the risk of greenwashing. Students will learn about existing and emerging ESG regulations and frameworks for ESG performance metrics. The course also explores how key capital market participants, such as asset managers, analysts, and banks, could incorporate ESG information into their investment decisions.

Students will take away from this course an understanding of the foundations and evolution of corporate ESG activities, the pros and cons of ESG disclosure, and the adoption of ESG information by different market participants.

30 hours of seminars in the WT.

Comprising 10 weeks of twice-weekly 1.5 hour sessions.  There will be a reading week in week 6. 

The course invites students to critically reflect on recent developments in the field of sustainability accounting and comment on real world examples and case studies. Students will have the opportunity to submit a formative group project on which they will receive feedback.

Students are expected to contribute to discussions in each session.

No one book covers the entire syllabus. In addition to professional and academic journals, reading will cover the following

• Laine, M., Tregidga, H. and Unerman, J. (2021) Sustainability Accounting and Accountability (3rd ed.), Routledge;

Students will also be referred to relevant examples of corporate and other reports, and websites. Detailed course programmes and reading lists will be distributed at the first lecture of the course.

Exam (60%, duration: 2 hours, reading time: 15 minutes) in the spring exam period.
Group project (40%) in the WT.

Further details relating to assessment and coursework, as well as feedback, will be made available on Moodle nearer the scheduled start time of the course and will be updated as the course progresses with specific instructions, guidance, and feedback.