Guernsey Finance’s Sustainable Finance Council is teaming up with the GTA University Centre and industry experts to deliver a series of education seminars that will tackle Guernsey’s sustainable finance skills and development.
The appetite for the Sustainable Finance Education Series was identified by a Guernsey Finance survey, which assessed local sustainable finance skills, talent levels and gaps.
The questionnaire aligned to a recent United Nations Development Programme Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) survey, of which Guernsey Finance is a member.
The survey was released in February and was completed by a range of respondents across the finance sector, 64% of whom were board members or executive level management.
Notably, 96.6% of respondents said they believed it was important or urgent to develop sustainable finance skills and talent within their organisations, and 65.5% said demand for sustainable finance skills is present but further upskilling or recruitment is required.
Stephen Nolan, Managing Director of the FC4S Network, said: “The lack of sustainable finance skills is an international challenge.”
“Addressing this talent gap is crucial to the success of the finance industry’s transition to net zero,” added Stephen.
The sessions will start in September 2023 and will cover a range of subjects across sustainable finance, including fiduciary duties, impact investing, sustainable pensions, and building an authentic sustainable office.
Sustainable Finance Council member Dawn Sealey said: “We are delighted to launch the Sustainable Education Series. The results of the questionnaire and our liaison with industry identified a clear need for skilled resources in this area.
“The course has been designed to cover all of Guernsey’s finance sectors and to be relevant for all levels. Attendees will leave each session with practical takeaways that they can implement in their roles.”
The course is suitable for both the younger generation of finance workers and more experienced finance professionals, with 86.2% of survey respondents stating they would expect more in terms of sustainable finance skills from early talent hires in the future.
The first course, titled Sustainability for Directors: The Chapter Zero Toolkit, takes place 28 September. Register for the course here.
