ISF® Certification Scheme
Over $37 trillion in assets under management claim to incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their investing strategy. Despite the difficulties of working with incomplete data sets, portfolio managers must assess the impact of a company’s ESG aspects with skill. Furthermore, investors and regulators must manage growing skepticism of ESG claims, attempting to distinguish the green from the greenwash. They’re caught in a conundrum, having to satisfy growing shareholder demand for returns on sustainable and value-driven portfolios while competing against benchmark funds that solely look at short-term performance.
The ISF® certification scheme for Financial Professionals is an amazing interaction between IASE’s renowned financial competence with the innovative ESG research undertaken by the prominent IASE faculty. As a result, investment professionals now have a powerful, actionable toolkit for implementing, measuring, modeling, and optimizing ESG-asset integration in their portfolios for long-term value creation.
ISF® Certification Scheme
Becoming a ISF® holder is a defining moment for many ESG professionals and exemplifies the possession of solid ESG knowledge as well as its application in the real world. We outline everything you need to know to prepare for the ISF® Programme, so you can feel confident when enrolling.
Who is this certification for?
ISF® Certification is for people who work in or want to work in financial services jobs like investment managers, wealth managers, financial advisors, insurance agents, accountants, finance managers, and treasurers.
Benefits of Certification?
IASE’s multi-level, competency-based ISF® Certification Programme recognises ESG professionals’ knowledge and skills while also promoting their lifelong ESG career advancement.
ISF® Certification Levels
The IASE multi-level competency-based ESG certification programmes recognise your knowledge and skills while also assisting you in your lifelong ESG career advancement. Each level has its own set of eligibility requirements and competency-based assessment (i.e., board exam) that is aligned with the syllabus.
The IASE multi-level competency-based ISF® Certification Programme recognise your knowledge and skills while also assisting you in your lifelong ESG career advancement. Each level has its own set of eligibility requirements and competency-based assessment (i.e., board exam) that is aligned with the IASE syllabus.
Individuals’ competencies will grow and develop as they advance in their careers. At each key milestone, the individual will have developed or gained a new level of competency that can be recognised, allowing for a clear distinction between certification levels. The certification level encourages ESG professionals to seek advancement through specific learning and development to help them reach the level they want.
IASE certification programmes will assess and measure an individual’s competencies at any given level, ensuring that both the ESG professional and the employer are aware of what is expected at each level.
| LEVELS | DESCRIPTION | CERTIFICATION |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Recognises individuals entering the ESG field | ISF® ADVISOR |
| Level 2 | Recognises ESG professionals who have at least 2 years of ESG experience. | ISF® SPECIALIST |
| Level 3 | Requirements to be announced soon | ISF® EXPERT |
Individuals’ competencies will grow and develop as they advance in their careers. At each key milestone, the individual will have developed or gained a new level of competency that can be recognised, allowing for a clear distinction between certification levels. The certification level encourages ESG professionals to seek advancement through specific learning and development to help them reach the level they want.
IASE certification programmes will assess and measure an individual’s competencies at any given level, ensuring that both the ESG professional and the employer are aware of what is expected at each level.
| LEVELS | DESCRIPTION | CERTIFICATION |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Recognises individuals entering the ESG field | ISF® ADVISOR |
| Level 2 | Recognises ESG professionals who have at least 2 years of ESG experience. | ISF® SPECIALIST |
| Level 3 | Requirements to be announced soon | ISF® EXPERT |
Eligibility Requirements for ISF® Certification
General requirements
In addition to the above specific requirements, candidates must also meet the following general requirements to be awarded the ISF® Certification
- Candidate must be a minimum of 16 years old at the time of applying for certification
All of our board exams are available as online remote proctored exams, which require a desktop or laptop computer, an internet connection, a working webcam, and a microphone.
Register for ISF® Board Exams
ISF® Level 1 Board Exam
ISF® Level 2 Board Exam
ISF® Level 3 Board Exam
IASE endorses courses delivered by Approved Training Providers to help candidates prepare for all of its Board Exams.
