CPTEnglishBeginner· ESG & Sustainability

Introduction to ESG and Sustainable Development for Finance Professionals

Build your ESG foundation: principles, reporting, and sustainable finance in Hong Kong.

0.75h 27 lessons

What you'll learn

Explain the core concepts of ESG and their relevance to finance and investment
Describe the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and their current global progress
Identify the structure and key disclosure requirements of the HKEx ESG Reporting Code
Distinguish between mandatory disclosures and comply-or-explain provisions in ESG reporting
Recognize how corporate governance frameworks connect to ESG strategy and oversight
Apply foundational ESG knowledge to support responsible investment and compliance decisions

About this course

Course Overview

This beginner-level course provides finance professionals in Hong Kong with a comprehensive introduction to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and sustainable development. You will explore the global sustainability agenda through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), understand how ESG factors are integrated into corporate reporting, and discover how governance frameworks connect to responsible investment practice.

What You Will Cover

The course draws on the latest SDG progress data, the HKEx ESG Reporting Code, and corporate governance best practices relevant to listed companies in Hong Kong. You will examine key ESG subject areas — from emissions and climate change to social aspects and anti-corruption — and understand how boards and management teams are expected to oversee and disclose ESG-related risks and opportunities.

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for finance professionals, compliance officers, investment analysts, and relationship managers who are new to ESG and wish to build a solid foundational understanding. It counts toward Continuing Professional Training (CPT) requirements and is designed to be completed in approximately one hour.

How this course satisfies CPT

This course covers ESG & Sustainability topics recognised by the SFC as eligible for CPT. Upon completion, you'll earn approximately 0.75 CPT hours and receive a certificate of completion for your training records. The course includes quizzes to verify your understanding, satisfying the SFC's requirement that online learning includes an independent assessment and maintains a reliable audit trail.

Learn more about CPT requirements

Curriculum · 27 lessons

56:06 of content

1.
SDG Report 2025: A Comprehensive Global Assessment
FREE
2:08
2.
Ten Years In: A Critical Juncture for 2030
FREE
1:51
3.
Overall SDG Progress: Only 35 Percent on Track
FREE
1:52
4.
Climate Change: Record Temperatures and Rising Emissions
2:07
5.
Biodiversity Crisis: Nature Declining at Unprecedented Rates
2:21
6.
Quiz: SDG Report 2025: A Comprehensive Global Assessment – Biodiversity Crisis: Nature Declining at Unprecedented Rates
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons
7.
Goal 1: Extreme Poverty and Social Protection Milestones
2:06
8.
Goal 2: Global Hunger and Food Insecurity Persist
2:00
9.
Goal 7: Energy Access and the Clean Cooking Gap
2:16
10.
Goal 8: Informal Employment and Youth Labor Challenges
2:08
11.
Goal 17: Debt Burdens, ODA Decline and Digital Divide
1:57
12.
Quiz: Goal 1: Extreme Poverty and Social Protection Milestones – Goal 17: Debt Burdens, ODA Decline and Digital Divide
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons
13.
Six Critical Transitions for SDG Achievement
2:09
14.
Key Takeaways and a Renewed Call to Collective Action
1:55
15.
Environmental Social and Governance Reporting Code
2:11
16.
Understanding the ESG Reporting Code Structure
2:18
17.
ESG Subject Areas and Their Dimensions
2:14
18.
Quiz: Six Critical Transitions for SDG Achievement – ESG Subject Areas and Their Dimensions
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons
19.
The Two-Tiered Disclosure Framework
2:12
20.
Materiality as a Reporting Principle
2:10
21.
Board Responsibility for ESG Strategy Reporting
1:59
22.
Mandatory Disclosure Reporting Boundary
1:55
23.
Aspect A1 Emissions Disclosure Requirements
2:11
24.
Quiz: The Two-Tiered Disclosure Framework – Aspect A1 Emissions Disclosure Requirements
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons
25.
Environmental Aspects Under Comply or Explain
2:04
26.
Aspect A2 Use of Resources Disclosure Requirements
1:58
27.
Social Aspects Under Comply or Explain
2:28
28.
Aspect B1 Employment Practices
1:46
29.
Aspect B2 Health and Safety
2:02
30.
Quiz: Environmental Aspects Under Comply or Explain – Aspect B2 Health and Safety
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons
31.
Aspect B7 Anti-Corruption
1:48
32.
Linking Corporate Governance and ESG Integration
2:00
33.
Quiz: Aspect B7 Anti-Corruption – Linking Corporate Governance and ESG Integration
QUIZ
5 questions · requires lessons

Requirements

Basic familiarity with Hong Kong financial markets and listed companies
No prior ESG knowledge is required — this is a beginner-level course
Suitable for finance, compliance, legal, and investment professionals seeking CPT credit

Certificate of Completion

Complete this course to earn a verifiable Certificate of Completion for your CPT training record. Here's how:

1Watch all the lessons — work through every lesson in the curriculum. Each completed lesson brings your progress closer to 100%.
2Pass all the quizzes — score 70% or higher in each quiz within the course. Quizzes are part of the curriculum and must be passed to finish.
3Download your certificate — once you reach 100% progress, download a personalised Certificate of Completion showing your name, the CPT hours earned, and your quiz score.

Sample certificate: