Macroprudential Regulation and Supervision Training

ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training

ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training: Turning ESG Commitments into Evidence Trustees Can Rely On

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Platform:
Online
In-class
Revised and Updated: 17 September 2026
Date Venue Duration
30 November - 04 December 2026 Sandton, Gauteng 5 Days
20 - 22 January 2027 Sandton, Gauteng 3 Days
01 - 05 March 2027 Sandton, Gauteng 5 Days
05 - 07 April 2027 Mombasa, Kenya 3 Days
11 - 15 October 2027 Sandton, Gauteng 5 Days

Course Introduction

Investment committees, beneficiaries, and external reviewers now expect proof that ESG integration shapes real portfolio decisions — not just a policy statement. This course closes that gap, building the practical skills to design ESG policy, run materiality assessments, conduct manager due diligence, and align reporting with recognised frameworks like the PRI, TCFD, and SASB.

You’ll work hands-on with materiality mapping, portfolio screening logic, and stewardship prioritisation, and leave with tools you can put straight to use: an ESG investment policy draft, a stewardship action plan, a materiality matrix, and an ESG reporting outline — all built for decisions made with imperfect data and limited governance bandwidth.

Specialized ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training empowers fund guardians to navigate market shifts while upholding strict ethical oversight, making ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training a vital asset for modern institutional investors.

Course Objectives

This course equips you to design, execute, and report ESG investing initiatives that strengthen pension fund governance, improve portfolio resilience, and support credible stewardship.

 

By the end of this ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training course, you’ll be able to:

 

  • Assess current ESG integration using the PRI and TCFD within pension fund oversight
  • Apply ESG materiality mapping to evaluate climate, social, and governance risks in portfolios
  • Design an ESG investment policy aligned with trustee responsibilities and stewardship expectations
  • Build a pension fund ESG reporting pack with SASB-informed metrics and board-ready narratives
  • Evaluate ESG data quality, provider ratings, and controversy signals across asset classes
  • Navigate stewardship escalation, proxy voting, and engagement requirements for listed holdings
  • Implement ESG KPIs and monitoring dashboards for portfolio review and trustee reporting
  • Synthesise findings into an ESG action plan, risk memo, and investment committee briefing

Course Benefits

  • Trustee-Ready Evidence: Move beyond an ESG statement to policy, data, and reporting that stand up in trustee reviews.
  • Sharper Fiduciary Oversight: Connect ESG risk, stewardship activity, and governance decisions directly to fiduciary duty.
  • Defensible Data Practices: Learn to navigate ratings divergence and data gaps with controls you can explain and defend.
  • Stronger Stewardship Outcomes: Build prioritised engagement and proxy voting practices that produce a real audit trail.
  • Board-Ready Reporting: Leave with an ESG investment policy draft, materiality matrix, stewardship plan, and reporting outline ready to table.

Who should attend?

This ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training Course is designed for:

  • Pension Fund Trustees
  • Chief Investment Officers
  • Pension Investment Managers
  • ESG Analysts
  • Risk Managers
  • Governance Managers
  • Responsible Investment Leads
  • Portfolio Managers
  • Compliance Officers
  • Finance or Reporting Leads
Finance Courses

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

Module 1: Foundations of ESG Investing for Pension Funds
  • Defining the scope of ESG investing for pension funds
  • Fiduciary duty, risk, return, and long-term liabilities
  • PRI principles for responsible investment
  • The TCFD structure for climate-related financial risk
  • SASB materiality logic and its relevance to investment decisions
  • Practical Exercise: Map your fund's ESG decision points.

Module 2: ESG Materiality and Risk Assessment
  • Running a materiality assessment for pension portfolios
  • ESG risk taxonomy across environmental, social, and governance themes
  • Reading climate transition and physical risk signals
  • Human capital and supply-chain controversy analysis
  • Designing an ESG risk register for investment governance
  • Practical Exercise: Build a materiality matrix for one portfolio.

Module 3: Evaluating ESG Data and Ratings
  • ESG data providers and their coverage limitations
  • Understanding ratings divergence and methodology differences
  • Working with controversy data, scoring, and watchlists
  • AI-assisted ESG screening workflows and data triage
  • Spreadsheet-based portfolio comparison and dashboard tracking
  • Practical Exercise: Compare ratings for a model pension portfolio.

Module 4: Integrating ESG into Portfolios under PRI
  • Negative screening and norm-based screening approaches
  • Best-in-class and thematic allocation logic
  • Integration across listed equity and fixed income
  • ESG due diligence considerations for private markets
  • Manager questionnaires and investment mandate clauses
  • Practical Exercise: Design an ESG integration checklist for managers.

Module 5: Stewardship, Voting, and Engagement
  • Proxy voting policy and voting rationale
  • Prioritising engagement and setting escalation pathways
  • Collaborative engagement through PRI-aligned initiatives
  • Keeping stewardship records and tracking outcomes
  • Drafting engagement letters with issue-specific objectives
  • Practical Exercise: Draft a stewardship action plan for your holdings.

Module 6: ESG Policy Design and Trustee Governance
  • Structuring an ESG investment policy
  • Trustee oversight roles and committee reporting
  • Integrating ESG with investment beliefs and IPS documents
  • Governance controls, accountability, and review cycles
  • Digital reporting templates for policy monitoring
  • Practical Exercise: Construct an ESG policy outline for trustees.

Module 7: ESG Reporting and Action Planning
  • Selecting ESG KPIs and setting a monitoring cadence
  • SASB-informed reporting signals for investors
  • Building a TCFD-informed risk narrative and scenario summary
  • Structuring investment committee briefings and decision logs
  • Practical Exercise: Create an ESG reporting pack and action plan.

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Success Stories

Discover how our courses enhance professionals’ effectiveness in their workplaces.

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What made the sessions exceptionally helpful was the deliberate focus on actionable strategies rather than just high-level concepts. The structured approach kept the content engaging. It was a highly impactful professional development experience.

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It has been a really fruitful and helpful training. Many thanks to PROSPEN AFRICA and the facilitator Olufemi. This is definitely going to make my work life easier and meaningful.

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The course really taught us deep in to Payroll and made us aware of things we were not aware of.

Telekom Networks Malawi PLC

Financial Analysis, Modelling and Forecasting

The training was very insightful and the facilitator was very engaging which made everything easier to understand and follow. It has really equipped us in our areas of lack and we feel confident now on our next assignments on forecasts and analysis

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The course was practical, informative and relevant

FAQs – ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training

Master Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) integration frameworks, fiduciary duty alignment, sustainable asset allocation, and climate risk reporting to optimize long-term portfolio returns for pension fund investments.

What topics are covered in the ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training?
The course covers Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) integration frameworks, fiduciary duty in sustainable investing, climate risk management, impact investing strategies, regulatory compliance (including Regulation 28 requirements), and ESG reporting for retirement funds.
Who should attend this ESG investing training program?
This course is designed for pension fund trustees, principal officers, investment committee members, fund managers, institutional asset managers, risk officers, and financial advisors managing retirement portfolios.
What are the key learning objectives of this course?
Delegates learn to evaluate material ESG risks, align fund investment mandates with sustainability goals, fulfill fiduciary responsibilities under evolving regulations, monitor asset manager ESG compliance, and assess long-term climate impact on portfolio performance.
How long is the ESG Investing for Pension Funds Training course?
The training is delivered as an intensive 3-day practical masterclass featuring portfolio risk assessments, trustee decision-making simulations, regulatory compliance workshops, and real-world institutional case studies.
What practical skills will participants gain from this training?
Participants gain hands-on skills in drafting ESG policy statements, evaluating asset manager ESG scorecards, identifying greenwashing risks, integrating climate metrics into risk models, and reporting ESG performance to fund members.
Can Prospen Africa deliver this training as customized in-house training?
Yes. Prospen Africa provides tailored on-site and in-house group training, customizing investment frameworks, fund governance modules, and ESG case studies to align directly with your pension fund's specific mandate and investment strategy.

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