Why this programme
Often for corporations and financial institutions, ‘duty’ is less important than ‘profit’. The Sustainable Finance programme reverses this dynamic, focusing instead on the application of sustainability principles to management, corporate strategy, accounting, reporting and marketing. Included in this are issues such as sustainable banking, investing, real estate and micro-credit. Sustainable Finance will equip you to pair sustainability with profitability now and into the future.
Ties to research
Maastricht University’s School of Business and Economics (SBE) is a world leader in sustainable finance. SBE was internationally recognised for cutting-edge research in the field long before it landed on the agenda of America’s Ivy League schools and other European institutions. The Finance Department also founded two leading institutes for sustainable finance research: the European Centre for Corporate Engagement (ECCE) and the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB). These institutes collaborate with pension funds, rating agencies, corporations and regulators to conduct research and develop tools that matter to practitioners.
Student profile
Sustainability is no longer a luxury or a niche topic — it is rapidly becoming central to all government, social and business decisions. Recognising this reality means that Sustainable Finance might be for you. You should have a strong awareness of your duty to society and your place in the business world and should be able to bridge the apparent contradictions between these two. Of course, you should also be interested in analysing and solving financial, investment and business problems within the context of environmental, social, and governmental sustainability.