AC310-Responsible Investment and Sustainability Reporting

Module Provider: Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Email: c.s.ailenotor@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Responsible Investment and Sustainability Reporting provide the student with an understanding of the evolution of corporate reporting and how nonfinancial factors play an increasingly important role in the investment process. This is achieved through critical analysis and discussion of the academic and professional status quo, relying heavily on academic and professional research publications and case study analysis.

Aims:

This module aims to provide third year undergraduate students with an understanding of the concepts, theory and practice of responsible investment and sustainability reporting in order to broaden their knowledge of accounting and financial management to incorporate issues of social and environmental accountability. The module is developed in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module it is expected that students will be able to:

1.Explain the historic development of sustainability reporting and responsible investment 

2.Assess the need for institutional investors to adopt the Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) at a global level

3.Evaluate the need for companies to disclose social, ethical and environmental information for their investors

4.Comment on current debates on responsible investment, sustainability reporting and integrated reporting

5.Discuss the materiality of social, ethical and environmental issues to the institutional investment community

6.Evaluate the competing theoretical frameworks which seek to explain why companies report sustainability information voluntarily as well as theories underlying the growth of ethical and responsible investment

7.Appreciate the growing importance of integrating social, ethical and environmental issues into accounting and institutional investment

Additional outcomes:

Structured activities are designed to develop transferrable skills such as written, presentation and communication skills necessary for working in a business environment.

Outline content:

1. Theories of voluntary social, ethical and environmental reporting

2. Theories underlying ethical and responsible investment

3. Materiality of social, ethical and environmental information to institutional investment

4. Strategies of ethical and responsible investment

5. Quality and quantity of sustainability reporting

6. Assurance of sustainability reports

7.Bbiodiversity accounting in a global context

8. Climate change reporting and climate change funds

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures of two hours per week will be used for the exposition of the major concepts, principles and techniques under consideration. Tutorials of two hours duration will be used for problem solving, group discussions and presentation based on case study materials

Summative assessment- Examinations:

One 3-hour unseen written paper

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

One written pieces of coursework, 1500 words, to be submitted during week 10 of the Spring Term.

Formative assessment methods:

Formative assessments are available in the class for most weeks of the module to enable students to gain the necessary practice. These include presentations and case studies analysis.

Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late, in accordance with the University policy.

• where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar week after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for the piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;


• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

By examination only (One 3-hour unseen written paper) in August/September

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 8 April 2019