The FINANCIAL (via finchannel.com) IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, on June 22 unveiled a new online training program designed to help financial institutions better understand sustainable finance, social and environmental risk management, and explore sustainability-related business opportunities.

The Sustainability Training and E-learning Program will be available through the World Bank ’s Learning Management System from July 15, 2009. Financial institutions can register for the program at www.ifc.org/STEP.

The highly interactive e-learning program is designed for managers and staff of financial institutions, including banks, private equity funds, leasing companies, and microfinance institutions. It aims to improve participants’ understanding of social and environmental risks and help develop processes for managing such risks in their portfolios.

STEP also helps financial institutions identify sustainability-related opportunities within their existing portfolios and expand into products such as financing energy-efficiency, renewable energy, or sustainable supply chain projects.

Georgina Baker, IFC Director, Global Financial Markets, said, “A growing number of financial institutions recognize that sustainable banking offers new and exciting business opportunities. The Sustainability Training and E-learning Program will help those institutions expand their product offering and realize the benefits of sustainable banking.”

Since 1997, IFC has offered sustainability training to financial institutions through face-to-face workshops. STEP is the next generation training program designed to reach a broader audience of financial institutions around the world. The e-learning platform also ensures the consistency, quality, and availability of the training.

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