Expertise in Ethical Finance

Growing awareness of sustainability, climate change and social justice issues, combined with concerns arising from the 2008 financial crisis, have increased demand for businesses to operate on a more transparent and ethical basis. From an ethical money perspective Ethical Consumer, in their Ethical Consumer Markets Report 2017, highlight that the combined total of the UK’s ethical banking, credit unions, ethical investments and share issue markets have almost doubled from £21.9 billion in 2010 to £39.3 billion in 2016. The Ethical Finance sector therefore represents an excellent business growth opportunity. 

These trends have placed financial institutions under particular scrutiny and given rise to the development and launch of a wide range of financial products developed in line with specific ethical parameters. Within this context the $2.7trn Islamic Finance sector is positioned as a faith inspired form of Ethical Finance. As well as sharing similar values and strategies Islamic Finance offers an alternative model that can address financial inclusion challenges using non-interest techniques.

This positive convergence of Ethical and Islamic Finance, coupled with the demand from a wide range of industry stakeholders keen to develop their knowledge and understanding in these areas, has led the Ethical Finance Hub (EFH) to develop this unique and flexible executive education summer Course offering.

The Ethical Finance Hub (EFH), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School and the Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC) have combined their expertise to offer two first class, international practitioner-led, summer courses focused on Ethical and Islamic Finance.