SIRI Practicum

The Sustainable Investing Research Consulting Project provides an action-based learning experience to students interested in sustainable investing, covering both sustainable investing in the financial sector (impact investing and sustainable finance) and the real economy (for-profit and non-profit organizations). For example, students will learn about the opportunities, challenges, and limitations faced by sustainable and impact investors to finance a more sustainable world. Moreover, they will learn how (for-profit and non-profit) organizations develop innovative products and services that help mitigate grand challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, social inequality, poverty, etc., and enable them to grow their business and sustain their competitive advantage over time.

Throughout the semester, students will work on an actual sustainable investing research consulting project for a client from across the world. They will (e-)meet with the client on a regular basis, discuss their progress, obtain feedback, and present their recommendation to the client. Furthermore, students will conduct research and interviews to learn about the broader business environment and institutional context (including cultural, political, economic, and social factors) to better understand the opportunities and challenges the clients face.

This course is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in sustainable finance, impact investing, ESG, corporate sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. 

The Sustainable Investing Research Consulting course offers consulting projects from around the world, covering a broad range of topics in sustainable investing. Clients include start-ups and established firms, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and clients from the finance and investing world. For more information on client projects and the student experiences, please see the SIRI website: https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/news