Free Practice Questions for CFA Institute ESG-Investing Exam

The GRESB framework’s application can be influenced or controlled by majority owners, which may limit its effectiveness in assessing the sustainability of real estate investments if it is not applied rigorously. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 8, Page 451)

The Freshfields Report argued that integrating ESG considerations is necessary from a fiduciary duty perspective, as failure to consider material ESG risks can undermine long-term financial performance. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 5, Page 236)

For sovereign debt investors, governance factors like competition, corruption, and institutional stability are critical risks (Option C). Countries with weak institutions and high corruption levels tend to have:

Higher borrowing costs due to investor concerns about misuse of public funds.

Lower credit ratings, affecting the country's ability to issue debt at favorable rates.

Option A (Infrastructure) involves governance risks, but not at the national level like sovereign debt.

Option B (Private equity) is more influenced by corporate governance rather than national corruption levels.

References:

OECD Sovereign ESG Framework

World Bank: Corruption Perceptions Index & Sovereign Credit Risks

PRI ESG Integration in Sovereign Bonds

Monitoring focuses on tracking a company’s performance and ensuring that the investment aligns with ESG objectives, leading to more efficient capital allocation based on data-driven insights. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 6, Page 283)

ESG ratings can be noisy due to variations in methodology, data sources, and subjective judgments by rating agencies, leading to inconsistencies across ratings for the same company. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 7, Page 364)

Determining the materiality of ESG issues involves judgment, as it depends on various factors, including the company’s industry, business model, and operating environment. Material ESG factors are those that have the potential to significantly impact a company’s long-term financial performance.ESG Reference: Chapter 7, Page 371 - ESG Analysis, Valuation & Integration in the ESG textbook.

Policy engagement refers to efforts by investors to influence regulatory frameworks. An example of this would be responding to a regulator's public consultation on ESG issues, therebycontributing to the development of ESG policies that can drive broader change across markets and industries.ESG Reference: Chapter 6, Page 280 - Engagement and Stewardship in the ESG textbook.

Flooding, droughts, and storms are examples of physical risks related to climate change. These risks arise from the direct impact of climate change on the environment, as opposed to transition risks, which are associated with the shift to a low-carbon economy.ESG Reference: Chapter 3, Page 147 - Environmental Factors in the ESG textbook.

Pay structures in public companies tend to be broadly similar in much of the world, following global corporate governance standards that emphasize aligning executive pay with performance and shareholder interests. However, pay levels may differ significantly across markets due to regional economic conditions and cultural factors.ESG Reference: Chapter 5, Page 236 - Governance Factors in the ESG textbook.

The product’s ability to reduce electricity usage can lead to increased sales and market share, which would improve revenue projections in the company’s DCF analysis. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 7, Page 362)

If the auditor sets performance materiality at 60% of the overall materiality threshold, it indicates a low level of confidence in the company's financial controls. This suggests that the auditor believes there is a higher risk of misstatements, requiring more conservative thresholds during the audit.ESG Reference: Chapter 5, Page 252 - Governance Factors in the ESG textbook.

The importance of a specific social issue often depends on the regional or country context. For example, population aging might be more relevant in developed markets, while labor rights may be more critical in emerging markets. Social factors are highly context-dependent and vary significantly across different regions and sectors.ESG Reference: Chapter 4, Page 192 - Social Factors in the ESG textbook.

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises aim to provide voluntary principles and standards for responsible business conduct, including remedying business-related human rights abuses. These guidelines encourage companies to address and prevent violations, especially in areas such as labor rights and environmental protection.ESG Reference: Chapter 4, Page 211 - Social Factors in the ESG textbook.

The World Governance Indicators dataset by the World Bank provides information on six dimensions of governance, including rule of law, which reflects the confidence of a society in its institutions and the extent to which they enforce the law. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 5, Page 236)

Human rights are a social factor that primarily affects external stakeholders, such as communities or populations impacted by a company's operations. (ESGTextBook[PallasCatFin], Chapter 4, Page 192)