Daren Smith, UTAM’s President and Chief Investment Officer, is one of the first investment professionals in the world to complete the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR™) program from the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), one of the leading risk management associations.

The SCR program, launched in May 2020, is the first-ever global climate risk management program. It challenges candidates to understand and apply a range of knowledge and skills critical to managing sustainability and climate risk, and it equips them to: 1) Gain the knowledge to become climate risk leaders; 2) Obtain the skills to advance effective change; and 3) Be able to lead their organization’s incorporation of sustainability standards.

The SCR program was designed to build a global, foundational and comprehensive understanding of the facts, challenges and issues related to climate change. GARP developed the curriculum with input from a world-class advisory committee including leading climate experts, industry practitioners, academics and regulators. Topics covered include policy and regulation; sustainable finance (instruments and markets); climate risk measurement and management; climate scenario analysis; and current issues in sustainability and climate risk. Candidates must pass a rigorous exam and demonstrate a strong understanding of the almost 700 pages of required reading material to successfully complete the program.

UTAM has long believed in the value of incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, including climate change, into its investment practices. “Responsible investing is a key priority for UTAM as an organization and for me personally as its President and CIO,” says Daren, who also holds GARP’s Financial Risk Manager (FRM®) designation. “In this rapidly evolving area, it is critical to stay current with best practices and new research, and that’s what completing the SCR program has allowed me to do.”

Learn more about GARP’s Sustainability and Climate Risk program.