UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT FOR DEGREES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL BUSINESS
SCHOOL

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MARCH 2025
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UNIT CODE: ACFIM0018

UNIT NAME: GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCE


DEADLINE: TBC before 13:00 GMT

SUBMIT TO BLACKBOARD UNIT SUBMISSION POINT

Overview
• Your summative coursework represents 45% of the final mark for the unit.
• The coursework is in the form of a report.
• Penalties will apply if the coursework is submitted late.
• The coursework is a group work assessment. You will be required to make a plagiarism statement
and your submission will be tested for originality.

Coursework requirement
Essay Topic: Green Finance Portfolio Project

Question: You will form groups of four members to analyse and develop an investment strategy focused
on sustainable stocks. Your task is to examine how companies' environmental or social practices impact
their performance. This analysis should result in a 2,500-word report detailing your strategy and findings. In
cases where a group is constituted of three members, the required word count for the report will be
reduced to approximately 2,000 words. The deadline to form a group is 24 January 2024. After this date,
individuals who have not yet formed a group will be randomly allocated to groups.
The Brief:

Your group is tasked with developing an investment strategy that focuses on sustainable stocks. This involves
analysing how the environmental or social practices of companies influence their financial performance. Your
analysis should include:
1. Stock exchange or index selection: Each group will select a major stock exchange (e.g., NYSE,
NASDAQ, LSE) or an index (e.g., S&P 500, FTSE 100). Focus your analysis on companies listed on
the chosen exchange or in the index that are engaged in sustainable practices or green technologies.
This may include firms specialising in renewable technologies, those with low carbon emissions or
low carbon emission intensity or high E-scores, or companies focusing on gender balance or reducing
wage gaps, among others.
2. Company selection and analysis: From those identified in the first step, select a group of companies
to form an investment portfolio focusing on sustainable stocks. In your report, provide a clear
explanation for choosing these particular companies, considering factors like sustainability
performance, financial stability, and growth potential. Additionally, evaluate each company's
compliance with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria. Ensure your analysis deeply


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investigates how these companies incorporate ESG factors into their business operations and the
consequent effect on their overall sustainability.
3. Market trends analysis: Investigate how current sustainability trends are influencing the stock
market in which your chosen companies are listed. Analyse the impact of various factors, such as
environmental policies, advancements in green technology, and increasing public awareness of
sustainability issues on stock prices. This part of your analysis should provide insight into how broader
environmental and social trends are shaping market dynamics and investor behaviour.
4. Stock performance evaluation: Evaluate the stock performance of your selected portfolio in
comparison to the overall market portfolio. This assessment should include an analysis of how your
sustainable stock portfolio performs against broader market indices.
5. Sustainability report: Compile your findings into a comprehensive 2,500-word report. The report
should detail your investment strategy, the rationale behind your company selection, and an
evaluation of each company's sustainability impact and stock performance. Academic and/or real-
world practice references should be used where appropriate to substantiate your analysis.
The goal of this assignment is to apply green finance principles in a practical setting, fostering a deeper
understanding of sustainable investing and its impact on corporate performance and market trends. Your
report should not only showcase your investment strategy but also reflect critical thinking about the role of
sustainability in finance.

Background: The project is designed to provide students with practical experience in analysing and
strategising within the realm of sustainable investing. It reflects current trends in the financial market and the
crucial role of finance in driving sustainable development.

Marks will be awarded for: All students in a group will receive the same mark. Students will be assessed
based on their ability to demonstrate critical reflection on relevant academic literature, apply appropriate
analytical tools, analyse results, and evaluate and appraise them in the context of the material covered in
lectures (ILO3, ILO4).
Assessment criteria :
1. Quality of analysis: Marks will be awarded for the depth and accuracy of your analysis of companies'
sustainability practices, financial health, and market performance, including an assessment of their
adherence to ESG criteria. Marks will also be given for demonstrating a thorough understanding of
current sustainability trends in the stock market and their impact on stock prices and investor
behaviour.
2. Report quality: Marks will be based on the clarity, coherence, and overall quality of your written
report. This includes the organisation of content, argumentation logic, and the presentation of data
and findings.
3. Critical thinking and originality: Recognition of the level of critical thinking, originality, and insight
shown in your analysis and recommendations.
4. Research and data utilisation: Evaluation of the extent and depth of research conducted and how
effectively data and resources are utilised to support your analysis and findings. Appropriate academic
and real-world practice references should be used.
These criteria are designed to assess a comprehensive understanding and application of green finance
principles, analytical skills, strategic thinking, and the quality of communication in your report.

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Submission
Your work must be submitted on Blackboard before the date and time stated above. If you have any
queries when submitting your work please contact the Student Administration Team (acfi-pgt@bristol.ac.uk)

Coursework Extension Request
If you require a coursework extension, please complete the online form. You must provide supporting
evidence for an extension request. Please see the University website for information on how to submit an
extension request.

Late Submission
You must submit assessed work before the deadline. Work that has been submitted late without
exceptional circumstances is penalised by a reduction of ten marks (out of 100) for each 24-hour period
after the agreed deadline, not including UK public holidays or University closure days. If the work is
submitted late such that at least four such 24-hour periods have elapsed, the mark awarded will
automatically default to zero. (Please see section 18.3 - 18.6 of the University Regulations and Code of
Practice for further details)
Exceptional Circumstances
If you experience circumstances that impact your ability to submit the essay by the deadline, please submit
exceptional circumstances via the online form. Please see the University website for information on how to
submit exceptional circumstances.

Plagiarism and Cheating
Please read the University rules and guidance about plagiarism and cheating and how they are dealt with by
the University in section 18.1- 18.2 of the University Regulations and Code of Practice

Marking Criteria and Scales
Please read the University rules and guidance about marking criteria and scales in section 15 of the
University Regulations and Code of Practice