Program areas at CFA Institute
The chartered financial analyst (Cfa) program: the organization administers the Cfa program, a three-level, education and examination program covering topics essential to the investment decision-making process. Program topics form the candidate body of knowledge and include ethical and professional standards, quantitative methods, economics, financial statement reporting and analysis, corporate finance, equity and fixed-income analysis, alternative investments, derivatives, portfolio management, and wealth planning.
Standards advocacy, and thought leadership: the organization is a leading voice on issues of fairness, efficiency, and investor protection in global capital markets and promotes high standards of ethics, integrity, and professional excellence within the investment community. The organization also promotes and enforces the Cfa Institute code of ethics and standards of professional conduct. All members of the organization and candidates in the Cfa program are required to adhere to this code.
Professional development member services: the organization promotes lifelong learning by sponsoring and disseminating a variety of educational content to investment professionals on topics relevant to the profession. It also provides career development resources, creates affiliation and networking opportunities, and promotes awareness and recognition of member credentials to the industry and investing public.
Cfa Institute also provides a variety of programs and services to its members and to the global investment community at large. Programs include the certificate in investment performance measurment (cipm), a designation program for professionals that produce, interpret, present and explain investment performance and products (including selection and evaluation of investment managers), and the certificate in esg investing which offers both pratical application and technical knowledge in the fast-growing field of esg investing.