Global investment professional association CFA Institute will be dropping the “ESG” term in its “Certificate in ESG Investing”, renaming it as the “Sustainable Investing Certificate,” according to messages sent to certificate-holders seen by ESG Today.

The name change comes as the “ESG” label has become politically charged, particularly in the U.S. over the past few months since the election of Donald Trump as President, and following an increasingly active anti-ESG movement by Republican politicians, which has seen asset managers targeted by lawsuits and divestments over their ESG investing policies.

CFA Institute launched the Certificate in ESG Investing globally in 2021, providing investment professionals with an education program aimed at enabling the analysis and integration of ESG factors into the investment decision-making process.

In a FAQ on its website discussing the name change, however, CFA Institute said that since launching the certificate, “the concept of ESG investing has evolved and has, at times, had varied meanings in different markets,” adding that “the term “sustainable investing” now more accurately captures the broader, long-term impact and investing goals that the certificate aims to support.”

The FAQ added that despite the name change, the curriculum underlying the certificate will remain unchanged. The name change will be effective on April 8, 2025.