Shaping the future of sustainable finance
Subscribe to our NewsletterThe Institute for Sustainable Finance is a multi-disciplinary network of research and professional development that brings together academia, the private sector, and government to shape Canada’s innovations in sustainable finance.
Sustainable Investing - Virtual Program
Learn sustainable investing strategies that are transforming finance.
This program will provide the key components and considerations for sustainable investing and ESG assessment, including deeper dives into integrating ESG into securities selection and portfolio management processes, and best practices for stewardship and engagement.
The Wealth of Wetlands
Canada’s vast tracts of nature are a valuable asset that has not been properly accounted for. A new ISF report finds that wetlands contribute roughly $225-billion in value to the Canadian economy each year.
Understanding Voluntary Carbon Markets, Part 1
A new study, the first in a series by the Institute for Sustainable Finance, CPA Canada and the International Federation of Accountants, provides a crucial resource for understanding how VCMs function and how to critically assess the quality of carbon credits.
CSRD Briefing Note
How the EU’s sustainability reporting requirements will affect Canadian businesses and how Canadian policy makers should respond.
What is Sustainable Finance?
The Canadian Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance defines it as: capital flows, risk management activities, and financial processes that assimilate environmental and social factors as a means of promoting sustainable economic growth and the long-term sustainability of the financial system.
In its simplest form, this means aligning our financial systems and services to promote long-term environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. Learn more about Sustainable Finance through our Primer Series.
Ryan Riordan, Distinguished Professor of Finance at Smith School of Business and director of research at the Institute for Sustainable Finance explains sustainable finance.
Newsblog
June 26, 2024
ISF report: Canadian wetlands providing hundreds of billions in natural services
A new report by the Institute for Sustainable Finance estimates that wetlands in Canada provide natural services worth approximately $225-billion annually, an amount equivalent to around 10% of Canada’s GDP. Nature’s value to humans is immense. Our economy and even our existence depend on the health of the environment around us. However, Canada's vast natural wealth does not yet appear on any balance sheet. ISF's work seeks to further develop this promising field, enabling us to properly account for nature's value to the economy and create incentives for investing in its preservation.
June 20, 2024
Why nature matters to Canada’s GDP: Riordan and O'Brien in the Globe
In the Globe and Mail, ISF Director of Research Ryan Riordan and Dan O'Brien of PWC Canada argue that much of our economy depends on nature. However, natural services like flood and erosion prevention, carbon sequestration, crop pollination, novel medicines and products, recreation, water filtration, and more don’t yet appear on any balance sheet. We don’t fully appreciate our exposure to the risks of degraded natural assets and lost biodiversity or the opportunities to invest in preserving and restoring nature. This is to our detriment.