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.
CSRD Briefing Note
How the EU’s sustainability reporting requirements will affect Canadian businesses and how Canadian policy makers should respond.
Carbon Pricing: Necessary But Not Sufficient
Carbon prices around the world must rise quickly, and broader policies are needed to meet Paris targets and avoid the most severe costs associated with climate change, an ISF study finds.
Canada’s Transition & Green Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance
As a Knowledge Partner for the Sustainable Finance Action Council’s taxonomy work, the ISF has created resources for understanding sustainable finance taxonomies and their development, and the importance of a Transition and Green Taxonomy for Canada.
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
April 22, 2024
Clean50 Open Letter supports urgent adoption of a sustainable finance taxonomy
ISF has joined members of Canada's Clean50 and other prominent business and environmental leaders, academics and others on an open letter urging immediate action by the federal government to implement a sustainable finance taxonomy. A credible taxonomy will provide clear guidelines about what is a truly sustainable investment, so we can have confidence we are allocating capital to real climate solutions.
April 22, 2024
Your Firm’s Most Undervalued Asset? Try Nature: Smith Business Insight
"It’s increasingly clear that a healthy economy hinges on a healthy living planet," writes Deborah Aarts for Smith Business Insight. She recently interviewed Ryan Riordan, Director of Research at the Institute for Sustainable Finance, for a Q and A article titled: "Your Firm’s Most Undervalued Asset? Try Nature". Dr. Riordan explains how we can all benefit from better appreciating the risk to the economy of damaging nature, and the opportunities to benefit from investing in nature-positive outcomes.