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.
Are investors liking corporate Canada’s ESG tweets?
New ISF research finds a mismatch between firms’ positive ESG messaging on social media, their environmental performance, and their cost of capital. Investors may be tuning them out.
Understanding Voluntary Carbon Markets, Part 2
Who’s buying carbon offsets, and why? And what kinds of projects are they supporting? A new study analyses Canadian and global corporate buyers’ use of voluntary carbon credits and implications for financial accounting and sustainability disclosures.
Canadian sustainable bond market report
A new ISF study examines a decade of issuances of some of the most important instruments for financing positive environmental and social outcomes, and prospects for the future of sustainable investing.
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
January 9, 2025
Robert Schultz appointed to ISF Advisory Board
Robert Schultz has joined the Advisory Board for the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Smith School of Business at Queen's University. Robert is a Partner with Capricorn Investment Group, one of the world’s largest mission-aligned investment firms, which seeks to revolutionize how capital is invested to address such urgent challenges as climate change, resource scarcity, and economic inequality. ISF's Advisory Board is an esteemed group of sustainable finance leaders such as Robert who to drive the Institute’s mission and foster collaboration in the marketplace.
December 19, 2024
CSSB standards a major step forward for sustainable finance
The highly anticipated release of new Canadian standards represents a major step forward for sustainable finance. Investors have been waiting for credible standards for clear, comparable reporting on climate-related risks and opportunities to guide investments. The CSSB’s announcement is a significant contribution to Canada’s developing sustainable finance framework.