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
March 10, 2025
Digging into sustainable soil management: Environment Journal
Sustainable management of excess soil is an omnipresent component of construction activities, and those involved in project financing and risk underwriting would benefit from better understanding their intricate connections to this sector, and adopting practices accordingly, writes Jeff Goldman in an article originally published by ISF.
February 27, 2025
Apply now for one of two $15,000 McCall MacBain CSFN Fellowships
ISF is offering two $15,000 fellowships to support members of the next generation of sustainable finance scholars, for the 2025-26 academic year. This opportunity is open to students enrolled in or applying to research-based programs at Canadian Sustainable Finance Network (CSFN) partner universities across Canada. Gain financial support and join a network of amazing sustainable finance innovators. Apply by June 15.