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.
ISF Research Fellows Program
Bridging the gap between the finance sector and academia
The ISF Research Fellows Program exists to foster collaboration between leading academics and industry experts. ISF’s Research Fellows generate practical, real-world solutions to achieve sustainable economic growth, influence global finance, and ensure that financial institutions are prepared for the challenges and opportunities of a low-carbon future.
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
April 4, 2025
Exploring what drives corporate LGBTQ+ policies: COBS Insights
Why do some businesses champion LGBTQ+ inclusivity as a core value while others remain resistant? Paul Calluzzo, an ISF Research Fellow, Smith associate professor and Toller Family Fellow of Finance explores the key forces that drive corporate LGBTQ+ policies in Council on Business & Society Insights.
March 31, 2025
ISF expands academic capacity with new Research Fellows Program
In the face of escalating climate risks and the growing need for a stable financial system, it has never been more important to integrate academic research with business and finance sector-led initiatives. ISF is very pleased to announce the launch of its Research Fellows Program with the addition of four new fellows to its growing team: Dr. Paul Calluzzo, Dr. Alison Taylor and Dr. Pierre Chaigneau at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, and Dr. Sean Geobey at the University of Waterloo School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED).