Institute for Sustainable Finance Welcomes New Research Advisory Council as Part of Ongoing Growth and Industry Collaboration

Today the Institute for Sustainable Finance announces its inaugural Research Advisory Council (RAC). The RAC will provide valuable input to ensure ISF’s research priorities represent the most critical sustainable finance issues affecting Canadian and global business, government and civil society.

The RAC reinforces ISF’s mission to work directly alongside industry experts and practitioners in order to translate the most pressing information needs into rigorous research programs. It will work under the leadership of Dr. Ryan Riordan, Director of Research, and collaboratively with ISF’s Chair, Dr. Sean Cleary and Executive Director, Sara Alvarado in determining the Institute’s research focus areas. The RAC’s members include diverse experts on sustainable finance from the public, private, non-profit and academic sectors.

“With the support and deep expertise of the Research Advisory Council, we are even more well-positioned to prioritize relevant research that can uncover clear, practical and actionable sustainable finance guidance,” said Alvarado.

The inaugural members of the Research Advisory Council are:

• Amr Addas, Adjunct Faculty of Finance, Concordia University
• Dominique Barker, Head, Sustainability Advisory, CIBC Capital Markets
• Murat Basarir, Senior Manager of Sustainable Finance, TD Bank
• Patrick Bryden, Head of Environmental, Social and Governance Research, Scotia Capital Inc.
• Linda Coady, Executive Director, The Pembina Institute
• Andrew Hall, Director of Sustainable Finance, TMX Group
• Andrew Karolyi, Dean of Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business
• Cynthia Leach, Senior Director, Economic Thought Leadership, Royal Bank of Canada
• Basma Majerbi, Associate Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
• Cathy Matthews, Board of Trustees, Queen’s University
• Deborah Ng, Director Strategy and Risk, Head of Responsible Investing, OTPPB
• Chad Park, Vice President, Sustainability and Citizenship, The Cooperators Group
• Janis Sarra, UBC Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law
• Arlene Strom, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Suncor
• Hillary Thatcher, Senior Director, Project Development Indigenous Infrastructure, Canada Infrastructure Bank
• John Uhren, Head, Sustainable Finance, Products and Strategy, at Bank of Montreal
• Erica Wieder, Manager, Investor Relations, Capital Markets, Ontario Financing Authority (OFA)

Recently, ISF’s research projects have included Canada’s first capital mobilization plan to meet 2030 climate targets, and the first-ever assessment of TSX companies’ climate target setting and disclosure performance.

The RAC is separate from ISF’s Advisory Board, which helps drive ISF’s overall mission, and identifies the potential for collaboration with other engaged parties across the country.

About the Institute for Sustainable Finance

ISF was launched in 2019 as a Canadian-specific centre of expertise and collaboration for advancing sustainable finance. Housed at Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, ISF is independent and non-partisan. It focuses on developing research, education, and collaborations among academia, business and government that will improve Canada’s capacity for sustainable finance as the shift to a low-carbon economy occurs.

Sustainable finance is the integration of environmental, social and governance considerations into capital flows such as lending and investment, risk management, and financial processes including disclosure, valuations and oversight.

ISF’s work is generously supported by The Ivey Foundation (inaugural supporter), the McConnell Foundation, the McCall MacBain Foundation, the Chisholm Thomson Family Foundation, Smith School of Business, Queen’s University and Founding Contributors BMO, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank and TD Bank Group.

Media Contact

Hailey MacKinnon
Argyle PR for Institute for Sustainable Finance
hmackinnon@argylepr.com
647.323.8665