Overview
Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) was launched in 2019, housed at Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. It was created as Canada’s first multi-disciplinary hub bringing together academia, government, and the private sector. Its primary purpose is to build the data, expertise and business-oriented solutions needed to support Canada’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. ISF’s broader mission is to align mainstream financial markets with a prosperous sustainable economy, helping capital flows, risk management, and financial processes absorb environmental and social factors — thereby supporting long-term economic and environmental sustainability.
Mission and focus areas
ISF seeks to increase Canada’s capacity in sustainable finance through research, education, collaboration and outreach. It concentrates on several thematic areas: climate-related risk and corporate disclosures; regulatory frameworks and standards for sustainable finance; valuation of natural assets and biodiversity; and integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria in capital allocation and risk assessments. By focusing on these areas, ISF aims to inform policy, support investors and firms in managing sustainability-linked risk and opportunities, and encourage market behaviour that supports a low-carbon, nature-positive future.
Structure and governance
ISF is led by a senior academic and research team. As of 2025, Thomas J. Walker serves as Executive Director (Academic), and Yrjö Koskinen is Director of Research. The institute also maintains a Research Fellows Program, engaging distinguished academics and industry experts across Canada to collaborate on sustainable finance research topics and to contribute to ISF’s output. ISF works in partnership with financial institutions, regulators, foundations and other stakeholders. Its governance includes an advisory board and research advisory council, as part of its collaborative approach to bridging academia, industry and public policy.
Programs and offerings
ISF produces original research, discussion papers, policy recommendations and analysis covering areas such as climate risk, disclosure practices, carbon markets, natural asset valuation and sustainable investing. It offers professional education through executive-level programmes such as its Sustainable Investing Program — a 16-hour virtual course structured around ESG integration, portfolio management, stewardship and sustainable investment practices. Through conferences, webinars, workshops and outreach, ISF convenes government officials, industry leaders, academics and investors to foster dialogue and inform practice — helping embed sustainable finance principles in policy and capital markets. ISF’s regular “Progress & Impact Reports” summarise its achievements, tracing how its work contributes to strengthening Canada’s sustainable finance infrastructure, advancing disclosure standards, and enabling informed capital allocation aligned with climate and nature objectives.
The Institute for Sustainable Finance is the first-ever cross-cutting and collaborative hub in Canada that fuses academia, the private sector, and government with the singular focus of increasing Canada’s sustainable finance capacity. The institute’s mission is to align mainstream financial markets with Canada’s transition to a prosperous sustainable economy.
