Institute for Sustainable Finance

What Institute for Sustainable Finance does

The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) is an academic research institute housed within the Smith School of Business at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2019, it produces evidence-based research, primers, discussion papers, op-eds, and webinars aimed at advancing sustainable finance in the Canadian economy. Its work is organized around four research themes: Capital Allocation and Transition Finance, Risk and Disclosures, Regulations and Standards, and Nature and Biodiversity.

ISF runs a Research Fellows Program that connects academic experts with industry practitioners to generate practical solutions for sustainable economic growth, alongside a Publications Library and topical resource hubs covering TNFD, taxonomies, and voluntary carbon markets. The institute does not sell commercial products or services; outputs are distributed free of charge via the website, newsletters, social channels (Twitter/X and LinkedIn under @isfcanada), and direct engagement with policymakers and corporate decision makers.

ISF's "revenue" mechanics are non-commercial in the traditional sense: the institute is funded through donations routed via givetoqueens.ca and institutional support from Queen's University, supplemented by project-level collaborations such as the joint survey with the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) on Canada's green and transition taxonomy. Customer segments are best characterized as two stakeholder groups — government policy makers (federal and provincial sustainable-finance regulators, taxonomy designers) and private-sector financial decision makers (investors, asset managers, issuers, financial institutions) — with a secondary academic constituency supporting the Research Fellows and CSF Network.

Name

Institute for Sustainable Finance

Legal name

Institute for Sustainable Finance

Website

https://isfcanada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Institute for Sustainable Finance is an academic research institute at Queen's University's Smith School of Business that produces research, primers, and events on sustainable finance for Canadian government policy makers and private-sector financial decision makers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Finance Research

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Economics, Finance & Funding Policy Research (EDADADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)

Keywords

• Sustainable finance research
• Climate risk assessment
• Transition finance taxonomy
• ESG disclosure standards
• Nature biodiversity finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding and Donations: The institute operates as part of Queen's University and receives support through donations and institutional funding. A 'Support Us' section references givetoqueens.ca for contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute for Sustainable Finance is an academic research center within the Smith School of Business at Queen's University that produces sustainable finance research and policy guidance for the Canadian economy. Its outputs include discussion papers, reports, op-eds, a primer series, webinars, events, and curated resource hubs (on TNFD, taxonomies, and voluntary carbon markets), organized around four research themes: Capital Allocation and Transition Finance, Risk and Disclosures, Regulations and Standards, and Nature and Biodiversity. It also operates a Research Fellows Program that bridges academia and the finance sector.

Product overview

The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF), housed within the Smith School of Business at Queen's University, is an academic research center — not a product company. Its offerings consist of four interconnected research focus areas (Capital Allocation and Transition Finance, Risk and Disclosures, Regulations and Standards, and Nature and Biodiversity), supplemented by a Research Fellows Program that bridges academia and industry. All four research areas draw on shared outputs from the Publications Library and Primer Series, while the resource hubs (TNFD Resources, Taxonomies Resources, and Voluntary Carbon Markets) serve as topical knowledge repositories aligned to the research themes. The ISF's research, commentary, and events are aimed at government and private sector decision makers in sustainable finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISF Research Fellows Program A collaborative program within the Institute for Sustainable Finance that bridges academia and the finance sector by bringing together leading academics and industry experts to generate practical, real-world solutions for sustainable economic growth and to prepare financial institutions for a low-carbon future; designed for university researchers and finance academics participating as ISF Research Fellows.
• Publications Library An online library of the Institute for Sustainable Finance's research outputs, including discussion papers, reports, op-eds, and a primer series covering sustainable finance topics; freely accessible to government and financial-sector stakeholders.
• Primer Series A series of introductory research publications produced by the Institute for Sustainable Finance that provide accessible overviews of sustainable finance topics; published as part of the ISF Publications Library for stakeholders new to the field.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research examining how climate reporting firms benefited from foreign investment shifts following Liberation Day tariff shock
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISF and PRI conducted a joint survey of Canadian investors to inform the design of Canada's green and transition taxonomy. The research collaboration aims to support real-world investor decision-making while aligning with credible transition pathways.
• TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISF maintains a dedicated TNFD Resources page, indicating engagement with nature-related disclosure frameworks. The institute has been a leader in ensuring nature is on the agenda in Canadian boardrooms through research on nature valuation and engagement on nature-related disclosures.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): UN-backed global network of investors committed to responsible investment; partner of ISF on Canada's green and transition taxonomy survey. A much larger incumbent operating across the same sustainable investment and disclosure space.
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD): Global framework for nature-related financial disclosures, with which ISF maintains a dedicated resources hub. A leading global standard-setter whose work ISF localises for Canadian practitioners.
• Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS): Central-bank-led network advancing climate risk management and green finance. Operates in an adjacent regulatory and supervisory space that overlaps with ISF's risk and disclosures research agenda.

Direct peers

• Green Finance Institute: UK membership-based organisation accelerating sustainable finance and green investment, with deep engagement on UK Green Taxonomy and disclosure frameworks. Closely mirrors ISF's mandate on taxonomies, capital allocation, and policy advisory.
• Climate Bonds Initiative: International organisation mobilising capital for climate action through sustainable finance standards, taxonomies, and verification. Highly comparable in subject matter (green taxonomies, transition finance, climate disclosure) to ISF.
• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership: University-based (University of Cambridge) research and executive education organisation focused on sustainable finance and climate action. Directly comparable to ISF as an academic-anchored sustainable finance research body advising governments and private sector decision makers.
• NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business: Academic research centre embedded in a leading business school (NYU Stern) focused on sustainable business and finance research. Mirrors ISF's positioning as a business-school-based sustainable finance research outfit.

Regional players

• Toronto Finance International (TFI): Toronto-based public-private partnership promoting Toronto as a financial services hub, with active work on sustainable finance and capital markets. Regionally relevant peer in the Canadian sustainable finance ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Sustainable Finance Institute (SFi): International sustainable finance research and policy organisation. Comparable to ISF as a research-led sustainable finance body, though with a more international remit rather than a Canada-only mandate.

Others

• Smith School of Business, Queen's University: ISF's parent institution. Provides the academic infrastructure, brand, and distribution channels (including Smith Business Insight) on which ISF's research operation depends.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/isfcanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isfcanada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute for Sustainable Finance