The University of Waterloo’s Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) program brings accounting, finance, sustainability and business together. You’ll learn to understand the numbers, see what’s driving them and make business decisions that create value for the long term.
A joint program between the School of Accounting and Finance and the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development.
Degree
Graduate with a Bachelor of Sustainability and Financial Management degree.
Co-op outcomes
$64K CAD average total co-op earnings, with some SAF students earning $107K+ before graduation.
CPA/CFA
A distinct pathway to a CPA or CFA professional designation, built into your degree from the start.
Global network
10,000+ SAF alumni. 38 countries worldwide. A global community driving business.
Modern business demands a new kind of decision-making
Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) helps you understand what's changing, why it matters and how businesses can respond.
Climate change. Evolving regulations. New technologies. Rising expectations from investors, customers and employees. These aren't separate challenges. They're core business issues.
SFM combines financial expertise with sustainability knowledge, giving you the tools to understand both the numbers and the forces driving them. You'll learn to connect financial performance with environmental and social impact, assess risks and opportunities, and make decisions that create lasting value for businesses, communities and the future.
Five parts. One new approach to business education. Build the expertise, perspective, credentials and experience to turn complex challenges into action.
Value Suite
See business as a whole. The Value Suite brings business disciplines together around value creation, combining human skills, business insight and technology to prepare you for a changing world.
Tech Stack
Work with what’s changing. The Tech Stack builds the skills to use data, AI and emerging technology to make smarter decisions.
Specializations
Build expertise where business needs it most. Choose a specialization in areas like assurance, tax or corporate finance, or go deeper with Sustainable Materials and Circularity, Data Analytics for Sustainability, Policy, Governance and Managing Natural Resources or Indigenous Entrepreneurship.
Professional designations
Earn a degree with pathways to the most respected professional credentials in business, including the Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst designations.
Co-op
With co-op, you’ll graduate with a degree, a track record and a path to full-time work. Nearly 60% of SAF students are hired by a previous co-op employer after graduation.
Your first year
You won't spend your first year choosing between financial management, sustainability, technology and business. You’ll bring them together and build the skills that support every stage of your SFM journey.
1A: Build your foundation
Develop skills in:
- Analyzing business data and financial information
- Using analytical methods to solve business problems
- Understanding how businesses create financial and sustainable value
- Making evidence-based business decisions
- Connecting sustainability with financial management
1B: Expand your perspective
Develop skills in:
- Evaluating global financial markets
- Understanding the economic forces shaping business and sustainability
- Connecting financial reporting to managerial decision-making
- Analyzing business opportunities through a sustainability lens
- Applying financial and analytical thinking to complex business challenges
From the Big Four to leading organizations worldwide, take your career further with expertise at the intersection of business and sustainability.
Accounting
Assurance. Advisory. Tax. Corporate reporting. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting.
Finance
Investment banking. Asset management. Corporate finance. Sustainable finance. Impact investing.
Consulting
Risk. ESG advisory. Sustainability reporting. Climate risk. Sustainability strategy
Analytics
Data analytics. Business intelligence. Forecasting. Sustainability analytics. Performance measurement.
Entrepreneurship
Venture creation. Venture capital. Sustainable entrepreneurship. Climate technology. Impact ventures.
Business leadership
Management. Strategy. Corporate sustainability. Executive leadership.
Go anywhere AFM can take you. Then go further with sustainability.
As an SFM student, you’re part of two worlds: the School of Accounting and Finance and the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development under the Faculty of Environment. That means two alumni communities, two perspectives and more valuable connections to draw from.
Build lasting relationships with classmates, faculty, alumni, recruiters and industry professionals. Connect across disciplines, industries and generations, and build relationships that can support you long after you graduate.