Lead the change. Shape a greener future.
The only one of its kind in Canada, the SFM program is strategically designed to meet current and growing labour market demands in the fields of sustainable finance and accounting.
Globally, we’re seeing a growing connection between environmental issues and corporate interests. Today’s investors, businesses, and governments care about sustainability as well as dollars and cents.
Sustainable finance is giving rise to a greener future while moving away from the limited approaches of the past. There’s value in aligning environmental responsibility with profits, using environmental, social, and governance reporting to drive policy- and decision-making for long-term success.
That means demand for a new breed of green financial experts.
Are you ready to lead the way? As an SFM student, you’ll learn how to step up, drive change, and align people, profits, and the planet to shape a brighter and greener future by:
- Developing your entrepreneurial mindset to become an expert in all stages of business.
- Training to be a critically minded professional through team and problem-based learning to tackle wicked sustainability problems facing society.
- Polishing your eco-warrior expertise in industrial ecology, environmental management systems, and social marketing to integrate sustainability into business practices.
- Building your analytical prowess by learning how to apply, select, analyze, and effectively interpret data.
- Gaining the know-how to become business savvy by learning how technology impacts businesses to successfully leverage it.
- Strengthening your people skills outside of the classroom by participating in workshops, tutorials, conferences, and competitions.
By the time you graduate, you'll have the unique mindset and financial expertise to drive digital transformation, reimagine greener businesses, and advance social, environmental, and economic impact.
Young people have the ability to see the world in different ways, and we can’t solve the biggest challenges in our society without them.
That’s a message I believe in wholeheartedly, and one of many I shared with colleagues, partners and community members as RBC announced a combined $3.5 million donation over five years to the University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier University and Conestoga College
Future SFM students
Recent SFM publications
Doing good really does pay: the financial case for sustainable investing
UWaterloo researcher Tony Wirjanto finds that investment strategies built on ESG principles deliver stronger, more resilient returns — even during times of economic stress.
SFM students roll up their sleeves to build a sustainable legacy
First-year students in the Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) program planted 100 native trees and shrubs on the University’s north campus as part of the annual micro-forest planting with Sustainable Waterloo Region.
The event connected students with sustainability in practice while highlighting the program’s unique blend of accounting, finance, and environmental responsibility. Faculty, staff, RBC leaders, and community partners joined to support the initiative, reinforcing the collective effort needed to advance a sustainable future.
Building a greener future: Alumni leading the way in sustainable finance
In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, we reflect on the growing need for environmental consciousness in the finance industry, highlighting SAF alumni who have been driving sustainable change since before it was mainstream.
Meet Ivan Li and Munam Khan—trailblazers in sustainable finance who are using their accounting and finance expertise to help organizations navigate climate risk, report on ESG, and build a better future.
From brainstorm to boardroom: Our road to the A4S 2025 semi-finals
Dhiya, Shreya, Ethan, Delaney and Nabiha, AFM and SFM students, have advanced to the semi-finals of the A4S International Case Competition 2025!
Finding a future at SAF: why I chose SFM
Rachael, a Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) student, shares why she chose the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) and how its supportive community, hands-on learning, and co-op opportunities helped her find purpose and belonging.
A hands-on lesson in environmental stewardship for first-year SFM students
In the Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) program, students don't just study sustainability, they practice it.
The SFM program proudly teams up with Sustainable Waterloo Region for an annual tree planting event, bringing together students and staff to help plant micro-forests that enhance biodiversity and inspire environmental stewardship in our local community.
Through this hands-on, collaborative experience, they learn the true value of sustainability from the ground up.