Sustainability and Financial Management Program

Sustainability is our future. Become a finance expert who can link our natural systems and social impacts to financial outcomes. As a Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) graduate at the University of Waterloo, you’ll incorporate people, profits, and the planet into the bottom line while evolving environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) reporting to lead organizations toward a greener world.

The University of Waterloo, School of Accounting and Finance

With climate change threatening ecosystems around the world, we’re being called on to rethink our traditional ways of doing things.
For our financial systems, that means transformation is expected – and long overdue.
Globally, all businesses are seeing a growing connection between environmental issues and corporate interests.
Signalling an entirely new movement and reshaping of the financial sector, sustainable finance is giving rise to a greener future while moving away from the limited approaches of the past.
Leading thinkers and corporations, from Blackrock to Suncor, no longer view environmental responsibility as a drag on profits. Now, they see the value of environmental, social, and governance – reporting in driving decision-making for long-term success.
So, what does that mean for you?
The rising field of sustainable finance is generating high demand for formally trained professionals who – quite simply – don’t exist in Canada today.
In response to this urgent demand, the University of Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance, in partnership with the Faculty of Environment, has designed a brand-new Sustainability and Financial Management program.
The only one of its kind in Canada, the SFM program is strategically crafted to meet current and growing labour market demands in the fields of sustainable finance and accounting.
If you have the vision, determination, and drive to create sustainable solutions, then this highly student-centred program is for you. You’ll develop the skills, attitude, and tools needed to make an impact.
Through team- and problem-based learning, your SFM courses will be experienced, rather than taught. You’ll discover the keys to thriving in a fast-moving, high-pressure environment, all the while learning to make decisions with imperfect information.
After building a solid foundation in sustainability, finance, and accounting in Years 1 and 2, you’ll have the option to customize your degree and follow your passion in Years 3 and 4.
Whether you pursue a CPA designation with a specialization in Corporate Sustainability or a CFA designation with a specialization in Government Policy and Financial Markets – you’ll specialize in standing out.
Add in 16 months of paid on-the-job experience, and you’ll become a sought-after finance expert with purpose. – incorporating people, profits, and the planet into the bottom line.
Sustainability and Financial Management. Lead the change. Shape the future.