Supported by IBES faculty and alumni mentors, a team of Brown undergraduates advanced to the finals of the Turner MIINT Competition and placed third overall against dozens of graduate teams from around the world.
Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Program in Sustainable Finance & Investing
Educating changemakers in financial systems that advance climate and sustainability solutions
Program in Sustainable Finance & Investing
Educating changemakers in financial systems that advance climate and sustainability solutions
About the program
Brown’s Sustainable Finance & Investing program, housed at the Institute at Brown for Environment & Society, prepares students to understand how financial systems shape issues such as climate risk, climate equity, emissions mitigation, climate adaptation, and conservation.
With cross-cutting faculty expertise, a deep network of organizational and alumni partners, and fueled by entrepreneurial student leaders, IBES positions Brown as a leading undergraduate institution for sustainable finance education.
What is sustainable finance?
Sustainable finance integrates environmental, social, and governance factors into financial decision-making—mobilizing capital with a holistic view towards reducing climate risk, protecting ecosystems, and maximizing capacity for evidence-based solutions to climate and sustainability challenges.
Student interest is growing fast
Enrollment in IBES’ sustainable finance courses has doubled in recent years, motivating continued investment in new courses, events, and professional development and training opportunities across campus and beyond.
How we got here: A student-driven evolution
Sustainable finance at Brown has grown from a single student-led idea into a thriving campus-wide ecosystem of courses, events, internships, clubs, and opportunities.
- 2015: Socially Responsible Investment Fund and ENVS 1545 “Theory and Practice of Sustainable Investment” created
- 2020: Student-led annual Future of Sustainable Investing conference (FSIcon) launches at Brown
- 2021: ENVS 1547 “Finance and the Environment” first offered
- 2024: IBES hires full-time Professor of the Practice of Sustainable Finance and Investing
A notable achievement
The 2025-26 academic year brought a major milestone: for the first time, the prestigious Turner-MIINT impact-investing program—normally reserved for graduate and MBA students—invited a team of Brown undergraduates to compete and they placed third overall against dozens of graduate teams from around the world. Their selection reflected both the strength of IBES’ emerging sustainable finance program and the mentorship they received from Brown faculty.
The sustainable finance education we received through IBES coursework and conversations with those in the IBES network gave our team the knowledge and confidence to compete alongside MBA and graduate students.
Brown student on the only undergraduate team to compete in the 2026 Turner MIINT Competition
Student opportunities
News & Events
Explore the latest sustainable finance news, events, and opportunities from IBES.
March 26, 2026
Alumni & Friends
Investing in climate solutions—and future changemakers
Matt Severson ’11 found his purpose at Brown and learned how to work and collaborate across areas. Now, he’s leading a successful career in sustainable finance. His next project: helping current Brown students do the same.
What does it take to confront the climate crisis, and where do we all fit in? This March, Brown students, faculty, staff, and community members came together across the campus to explore a wide range of answers.
The Brown Daily Herald
Students host seventh annual conference on sustainable investing
Students, policy experts, and industry professionals in finance and sustainability gathered on campus for the student-run Future of Sustainable Investing Conference, part of Brown Climate Week.
John Fullerton, founder of the Capital Institute and former JPMorgan managing director, joined IBES' Professor Ricardo Bayon for a fireside chat.
Experts from finance, insurance, policy, and environmental science joined IBES for a timely conversation on how escalating climate and nature-related risks are reshaping economic stability—and what tools can help safeguard our financial future.
Students get firsthand look at NYC’s climate and finance sector
Experiences like this daylong field trip to New York City offer students in ENVS 1547: “Finance and the Environment” the chance to attend workshops at companies working on sustainable finance and gain career insights from Brown alumni.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, IBES faculty are exploring new ways for Brown students to engage more deeply with sustainable finance and investing, including the potential development of a ‘Climate Innovation Lab’. IBES will continue to rely on strong student advocacy and engagement to guide the continued growth of Brown’s ‘Sustainable Finance and Investing’ program.
Get involved!
Our continued success depends on engagement from a broad set of Brown alumni, parents, and supporters that have professional expertise and/or interests in sustainable finance and investing. Please join our IBES Alumni and Friends Network to keep informed of opportunities and key updates.
Support IBES’ Sustainable Finance and Investing Program
Your gift helps expand courses, internships, events, and hands-on training opportunities for students from across Brown.