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
Student opportunities
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.
Events
Students, alumni, and friends connect directly with professionals at the forefront of their fields through high-impact events, such as:
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Values at Risk 2025 will feature Guillermo Franco (Managing Director & Global Head of Cat Risk Research at Guy Carpenter); Nuin-Tara Key (Executive Director of Programs at California Forward); Carolyn Kousky (Founder of Insurance for Good and Associate Vice President for Economics and Policy at Environmental Defense Fund); and Alisa Valderrama (Co-Founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies).
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Values at Risk 2024 featured Emily McKenzie, technical director of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures; Carter Ingram, managing director of Pollination and science advisor for the Science for Nature and People Partnership; Claire Kramer, director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and Raviv Turner, founding member of the Nature Tech Collective and founding CEO of NatureX RMS
Recent Related Events & Recordings
View all events
News from IBES
Climate investor Tom Steyer kicks off 2025 FSIcon
The fight for renewable energy can be won in the marketplace, Steyer argued during a moderated keynote address.
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On Friday, February 7, Sayles Hall buzzed with excitement as students met with representatives from a diverse array of organizations at the inaugural Climate Careers Exploration Fair. The event connected students with employers offering climate-focused jobs and provided insights from alumni navigating careers in the environmental sector.
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News from IBES
Watch | Navigating the carbon offsets conundrum
At a full-day conference in April, attendees from across industries and geographies gained insights into the complexities of carbon offsets and their impact on global efforts to combat climate change.
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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. Their selection reflected both the strength of IBES’ emerging sustainable finance program and the mentorship they received from Brown faculty.
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.