The Centre for Financing a Sustainable Future (CFSF) is a global research hub advancing financial transformation for a sustainable, inclusive, and low-carbon economy. The Centre conducts interdisciplinary research on sustainable finance, risk and resilience, and financial innovation to support businesses, investors, and governments in aligning economic growth with sustainability goals. Its work focuses on unlocking capital for sustainable innovation, strengthening risk management, and generating data-driven insights for policy and practice. Through strategic partnerships and cross-sector collaboration, CFSF develops practical, scalable solutions that embed sustainability in financial systems and economic decision-making.
Here is our recent white paper on Financing Net Zero: Risks, Resilience and the Future of the Transition
The Centre was launched in November 2025
Edinburgh Business School launches new Centre for Financing a Sustainable Future
The School of Social Sciences and Edinburgh Business School celebrated a significant milestone this week with the official launch of the Centre for Financing a Sustainable Future (CFSF). The event brought together colleagues, partners, and industry leaders committed to accelerating the transition toward a sustainable, inclusive, and low-carbon economy.
Led by Professor Bing Xu, the Centre will work closely with policymakers, financial institutions, and industry partners to shape a financial system capable of delivering a sustainable future for all.
CFSF also addresses critical challenges facing global finance and sustainability, including insufficient capital mobilisation to meet climate goals, increasing systemic risks from climate impacts and biodiversity loss, and fragmented metrics that limit transparency. Additional barriers include greenwashing, inconsistent governance, and underutilised financial innovation for supporting sustainable industries.
Through rigorous research and cross-sector collaborations, the CFSF will advance innovative financing approaches to mobilise capital at scale, develop robust metrics and risk frameworks, strengthen transparency and accountability, and deepen understanding of behavioural drivers across firms, investors, and households. The Centre will also harness AI, machine learning, and computational methods for improved data and modelling, translating research evidence into policy and industry practice to deliver real-world impact.
The launch featured key speakers including Executive Dean Professor Angus Laing, Associate Executive Dean (Research & Impact) Professor Stephen Gibson, and Professor Dimitris Christopoulos, alongside industry experts Tara Schmidt and Vijay Bains. The Centre’s leadership team includes Professor Dimitris Christopoulos, Dr Jelena Janjusevic, Professor Håvard Halland, and Dr Claudia Aravena.
Professor Laing said in his keynote, “Sustainability matters hugely to all of us. And you don’t need to look beyond the media to see the challenges we have as a society. At the heart of the matter are key questions: ‘how do we develop the financial infrastructure and support to enable us to make the transition to sustainability? How do we make this transition and maintain public confidence and support?’” He continued, “I am confident that Professor Bing Xu will lead this brilliantly, but any great leader needs great followers. By working collaboratively across disciplines, we can work together to create the systems, models, and structures that will make an impact.”
The Centre for Financing a Sustainable Future represents Edinburgh Business School’s commitment to research excellence and impact.
