Leveraging finance
for positive impact.

50+

Research outputs since founding.

35+

Sustainable finance projects delivered.

9

Countries covered in the CEE region.

11

International experts on
the team.

We are

ISFC

An independent, apolitical think tank based in Prague, Czechia, dedicated to accelerating the shift toward a sustainable economy.

Our
work

Building knowledge

Research, publishing,
& thought leadership

Sharing knowledge

Workshops, trainings,
& capacity building

Connecting people

Hosting events with
international experts

Advising

Providing custom
advice & solutions

Creating value
with sustainability

We act as a catalyst for more sustainable financial decision-making across both the public and private sectors. Our mission is to improve how capital is allocated to enable an effective, inclusive, and timely transition to a net-zero and climate-resilient economy.

We focus our efforts across four priority areas →

  • We are recognised for our practical expertise in the EU sustainable finance framework, including:

    • Sustainable Finance Taxonomies

    • ESG disclosure regulations and reporting standards (e.g. CSRD, ISSB, SASB, TCFD)

    • Climate benchmarks and alignment tools

    Our team actively contributes to policy consultations, supports institutions with regulatory interpretation, and engages in capacity building across the financial sector.

  • We work closely with financial institutions, asset managers, and investors to improve the integration of ESG factors into:

    • Investment decision-making and analysis

    • Capital allocation strategies

    • Product design and ESG policy development

    Our research and hands-on work with the financial community cover topics from SFDR compliance to ESG scoring methodologies and portfolio-level sustainability integration.

  • We support financial institutions, corporates, and public stakeholders in navigating the transition to net-zero, focusing on:

    • Development of credible transition plans

    • Sectoral decarbonisation pathways and roadmap design

    • Identification and use of innovative financing mechanisms (e.g. blended finance, sustainability-linked instruments)

    We understand what makes a transition plan credible — and how financing can be structured to support it effectively, both from the perspective of a company and investors.

  • We work on unlocking capital for the decarbonisation of heavy industry and other hard-to-abate sectors, with experience in:

    • Identifying investment gaps and financing barriers

    • Engaging with industrial stakeholders, trade bodies, and EU-level platforms

    • Shaping clean industrial policy dialogues and aligning projects with EU-level strategies (e.g. Clean Industry Deal, Net-Zero Industry Act, Innovation Fund)

    Our focus is not just on policy — but on how to fund implementation.

Our approach

At ISFC, we combine deep research
expertise
with practical application.

We apply the knowledge and insights generated through our research to select advisory and technical assistance projects.

In turn, the advisory engagements deepen our understanding of real-world challenges and solutions — ensuring our insights stay relevant, actionable, and grounded in practice.

Think tank

Research &
thought
leadership

Learn more

The feedback loop

Research informs advisory
advisory work provides insights

Advisory

Applied
research &
tailored advice

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Our ecosystem

Our team

Stay in touch!