The fonds consists of records which document the origins of SDRI and reflect its activities during its first five years of existence, and includes correspondence, reports, minutes, financial records, and published materials. It is arranged in five series (Central Files, General Correspondence, UBC Correspondence, Subject Files, Research Projects) and one sous-fonds ("Women and Sustainable Development: Canadian Perspectives" Conference).

Series consists primarily of correspondence, together with related minutes and reports, addressed to and from other UBC offices and programmes. Files are arranged in alphabetical order.

Sous-fonds consists of records documenting the planning and organization of the "Women and Sustainable Development: Canadian Perspectives" conference, including correspondence, reports, minutes, and published materials. It is arranged in two series: Conference Proposals and Miscellaneous Files.

Series consists of records documenting the origins and early development of the Sustainable Development Research Institute, as well as the various programmes and research projects with which SDRI and its staff have been involved. It includes reports, correspondence, financial records, and minutes.

Series consists of records documenting the development of presentations and workshops for the Conference and includes written proposals submitted by prospective participants and related correspondence. The files are arranged according to an alphanumeric system based on the four themes of the Conference: Women and Connectivity (CO), Women and Creativity (CR), Women and Decision-Making (DM), and Women and Economics (E).

Series consists of records documenting the development and organization of the Conference and includes correspondence, reports, minutes and published materials.

Series consists primarily of correspondence, together with related minutes and reports, and includes copies of outgoing correspondence from SDRI staff, and incoming correspondence from external (non-UBC) organizations. Files are arranged in alphabetical order.

Series consists of reports and correspondence regarding various events, subjects and topics of interest to SDRI and its staff. Files are un-numbered and are not obviously part of the Central Files series, so they are arranged separately. Files are arranged in alphabetical order.

Series consists of files originally kept in a numeric central filing system, and includes correspondence, reports, published materials, and minutes. File numbers range from 3.152 to 3.237, and from 4.75 to 4.120. Not all files are numbered, but they have been kept together based on their titles, contents, and their proximity within the boxes when they were transferred to the Archives.