Sanjay Lanka’s research interests are in the area of Social, Environmental, Supply Chain and Carbon Accounting and Finance. His research in this area has led to the creation of a subfield: Agroecology Accounting and Finance. Working on agroforestry projects relating Livelihoods and Biodiversity using an interdisciplinary perspective in the context of the SDGs. Also interested in studying Governance and Accountability within Alternate Trade Organizations and certification schemes that promote social and environmental justice.

His focus on carbon accounting includes Supply Chain Accounting and Accountability with an emphasis on the food supply chain from the perspective of smallholder farmers and small business owners. His research also engages with the realisation of social and environmental justice as the means to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has extensive experience teaching or doing research in  Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Mexico,  Nicaragua, UK, and U.S.A

In the area of sustainable finance, Sanjay's research is practice oriented focusing on helping companies update their Accounting systems to be able to measure their environmental and social (ESG) impact. He is also focused on helping businesses transition to incorporate principles related to a circular economy to reduce not only their carbon emissions but also their water use and waste. He has worked on carbon offset projects that have provided livelihoods to coffee farmers through the restoration of biodiversity and its provision of ecosystem services.

He has taught various business courses at the masters and undergraduate level including on MBA and EMBA programs such as Financial and Managerial Accounting, Sustainability Accounting and Finance, Sustainable Financial and Managment Reporting, ESG and Institutional investment, Finance, Intermediate Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Management.

He has also worked with small business owners around the Central Coast of California, multinational corporations based in Latin America as well as coffee farmers and their co-operatives from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and India to help them improve their business through the use of business planning with a focus on ESG. He has worked with businesses across North America, Latin America, and South Asia.