With a passion for sustainability Liz is helping Libro Credit Union be an engine of social change and prosperity in southwestern Ontario. Liz began working at Libro Credit Union in 1999 and holds the position of Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility. Liz provides leadership through development, execution, and ongoing support of Libro’s Purpose integration strategy and advises on sustainability and CSR related matters for the credit union. Libro’s purpose is “To grow prosperity in southwestern Ontario by transforming banking.”

Liz holds certificates in Community Involvement Management and Corporate Citizenship Practice from Boston College and was the 2019 Gary Gillam Corporate Social Responsibility Award winner. She is an advocate for social enterprise and the cooperative system, sits on the Canadian Credit Union Association Climate Change Committee and is an active volunteer in her community.

Upkar Arora is the CEO of Rally Assets, an impact investment management and advisory firm.

Upkar brings sophisticated expertise in business, capital markets and finance from acquiring, operating and advising companies of all sizes, at different stages, in different sectors and geographies. Over the past 35 years, he has been involved in innovative debt, equity, and hybrid finance solutions in the public and private markets and complex mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and dispositions in excess of $20 billion.

Upkar began his impact investing journey in 2010, to integrate his corporate experience with his philanthropic and community service endeavors in order to improve people’s lives.

He has served on the boards of several organizations focused on education, health, arts, infrastructure, citizenship and financial services.

Upkar is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo and a recipient of the accounting profession’s highest mark of distinction, the Fellow, in 2017.

Kim Baird is an accomplished leader advising Indigenous communities, governments, businesses and other organizations on Indigenous matters. She is the Chancellor for Kwantlen Polytechnic University and is the owner of Kim Baird Strategic Consulting. Her continued goal is to improve the quality of life for Indigenous people through her services in relation to First Nation policy, governance, and economic development; as well as First Nation consultation, communication, and engagement issues. Kim also helps with reconciliation planning for companies and organizations. Kim is recognized for her communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills, and has extensive public speaking experience. She is on several boards including Recipes Unlimited, Canada Infrastructure Bank, Vancouver Board of Trade, Canada Public Policy Forum, and Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Kim is a member of both the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada and holds an Institute of Corporate Director’s designation.

Gordon Beal, CPA, CA, M.Ed. is the VP of Research, Guidance and Support for Chartered Professional Accountants Canada (CPA Canada). Gord’s team conducts technical research and develops guidance and thought leadership resources to support CPA members across Canada.

Gord is leading Foresight, Reimagining the Profession, a major initiative undertaken by the accounting profession to explore and prepare for non-traditional roles in the rapidly evolving business and economic climate. He also leads CPA Canada’s work in sustainable development and climate change. In 2020, Gord was named to Canada’s Clean50, which recognizes outstanding contributions in the field of sustainability and clean capitalism in Canada. He is a long-time member of Canada’s National Climate Change Adaptation Platform Plenary, sits on the National Assessment Advisory Committee on Canada in a Changing Climate and Co-Chairs the global Accounting Bodies Network for Accounting for Sustainability (A4S).

As President and Chief Executive Officer, Roger Beauchemin oversees Addenda Capital’s business strategy and operations.

Roger joined the Addenda Capital team as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer in 2013, before being appointed President and CEO in 2015. He previously worked at McLean Budden Limited starting in 1999, holding senior management positions before being appointed President in 2006, and CEO in 2008.

Roger is a recipient of 2021 Canada’s Clean50 and Canada’s Clean16 Awards as a leader in the Financial and Services Organizations category. He is Chair of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) Board of Directors, and an Advisory Board Member of the Institute for Sustainable Finance. He is also a Member of the Founding Advisory Committee of the Canadian Institute for Sustainable Finance at the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. Roger holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from McGill University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

As President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Rahul Bhardwaj leads a Canadian not-for-profit association of more than 15,000 members committed to improving national outcomes by growing the board leadership and governance capacities within Canadian businesses, agencies and not-for-profits.

Mr. Bhardwaj currently serves on the boards of Waterfront Toronto, the Institute of Corporate Directors as well as the Leader Council at the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Ivey Business School. He is also Chair, Global Network of Director Institutes.

His corporate governance vision has made Mr. Bhardwaj a sought-after presenter, speaker and media commentator, in Canada and across the globe.

Amanda Chor is the Sustainability Manager at Hemlock Printers, one of the most environmentally progressive commercial printers in North America, and is responsible for managing their environmental portfolio. With a social purpose that is dedicated to safeguarding the world’s forests, Amanda helps embed sustainability into the company’s culture, strategy and operations by organizing the Sustainability Think Tank composed of a diversity of staff and launching a variety of initiatives to reduce Hemlock’s carbon footprint. A significant portion of Amanda’s efforts is dedicated towards discovering low-carbon opportunities through collaborating with staff, clients, suppliers, and environmental stakeholders. In particular, Hemlock’s Zero Carbon Neutral Printing Program enables clients to neutralize the emissions of their print orders through offsets and encourages the use of low-carbon, environmentally friendly papers.

Ayman Chowdhury is leading the Canadian network activities of the UN Global Compact. His work focuses on accelerating and scaling the collective impact of business by upholding the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through accountable Canadian companies and ecosystems that enable change.

Ayman obtained his MSc in Sustainability Management (MScSM) from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Management.

Tim Coldwell is a Mohawk entrepreneur focused on leading by serving, culture, and the monetization of ideas. He serves as President of Chandos, a purpose driven national technical builder leading change in the Canadian construction industry. Chandos is the largest B-Corp certified contractor in the world and is proud to be 100% employee owned. We believe value is created when leaders combine the power of purpose with existing business models to solve the world’s greatest problems.

Under Tim’s leadership, Chandos has forged partnerships with social enterprises across Canada focusing on employment of at-risk youth and those under-represented in the construction industry. Tim is an advisor to San Francisco’s Center for Innovation in the Design & Construction Industry and the founding board chair of the Integrated Project Delivery Alliance. Tim is a recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40^® and is an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

Anne-Marie Croteau is the first female dean of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and full professor specialized in strategic management of information technology. 

Dr. Croteau gained more than 30 years of academic experience, including 15 years in leadership. Her highly cited research is published in renowned international scientific journals and recipient of several awards. 

She is the chair of the Business Schools Association of Canada. She also serves on the Innovation Committee of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International. 

Dr. Croteau is a chartered director with 15 years of board member experience. She currently serves on the boards of Hydro-Québec, Collège André Grasset,and Parrains et Marraines de la Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal.  

She is the first woman to obtain a PhD in Management Information Systems at Laval University (Quebec City, Canada). 

Frances Edmonds is the Head of Sustainable Impact at HP Canada, where she is responsible for business development and oversees Corporate Social Responsibility programs nationally. With a focus onsustainable procurement, Frances drives meaningful change cross-sectorthat supports a more circular and sustainable economic future for Canada.

With more than 30 years of experience, Frances is recognized as one of Canada’s top sustainability professionals having received two Clean 50 awards and has led HP to became the most sustainable technology company in Canada. 

Frances sits on the board of Learning for a Sustainable Future and on the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada as well as the Expert Panel on the Circular Economy in Canada. 

She has a degree in Environmental Science from Bradford University (UK) and a post-graduate diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. 

Chris leads the Social Purpose, Sustainability, Community and Stakeholder Engagement teams at BC Lotteries Corporation (BCLC). He engages community and academic groups, municipal and business leaders about their own contributions to help create even greater positive impact for society.

Prior to BCLC, Chris worked in marketing and advertising strategy to build positive reputations for some of Canada’s most recognized brands.

He sits on advisory boards for the Kwantlen University School of Business Public Relations Program, the CFL’s BC Lions Waterboys and the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. When not working, Chris can be found at the ice rink, soccer pitch or baseball diamond coaching his two young boys.

Christelle Francois is a bilingual executive leader and entrepreneur who has the pulse on the leaders of business, innovation and advocacy. She is the President of the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce, where she has successfully secured over $5M in funding in less than seven months. She possesses extensive experience as a Strategy Consultant where she specializes in developing revenue models and implementing growth metric systems for various companies and organizations.

Additionally, Ms.Francois is the Founder of a firm named Untold & Co Agency, where she and her team service an array of clients in securing corporate and government partnerships, curating digital strategies and executing 360 integrated PR campaigns. She most recently assisted in leading the 2019 and 2020 Lobby Day initiative at Parliament Hill, with the Canadian Federal government.

Dave Friesen is the President of CGIS, the globally recognized supplier of choice of the highest performance valves and controls. CGIS is a social purpose company whose purpose is to engage the world’s industrial leaders to create sustainable solutions, one valve at a time. With over 30 years of customer centric experience in industrial valves, automation and fluid power, Dave has experience in numerous industries including Mining, Power, Oil & Gas, Pulp & Paper and Manufacturing. CGIS believes that engagement and learning are key to solving the significant challenges that face industry and our planet today as we seek to develop a more sustainable future. He holds a Bachelor in Arts from the University of Western Ontario, and is an avid member of the soccer community in Alberta where he enjoys his passion for both playing and volunteering as the District President. Dave is an active member of the Knights of Columbus.

Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson (she/her/hers) is the Chief People Officer at BC Lotteries Corporation, and building a purpose-driven culture in that role. She is a multi-award winning scholar-practitioner in human & organization development with research awards and professional recognitions in Canada, UK and the United States including the prestigious Harry Jerome Award given in recognition of Black-Canadian achievements and contributions. Prior to her current role, she has had an extensive background in organization development and social change, speaking, teaching and leading large-scale transformations in Canada’s health care system and consulting to private sector and non-profit organizations on people and culture and social change strategies. Dr Gilpin-Jackson holds a Ph.D. in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University where she is an Institute for Social Innovation Scholar. She is Adjunct/Sessional Faculty at Simon Fraser University, Concordia University and elsewhere. She lives on purpose, working to inspire leadership action so that the people and groups she serves can achieve & exceed their highest positive change aspirations.

Toby Heaps is the co-founder and CEO of Corporate Knights Inc., the company for clean capitalism. In 2005, Toby spearheaded the first global ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations, which is now an annual staple of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Toby has a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University in Economics, and one year in the Belgrade Field Program (LLB in Management Studies) with the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has been published in the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail. In 2008, Toby served as Press Secretary to Ralph Nader. Before founding Corporate Knights, Toby was the managing editor of the Mutual Fund Review magazine and Planning for Profits magazine. In 1998, Toby played centre-field for Yugoslavia’s National Baseball Team.

As the Vice President, Impact at MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Allyson has assisted hundreds of social ventures to become economically sustainable and increase their social impact. She led Social Innovation Generation (SiG@MaRS) which created a culture of social innovation in Canada. She developed and now supports social impact programming at MaRS including its innovation consulting teams in social innovation and social finance. Currently Allyson is working to engage corporate Canada in solving our most complex challenges through creation of the Business for Purpose Network. She is on faculty at the University of Waterloo (Social Entrepreneurship & CSR) and SingularityU Canada (Impact). She was also the Thinker in Residence developing the “purpose economy” in Australia and a member of the federal Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Cocreation Steering Group.

Carol Anne is the author of ‘Indigenomics- Taking A Seat at the Economic Table’ and is an adjunct professor at Royal Roads University’s School of Business. She is a dynamic national Indigenous business leader, author, speaker and senior adviser.

Carol Anne is of Nuu chah nulth descent from the Hesquiaht Nation on Vancouver Island. She was the only Indigenous person appointed to the Canadian Economic Growth Council as a senior advisor to the federal Finance Minister. Carol Anne recently served on the BC Emerging Economy Taskforce, and the BC Indigenous Business and Investment Council. Carol Anne currently serves as a Director on the McGill University Institute for the Study of Canada, MITACS and the BC Digital Supercluster.

Mike Hurley was born in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, and came to Canada in 1983. Music and Gaelic football dominated his youth as did soccer which advanced him to a semi-professional league. He first settled in Vancouver and moved to Burnaby in 1988.  

He joined the Burnaby Fire Department in 1988. Throughout his career, he’s held many positions – driver; technical rescue team member; hazardous material specialist; instructor; Lieutenant, Captain and Acting Assistant Chief.  

Mike’s second “home” is with the Burnaby Fire Fighters Charitable Society. The Society raises money for community groups and non-profit organizations which supports more than 50 charities. Over $800,000 annually is given for bursaries and they operate a Nutritional Food Program that benefits kids at 26 elementary schools, four high schools and four youth centres.  

Mike was honoured to receive the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. 

As an educator, Tessa specializes in business communications and purpose-driven business, focusing on how the private sector can create and communicate social and environmental value to support the just transition to a regenerative economy. As a researcher, Tessa studies the role of art and culture in social and political movements with a focus on the Canadian women’s movement.  Her book Feminist Acts: Branching Out Magazine and the Making of Canadian Feminism was published by the University of Alberta Press in 2019.

Ravi Kahlon was first elected as the MLA for Delta North in May 2017 and was named Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation in November 2020.

He previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, where he championed the use of mass timber and innovation in the forest sector.

As Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism, he helped restore the BC Human Rights Commission and travelled the province to build an anti-racism strategy.

Born and raised in Victoria, Ravi was introduced to field hockey by his father and grandfather. He is a two-time Olympian in the sport for Team Canada and has been inducted into the Delta Sports Hall of Fame.

Before he was elected an MLA, Ravi worked in banking for seven years. He has been active in the North Delta community for many years as a volunteer on the boards of the Delta Parks and Recreation Committee and Men’s High-Performance Field Hockey BC.

He is also a certified coach and mentor to many young people in North Delta and spends time coaching field hockey and soccer.

Ujwal Kayande is Professor of Marketing, Director of the Centre for Business Analytics, and the Associate Dean (Academic) at Melbourne Business School. From January 2022, he will be the Dean of the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. He has held faculty positions at leading business schools around the world, including the Wharton School, Penn State University, Mannheim Business School, and ESSEC. Ujwal has won several awards for his teaching and research, including from the European Marketing Academy, the American Marketing Association, and the Australia/NZ Marketing Academy. He is an Area Editor of the International Journal of Research in Marketing.

Ujwal has consulted on marketing analytics and strategy for several global blue-chip organizations and sits on the Advisory Boards of three technology start-ups.

Maxime Lakat founded the Canadian Business Youth Council for Sustainable Development to unite Canadian student organizations in sustainable business to grow the movement across the country by sharing best practices and disseminating essential knowledge. Their most recent initiative, “Our Future, Our Business” Manifesto, is Canada’s largest youth-led movement to change the way we do and teach business. It received support from 65 youth organizations, 100 civil society organizations, and 130 high-level executives.

For three years, Maxime was also the Co-President of the Desautels Sustainability Network (DSN) at McGill University. DSN helped co-organize the Montreal Youth Summit on Sustainable Business, Canada’s largest student gathering on the topic. They also worked at the academic level to improve McGill’s “Managing for Sustainability” Major & Concentration and mainstream sustainability across all programs by working with professors, faculty leadership and professionals.

Baljit Lalli is the Vice President of Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Relations at Encorp Pacific Canada (Return-It), a social purpose company. Bal oversees the organization’s stakeholder relations, corporate communications, and customer relations strategy. Bal also leads the development and ongoing implementation of the organization’s social purpose which is to foster a world where nothing is waste.

Prior to Return-It, Bal worked in the beverage and natural resources sector creating and delivering a wide range of innovative initiatives that protect and enhance corporate and product reputations. Bal has extensive experience in advancing stakeholder partnerships and leading media relations, corporate communications, crisis communications, and global rebranding initiatives.

Bal has a Bachelor of Applied Sciences, Honors Program from Simon Fraser University and Executive Certificate in General Management from the University of British Columbia.

Elizabeth Lane (she/her) plays at the intersection of humans and technology as a Product Manager. A candidate of OCAD U’s Master of Design, Strategic Foresight & Innovation, she is passionate about solving complex wicked problems through design, systems, and futures thinking to ensure a sustainable future for us all, including Planet Earth, and holds a belief that technology can be a catalyst for change. She values storytelling, empathy, and working with diverse teams to build products that solve real needs.

Michael’s main responsibilities include oversight of three primary programs: Environment and Climate Change, Natural Resources and CSA Group Registries. He oversees standards efforts in these areas including circular economy, life cycle assessment, sustainable finance, forestry, mining, flood resilience and water management to name a few. Michael has been working in the climate change and environmental field for over 12 years and focused his expertise in greenhouse gas (GHG) management and sustainability. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph and is a licensed environmental engineer in Ontario.

Calvin is a highly respected business leader within the Canadian financial services industry with a proven track record in strategic planning, customer experience, capital raising, new market development, regulatory issues, and technology trends.

Now into his third year leading Coast Capital, Canada’s largest federal credit union and Certified B Corporation®, Calvin has steered the organization’s continued growth and evolution to a social purpose company committed to building better futures and unlocking financial opportunities for its members, employees and communities.

Before joining Coast Capital, Calvin held a wide variety of roles including President of TD Waterhouse Canada, Co-founder, Director and Managing Partner of QTrade Financial Group and President and Managing Director of Assante Corporation.

Calvin holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Carleton University, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst Level 3 Candidate.

Professor Mayer is Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and was its past Dean from 2006 – 2011. He was elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 2013. He founded and leads the Future of the Corporation project which aims to contribute to bringing about a paradigm shift that redefines business in the 21st century and builds trust between business and society.

Colin is also a fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the European Corporate Governance Institute, a Professorial Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford and an Honorary Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford and St Anne’s College, Oxford.  He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oxford Playhouse,  past member of the UK Government Natural Capital Committee, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal and the International Advisory Board of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.  He was chairman of Oxera Ltd. 1986 to 2010 and a director of the energy modelling company, Aurora Energy Research Ltd, 2013 to 2020.  Colin was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours. His most recent book Prosperity: Better Business Makes the Greater Good is published by Oxford University Press.

Mike is the CEO and Managing Director of Baker Tilly Canada Corporate Finance which provides investment banking, transaction structuring, M&A and capital advice to mid-market companies. His company’s social purpose is to unlock the societal and economic value of business in transition. He is an entrepreneur at heart. He has built, acquired, and sold his own private businesses and guided 100+ entrepreneurs to sell their businesses. He is a passionate leader with more than 25 years of experience working with private and public businesses as a trusted advisor and valued business partner. 

Mike is a specialist on corporate structure, valuation, taxation, business transactions and negotiating! He brings wisdom, ethics, integrity and the ability to make tough decisions, leading to win-win results and transactions that get across the finish line. 

Mike and his wife Monika live in Vancouver with their three active teenagers. Mike played basketball at Simon Fraser University and now enjoys competitive squash, skiing, mountain biking and golf. Mike serves as director of many private, public and non-profit organisations and is an entertaining public speaker and writer.In his spare time, he enjoys reading John Grisham novels and is always on the look-out for the next ‘big deal’. 

Beth McMahon is the CEO of the Canadian Institute of Planners, the national voice of the professional planning profession, with over 7,500 members across Canada and around the globe. Over the last five years, and with leadership from CIP’s members, Beth has guided the development and implementation of CIP’s policies on climate change, healthy communities, reconciliation, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Prior to CIP, Beth held the position of Vice-President of Government and Public Affairs for the Canadian Vintners Association, as well Executive Director of both the Canadian Organic Growers and the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network.

She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and received her Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University; she also completed the Ivey Business School’s CommunityShift leadership program.

Beth lives on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people, near Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.

I am here to challenge the status quo in the economic and educational domains of our society. I have spent the majority of my adult life and career in the academic space bearing witness to the inefficiencies and trauma that our current educational system imposes on us as human beings. I see a deep connection in the way our economic model and our educational systems influence one another and therefore need to be tackled together in order to work towards propelling true change and transformation. This is my career purpose but not my purpose as a human being. By way of association, as a being from this living, breathing planet, I already hold inherent purpose and value simply by existing.  I am driven to bring this notion back into the collective consciousness.

Naheed Nenshi, A’paistootsiipsii, was sworn in as Calgary’s 36th mayor on October 25, 2010 and was re-elected in 2013 and 2017.

Prior to being elected, Mayor Nenshi was with McKinsey and Company, later forming his own business to help public, private and non-profit organizations grow. He designed policy for the Government of Alberta, helped create a Canadian strategy for The Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, and worked with the United Nations to determine how business can help the poorest people on the planet. He then entered academia, where he was Canada’s first tenured professor in the field of non-profit management, at Mount Royal University’s Bissett School of Business.

Mayor Nenshi was awarded the 2014 World Mayor Prize by the UK-based City Mayor’s Foundation as the best mayor in the world. That same year he was honoured by Elder Pete Standing Alone with the Blackfoot name A’paistootsiipsii, which means “Clan Leader” or “He who moves camp and the others follow”.

Mayor Nenshi holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction) from the University of Calgary, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he studied as a Kennedy Fellow.

Chad Park is the VP, Sustainability & Citizenship for Co-operators, whose mission is to enable financial security for Canadians and their communities. He leads the co- operative’s efforts to embed and integrate sustainability principles throughout the organization, including in its investment strategy and underwriting practices. He also oversees The Co-operators community investment programs.

 

Prior to joining The Co-operators in 2020, Chad played a leadership role with several sustainability-focused organizations and initiatives. He served for five years as the Founding Director and Lead Animator of the Energy Futures Lab, a diverse coalition of innovators and partner organizations working together to advance solutions for a transformative energy vision for Canada. He has also served as Executive Director of The Natural Step Canada, a founding Board-member for the Future-Fit Foundation in the United Kingdom, and a Board member of the Canadian Energy and Climate Nexus.  

 

Bobbi Plecas was appointed Deputy Minister, Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation on November 26, 2020. 

Previous to this role she was Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat, starting on January 29, 2019.  In this capacity she advanced British Columbia’s interests with the federal government, other provinces and territories, US states and other foreign governments.  Bobbi also had responsibility for the Government’s ceremonial, protocol and diplomatic activities, as well as the Francophone Affairs program. 

Bobbi was Deputy Minister of Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy from July 2017 to January 2019.  In this role, Bobbi led the development of the cross-government CleanBC plan, aimed at reducing climate pollution through a transition to clean energy. 

Bobbi has been a member of the provincial public service for more than 25 years and has held a variety of executive roles across government.  She lives in the province’s capital city, Victoria, with her husband and two daughters. 

Phil’s the founder of  the Australian-based Business Purpose Project and author of  Connecting Profit With Purpose. He helps people and organisations with the strategies that amplify their impact many times over.

Phil left a corporate career overseeing billions of dollars of investments to help companies go beyond token or symbolic acts of charity to make a difference at scale whilst also improving performance. He’s worked with small-medium enterprises through to multi-national corporations and everything in between.

Based near Sydney in Australia, in his spare time he enjoys coffee, chocolate and trail running! 

 

With twenty years’ experience in over twenty different countries, David brings a wide-ranging and international mindset to construction materials. He brings a unique blend of operational execution with functional expertise in operating model development, strategic assessment, supply chain management and sustainability. He is a signatory to the UN’s Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) and participated in the first cohort of the United Way’s Social Purpose Institute’s Innovators program.

Lafarge Canada is coming together under a new purpose: To make cities greener, build smarter infrastructure and improve communities, as we work towards becoming a net zero company.

Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Our 70,000 people are passionate about building progress across our 70 markets and four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.

Leor is an energy and sustainability expert with corporate, entrepreneurship, and NGO experience. He co-hosts a popular podcast called Pipelines & Turbines, which features interviews and commentary about topical energy and sustainability issues.

As Executive Director of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), Leor facilitates a learning network for 50 leading Canadian corporations and SME’s to support their sustainability and social impact programs and performance. During his tenure, he has grown business memberships by 300% and led the organization through a merger with the Delphi Group, and GLOBE Series.

Leor started his career in the international development sector and spent several years as a sustainability leader with two of Canada’s largest energy companies. He was a key architect of the Energy Futures Lab and co-founded a social enterprise, specializing in zero-waste events. Leor currently lives with his partner and their one year old daughter in Moh’kins’tsis, the Blackfoot name for the place commonly known as Calgary, which is located in the Treaty 7 region and traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuut’ina, and Stoney Nakoda First Nations as well as the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Owner and CEO of Novex Delivery Solutions, Robert Safrata is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience acquiring, building and growing companies by delivering a triple bottom line. He has a successful track-record of acquiring under-performing companies and executing a turnaround strategy that drives growth and profitability, with a focus on integrating sustainability into the business; a point of differentiation from competitors.  At Novex, Robert was the driving force in the transformation of its operations to becoming a carbon neutral delivery service, and winning awards for raising the bar and setting new standards of environmental ethics in a business historically not known as being environmentally sensitive. As a certified BCorporation and a member of the Social Purpose Institute, Robert is proud of Novex’s purpose to deliver regenerative change.

Amie Sergas is passionate about growing regional innovation ecosystems and finding new approaches to help entrepreneurs and their communities. In her current role as Manager, Innovation, Growth and Capital with the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Amie supports the commercialization and growth of emerging technologies in Ontario companies through policy and programs. Before joining the Ontario government, Amie supported the design and development of the province’s network of regional innovation centres and business support programs and services as Director of Venture Programs at MaRS Discovery District. Prior to her innovation work in the non-profit and public sectors, Amie worked in marketing and business development in cleantech, telecom and biotechnology companies. She holds a BSc in biotechnology and chemistry with Honours from Brock University and an MBA from Queen’s University.

Elizabeth is a recognized energy, sustainability, and clean technology expert with nearly 20 years of experience. She has spent her career working with industry, innovators, investors, governments and environmental organizations, in pursuit of the policy, technical, financial and cultural solutions that will help accelerate a cleaner, more sustainable future. As Managing Director, GLOBE Series, she leads a passionate and highly skilled team that convenes the innovators and changemakers who are accelerating the clean economy.

In her previous role as Emission Reductions Alberta’s Executive Director of Policy and Strategy, Elizabeth was responsible for leading on strategic initiatives and events. These ranged from developing ERA’s Technology Roadmap to delivering its biennial, three-day SPARK conference. She led the organization’s strategic stakeholder engagement and partnerships initiatives, and held the pen on its annual business plan.

Prior to joining ERA, Elizabeth served in various roles with the Government of Alberta, including Director of the Climate Change Secretariat that supported the development of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan and Director of Innovation Policy and Programs within Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education. Elizabeth’s previous experience also includes providing government relations support to Capital Power and providing policy advice to the Canadian Electricity Association in Ottawa and the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, DC.

Elizabeth has a master’s degree in economics from George Mason University and bachelor’s degrees in economics and geography from the University of Mary Washington.

As a member of the executive leadership team, David has accountability for driving strategic alignment around corporate purpose, ESG, and social impact. Prior to LifeCo, David had a successful career at McKesson. A member of the company executive leadership team, David worked in both the US and Canada leading teams across corporate marketing, enterprise strategy, and public affairs.

David is a member of Western University’s Board of Governors; President of the Canadian Club of Toronto; a Governor of the Stratford Festival; and an Advisory Board Member at Catalyst Canada.

In 2020, David completed an appointment as Visiting Professor at Western University. His teaching focused on storytelling, brand marketing, and social change.

A graduate of Western University, David holds an Honours BA, MA, and completed the executive development program at the Wharton School. In 2015 the Diversity Advancement Network named David one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Canadians.

Joyce Sou is Director, Business Development at B Lab US & Canada. In this role she works to grow a community of certified B Corps which are companies leading the way to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

Coro Strandberg is a nationally recognized expert in Social Purpose and ESG and Purpose Governance. She co-founded the Social Purpose Institute and has helped dozens of companies define and implement their social purpose. She provides advice and thought leadership on strategies to harness the economy as a force for good and to help industry, trade and professional associations develop mandates to serve society in addition to serving their members. She is a faculty member for Directors College and Governance Professionals of Canada providing education on ESG, Purpose and Stakeholder Governance for Directors and Governance Professionals respectively. Coro is a board member of BC Lotteries Corporation and serves on its Governance and Social Purpose Committee. She is also a member of the advisory committees of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, Canadian Standards Association and Vancouver Economic Commission. She publishes her thought leadership on her website at www.corostrandberg.com.

Dr Katherine Trebeck is co-founder and Strategic Advocacy Advisor of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and co-founder of WEAll Scotland. She held various roles with Oxfam GB and instigated the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership. Katherine sits on several advisory groups, including The Democracy Collaborative and the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity. Katherine holds a Political Science PhD from Australian National University and is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Strathclyde and a Distinguished Fellow of the Schumacher Institute. Her book The Economics of Arrival: Ideas for a Grown Up Economy (co-authored with Jeremy Williams) was published in 2019.

Tessa is a collaborator for sustainable business growth, helping businesses take first and next steps to becoming socially and environmentally sustainable. Her award-winning sustainability program at the Burnaby Board of Trade “The Pledge for a Sustainable Community” has leveraged the power of the association to drive purpose-driven impact within the Burnaby business community. The Burnaby Board of Trade is in a tri-sector partnership with the City of Burnaby and the Social Purpose Institute to encourage Burnaby businesses to adopt and implement a social purpose as the reason they exist.

Tessa is also a passionate conservationist and has used her communication, collaboration and advocacy skills to lead the Ivory-Free Canada campaign.

Gary Wade is the President of Unilever Canada. Gary has led the organization through several transformative business initiatives while championing Diversity & Inclusion and elevating employee engagement. Gary joined Unilever South Africa in 1993 and has held progressive roles in  Sales, Strategy and Marketing.

Gary is an active board member of  Food, Health &  Consumer Products Canada, Grocers and Manufacturers Collaborative and GS1 (Global Standards Canada). Outside of work Gary is an accomplished athlete and enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three daughters.

As the Chief Social Purpose Officer & Vice President Player Experience, Peter is responsible for the corporation’s social purpose commitment, overall reputation management and end-to-end player experience and marketing strategies. A 27-year veteran of the values-driven marketing, sustainability and social purpose movement, his is helping transition BCLC to a purpose-driven organization that offers lottery, casino and online players an exceptional and responsible entertainment experience.

Peter’s professional experience spans the world of corporate, government and non-profit clients in North America, Europe and Asia. He has lived and worked in Canada, the Netherlands and India where he advised organizations on a range of values-based issues. He has also developed various campaigns and initiatives focused around issues such as climate action, conservation, public health, and diversity and inclusion.

He is a currently a Director of the Western Canada Theatre Company as well the Cape Cod Center for Sustainability.

As Chief Strategy, Product and Marketing Officer, Catherine oversees end-to-end alignment of Coast Capital’s corporate brand, member experience and social impact strategy. With over 20 years of financial service experience, Catherine previously held senior roles at Qtrade, TD Bank, and Assante and served as the Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer for Aviso Wealth.

Joining the executive team at Coast Capital, Canada’s largest federal credit union and Certified B Corporation® in 2019, Catherine has since led the organization’s evolution to a social purpose company committed to building better futures by unlocking financial opportunities that positively impact people and communities.

Catherine holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Information Studies, both from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Mass Communications from York University.

A dedicated Board member for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, Catherine is also a member of the Executive Committee for Advocis and Board member for the YPO Gold, Toronto Chapter, where she focuses on growing membership diversity.

Andrew is the Divisional VP for BC at the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association. In this role he is responsible for CME BC’s strategic vision, managing relations with members and advocating on behalf of their interests. He is also responsible for liaison with government and other stakeholders such as the coalition of industry groups and other economic developers.

Previous roles include 8 years as the Director of Policy and Communications for the BC Chamber of Commerce, 6 years as the Director of Operations for the Premier’s Technology Council and over three years as the Executive Director of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. Through this work he has developed expertise in policy development, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, advocacy and communications strategies.

Andrew has two grown children and lives with his wife in Victoria, BC.

Hassan Yussuff is one of Canada’s newest Senators and one of its most experienced labour leaders. As the past President of the Canadian Labour Congress, he was the first person of colour to lead Canada’s union movement.

In 1988, he joined the Canadian Auto Workers union as the National Staff Representative, and later became their first Director of Human Rights. In 1999, he became Canadian Labour Congress’s first person of colour elected to an executive position, as Executive Vice-President. He went on to be elected as Secretary-Treasurer for three terms, from 2002 to 2014, before being elected President in 2014. He was re-elected in this role in 2017 and retired from the Canadian Labour Congress in 2021 prior to his appointment to the Senate.

Recently, he has served on the Net-Zero Advisory Body by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and on the Industry Advisory Roundtable on COVID-19 Testing, Screening, Tracing and Data Management.

As Coast Capital’s Director, Social Purpose Office, Maureen has played a key role in defining the credit union’s social purpose vision: Building Better Futures Together by Unlocking Financial Opportunities that Positively Impact People and Communities. Maureen leads the development and implementation of Coast Capital’s long-term social purpose impact plan and the integration of social purpose across company operations. Maureen oversees Coast Capital’s sustainability initiatives, B Corp certification, and annual disclosures and leads Coast Capital’s philanthropic and purpose investments, which sees 10% of Coast Capital’s budgeted bottom line reinvested into the community.

Maureen is Chair of the Youth Futures Education Fund, an initiative she helped found, focused on ensuring youth from the foster care system have the opportunity to achieve their post-secondary education. Prior to joining the credit union, Maureen held senior positions with the Fraser Basin Council, Nelson & District Economic Development Commission, and Tourism Action Society in the Kootenays.

Mary Clare Zak is the Managing Director, Social Policy at the City of Vancouver.  She has over 30 years in the public sector and has spent the last decade in particular working to create partnerships between local government and the private sector, including social enterprise.