When I first started my journey toward sustainability 5 years ago, I wanted to have a meaningful impact in this world through my work. Sounds cliché, right? I also thought that to have such impact, it required having sustainability within your job title. Today, I realize that I couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Since I’ve started LeadingAhead, the learning curve has been exponentially higher of a regular work position. One of the key things that I’ve learned over the years working with different organizations is that sustainability isn’t in a title.

The Trudeau government’s first plan to combat climate change is short on measurable targets and meaningful action

On November 18, 2016, federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna released her plan to combat climate change, with a primary goal to stay beneath the scientifically determined limit of 2 degrees Celsius of planetwide warming.

The 91-page plan serves as a high-level road map toward reaching Canada's commitments made in Paris in December 2015 at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21). In essence, it is akin to the kind of strategy a business would implement during a transition period to more evolved business practices. The plan is a guideline that communicates Canada’s intent and direction on sectors including energy, agriculture and waste.

Two weeks ago, I had the chance to speak at the North West Environmental Conference and Tradeshow in Portland, OR.  It is a two day annual conference aiming on 4 different tracks: 

• Regulation and Best Practices 
• Advanced Topics, Raising the Bar
• Hot Topics Conversations
• Sustainable Business 

The conference attracts some 600 to 800 attendees each year providing learning sessions within the 4 tracks described above. NWEC offers presentations by local, national, and international speakers from across the environmental industry providing professionals with the knowledge needed for high performance and creating a better environment for all. 

Having studying and working with many businesses in the corporate sustainability area, I was please to be asked to speak at the conference sharing my knowledge and message with hundreds of people. Over the years we have seen an important shift from companies from aiming for compliance to reaching out for sustainable practices. This event has seen a lot turn over the years as its sustainable business track has been attracting many more individuals wanting to learn more about corporate sustainability initiatives. 

Last Wednesday, I was speaking at the French Vancouver Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de Commerce Française de Vancouver) and before my talk, the French ambassador to Canada, Nicolas Chapuis, stopped by to share his opinion about the Canada European Trade Agreement (CETA). He started his speech explaining about his earlier trip in the Canada’s North Baffin Island where he was shocked by the rapidly melting ice cap and lost wild life habitat. He pointed out how sad it was that the people who did not have anything to do with climate change were the first one severely impacted.