Climate Strategy Advisory Board

Mission Statement of Chapter Zero Canada

• 
  Chapter Zero Canada aims to bring together the expertise of leaders in the climate governance space to meaningfully contribute to the discourse on climate change and competitiveness in Canada.  Specifically, it aims to mobilize the corporate director community through education based on the CGI Principles as contextualized for Canada, on strategies for embedding climate considerations into Canadian boardrooms’ strategic decision making.  It believes that as the long-term stewards of Canadian organizations, the corporate director community has an important role in ensuring the climate change journey in Canada is one that leads to a sustainable future and a robust, competitive Canadian economy.

Why the ICD

• 
  The ICD is a not-for-profit, member-based association whose purpose is to improve trust and confidence in Canadian organizations by developing and activating directors. With more than 15,000 members and a network of 11 regional Chapters across Canada, the ICD’s members span all sectors of the economy and oversee well in excess of $1 trillion in market capitalization and institutions that impact the lives of virtually every Canadian. No other organization in Canada is better positioned, both in mission and reach, to impact the discourse on climate change at the board level.

Chapter Zero Canada: Shaping a Sustainable, Competitive and Prosperous Future

Legal Primer on Climate Change: Directors’ Duties and Disclosure Obligations

The Climate Strategy Advisory Board

• 
  The Climate Strategy Advisory Board (“CSAB”) is a committee of leaders in the Canadian corporate governance and/or climate change space who are tasked with providing the subject matter expertise to help shape the substance of Chapter Zero Canada’s strategic work.
  
   

COP26

• •  The ICD is proud to be part of a global network of directors’ forums, the Climate Governance Initiative (CGI)
  • The CGI, of which the ICD is a contributor, is committed to promoting effective climate governance practices and behaviours on boards of directors, building on the World Economic Forum’s Principles for Effective Climate Governance.
  • The CGI has provided a statement to coincide with COP26, in order to elevate awareness of the role boards have in fighting climate change. Read the statement here

The Climate Strategy Advisory Board Members

Kathy Bardswick

Kathy Bardswick

Kathy is Chair of the Sustainable Finance Action Council and a member of the Board of Trustees of the University Pension Plan. She is immediate past President of the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices having stepped down in June, 2021. Previously, her professional career spanned nearly four decades with The Co-operators Group Ltd., retiring from her role as President and Chief Executive Officer in December, 2016. During her tenure as CEO, she led The Co-operators sustainability journey, receiving various domestic and global recognitions for the insurance group’s efforts. Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science (Math) from the University of Manitoba and an MBA from McMaster University. She currently sits on the boards of Foresters Financial, Wawanesa, and RGA Canada. Kathy holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Guelph and an Honorary Chartered Insurance Professional from the Insurance Institute of Canada.

Christopher Burley

Christopher Burley

Chris Burley is a Corporate Director and a former Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Energy for Merrill Lynch, an investment banking firm. He serves as the Chairman of Westjet Airlines, an Onex Corporation portfolio company, and serves on the board of directors of Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest provider of crop inputs, services, and solutions.

Mr. Burley is an accredited member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Science with a Certificate of Honours Standing (Geophysics) from Western University (1984) and a Master of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at Western University (1987).

Denise Carpenter, ICD.D, GCB.D

Director, Cashco Financial

Denise Carpenter, ICD.D, GCB.D

Director, Cashco Financial

Denise Carpenter is an experienced c-suite executive, board chair and director and executive coach with broad experience in several business sectors. Denise is recognized as a collaborative, engaging leader and coach. She is respected as a strategic, politically savvy, and socially sensitive thought leader and is known for a calm, collaborative, measured approach to fact-based decision making while keeping a view on the future effects and growth of the business.

An early leader and advocate of ESG, she has spent her career advocating for companies and governments on issues that matter most to Canadians and acting as a trusted confidant to senior executives and governments.

Denise is currently Independent Chair, Blue Cross Canada, Independent Director and HRCC Chair, Ontario Medical Association. Chair of the Board, Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation, Director, Synergy North and Board Chair at Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto, In 2018, Denise was appointed to the Diversity 50 Cohort, recognizing Canada’s most diverse and eligible board candidates. She is an active and accredited member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, The International Coach Federation and the International Women’s Forum.

Andy Chisholm

Andy Chisholm

Andy is a member of the Board of Directors of Royal Bank of Canada. Prior to that he spent most of his career at Goldman Sachs & Co, at which he served in a variety of progressively more senior leadership roles within the organization. He acted as a member of the Federal government’s Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance and subsequently as a member of the Task Force for Resilient Recovery.

He sits on the Advisory Board for the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen’s University and the Centre for Building Sustainable Value at the Ivey Business School, is a Board Member of Evergreen, and sits on the Investment Committee of ArcTern Ventures, a cleantech Venture Capital firm.

He holds a B. Comm from Queens University (1981) and graduated with an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University in 1985.  He is Chair of the Ivey Business School Advisory Board. He lives in Toronto with his family.
 

Miranda Hubbs

Miranda Hubbs

Ms. Hubbs is currently an independent director of Nutrien Ltd., Imperial Oil, and PSP Investments (Public Sector Pension Investment Board). Ms. Hubbs serves as vice-chair of the board of the Canadian Red Cross. Prior to retirement in 2011, Ms. Hubbs was executive vice president and managing director of McLean Budden, one of Canada’s leading investment managers. Ms. Hubbs holds a BSc from Western University, an MBA from Schulich School of Business at York University and is a CFA charterholder. Ms Hubbs serves on the Global Risk Institute Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee and holds the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting credential from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board.

Sarah Keyes, CPA, CA

Sarah Keyes, CPA, CA

With a decade of diverse experience as a thought leader, consultant and auditor, Sarah Keyes is a recognized voice on the financial impacts of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues for the Canadian business community.

She is a speaker, author and facilitator on the impacts of climate change risks and opportunities on governance, strategy, risk management and performance. Ms. Keyes is a Principal at ESG Global Advisors, a consulting firm created to help bridge the gap between companies and investors on ESG issues. Prior to this role, Ms. Keyes was a Principal at Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) where she produced research, thought leadership and practical guidance for companies to integrate climate change considerations into business strategy, risk management, governance and reporting.

Mark Podlasly

Mark Podlasly

Mark Podlasly, a member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation in British Columbia, is the Chief Sustainability Officer at the First Nations Major Project Coalition, a national First Nations organization dedicated to ensuring Indigenous environmental and economic values are incorporated into projects in traditional territories. He counsels Indigenous governments across Canada on the establishment of trusts to invest revenues from resource development.

Mark’s international experience includes the planning, permitting and construction of large capital projects related to energy, resource development and community infrastructure around the world. He has designed and delivered corporate strategy, leadership and globalization programs for a client list that includes GE, Unilever, General Mills, Clorox, Goldman Sachs, and Praxair. He is also a frequent contributor on the subject of industry-Indigenous economic reconciliation, with writings covering a range of issues including ESG, climate change, economic wellbeing and governance.

Mark is a board director of Hydro One, serving on the audit and human resources committees, and a managing trustee of his First Nation’s mining revenue trust fund. In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, and a frequent participant in international forums including the International Finance Corporation’s Sustainability Exchange.

Mark holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor-General of Canada for the founding of Teach for Canada, a non-profit organization that works with northern First Nations to recruit and support committed teachers.

Annette Verschuren, O.C.

Annette Verschuren, O.C.

Annette Verschuren, O.C., is Chair and CEO of NRStor Inc., and the former President of The Home Depot Canada. Ms. Verschuren is Chair of the MaRS Discovery District and the Chair of Sustainable Development Technology Canada. She is a Director of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group of Boston, Air Canada, Saputo and Canadian Natural Resources Limited.
 
Annette Verschuren serves as Chancellor of Cape Breton University and is a Board member of the CAMH Foundation. Ms. Verschuren is an Officer of the Order of Canada and is a Companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.