C-suite ESG Agenda Imperative

Description

Join us for an ESG insight series, starting with an amazing CEO panel. Come hear leading CEOs' perspectives and insights into the changing business landscape required to deliver on the Environmental, Social & Governance mandates, and what they expect from their CIOs as sustainability requirements continue to rise. This will be followed by carefully curated sustainability CIO education sessions in January, and another CEO wrap-up session, details for these sessions will be posted in the near future.

Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) is not only a framework that financial institutions and investors have to report on; it is also on the radar of employees, regulators, and everyone involved in the value chain.

- Environmental (E) How to assess the company's performance as a steward of nature. Analyze how its activities impact the environment and manage environmental risks.

- Social criteria (S) Examine the strengths and weaknesses of how a company manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates.

- Governance (G) Understand how a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights affect how investor's level of trust and what kind of decisions are taken behind closed doors.

Meet the Panelists:

Mary Ann Yule
President & CEO
HP Canada Co.

Mary Ann Yule is the President and CEO of HP Canada Co., a seasoned leader in the technology industry, with more than 20 years of experience. She is a trailblazer in innovative personal systems and printing technologies, including 3D printing, digital manufacturing, and related services and solutions. A leading technology company in Canada, HP is focused on creating technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere, while championing diversity, sustainability, and corporate responsibility in every community where it does business.

Since joining in 2016, her proven track record of driving results continues to deliver breakthrough market outcomes across HP’s portfolio. Mary Ann is credited with establishing HP as the most sustainable technology company in Canada1 as well as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. Mary Ann is committed to spearheading inclusive best practices both as the co-executive sponsor of the Global Young Employee Network at HP as well as a founding member of The Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR).

Prior to joining HP, Mary Ann served as Vice President and General Manager of CDW Canada, Inc., driving business growth and national brand recognition. Under her leadership, CDW Canada was ranked as a premier technology solution provider in Canada, one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, and among the Top Workplaces for Women.

Adrian Thomas
Canada Country President
Schneider Electric

Adrian is seasoned and progressive leader, with over 20 years of experience in the electrical and automation industry. Adrian joined Schneider Electric in 2016, as the leader of the Building segment, and has since held multiple leadership roles, including VP of Digital Energy, Low Voltage Power Systems, and VP of Home and Distribution, Power Products and Channel. He has been instrumental in bringing Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure to life in Canada, helping partners and businesses alike achieve their sustainability ambitions and accelerating the company’s digitization journey and sustainable growth.

Adrian is passionate about creating positive impact with customers, employees and the community, and leverages his strong expertise in technology to activate sustainable transformations. He is active in the Canadian industry through his work on the board of the National Electricity Roundtable, Electro-Federation Canada (EFC), European Union Chamber of Commerce in Canada (EUCCAN) and France Canada Chamber of Commerce Ontario (FCCCO).

Adrian is a champion of diversity and inclusion and believes both play an equally critical role in driving innovation, growth and agility. Through participation in boards like Coalition of Innovation Against Racism (CILAR), Adrian is working towards creating a more equitable work environment across the industry, thereby creating the conditions for empowered individuals to lead change. He is also a strong advocate for supporting and developing the leaders of tomorrow with mentorships.

Gordon Hicks, C.M.
CEO, BGIS
Co-Founder, Cam's Kids

Gord Hicks joined BGIS Global Integrated Solutions in 1997 and held a number of Executive roles until being promoted to President in 2006. In 2016 Gord became CEO, responsible for BGIS, a multi-billion dollar Facility Management Services leader operating in more than a dozen countries around the world, with over 9000 team members.

As a Professional Engineer and LEED-Accredited Professional, he is someone who cares deeply about our planet. Gord is dedicated to supporting and advocating for the highest environmental standards in the real estate industry. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Canada Green Building Council and was a long standing board member of Al Gore’s “The Climate Reality Project Canada”, a not-for-profit organization that promotes awareness of climate change and encourages societal change to reduce our carbon footprint.  In 2014 Gord was recognized as one of Canada’s Green 16 Leaders, by the Clean 50, and in 2015 he was honored by Corporate Knights as Canada’s Greenest CEO. In 2018 Carleton University awarded Gord with a PhD h.c., for his outstanding efforts and contribution to the advancement of building energy efficiency.

Under his leadership BGIS was named by Maclean’s Magazine, as one of Canada’s Top 30 Greenest Companies from 2010-2014. In 2012 he became a founding member of the Corporate Knights Council for Clean Capitalism, and has been actively involved in working with governments to introduce policies to enable the advancement in the Green Building industry. BGIS has been identified as one of Canada’s Top 50 Corporate Citizens since 2017.

Meet the Moderator:

Rita Lazar-Tippe
Digital Transformation Executive Advisor 

Rita serves on the CIO Association of Canada National Board as Treasurer and Director of Sponsorship, McDougall House Board, and the Alberta Automotive Insurance Rate Board. She has most recently earned an ESG Competent Board designation. She has also been awarded the CIOCAN 2022 President’s Impact Award, IT World Canada 2021 CIO of the Year, and The Channel Company North America East top 20 most Innovative Midmarket CIOs.

Currently, Rita is a Digital Transformation Senior Advisor specializing in strategy, innovation, data, ESG, and technology disciplines.

In her previous role with Alberta Pensions Services Corporations, she served as the Director of Information, Data Insights, Corporate Innovation, and IT. Rita created and executed a multiyear strategy to deliver a 360 view of the member and pensioner, shifting to a self-service data model, incorporating AI to elevate business insights and decision making. She implemented a corporate-wide innovation program to both optimize and enhance the employee, client, member, and pensioner experience, and modernized and optimized IT products and services, elevating the client experience.

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Non-member guests must meet member qualification criteria (i.e. be a senior technology leader). Anyone who does not meet the criteria will be notified that their registration has not been accepted.