Archive for the ‘Pre-conference Activities’ Category

When you consider the group of young leaders about to assemble at the University of Guelph from September 24th to 27th, it’s no wonder media stories are popping up about them everywhere. Here are just a few of the clippings we’ve come across.

• Environment UNBSJ student, who has discovered a way to trap carbon dioxide emissions from gas stacks, lands spot at conference
• LeBlanc picked to attend youth conference for sustainability
• Mount A student chosen among 180 for national conference on sustainability
• U of C student chosen to attend national sustainability conference
• Carlson to participate in sustainability conference
• Ivey students to make an Impact! at National Sustainability Conference

That’s the goal of Impact! The Co-operators Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership. As you can see from some of the quotes below, our participants are certainly excited. The empowerment and equipping comes in just under two months, when 180 students will gather at the University of Guelph to work with business and academic leaders to develop practical sustainability solutions. Here’s some insight into how the participants are feeling as they wrap up their pre-conference research under the guidance of the Research Network for Business Sustainability and get ready to pack their bags.

I am becoming more and more excited as the conference comes closer and I bet you are very busy planning for it! Thanks so much!
-Tammy, Alberta

Thank you for such a smooth conference prep, you guys are good!
-Marena, Ontario

I have recently taken The Natural Step’s Sustainability 101 course required for the participation at Impact! conference that will take place in Guelph this coming fall. I learned a lot and did not notice how 80 minutes passed because of the interactive and unusual way of presenting the information. – Andrey, Ontario

As conference participants continue their pre-conference research, the steering committee continues to finalize logistics, confirm the participation of a number of sector experts and make sure all the tools are in place so the event is a true catalyst for change and greater sustainability. Check out the Media Gallery to view photos taken at our May 26th meeting at the University of Guelph. It will give you a sneak peek at some of the venues and allow you to put a face to the name for some of our conference organisers.

The excitement and the momentum are building. First, students have already begun their pre-conference research including an e-learning course designed by The Natural Step. Second, visit our recently updated Speaker section to view the impressive bios of our latest confirmed sector experts. Under the Agenda tab, click through to find out more about our academic facilitators. This broad collaboration with the student participants is sure to elicit some innovative ideas!

Finally, we are thrilled that the Social Sciences Humanities Research Council has granted Dr. Rumina Dhalla of the University of Guelph a $100,000 grant to support Impact! The Co-operators Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership.

Want to find out more? Visit us on Facebook.

Conference registration is now completed and while travel is being booked for 180 dynamic and committed students, pre-conference research has begun in earnest under the leadership of the Research Network for Business Sustainability.

Through the pre-conference research, the students will arrive at the conference with:

1. a common understanding of sustainability and its language, to begin learning from a common starting point
2. knowledge of current sustainability practices in organizations to provide a strong base on which to build throughout the conference
3. relationships with other students across geographies and academic disciplines, to broaden thinking of sustainability and fuel the group work

The 25 + hours of pre-conference research consist of:

• an e-learning course designed by The Natural Step;

• virtual work groups that explore sustainability practices in large and small organisations in: insurance and financial services; manufacturing; retail; municipal public services; food systems; energy production; information and communications technology; and hospitality and tourism.

Within each sector, participants in teams of two will assess one company’s practices around:

• Mitigating and adapting to climate change
• Engaging the community and contributing to social development
• Caring for employees
• Caring for consumers
• Protecting water
• Protecting air
• Fighting poverty
• Advancing human rights
• Ensuring organization is managed responsibly

Before the conference has even started the participants will have created a report table for their specific organization;

a summary report table which highlights practices, policies and performance across the sector; and ideas and questions generated as a result of their research which they would like to explore with sector experts and academics at the conference.

Armed with all this knowledge before they even arrive at the University of Guelph on September 24th the real question is what solutions will they come up with during the conference and how significant will their impact be over time. Stay tuned!