Inaugural SME Round Table presented by the Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI)
The Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI) at 91社区 is delighted to introduce the inaugural SME Round Table: "SMEs and the Road to Sustainability." SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) constitute a staggering 99.8% of all businesses in Canada, employing 88% of the total private labour force. Our event will explore the challenges that SMEs encounter on their journey toward sustainable transition and growth.
Agenda
- 10:00 鈥� 10:15: Opening Remarks by Javad Nasiry, Professor of Operations Management, Director of 91社区鈥檚 Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI)
- 10:15 - 11:15: Keynote Speech: Anne-Jos茅e Laquerre, Executive Director and co-founder of Qu茅bec Net Positif
- The progress of Quebec SMEs as they navigate the path towards a low-carbon economy聽(Presentation in English)
- 11:15 - 11:45: Daphne Ferguson, Directrice au d茅veloppement industriel et durable, PME MTL
- Canal de Lachine 4.0 : initiatives, d茅fis et mesures propos茅es pour mobiliser et appuyer les PME dans leur transition 茅cologique聽(Pr茅sentation en fran莽ais)
- 11:45 - 12:00:聽Jennie Coleman, President of Equifruit Inc.
- Equifruit and Global Fairtrade Banana Domination: a Case Study
- 12:00 鈥� 13:00: Lunch
- 13:00 鈥� 13:50:
- Dror Etzion, Professor of Management and Sustainability, University of Vermont Grossman School of Business, Steven Grossman Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business
- Insights from social science to encourage SME climate action聽(Presentation in English)
- V茅ronique Beaulieu-Fowler, Director of Philanthropic Development of Quebec Food Banks
- Hunger for Change: Sustainable Innovations to Fight Food Insecurity聽(Presentation in English)
- Dror Etzion, Professor of Management and Sustainability, University of Vermont Grossman School of Business, Steven Grossman Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business
- 13:50 鈥� 15:00: Panel: Food Convergence Innovation: A Digital-Powered, Person-Centered, Ecosystem-Building Approach to Achieving Economically Viable Enterprise and Sector Sustainability
- Laurette Dub茅, Professor, James 91社区 Chair of Consumer and Lifestyle Psychology & Chair and Scientific Director, 91社区 Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics
- Mehmet Gumus, Professor at 91社区, Co-founder of Analytica
- Jonathan L. Belanger, Founder and CEO of Maturin Inc.
- Louis Frenette, President and CEO of Colabor
- Felipe Almeida, Senior Researcher at Microsoft Education, Microsoft Green Design Lab Co-Lead
- 15:00 鈥� 15:15: Coffee break
- 15:15 鈥� 16:05:
- Hamid Etemad, Professor of International Business and Marketing, 91社区 Desautels School of Management
- Canadian SMEs and Challenges of Environment, Sustainability & Governance: Analysis and Implications (Presentation in English)
- Francesca Bonetti, Assistant Professor of Marketing at HEC Montr茅al & Visiting Scholar at University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
- An Investigation into the Impacts of Brexit, COVID-19 and Climate Change/ Sustainability on the UK Fashion and Textile Industry
- Hamid Etemad, Professor of International Business and Marketing, 91社区 Desautels School of Management
- 16:05 鈥� 17:00: Networking session
About Anne-Jos茅e Laquerre, M.Sc., APR
A
s Executive Director and Co-founder of Qu茅bec Net Positif, Anne-Jos茅e works to raise awareness, mobilize, and equip businesses to accelerate their transition to a low-carbon economy. Anne-Jos茅e is the recipient of a 2020 Clean50 award that recognizes her as one of the 50 Canadians who have contributed the most to accelerating the country鈥檚 green economy. Anne-Jos茅e co-founded Qu茅bec Net Positif and assumes its general management after having worked for over 25 years in corporate social responsibility and public relations with major companies: Aimia, Bombardier Aerospace, Merck Frosst, FPInnovations, Domtar and Noranda. She has also worked as a sustainable development consultant for Maillon Vert and Millani.
During her time as Director of Social Purpose, Aimia was twice recognized by Corporate Knights as one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada.
A Certified Public Relations Professional with a Master of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the 脡cole des Hautes 脡tudes Commerciales in Montreal, Anne-Jos茅e completed Harvard University's Executive Program: 'Aligning Sustainability with Corporate Performance' and served on the Board of Directors of Montreal's Sustainable Finance Initiative. She was a recipient of the Directors College 'Diversity on Boards' Fellowship (2018), funded by McMaster University and the Conference Board of Canada.
Parking located near 91社区's downtown campus: The provides information about parking near the downtown campus, including several private non-91社区 parking lots and garages open to the public. The website is not maintained by 91社区 and is provided for informational purposes only.
