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2022-01-26 14:00:00

Panel: The Finance Sector’s Role in Driving Sustainable Development

SustainabilityFinance
Published on
Panelists
  • Bill Sisson Executive Director, North America - World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
  • Christine Bergeron President & CEO - Vancity
  • Rob Wesseling Headshot Rob Wesseling President & CEO - Co-operators
  • Headshot of Som Seif Som Seif Founder and CEO - Purpose Unlimited

Canadian citizens, governments and companies are paying closer attention to the sustainability impact of financial products and services, which are the heart of all economic activity—governing our investments, lending our mortgages and allowing us to plan for retirement. Increased scrutiny upon financial institutions and professionals, as well as a national goal of achieving net zero by 2050, has financial actors and economic stakeholders turning to the ever-pressing considerations of ESG, sustainable development, and a global financial system that removes barriers to access for all citizens. 

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has provided reliable and ambitious guidance on how the business community can make the transformations we need in order to “have more than nine billion people live well and within planetary boundaries by 2050,” and has identified financial products and services as a critical component of achieving this goal. In The Council’s view, financial products and services can and must be harnessed not only to make a profit, but to achieve pressing social and environmental outcomes in Canada and abroad.

This live panel was moderated by Tim Penketh, Founder & CEO of TheFutureEconomy.ca, and featured four leading experts in a discussion on how Canada’s business community can mobilize financial capital, products and services to support sustainable development in Canada. 

Discussion Themes:

The panel focused on what Canada and its financial sector stakeholders must do to achieve the following outcomes:

  1. “The financial system recognizes the value of social and environmental outcomes alongside financial performance.”
  2. “Financial capital allocation enables sustainable and equitable development.”
  3. “The financial system has access to comprehensive and comparable data on corporate sustainability performance.”
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Bill Sisson
Executive Director, North America - World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Bill Sisson is the Executive Director, North America for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), where he directs and oversees its regional member relations, sustainability projects and events. He is also an MIT Sloan Fellow.

Christine Bergeron
President & CEO - Vancity

Christine Bergeron is the President & CEO of Vancity, a member-owned financial co-operative based in Vancouver. Christine also chairs the boards of Vancity Community Investment Bank, InBC Investment Corporation, and the Women’s Enterprise Centre.

Rob Wesseling Headshot
Rob Wesseling
President & CEO - Co-operators

Rob Wesseling is the President & CEO of Co-operators, a leading Canadian financial services co-operative. Rob is also a board member of the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation, where he sits on the Executive Committee.

Headshot of Som Seif
Som Seif
Founder and CEO - Purpose Unlimited

Som Seif is Founder and CEO of Purpose Unlimited, focused on asset management and also launched the world’s first Bitcoin ETF. Seif is also a co-founder of Wealthsimple, where he currently sits on the board.

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