2022 AGENDA

• 8:15 AM

  Registration and Breakfast

• 9:00 AM

  Opening remarks from chairperson

  

  Bindu Dhaliwal

  Vice President Environmental, Social & Governance
  CIBC

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  Bindu Dhaliwal

  Vice President Environmental, Social & Governance
  CIBC

  Bindu Dhaliwal, is the Vice-President, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), at CIBC. She leads the Enterprise ESG team, responsible for: CIBC’s ESG strategy &  governance,  identifying and evaluating emerging ESG issues; and, ESG engagement activities with CIBC’s stakeholders.

  Bindu joined CIBC in the Spring of 2021, bringing over 15 years of experience to this role, having previously – led a sustainability team at another FI ; managed a global whistleblower program and acted as an Advisor to academic programs on sustainability and social finance. She is a frequent speaker on sustainability trends in the financial services sector and diversity & equity issues in the legal profession.

  Bindu has also been a longstanding community leader and advocate for diversity and equity issues. She has served on the board of a number of not-for-profit organizations including: Street Kids International, Girls Action Foundation and the Students Commission, and has co-authored educational tools on equity issues. For these and other efforts Bindu has received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

  She currently sits on the Board of the Child Development Institute, a children’s mental health agency in Toronto, and Community Knowledge Exchange (CKX), a social change agency that supports community leadership through learning experiences, fellowships and platforms for knowledge exchange.

  A lawyer by training, Bindu began her career in the litigation department of a major Canadian law firm and clerked at the Ontario Court of Appeal. She has a B.Comm from the University of Toronto, obtained her law degree at Queens University, a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability from the University of Toronto and a Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation from the Waterloo University.

   

• 9:05 AM

  Understanding the role of in-house / external counsel in corporate ESG strategy

  Growing regulatory requirements, enhanced social pressures from an expanding list of stakeholders and the recognition of the opportunities and competitive advantage that initiatives can deliver, has rapidly made ESG a main priority for business. With public commitments to ESG priorities now resulting in real obligations, this session explores the critical role that counsel must play in ensuring the effectiveness of ESG initiatives whilst mitigating the associated risks. 

  • Determining the optimal role of in-house counsel in the formation of an ESG strategy 
  • Growing ESG responsibilities falling on counsel and the use of external counsel 
  • Key considerations and structures of cross-functional ESG teams 
  • Where in-house and external counsel can add the greatest value in ESG strategy and execution 

  • Aligning organizational leadership and all departments around a shared definition of ESG 

  

  Andrew McLaughlin

  Vice President – Legal Affairs & General Counsel
  Major Drilling

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  Andrew McLaughlin

  Vice President – Legal Affairs & General Counsel
  Major Drilling

  Andrew McLaughlin is the VP–Legal Affairs, General Counsel and ESG Lead at Major Drilling Group International Inc. (TSX:MDI). In 2018, he was named a Lexpert Rising Star for leading Canadian lawyers under 40, and as part of the Banff Forum’s “Emerging Canadian Leaders Under 40”. He previously served as a diplomat at the Canadian embassies in Havana and Mexico City, and was a Canadian foreign service officer from 2006-2015. Andrew is on the Board of New Brunswick’s economic development agency, ONB (a Crown corporation), and serves as the Chair of the Governance Committee. In recent years, Andrew has been making the case for lawyers to lead the charge on “ESG” (i.e. environmental, social and governance practices) in their organizations (e.g. see his articles here and here, and his efforts on ESG were featured as the cover story for Canadian Lawyer InHouse magazine). His recently published op-ed in the Globe and Mail critiquing the ESG ratings industry received wide interest. Andrew’s passion for culture, the arts and Cuba remain the driving forces behind his role as Co-Founder (and Director) of Casa Canada Cuba, a Canadian federally incorporated not-for-profit established to create a cultural headquarters for Canada in Cuba.  

• 9:50 AM

  Panel discussion: ESG in the boardroom: Governance & legal aspects that counsel should advise on

  Increased recognition of the impact ESG factors have on business reputation, resilience, and finance, along with the rise in ESG-related shareholder activism, has made ESG a top-priority on boardroom agendas. Corporate boards need to understand, adapt, and embed an ESG strategy within their organization at all levels to ensure meaningful progress on these issues. This session will explore ESG responsibilities of the board and the role of counsel in advising them. 

  • Ensuring the board understands ESG risks and requirements and is fulfilling its duties to other stakeholders: investors, employees, clients/customers 
  • ESG challenges for corporate boards: evolving board oversight and governance practices 
  • Responding to increased ESG-related shareholder proposals/activism: navigating the transition from Shareholder Capitalism to Stakeholder Capitalism  
  • Reviewing strategies for evaluating executive compensation and linking it to ESG performance 
  • Mitigating the growing risks of proxy disputes from inaction on ESG matters 

  

  Radha Curpen

  Vice Chair and Vancouver Managing Partner & National Leader
  ESG Strategy and Solutions, Bennett Jones LLP

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  Radha Curpen

  Vice Chair and Vancouver Managing Partner & National Leader
  ESG Strategy and Solutions, Bennett Jones LLP

  Radha specializes in environmental, regulatory and Aboriginal law, including ESG and the transportation of dangerous goods. She provides strategic counsel to clients regarding regulatory compliance, environmental and social risk management, environmental litigation and prosecutions, crisis prevention and management, CSR, mitigating business disruption and reputation management.

  Radha is responsible for managing relationships and strategy with some of the firm’s mostsignificant clients, and regularly advises corporations, Boards and Special Committees on internal and regulatory investigations, governance, ESG and risk assessments. She has been far ahead of the curve in advising clients on the importance of ESG and CSR and has acted on a number of recent high-profile matters.

  She led the defence of the regulatory investigation arising out of the Lac Mégantic train derailment on behalf of an oil company. She is the lead counsel for a multinational company relating to mercury contamination in Ontario involving various First Nations. She was involved in the defence of an international diesel emissions case, and is providing in-depth regulatory compliance review of the crude oil by rail business of two major energy companies. Radha is involved in advising Global Container Terminals on all aspects of development of its port terminal expansion in B.C.

  Radha is the national leader for Bennett Jones’ ESG strategy and solutions. She is a frequent speaker and was on a recent Institute of Corporate Directors panel on climate change and competitiveness in Canada. In February 2021 she spoke one-on-one with Leo E. Strine, Jr., former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court on what ESG investing means for corporations and lawyers in an American Foreign Law Association online event.

  Proficient in both French and English, Radha practises across Canada and advises on cross-border issues, including relating to the United States.

  

  Stephen Erlichman

  Partner
  Fasken; ESG Advisor

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  Stephen Erlichman

  Partner
  Fasken; ESG Advisor

  

  Robert R. Rooney

  QC, Executive Vice President & CLO
  Enbridge Inc.

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  Robert R. Rooney

  QC, Executive Vice President & CLO
  Enbridge Inc.

  Bob was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer on February 1, 2017. Bob leads Enbridge’s legal, ethics and compliance, security and aviation teams across the organization.

  Bob has over 30 years of energy sector experience. He has held roles of senior executive, advisor, founder, director, and chairman of public and private entities. Bob has significant experience in strategic planning and execution, capital allocation, leadership and management, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, domestic and cross border transactions, business functions and operations, enterprise risk management, corporate governance, and government and stakeholder relations. Before joining Enbridge, Bob was Managing Director of Rimrock Oil and Gas. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President, Corporate of Talisman Energy Inc., then served as Vice Chairman and director of Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc. In addition, Bob was a partner at Bennett Jones LLP where he was a member of the executive committee and co-leader of the Energy and Natural Resources Group.

  Bob is currently a board member of RimRock Oil & Gas and Chair of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. He attended the University of Calgary, earned a LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario, is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and was awarded a Queen’s Counsel designation in 2012.

  Moderator

  

  Jason Kroft

  Partner
  Miller Thomson LLP

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  Jason Kroft

  Partner
  Miller Thomson LLP

  Jason Kroft is a partner in Toronto office of Miller Thomson and co-leader of the National Structured Finance and Securitization practice. Jason is also an active member of the National Financial Services Practice Finance and the Corporate, M&A and Capital Markets groups. Jason leads the firm’s national initiatives in Carbon Finance, Emissions Trading & Climate Change.  

  Jason’s practice covers a broad range of advisory and transactional matters in the corporate-commercial law area, with a focus on corporate finance matters including financial products, structured and specialty finance, energy, commodity and mining products and transactions, public and private asset securitization, banking and secured finance including project finance and covering a range of exchange-traded and over the counter derivative products. 

  Jason’s diverse clientele includes banks and other financial institutions and financial intermediaries, investment banks and securities dealers, investment and hedge funds, pension funds and their administrators, governmental and quasi-governmental entities including sovereign wealth funds, industrial companies, borrowers, issuers, high net worth individuals mining ventures, trustees, custodians, agents and rating agencies, among others. 

  In addition to his practice, Jason writes and speaks regularly on the topics of climate change and carbon finance, derivatives and financial products, asset securitization, the digital economy and blockchain, negotiation and mediation theory and practice. Jason is involved in a variety of philanthropic and community initiatives and sits on the board of directors of Save A Child’s Heart Canada, where he chairs the Governance Committee. 

   

• 10:35 AM

  Networking & coffee break

• 11:00 AM

  Addressing key ESG litigation risks

  Companies are facing increased ESG-related litigation risks: allegations of false ESG claims, misrepresentations in ESG disclosures, challenges to a company’s ESG-related conduct or perceived lapses in ESG action. Even if successful in defending against these claims, ESG litigation can be costly and lead to reputational harm. This session will examine best practices for managing risk of litigation and regulatory sanctions through effective use of counsel. 

  • Managing legal issues surrounding ESG initiatives, performance, and representations to minimize & mitigate liability exposure 
  • “Greenwashing”: clarifying the legal obligations and risks amidst rising ‘green’ claims 
  • Disclosure-related litigation: supporting commitments and targets with company actions 
  • Fiduciary duty litigation related to ESG actions: fiduciary duties of directors related to ESG-related measures and decision making 
  • Regulatory enforcement actions: avoiding inadequate or misleading disclosures relating to companies’ ESG-related plans 

  

  Conor Chell

  Head of ESG Practice Group
  MLT Aikins LLP

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  Conor Chell

  Head of ESG Practice Group
  MLT Aikins LLP

  Motivated by his family’s history and deep roots in the Canadian coal mining industry, Conor’s personal and professional goal is to live life with purpose, lead broad positive change, and contribute to his family legacy through ESG.  Prior to joining MLT Aikins, Conor spent several years as an environmental and regulatory lawyer at a national law firm.  More recently, he spent over a decade with Suncor Energy in various senior sustainability roles which involved reporting on environmental and sustainability matters to Suncor’s Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Subcommittee of the Board of Directors.  At MLT Aikins, Conor leads a collaborative, cross-functional and multi-disciplinary team of sustainability professionals who advise clients on ESG strategy and program development, ESG activism and disclosure risks, and ESG policy development and training. Conor holds a Global Competent Boards Designation (GCB.D) in ESG, a Certificate in Sustainable Finance and ESG from UC Berkeley School of Law and has been named a Top 40 Lawyer in Canada under the age of 40 by Lexis/Nexis. Conor is an emerging ESG thought leader, is a frequent author and speaker on ESG topics and has been featured in Canadian Lawyer, Investment Executive, and Lexis/Nexis. 

• 11:35 AM

  Panel: Understanding ESG disclosure obligations and risks

  With mandatory ESG disclosure coming to Canada and international standard-setting organizations calling for enhanced disclosure, the ESG reporting landscape is becoming increasingly complex. This session will examine regulatory developments and emerging ESG reporting frameworks, and assess their impact on voluntary reporting, and the implications for counsel. 

  • Challenges with respect to disclosure of ESG issues: dealing with lack of standardization 
  • CSA’s proposed instrument on climate-related disclosure, National Instrument 51-107, and its impact on reporting practices 
  • IFRS’s International Sustainability Standards Board: proposed draft standards and expected set of ESG disclosure standards by the end of 2022 
  • SEC response to climate and ESG risks and opportunities 
  • Impact of ESG disclosure requirement on private companies 
  • Voluntary disclosure best practices and key considerations 

  

  Sheila Ritson-Bennett

  Head of Environment & Sustainability
  Corus Entertainment

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  Sheila Ritson-Bennett

  Head of Environment & Sustainability
  Corus Entertainment

  Sheila Ritson-Bennett joined Corus Entertainment as its first Head of Environment and Sustainability. Sheila works closely with groups and leaders across Corus to advance its ESG program, and provides legal and industry expertise on a variety of related ESG-related matters and policies.

  Sheila is a collaborative leader and industry-recognized expert in the ESG space.  Most recently, she worked within the Canadian banking sector as sustainability and climate counsel and helped build out an environmental and climate-related risk framework and measurement programs.  She has also worked as legal counsel in regulatory, environmental, trade and Indigenous legal matters with the Government of Ontario and holds an LL.B from the University of Ottawa and an LL.M in Global Environment and Climate Change Law from the University of Edinburgh.

  

  Wendy Berman

  Partner, McCarthy Tétrault, former Vice-Chair, Ontario Securities Commission
  

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  Wendy Berman

  Partner, McCarthy Tétrault, former Vice-Chair, Ontario Securities Commission
  

  Wendy Berman, a partner and leader of the securities litigation practice at McCarthy Tétrault, is one of Canada’s foremost securities litigators with extensive experience in complex commercial and securities-related litigation. She has exceptional expertise in corporate misconduct investigations, shareholders’ remedies, securities class actions, securities regulatory investigations and proceedings, litigation aspects of proxy contests, take-over bids and other acquisitions, and corporate governance. Wendy has acted for public companies and their directors and officers in some of Canada’s largest and most significant investigations and proceedings relating to allegations of corporate misconduct, disclosure violations, fraud and insider trading. She advises clients on managing and responding to corporate crisis situations.  

  From June 2020 to December 2021, Wendy served as Vice-Chair of the Ontario Securities Commission. During her tenure, she was a member of the Commission, its board of directors, adjudicative committee and executive team. Wendy chaired or participated as a member of tribunal panels that decided securities enforcement and transaction-related proceedings and appeals of decisions of self-regulatory organizations. She was also executive sponsor for a number of important securities policy and rule-making initiatives, including mandatory climate-related disclosure and broader diversity.  

   

  

  Winston Gee

  ESG Counsel
  TD Bank Group

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  Winston Gee

  ESG Counsel
  TD Bank Group

  As ESG Counsel at TD Bank Group, Winston Gee is a core member of the team advising the Bank on the design and execution of its ESG strategy. This includes matters such as ESG disclosures, corporate governance, stakeholder relations, and the management of environmental and social risk.

  Winston was previously a litigator and regulatory lawyer at Torys LLP, where he represented a range of clients in both the public and private sectors, including governments, First Nations, and public companies.

  Outside of his legal practice, Winston is the chair of the board of directors of Blueprint, a Toronto-based public policy consulting firm that works with all levels of government across Canada as well as the private sector.

   

  

  Jo-Anne Matear

  Special Advisor to the Executive on Sustainable Finance and Emerging Regulatory Issues
  Ontario Securities Commission

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  Jo-Anne Matear

  Special Advisor to the Executive on Sustainable Finance and Emerging Regulatory Issues
  Ontario Securities Commission

  As a member of the Ontario Securities Commission’s Senior Management Team, Jo-Anne is the Special Advisor to the Executive on Sustainable Finance and Emerging Regulatory Issues. She has led several significant policy initiatives, including those focused on environmental, social and governance issues. For example, she co-leads the Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) climate-related disclosures initiative and leads the CSA’s initiative regarding diversity on corporate boards and in executive roles.

  Jo-Anne was previously a Manager in the Corporate Finance Branch, where she led a team of lawyers, accountants and geologists in the oversight of public companies, including the review of prospectuses, continuous disclosure documents and applications for exemptive relief.

  Prior to joining the Commission, Jo-Anne practised corporate and securities law in Toronto, Ontario and London, England. Jo-Anne received her Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University and her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto.

  Moderator

  

  Lisa DeMarco

  Senior Partner & CEO
  Resilient LLP

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  Lisa DeMarco

  Senior Partner & CEO
  Resilient LLP

  Lisa DeMarco is a Senior Partner and CEO at Resilient LLP, she is recognized as a Canadian and international expert in  climate and energy law. She has over 25 years of experience in law, regulation, policy, and advocacy relating to all aspects of climate change and clean energy.

  Lisa also assists leading financial and energy companies and Indigenous business organizations on domestic and overseas renewable power project development, energy storage projects, sustainable and climate finance transactions, carbon
  capture and storage, climate-related financial disclosure, corporate climate risk, environmental and social governance (ESG), green bonds, and sustainable business strategy. Lisa plays an active role for Fortune 500 companies in corporate ESG,
  climate change, and transition strategy, target setting and compliance. Lisa also represents several governments and leading energy companies in a wide variety of natural gas, power, pipeline and energy storage matters before the Ontario Energy
  Board and the National Energy Boards. She regularly attends and advises on related United Nations negotiations.

  Lisa is a director of the boards of the Advanced Energy Centre at MarRS, Radicle Inc., the consultation group of The Carney Task Force on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, and is the chair of the International Emissions Trading Association.

  Ms. DeMarco is ranked by Chambers Global as one of the world’s leading climate change lawyers. She is also ranked and repeatedly recommended by Legal Lexpert Directory, International Who’s Who, and Chambers Canada as a leading energy (oil, gas and electricity) and environment lawyer.

  She has been an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, is a guest lecturer at a number of law schools, and presents regularly.

  She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (BSc Hon. – 1990), the University of Toronto (MSc. – 1992), Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (LLB – 1995) and the Vermont Law School (MSEL, summa cum laude – 1995) and is called
  to the bar in England and Ontario.

• 12:20 PM

  Lunch & networking break

• 1:20 PM

  Panel: ESG focused climate related issues: best practices for setting and communicating targets for reducing carbon footprint

  Facing heightened pressure from stakeholders and regulatory initiatives, a growing number of companies are establishing and disclosing plans to reduce their carbon footprint and navigate towards net zero emission targets. This session will examine practical considerations and risks in the planning process and counsel’s role in setting and disclosing climate-change related targets and plans. 

  • Establishing corporate strategy for reducing & offsetting carbon footprints: the role of carbon credits & renewable energy certificates 
  • Developments in climate related disclosure issues: voluntary disclosure and how it intersects with securities disclosure 
  • Advising organizations on navigating to reduced carbon footprint targets: key risks in setting and disclosing targets  
  • Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions disclosure: difficulties in obtaining reliable emission data 
  • Importance of shareholder engagement to achieving net zero 
  • Disclosing material climate-related information in the context of a “green” financing 

  

  Yonni Fushman

  Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer
  Aecon Group Inc.

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  Yonni Fushman

  Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer
  Aecon Group Inc.

  Yonni Fushman is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer and Corporate Secretary. He holds executive responsibility for managing a broad portfolio for the Aecon group of companies, including legal, corporate secretarial, sustainability, ethics and compliance, insurance and bonding, privacy and strategic procurement. Prior to joining Aecon in 2005, Mr. Fushman practiced law in the United States. Mr. Fushman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Economics from the University of Southern California in 1997 and a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Boston University School of Law in 2001. He completed the Duke University Continuing Studies Certificate in Sustainable Management, has received the Envision Sustainability Professional credential and is a Sustainability Accounting Standards Board FSA credential-holder. He is called to the bar in Ontario, California and Massachusetts.

  Mr. Fushman is a Past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Construction and Infrastructure Law section.

   

  

  Janet Bobechko

  ESG, Climate Change, Sustainability, Certified Specialist Environmental Law, Partner
  WeirFoulds LLP

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  Janet Bobechko

  ESG, Climate Change, Sustainability, Certified Specialist Environmental Law, Partner
  WeirFoulds LLP

  Janet Bobechko is a Certified Specialist in Environmental Law and a nationally recognized senior practitioner with extensive experience in all aspects of environmental law, climate change and sustainability.

  Janet’s environmental law practice is focused on climate change and sustainability, Environment Social Governance (ESG), real estate and brownfield development and environmental dispute resolution.

  She routinely provides sophisticated and strategic advice on environmental compliance, mergers & acquisitions, real estate and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, financings, and environmental management systems. She has significant experience in construction contracts and lien matters as they relate to contamination, remediation and excess soils. Her dispute resolution work includes, providing advice on environmental aspects in complex civil litigation for legacy contamination, migration of contamination, environmental regulatory inspections, defence of charges, orders, and strategic due diligence advice.

  Janet supports her clients with advice on environmental approvals (all media), chemical management and importation of new substances into Canada, transportation of dangerous goods, hazardous products, pesticides, stewardship, producer responsibility and the circular economy. She advises on risk management, emergency planning and spill response, storage tanks, Federal E2 Regulations and strategic communication. She is routinely consulted on issues related to sewage works, waste/process water management and treatment, source water protection and sustainable water supply.

  Janet advises on climate change issues including climate risk, climate resilient infrastructure and the impacts to supply chains. She provides support to clients as they look to diversify their businesses with investments into new, low carbon asset classes and technologies.

  She advises boards of directors regarding environmental compliance, corporate reporting strategies and risk mitigation and environmental insurance, and advises clients on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) matters. Janet sits on the external advisory committee for Ryerson’s Corporate Social Responsibility Institute and co-chair’s the Ontario Environment Industry Association (ONEIA) Climate Change Committee. Janet is also on the Province of Ontario’s Excess Soils Engagement Group. She is a sough after speaker at industry events.

  Janet received a career achievement award from the Canadian Brownfields Network as a person who has had a profound impact on the brownfield industry in Canada.

   

  

  Alex Kotsopoulos

  Partner
  RSM Canada LLP

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  Alex Kotsopoulos

  Partner
  RSM Canada LLP

  Alex is a partner in ESG advisory practice for RSM Canada LLP, helping public and private companies integrate sustainability factors into their strategy and operations to drive improvements in financial performance and societal outcomes. He works across a variety of industries to provide strategic consulting services to private and public sector organizations looking to assess projects, programs and initiatives from a broader socioeconomic and environmental perspective. An economist by training, Alex works closely with RSM’s global economics group to produce thought leadership on topics relevant to the Canadian economy, including sustainability considerations and economic development, and is routinely cited in the Canadian news media. Alex has more than 17 years of experience and is based in RSM’s Toronto office.

   

  Experience 

  Alex helps companies and organizations develop and implement a robust sustainability agenda within their business model to improve environmental and socioeconomic outcomes and boost corporate financial performance. He helps measure and quantify the financial and nonfinancial impact of integrating sustainability and ESG considerations across an organization. As an economist, he follows data illustrating that companies embracing ESG and sustainability in a meaningful way are better managed and more profitable. Alex has participated in and led more than 200 consulting engagements in many parts of the world, including Canada, the US, Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia.

  Passionate about developing sustainability solutions specific to middle market clients, Alex helps clients make informed and strategic decisions that add to firm value and improve societal outcomes. He believes that to solve societal problems like climate change, income inequality and environmental degradation, companies in the private sector need to take a proactive role in creating change.

  As part of RSM’s culture, diversity and inclusion efforts, Alex is regional leader of RSM Canada’s multicultural employee network group, supporting employees with multicultural backgrounds and experiences. He has worked with a number of indigenous communities on various projects related to resource revenue sharing and other economic development initiatives.

  Alex joined a predecessor firm of RSM Canada in 2017 and was named national industry leader for government, health care and education. Prior to joining RSM, Alex led the Toronto economics practice of a global engineering firm and helped establish an economics and statistics practice at an international consulting firm.

  Outside of RSM, Alex loves traveling, reading and cooking. He recently tried his hand at fermentation and is fascinated by the process.

   

  Professional affiliations and designations 

  • Chartered financial analyst 
  • Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Academy: Foundations in Responsible Investment 

   

  Education 

  • Bachelor of Arts, economics and financial management, Wilfrid Laurier University 
  • Master of Arts, business economics, Wilfrid Laurier University 
  • Corporate sustainability certificate, New York University 

  Moderator

  

  Janya Kelly

  Team Lead – Senior Climate Change Specialist, Ph.D.
  WSP Golder

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  Janya Kelly

  Team Lead – Senior Climate Change Specialist, Ph.D.
  WSP Golder

  Dr. Janya Kelly is a Climate Change and Air Quality Specialist with over ten years of experience in a variety of industry sectors such as: mining, power generation, aggregate processing, and metal manufacturing. She has completed a three-year post-doctorate at Environment Canada studying the future impacts of climate change on air quality in North America. The published results of the post-doctoral work were referenced in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report.

  Dr. Kelly has been the climate change lead on a number of projects, with a primary focus on climate change and adaption, and secondary focus on climate change mitigation through greenhouse gas emission reduction. She has completed climate change assessments in support of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments for projects in North and South America, including coastal regions. Dr. Kelly has completed analysis of climate change projections, climate change and greenhouse gas assessments to support permitting and compliance projects, as well as the development of greenhouse gas emission inventories. 

• 2:10 PM

  Trends and issues in sustainable financing

  There has been tremendous growth in the number of sustainable finance products, covering a broad range of financial instruments, spurred on by significant flows of capital towards ESG investments. These instruments can be used for financing ‘green’ and ‘social’ projects, requiring sustainability-linked targets to be met. However, its use brings on a variety of obligations and risks. This session will review the risks and requirements of raising capital through sustainable financing. 

  • Use of Green bond, sustainable bonds, sustainability linked loans and associated risks and obligations: consequences of breach of the ESG undertakings and reporting obligations 
  • Establishing an effective due diligence process ensuring all proceeds from green financing tools go towards green projects: how the use of proceeds of the financing is tracked 
  • Establishing the ‘green’ purpose and how to maintain it 
  • Meeting transparency, disclosure and commitment requirements 
  • Scoring agencies and their influence on disclosure 
  • Managing growing greenwashing scrutiny over use of sustainable financing: ensuring credibility of ESG policies and strategies 

  

  Ijeoma Madueke

  Executive Director, Sustainable Finance
  CIBC Capital Markets

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  Ijeoma Madueke

  Executive Director, Sustainable Finance
  CIBC Capital Markets

  Ijeoma has a career spanning sustainability, project finance, corporate and investment banking. As Executive Director, Sustainable Finance at CIBC Capital Markets, her focus is on providing subject matter expertise and advising clients on strategies to overlay ESG into their capital structure.

  Ijeoma joined CIBC in April 2022 from Sustainalytics where she was Regional Lead for the Americas Opinions team delivering second party opinions on green, social, sustainable and transition finance frameworks across use of proceeds and sustainability-linked instruments across a variety of sectors and geographies.

  As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, she has authored various pieces on equity and is a mentor with the Black Business Ventures Association.

  She holds an MSc. in International Business and Finance from the University of Dundee as well as a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from Carleton University. She is also a CFA Charterholder.

  

  Mayur Mukati

  Associate Director
  Sustainable Finance Sustainalytics

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  Mayur Mukati

  Associate Director
  Sustainable Finance Sustainalytics

  Over the last four years in the company, Mayur has supported global institutional investors with sustainable finance research, including technical assessments and methodology development, and leading projects on second-party opinions for green, social, sustainable (GSS), and transition finance. As part of the Sustainalytics Corporate Solutions (SCS) team, Mayur serves as a technical expert for discussions with leading financial institutions and corporate clients on ever-growing and complicated sustainable finance transactions and represents the team within industry working groups, such as the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), UN Global Compact (UNGC), Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), and Structured Finance Association (SFA), on novel financial structures and hard-to-abate sectoral criteria developments.

  Prior to Sustainalytics, he worked in several industries, including chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing and clean energy research. Mayur holds Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering with an MSc in Sustainability Management. He was one of the Nominees for Canada’s 2021 Clean 50 Emerging Leader Awards and 2016 Top 10 Global Leaders in Sustainability by Amsterdam-based B-Corp (Nudge). He is also a LEED Green Associate from 2014 and has completed the CFA Level 1 exam in 2019.

  

  Kevin Dickinson

  Director
  Financing and Financial Risk Management, Hydro One

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  Kevin Dickinson

  Director
  Financing and Financial Risk Management, Hydro One

  Over the last thirteen years with Hydro One’s Treasury department, Kevin has been involved in the issuance or execution of: long-term debt, commercial paper, bank financing, sustainability linked amendments to credit agreements, IPO and subsequent equity offerings, bond forwards, interest rate swaps, forward rate agreements, a convertible debenture, a deal contingent FX forward, money market investing and FX. He has also spent five years in various corporate functions at Hydro One, and prior to this held positions with Indigenous Services Canada and RBC. 

  Kevin is 1st Vice Chair of CFA Societies Canada’s Canadian Advocacy Council and Senior Advisor of the Corporate Finance Committee of CFA Society Toronto.  

  He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and a BA in Economics from the University of Waterloo. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) and a CFA Charterholder.  

  Moderator

  

  Usha Sthankiya

  Partner
  Sustainable Finance & ESG, Deloitte

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  Usha Sthankiya

  Partner
  Sustainable Finance & ESG, Deloitte

  Usha is a Partner in Deloitte’s Sustainability & Climate Change group and leads its Sustainable Finance & ESG practice. 

  She has over 20 years of experience uncovering environment, social, and governance (ESG) material issues and developing related strategies and plans, in order to identify and communicate key sustainability issues to executives and boards, advise on ESG and impact investing, and develop climate strategies and targets for financial services. 

   As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Usha also has significant experience with integrating sustainability into the finance function and non-financial reporting and disclosure.  

   

• 2:40 PM

  Networking & coffee break

• 3:05 PM

  Counsel’s role in driving ethical & sustainable supply chains: integrating ESG goals into supply chain operations

  For many businesses, the greatest exposure to falling out of ESG compliance occurs in their supply chain, as they can expose a company to hidden and uncontrollable risk that negatively affects ESG. This is leading companies to increasingly evaluate their supply chains, service providers and suppliers, and foreign investments using ESG standards. This session will look at counsel’s role in the greening of supply chains and maintenance of ESG compliance. 

  •  Emerging supply chain legislation: Canada Bill S-211 Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act; US: California Transparency in Supply Chain Act, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act; EU: Europe Commission’s proposal for a New Directive on Corporate Sustainability 
  • EU Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 to address adverse human rights and environmental impacts in supply chains 
  • Creating a set of metrics and analytics to assess suppliers’ ESG practices 
  • Scrutinizing the labour, environmental and human rights policies of business partners 
  • Additional expectations on public companies: National Instrument 52-105 
  • Drafting contracts with third parties that explicitly outline the company’s ESG goals 

  

  Stephen A. Pike

  Business Law and ESG Partner
  Gowling WLG

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  Stephen A. Pike

  Business Law and ESG Partner
  Gowling WLG

  Stephen A. Pike is a Toronto-based Partner at the Gowling WLG law firm and is Co-Leader of Gowling WLG’s Canadian ESG Advisory Services practice. As a senior legal advisor to Canadian, American and global businesses, Stephen regularly advises on corporate, governance, ESG, transactional, operational and risk management issues, including how businesses can address the risks of forced labour and child labour in their supply chains. 

  He also advises businesses outside of Canada on setting up operations in Canada and entering the Canadian market. 

  Stephen is Co-Editor of a new book – ESG in the Boardroom: A Guidebook for Directors – published in 2022 by the American Bar Association.  

  Stephen recently appeared as a Witness before the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights to give evidence regarding Bill S-211 Canada’s proposed Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. In late 2021, Stephen addressed the Canadian All Party Parliamentary Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery.  

  He is a member of the 2021 and 2022 Program Faculty of the ESG, Climate Risk and the Law Professional Development Certificate Course at Osgoode Hall Law School and lectured on Business and Human Rights (BHR): Risks, Intersections and Impacts for ESG. 

  He regularly speaks about forced labour and child labour in supply chains to business and legal organizations.  

  Stephen continues to write a (now 14-part) continuing series on Insights for Canadian CEOs and Directors on Addressing Forced Labour and Child Labour in their Businesses and Supply Chains  

  Stephen is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Commission of Jurists – Canada; a Co-Chair of the ESG Subcommittee of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. He serves on the Canadian Cancer Society’s Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.  

  Stephen holds the ICD.D designation granted by the Institute of Corporate Directors and completed Directors Education Program presented by the Institute of Corporate Directs and the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management. 

  

  Paul Lalonde

  Partner
  Dentons LLP

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  Paul Lalonde

  Partner
  Dentons LLP

  Paul Lalonde is a partner and lead of the Regulatory practice group. He focuses on government contracting law, international trade, anti-corruption and international arbitration. Mr. Lalonde is a recognized expert on government procurement and international trade law, with deep experience in anti-dumping and countervail investigations, customs, appeals, import and export controls, international sanctions, anti-corruption compliance and investigations, and international business. He regularly advises clients on Canada’s international investment treaty commitments and has played a key role in some of Canada’s highest profile trade disputes and negotiations including those on softwood lumber, steel and agricultural products.

  His government procurement practice encompasses all aspects of the procurement lifecycle, from pre-tender activities, the bidding process and contract award, through contract administration and termination and the inevitable disputes that occasionally arise. His track record of appearances in bid protest procedures before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and the courts is second to none in Canada.

  Mr. Lalonde has received numerous accolades for his expertise in international trade and government procurement law including from Lexpert, Chambers Global (Band 1 for government procurement, Band 2 for trade law), the Legal 500, Who’s Who, the Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers (Legal Media Group / Euromoney Institutional Investor) and The Best Lawyers in Canada (Woodward/White). The Who’s Who Legal Government Contracts recognized Mr. Lalonde as a Global Thought Leader for North America. He also received in 2020 a global Client Choice Award in Government Contracts for Canada.

  Mr. Lalonde has been involved in the area of anti-corruption law since Canada adopted the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act in the 90’s. Since then he has assisted clients with respect to anti-corruption compliance through the entire spectrum of issues in this area, including developing compliance policies and programs, advising on business conduct issues, anti-corruption due diligence in transactions, internal investigations related to employee and third party conduct, RCMP and other enforcement authority investigations, dawn raids and negotiations (including remediation and immunity agreements). He has been involved in extensive thought leadership in this area including on topics such as whistle blower protections, victim reparations, deferred prosecution agreements, beneficial ownership transparency, money laundering, failure to prevent offences and facilitation payments.

  Mr. Lalonde was appointed panelist on the fourth and fifth dispute resolution panels created under the Agreement on Internal Trade (now the Canadian Free Trade Agreement). He is also a listed arbitrator on the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) Canada Panel of Arbitrators and has been involved in several arbitrations, both as counsel and party-appointed arbitration.

  Mr. Lalonde has held numerous leadership positions in the Bar, including as chair of various committees of the International Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, and the American Bar Association International Law Section. Mr. Lalonde is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, has been named a Trustee of the International Bar Association Foundation and is former Chair and President of Transparency International – Canada. Mr. Lalonde has been nominated to a number of industry advisory committees and corporate boards, including TVOntario, TFO, la télévision éducative et culturelle de l’Ontario français, and was former Secretary and Legal Counsel of I.E. Canada, the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters

  

  Pierre L Taillefer

  Partner
  BDO Canada LLP Risk Advisory Services

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  Pierre L Taillefer

  Partner
  BDO Canada LLP Risk Advisory Services

  Pierre is a partner in the BDO Canada LLP Risk Advisory Services and leads the practice nationwide.  

  In addition, he is the National Sustainability Leader where he brings his extensive ESG experience to advise clients on the regulatory and risk landscape.   

  Pierre has twenty-eight years of in-depth experience including seven years in the assurance field and over twenty-one years performing risk-related advisory engagements. In addition to being a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA Auditor, CA), Pierre also holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations.  

  Prior to joining BDO, Pierre spent eighteen years in audit and advisory at a Big Four accounting firm where he managed a client portfolio consisting of crown corporations, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and large and medium-sized public and private manufacturing companies. 

  As a practitioner in risk management, Pierre has been involved in a large spectrum of engagements covering Internal Audit, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) and National Instrument 52-109 (NI 52-109), business process and internal controls reviews, service organization controls reports, and integrated financial statement audits under SOX requirements. 

  Pierre is a control objectives and internal controls specialist. He has, over the last fifteen years, been involved as engagement partner and engagement manager in consulting and audit assignments in a number of sectors including Crown Corporations, financial institutions, telecommunications, transportation and pharmaceuticals. Pierre has also acted as an expert witness on internal controls. 

  Moderator

  

  Stephanie Normandin

  Senior Legal Counsel
  ALDO Group

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  Stephanie Normandin

  Senior Legal Counsel
  ALDO Group

  Stephanie Normandin is a business and transactional attorney who is passionate about fashion retail. She is Senior Legal Counsel at the ALDO Group, a world-leading fashion retailer with stores in more than 100 countries, specializing in stylish and accessible footwear, handbags, and accessories. During her career, she’s developed a diverse skillset from working in various legal disciplines, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), international distribution and licensing arrangements, and corporate governance.  

  Stephanie’s areas of expertise and responsibilities for the ALDO Group include advising on wholesale, licensing, and other distribution arrangements, sourcing contracts, as well as product and social compliance matters, including, in each case, providing guidance on the implementation of the ALDO Group’s corporate responsibility policies and objectives within such business activities. Moreover, she’s involved in internal multifunctional teams that develop and drive various ESG policies and programs at the ALDO Group. 

  Prior to joining the ALDO Group, Stephanie was a partner in the Business Law group of a leading Canadian law firm, advising external clients on M&A transactions and other commercial matters. She holds a LL.B. (civil law) and a J.D. (common law) from University of Montreal, as well as a L.L.M. in Business Law from New York University School of Law. 

• 3:50 PM

  Panel: The rise of the “S” and implications for counsel

  The ‘S’ component of ESG has traditionally received less attention than its ‘E’ & ‘G’ counterparts largely due to the challenges around the definition, scope, and measurement of the “softer” considerations. This has resulted in disjointed, output driven, and incomparable reporting of social impact. However, with stakeholders increasingly expecting organizations to consider the impact of social matters, this is beginning to change. This session will look at the challenges of integrating social matters into policymaking and disclosure rules. 

  • How are companies addressing ‘S’: legal implications of the growing spotlight on human rights; health and safety; employee engagement and satisfaction; Indigenous peoples and communities; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and ethics and security 
  • Creating better ‘S’ data and addressing market demand: the role and requirements of racial equity audits  
  • Latest developments in consultation with Indigenous communities and recognition of Indigenous rights: evolving Joint Venture models 
  • Complying with the complex framework of Aboriginal Law (Canada and provinces) and Indigenous Law (First Nations) 

  

  Jennifer Addison

  Senior Vice-President, Sustainability, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
  EPCOR

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  Jennifer Addison

  Senior Vice-President, Sustainability, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
  EPCOR

  Jennifer Addison is SVP Sustainability, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at EPCOR Utilities Inc., based in Edmonton, Alberta. Jennifer oversees the delivery of legal services for EPCOR, as well as compliance, ethics and privacy; public and government affairs; EPCOR’s sustainability strategy; and supply chain management. As Corporate Secretary, Jennifer works closely with EPCOR’s Board of Directors. She is Vice Chair of the board of Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre, and serves on the board of Women General Counsel Canada and the Queen’s Law Alberta Advisory Council. Prior to joining EPCOR, Jennifer held progressively more senior roles in a global engineering and design firm helping to grow the business by acquisition.

  

  Sunita Mahant

  Head of Social Impact and Inclusion, Sustainable Investments
  Ivanhoé Cambridge

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  Sunita Mahant

  Head of Social Impact and Inclusion, Sustainable Investments
  Ivanhoé Cambridge

  In her role as Head of Global Initiatives, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Sunita Mahant acts as a catalyst for the development and execution of the corporate DEI strategy by positioning Ivanhoé Cambridge as a real estate industry leader in these three areas. In addition to this role, Sunita provides strategic value-oriented solutions for projects related to the Office and Industrial North America platform in her capacity as Senior Director, Legal Affairs. As lead counsel for CIBC SQUARE – new transformational office development downtown Toronto, she was instrumental in the negotiation of the CIBC lease-approx. 1.75M sf. – one of the largest office leases in Canadian history and winner of the 2018 Rex Award.

  Sunita has over 15 years of experience in legal affairs and real estate. She joined Ivanhoé Cambridge in 2008 as Legal Counsel and rose through the ranks to become Senior Director, Legal Affairs, in 2016. Sunita holds a Bachelor of Political Science and a Bachelor of Laws and is a member of the Ontario Bar. She received her Mini-MBA from the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). She was named one of Canada’s Leading Lawyers under 40 by Lexpert Rising Stars.

  Recognized for her leadership qualities and keen mind, Sunita is actively involved with several organizations dedicated to workplace diversity, equity and inclusion, serving as Co-President of the Ontario Promotion Committee of Women in Governance and a Director of the Commercial Real Estate Equity and Diversity Council (CREED). She was the initiator and ambassador of the first Women’s Forum at Ivanhoé Cambridge.

  Sunita speaks four languages: Hindi, Punjabi, French and English.

  Moderator

  

  Rustam Juma

  General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Privacy Officer
  Eckler Ltd.

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  Rustam Juma

  General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Privacy Officer
  Eckler Ltd.

  Rustam Juma is General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Privacy Officer of Eckler Ltd., Canada’s largest privately owned actuarial consulting firm with offices across Canada and the Caribbean. In this role, Rusty provides corporate strategy, governance, legal, and risk management advice to the Board and senior management. Rustam co-founded the National GC Network whose mission is to help General Counsel and in-house lawyers advance ED&I values in their organizations and the legal community. He is a Director of Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto and was recently on the Executive Committee of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association.

• 4:35 PM

  Closing remarks from chairperson