Charting the path to a thriving, equitable, and sustainable world

October 12, 2023 | Lennox Hall Toronto

#ESGSummitCA

ABOUT


Sustainability has become an increasingly critical component of corporate planning and strategy for organizations looking to survive and remain competitive in today’s business environment. From meeting the growing demands of investors, consumers and regulators, to attracting talent and increasing productivity, effective sustainability strategies play a key role in organizational success.

At this summit, hear from leaders creating the blueprint for a commercially successful transition in line with an equitable and sustainable world.

As pressure continues to grow for business to reach net zero targets and invest in sustainable infrastructure while remaining a socially responsible business, urgent action is needed to ensure the security of investments, business, and the future of the planet.

Maximize your ESG opportunities, gain practical insights into policy development, boost your leadership with ESG initiatives, discover strategies that will improve your bottom line, all while addressing the issues your shareholders care about most.

At ESG Summit Canada, join leaders from business across the nation to lead the sustainable revolution & ESG best practices, as this event will focus on key themes around driving sustainability, data management & reporting, supply chain transformation & sustainable finance, and investment.

Why Attend?

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    Connect with 150+ senior professionals from multiple sectors and industries

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    Discover best practices for making the most of your ESG opportunities – while avoiding critical missteps

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    Get the latest on regulatory developments, supply chain transformations, sustainable financing, underwriting and investments, workforce evolution, and your ESG disclosure obligations

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    Discuss issues that matter – human rights, carbon emissions, DEI, climate change, and your environment

Who will be there?

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    C-suites

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    Directors and VPs

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    Lawyers and in-house counsels

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    Policy makers and consultants

2022 Speakers


Sheila Ritson-Bennett
Sheila Ritson-Bennett

Head of Environment & Sustainability
Corus Entertainment

Jennifer Addison
Jennifer Addison

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

Janet Bobechko
Janet Bobechko

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

Bindu Dhaliwal
Bindu Dhaliwal

Vice President Environmental, Social & Governance
CIBC

Rustam Juma
Rustam Juma

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

Yonni Fushman
Yonni Fushman

Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer
Aecon Group Inc.

Winston Gee
Winston Gee

ESG Counsel
TD Bank Group

Ijeoma Madueke
Ijeoma Madueke

Executive Director, Sustainable Finance
CIBC Capital Markets

Mayur Mukati
Mayur Mukati

Associate Director
Sustainable Finance Sustainalytics

Sunita Mahant
Sunita Mahant

Head of Social Impact and Inclusion, Sustainable Investments
Ivanhoé Cambridge

Robert R. Rooney
Robert R. Rooney

QC, Executive Vice President & CLO
Enbridge Inc.

Jo-Anne Matear
Jo-Anne Matear

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

2022 AGENDA


  • Registration and Breakfast
  • Opening remarks from chairperson
    Bindu Dhaliwal
    Bindu Dhaliwal

    Vice President Environmental, Social & Governance
    CIBC

  • 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
    Andrew McLaughlin

    Vice President – Legal Affairs & General Counsel
    Major Drilling

  • 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
    Radha Curpen

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

    Stephen Erlichman
    Stephen Erlichman

    Partner
    Fasken; ESG Advisor

    Robert R. Rooney
    Robert R. Rooney

    QC, Executive Vice President & CLO
    Enbridge Inc.

    Moderator
    Jason Kroft
    Jason Kroft

    Partner
    Miller Thomson LLP

  • Networking & coffee break
  • 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
    Conor Chell

    Head of ESG Practice Group
    MLT Aikins LLP

  • 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
    Sheila Ritson-Bennett

    Head of Environment & Sustainability
    Corus Entertainment

    Wendy Berman
    Wendy Berman

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

    Winston Gee
    Winston Gee

    ESG Counsel
    TD Bank Group

    Jo-Anne Matear
    Jo-Anne Matear

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

    Moderator
    Lisa DeMarco
    Lisa DeMarco

    Senior Partner & CEO
    Resilient LLP

  • Lunch & networking break
  • 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
    Yonni Fushman

    Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer
    Aecon Group Inc.

    Janet Bobechko
    Janet Bobechko

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

    Alex Kotsopoulos
    Alex Kotsopoulos

    Partner
    RSM Canada LLP

    Moderator
    Janya Kelly
    Janya Kelly

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

  • 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
    Ijeoma Madueke

    Executive Director, Sustainable Finance
    CIBC Capital Markets

    Mayur Mukati
    Mayur Mukati

    Associate Director
    Sustainable Finance Sustainalytics

    Kevin Dickinson
    Kevin Dickinson

    Director
    Financing and Financial Risk Management, Hydro One

    Moderator
    Usha Sthankiya
    Usha Sthankiya

    Partner
    Sustainable Finance & ESG, Deloitte

  • Networking & coffee break
  • 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
    Stephen A. Pike

    Business Law and ESG Partner
    Gowling WLG

    Paul Lalonde
    Paul Lalonde

    Partner
    Dentons LLP

    Pierre L Taillefer
    Pierre L Taillefer

    Partner
    BDO Canada LLP Risk Advisory Services

    Moderator
    Stephanie Normandin
    Stephanie Normandin

    Senior Legal Counsel
    ALDO Group

  • 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
    Jennifer Addison

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

    Sunita Mahant
    Sunita Mahant

    Head of Social Impact and Inclusion, Sustainable Investments
    Ivanhoé Cambridge

    Moderator
    Rustam Juma
    Rustam Juma

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

  • Closing remarks from chairperson

OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS


  • Alcumus
  • Avetta
  • BDO Canada
  • Dentons
  • Deloitte
  • Fasken
  • KPMG
  • Osler
  • PwC
  • RSM Canada
  • SAP
  • Siemens

Media & Supporting Organisations

  • Nature Force
  • SCMAO

VENUE


Lennox Hall Toronto

  • 77 Adelaide St. West, First Canadian Place, Ste 350 Toronto, ON M5X 1C1

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