ESG: Environment, Social, Governance
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance dimensions in an organization. It’s a globally recognized framework that is used to develop responsible, accountable, and purpose driven business practice. Explore some of the foundational frameworks and approaches employed in ESG:
Societal Megatrends: A View Beyond the Horizon
10 societal megatrends impacting Canadian sectors, organizations, and communities, including shifting societal norms, climate change, decarbonization, future skills and work, and much more, from ESDC Canada
17 goals that act as an urgent call for action by all organizations, and a great starting point for ESG strategies
Principles for Responsible Investing
Guidance to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors
Identify archetypes of response in ESG work, and how to address them, including denial, superficial responses, and full engagement, from MBR
Global best practice standards for impact reporting, and delivering transparency for organizational impacts on the economy, the environment, and people
A call to companies to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights
An article from Deloitte that makes the case for how purpose alignment in business creates value
Learn more about what is material (or in other words relevant) in an ESG strategy
A thought provoking read that explores the true costs of externalities in business, from WE Forum
You asked, and we delivered an overview of ESG
Listen to our podcast episode with The Humphrey Group sharing how to integrate ESG in your leadership.
3000 Year Old Solutions To Modern Day Problems
A message of leadership and hope from Indigenous communities who challenge an ESG way of living and conducting work, by Lyla June Johnson
Responsible Business Practices
Resources that build the soul of your business and reframe business as usual to adopt purpose driven, humanity and planet affirming practices.
A Harvard Business Review article by Mark Kramer exploring groundbreaking redistributive approaches to doing business
Offers a vision of what it means for humanity to thrive in the 21st century, by Kate Raworth
Migrant Worker Management Toolkit
A comprehensive global guide examining how to support Migrant Workers through safe and equitable workplaces, policy, and programs, from BSR
A thought-provoking report on the five elements of responsible leadership needed to build a more sustainable and equitable world, by Accenture and Davos
An interactive resource helping individuals and businesses consider their contribution to unethical supply chains and modern slavery, and how to make tangible changes
A thought tool modelled on ecological systems that focuses attention on processes of destruction and reorganization, which are often neglected in favor of growth and conservation, from The Resilience Alliance
Indigenous Allyship, De-Colonizing Practice, Cultural Safety
Allyship is about disrupting oppressive spaces by educating others on the realities and histories of marginalized people. Decolonization refers to the process of deconstructing colonial ideologies of the superiority and privilege of Western thought and approaches, and increasing the rights, sovereignty and systems of Indigenous people. Practicing cultural safety looks like contributing to environments that are spiritually, socially, psychologically, and physically safe for all people.
Printable resource from the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network
San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
Certified Indigenous-led online training offered through the BC Provincial Health Authority
Learn more about traditional Indigenous gathering protocols that honour and recognize the Indigenous peoples who have deep historical and significant ties to the lands where the gathering is taking place, developed by Len Pierre Consulting
Free post-secondary online training offered through the University of Alberta
UNDRIP: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Now adopted throughout Canada, UNDRIP is a framework that supports the individual and collective rights of Indigenous people
Indigenous Territorial and Language Finder
An interactive worldwide map identifying the Indigenous nations and languages present per territory by Native Land
Experience the Great Flood Story from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation)
A glossary of terms to build the foundation for racial equity in language and approach from UBC
Doctrine of Discovery/Terra Nullius
Understand the harmful frameworks used by Spain, Portugal, and England for the colonization of lands, including North America, from Indigenous Corporate Training
Critical Issues in Colonization
Learn more about residential schools, the Indian Act, the reserve system, and much more from the First Nations & Indigenous Studies School at UBC
Power Literacy and Stewardship
Power is our capacity to impact and influence our environment, and power literacy is our ability to identify it. Power expresses our purposefulness, wholeness, and agency. Without power, nothing can grow. There are two fundamental types of power we can choose to steward- domination, or control, people and things, and liberation — the ability to create what we want. Learn more below:
Exploration of different forms of leadership power, or the influence that leaders have over their team members and communities, from Indeed
The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics
Explore getting out from under dominant power relations and mastering power dynamics, by Cyndi Suarez
A beginner’s guide to democratize, decolonize and create
socially just design processes, by Maya Goodwill
Ethical, authentic, and effective use of power is illuminated in this comprehensive book by Julie Diamond. Topics include developing external authority, navigating high-power roles and responsibilities, and finding personal power
Article: Why People in Power Do Stupid Things
A thought provoking article by Andrea Reimer on power that unpacks connection, harmonizing, and mirror neurons
Power Exercise: Playing with Status
An exercise that plays with status relationships through non-verbal behaviours, from Session Lab
Tools and processes for community visioning, campaign planning, power mapping and leadership development developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander changemakers and facilitators
An insightful approach to observing power hierarchies, from Lee Maracle and written by Andrea Reimer
ESG Board Governance
The role of boards are evolving in today’s landscape, with higher demands on oversight, insight, and foresight. More than ever, boards must engage in an ever growing list of material topics in ESG, and plan for resilience in the short, medium, and long term future.
Review of ESG issues that can impact a company, the forces driving renewed focus on reporting and the complexities of current frameworks, the role of the board and questions directors should be asking themselves and their executive teams, from PwC
Long Term Boards in a Short Term World
Thought-provoking white paper on how a board sets the tone for long-term, ESG focused behaviours, from FCLT Global
Four Opportunities to Enhance ESG Oversight
Steps public company boards can take to strengthen their effectiveness and meet stakeholder expectations
Board Oversight: Key Focus Areas
A review of strategy and risk, corporate purpose and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters, human capital and workforce issues, shareholder engagement and activism, crisis management, board-management relationships and board culture, from Harvard Law School Forum
Trauma Informed Practice
Trauma is characterized when a group or an individual is confronted with a threat that overwhelms their coping resources, evoking responses of intense helplessness, distress, fear, and as discussed, isolation. Trauma informed practice is a strengths-based framework grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma. It emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for everyone, and creates opportunities for Survivors of trauma to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.
BC Trauma Informed Practice Guide
A comprehensive guide on how to practically apply trauma informed practice, by The Centre for Excellence for Women’s Health
Using stories and strategies that are grounded in Indigenous worldviews and embedded with cultural knowledge, Renee Linklater offers purposeful and practical methods to help individuals and communities that have experienced trauma
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
A compendium of resources, strategies, and free events addressing mental wellness in the workplace from Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
Explore trauma informed practice on an individual level by exploring self-compassion, processing difficult emotions, and much more, from Dr. Kristin Neff
A helpful resource of coping and grounding techniques that can be employed when experiencing trauma activation, by Lisa M. Najavits
Trauma Informed Workplace Assessment
A free online assessment of organizational awareness and trauma informed practice, by the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute
Disability Inclusion and Universal Design
Disability inclusion means that individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in every aspect of life to the fullest extent possible. It is important to note that one part of inclusion involves creating true accessibility through universal design, rather than simply providing accommodations. True accessibility means places, environments, and event are set up from the start to be accessible to all individuals.
Disability Inclusive Employer Assessment
Free, online assessment that unlocks customized recommendations and resources, by the President’s Group and The Open Door Group
For Employees-How to Disclose a Disability to an Employer (BC)
A legal guide for people with disabilities in British Columbia who are disclosing to their employer, from Disability Alliance BC
Universal Design: Learning Guidelines
A guide for educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement a universal design framework in a learning environment, from UDL Guidelines
Top 12 Disability Inclusive Employer Practices
A practical starting point for organizations to integrate inclusive practices in day to day operations from Accessible Employers
Creating Accessible Zoom Meetings
How to engage Zoom’s features, including captioning, visual descriptions, and other accommodations, from Disability:IN
Diverse Suppliers: Discover Businesses Owned By Persons with Disabilities
A market place to explore businesses owned by persons with disabilities in British Columbia from BC Marketplace