My name is Emma Parkinson, and I am currently enrolled in the HBA program. I love spending time outdoors and enjoy hiking, kayaking, and biking. I am passionate about skiing, and I have my Level 2 CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance) certification, and my Entry Level Alpine Canada ski race couching certification. I am the President of Purple Yogis, Western’s USC ratified on-campus yoga club. I also am a yoga teacher and enjoy practicing in my free time. I am excited about pursuing my CPA designation and hope to learn more about sustainable accounting practices and investing.

What is your personal definition of sustainability?
I think sustainability is ensuring current generations can prosper but also making a commitment to tangible changes to benefit future generations. I think what initially comes to mind is environmental issues, and making sure that decisions made can protect the climate. However, I think social issues on a broader scale can in turn help the climate. Making sure that resources are accessible to everyone such as education, housing, etc. can help ensure that environmental targets are met. I think sustainability can be achieved through large scale government and corporate decision making but also through smaller individual efforts.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?
I am passionate about earning my CPA designation. Sustainable practices are applicable to many aspects of society. To secure a positive future, the status quo for so many industries need to change. I am hoping that I can bring my education on sustainability to the accounting space. Whether that is for a large firm, or a smaller not for profit in the future. I want to have an impact on how we can change current practices and standards and make them more realistic for the future. For companies to remain in business for a long period of time a focus on ESG and specifically ESG in the accounting, reporting, and investing space is important. Looking more into how companies should evaluate environmental and social risk from an accounting and reporting standpoint is something I would like to learn more about. I also want to continue coaching ski racing, as it is a crucial part of my life. Ski hill management is being largely effected by climate change so working to find solutions with local ski hills or governing bodies (CSIA) to promote sustainable practices within the outdoor space is important to me.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?
Growing up my parents encouraged my sister and I to participate in community social initiatives. I spent PD days growing up volunteering at the local food bank. My family and I would participate in an annual community clean up with neighbours. From a young age the importance of protecting the outdoors but also protecting the people around me was made apparent. Throughout High School I managed the flower and vegetable gardens at a local Long Term Care home in my hometown. Knowing that I was making an outdoor space more enjoyable for vulnerable people was very fulfilling. I continued working with this Long-Term Care home in university, although this time virtually. I taught free yoga classes to the Long-Term Care home staff during the early days of the pandemic.
Seeing that skiing and coaching are large aspects of my life I became a member of a not for profit called Protect Our Winters (POW). POW encourages advocacy and education on how climate change will affect the winter snow sport industry for future generations. I would like to continue my involvement in climate education particularly in regards to how that will effect the ski and snowboard industry and ski hill management.