Hi! My name is Wendy and I’m from Toronto. Like many, I grew up watching Planet Earth and idolizing David Attenborough which is what sparked my love for the Earth and environment. Prior to joining HBA, I studied Environmental Science at Western. Though sustainability and social impact is probably my #1 passion, I also love volunteering with youth, and have been heavily involved in high school and university fashion shows.   

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

Sustainability is equitable, intersectional, and long-lasting. When we choose to act on social and environmental inequities, we must acknowledge that working top-down is not always effective. Real impact comes from working with those who have lived experience and stakes in the issues at hand. This includes both those who will be directly influenced by change as well as those who have overlapping experiences and social identities. Engaging with these communities will bring about the wide-spread and long-lasting change that is necessary for true social impact and sustainability. 

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

For too long, the onus of climate change and societal issues has been placed on the individual. However, as much as individual action matters, big corporations have vastly more power and, therefore, responsibility to preserve and protect our environment. Government agendas and consumer behaviour are often directed by the goals of the world’s most powerful organizations so by pursuing a career in sustainability, I hope to be a part of fundamentally transforming these goals to holistically consider our society instead of primarily profitability. 

I am confident that sustainability and social impact will be the focus of my professional career. Regardless of the industry I choose to work in, I will seek work that specializes on the social and environmental impact of the company or to work for companies that prioritize “doing good.” This could range from positions in sustainable strategy to innovation and from ESG to research. At the end of the day, I hope to see tangible, long-term impact from the work that I do for a living. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

Since I began undergrad, I have tried to engage in as many sustainability-oriented projects as possible. Thus far, I’ve worked on approximately eight, and I hope that number keeps growing. 

During first year I worked with Sustain Point Consulting Group (SPCG) and Green Portfolio. SPCG was a California-based student consultancy that matched groups of students to client companies. Green Portfolio is a New York based green finance startup that is making sustainable financing options more accessible. 

During second year I worked with Western Founders Network (WFN) and ESG data startup ESGTree. As an education director for WFN, I created educationals that tied sustainability into technology and business in an effort to bring more awareness to the emerging opportunities in the field. At ESGTree, I worked to summarize multi-industry SASB standards and analyzed ESG data on thousands of companies.  

Finally, leading up to, and during third year I have worked with sustainable retail company Thesus Outdoors, Clean50 Canada, Ivey’s Social Impact Club (SIC), and Ivey’s inaugural Sustainability Week. These four opportunities have helped me connect with more people than I could have imagined who share the same passion for sustainability and social impact.