Balancing profits with purpose and driving sustainable practices

Monday, August 16, 2021

Nadine Pinto
Since graduating from the University of Waterloo in Environment and Business, Nadine Pinto (BES ’16) has worked to balance profits with purpose, driving sustainable practices within several industries.

Working first as a Corporate Sustainability Coordinator, then Specialist at Aviva Canada, Nadine helped launch their social impact platform, Take Back Our Roads, which advanced all three pillars of sustainability. Promoting safer streets and active transportation, it aimed to improve economic equality, accessibility and carbon emissions.

Nadine now works as the Sustainability Manager at The Travel Corporation (TTC), where she launched the company’s Climate Action Plan, a robust strategy that includes 40 travel brands in 70 countries, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. She is also one of the architects behind MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, a framework that creates mutually beneficial travel experiences for both the traveler and the communities they visit.  The initiative was recognized as an honouree in Fast Company’s 2021 list of World Changing Ideas.

Despite the Covid-19’s harrowing impact on the travel industry, Nadine recently created and launched TTC’s 5-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right, addressing waste, diversity, animal welfare, climate impact and sustainable food production. It positions the company, and the industry, to build back better ensuring that people, the planet and wildlife benefit from responsible tourism.

Nadine’s ambition has led to notable professional and academic achievements, including invitations to participate as a panelist at WeTravel and TechTO and Corporate Knights recognizing her as a Top 30 under 30 Sustainability Leader.

Nadine continues to work at the grassroots level and sits on the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee, spearheading community engagement with the city’s sustainability plan, advising Council on environmental policy, planning and sustainability for a large and fast-growing city.