HUB for Sustainability Integration
The Hub for Sustainability Integration is a collaborative ecosystem bringing together the Student Consultancy, Sustainability Business Council and Professional Development initiatives under a shared purpose: to embed sustainability into every business decision across industries, organizations, and geographies.
Jointly led by the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) and the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), the Hub bridges academia and practice to advance the University of Waterloo's vision of becoming a global leader in sustainability integration.
The Student Consultancy course is a cornerstone of this initiative, providing experiential learning opportunities, networking, and mentoring for students to build skills in business, consulting and sustainability. In doing so, it also serves as a vital resource for Canadian organizations seeking to embed sustainability into their operations and long-term strategy.
Associate Director
Claire Purvis
The HUB’s Associate Director provides strategic guidance and industry insight to support the integration of sustainability into business education and practice. Drawing on extensive professional experience, the Associate Director mentors students, advises on project development within the Student Consultancy, and strengthens connections between academia and industry. This role helps ensure the HUB remains aligned with real-world sustainability challenges and opportunities facing organizations today.
News
Canada Releases Clean Electricity Regulations Targeting a Net Zero Grid by 2035
“A net-zero grid will serve as the basis for climate actions across the economy"
The Government of Canada released its proposed Clean Electricity Regulations, aimed at advancing the decarbonization of the country’s electricity grid, and supporting its net zero emission climate goals.
Canada also joined a commitment last year with the U.S. to release clean energy regulations in 2023. Earlier this year, the Biden administration released a set of proposals aimed at reducing U.S. power sector emissions, including putting in place CO2 emissions controls at fossil fuel-fired power plants starting in 2030.
Five Steps Small Businesses Can Take Toward Sustainability
Guest Post by Rob Fisher, KPMG U.S. ESG Leader
Large organizations are increasingly subject to an array of ESG reporting obligations. Incentivized by grants and tax credits, these large companies are driving the move toward sustainability.
However, it’s the small and mid-sized companies that make up nearly 90% of businesses worldwide and employ almost half of North America’s workers.
Therefore, it is crucial to explore how sustainability wins from small businesses can snowball into the larger value chain.
Canada to Phase Out Public Fossil Fuel Financing
Government of Canada Announcement
The Government of Canada announced on Monday a series of initiatives aimed at reducing government support for the fossil fuel sector, including the release of a new framework and guidelines, effective immediately, to eliminate “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies.
The government also announced that it will work to identify current public financing by 2024, and develop an implementation plan by fall 2024 to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, beyond the scope of the new subsidy elimination commitment.