CSR In Canada: Who's Who and Why They Matter (Part II: TSSS)

"CSR enablers" is a term I use to describe organizations that exist to help drive the CSR conversation in Canada. They provide research support, peer-to-peer learning, advocacy and networking. In this ongoing series, I am profiling the organizations that are well established in the Canadian business sustainability network.

This is Part Two, featuring the Toronto Sustainability Speakers Series (TSSS). As a regular attendee, I've been pleasantly surprised to meet new people in what sometimes seems like a relatively small group of professionals in Toronto. With each speaker and topic, a number of new faces join, and so grows this networking group.

About TSSS
Toronto Sustainability Speaker Series (TSSS) is a forum for dialogue and problem solving among sustainability professionals. According to Brad Zarnett, Founder and Chief Sustainability Connector, "each year, over 1,000 sustainability change agents attend TSSS events to exchange ideas, to network and to be inspired by leading companies that have integrated sustainability into their business practices." Now in its fifth year, TSSS continues to be a "go to" learning and networking event, while the online component increases its presence with a variety of blog contributors and live feeds during events.

Learning & Networking: In person forums
"In sustainability, we talk a lot about capacity building. We need to build capacity among sustainability people too," says David Smith, National VP of Retail Strategy and Sustainability at Sobeys Inc., in a testimonial interview at a past TSSS event. [1] Sobeys is one of Canada's largest national groceries retailers. Capacity building is encouraged through group discussions and networking at each event. A recent speaker, Tim Faveri, VP of Sustainability and Responsibility at Tim Hortons, termed the TSSS event as having a "connected audience" in a "focused environment." [2]

Click here to continue reading and comment

Meirav Even-Har is a Justmeans staff blogger. She reports on Canadian CSR issues. Meirav is an independent sustainability consultant and writer working in Toronto, Canada.