Jonathan Defoy is the Founder and CEO of FoodHero, an app that brings merchants and consumers together to sell surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfill. FoodHero bridges the gap between these two groups with its easy-to-use marketplace-based platform. Designed to reduce food waste, the app allows merchants and consumers to save money, while doing their part for the planet. FoodHero is an absolute success here in Quebec, with plans of aggressively expanding across Canada over the coming months. On this episode, Jonathan shares how FoodHero can help solve multiple challenges at once: food waste, increasing grocery bills, and slim margins for grocers. We also dive into the potential of technology in promoting sustainability, tips for entrepreneurs including considerations when it comes app development and being resilient in launching businesses, and taking care of your mental and physical self as a competitive advantage.

Listeners of The Resilience Report have heard us say in the past: having a positive impact through your work is a marathon and not a sprint. Part of this fortitude is made possible through managing one’s physical and mental health, or more fittingly for this show: your own resilience.Which is why I am SO excited to welcome our next guest: Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier. An award-winning workplace mental health expert, psychologist, and advisor, MH (as many people call her) is one of only a handful of work psychologists holding both a PhD and MBA, making her expertly blend business acumen with the latest psychology research. Pelletier is a practicing psychologist with 20+ years of experience in clinical and workplace psychology. She also has extensive experience as a senior leader in corporate, insurance, governance, and public sectors. Pelletier is a member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization, and a past director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and International Association of Applied Psychology.Pelletier’s work has been featured in publications like Forbes, Thrive Global, and Fast Company and published in academic journals such as Behaviour Research and Therapy, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, and Organizational Dynamics. She is also the author of The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimize Your Work and Health.This episode has so many tips and tricks that our listeners (and honestly myself) can put into practice right away to help build our own resilience!Grab a copy of Dr. MH's book: https://drmarie-helene.com/book/

Lauren Ott truly brings the “S” to ESG as a social entrepreneur who teaches organizations how to maximize their impact on the causes they care about. Lauren is the Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships at Impact Genome, the world's leading impact registry.In this episode, the Laurens talk about the critical role of centralizing, standardizing and quantifying social impact, how such a repository can help create a more equal playing field for social programs, charities and non-profits, the reality of cause-washing, the value of an impact marketplace, and what the future of this space might look like in Canada, the US and beyond.So whether you are working for an impact producer, an investor or a sustainability leader at your organization deciding where to partner within your community, this is such an informative episode. What Lauren and the team are doing at Impact Genome is truly inspiring, and Lauren herself is just a ray of sunshine to chat with.

In this solo episode, we are going to be diving further into a topic that several of you have asked us to explore on The Resilience Report: green claims and messaging. More specifically, the guidelines and regulations coming into place this year (2024) and how this might change our businesses and how we position our products and services.  In this episode, host Lauren Scott will share more about how the regulations and guidelines are changing, what you need to know, some of the risks that are associated with making unsubstantiated claims, and then three quick tips that you can immediately action at your business so as to be amore mindful with how you're talking about your products and solutions. (0:00) Intro(1:00) Green claims in 2024(2:50) Why new guidelines and regulations?(4:36) Understanding the new Green Directives in Europe(7:52) Green Guides in the USA via the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)(9:28) Knowing the risks of making unsubstantiated green claims(11:00) 3 actions you can take today to get ready for green claim guidelines and directives

Mireille "Dr. Mimi" Vega is a biochemist, dedicated Skin Scientist, and leader in skin microbiome. With a lifelong commitment to revolutionizing the skincare industry with science-backed truths that are better for the planet and people, Dr. Mimi believes in doing this important work at both the micro and macro levels.Her background in chemistry, oncology, and the biotech, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries make her a wealth of knowledge on the topic of the skin microbiome. This background is also what led her to disrupt the skincare industry with a “one human skin approach” – her skincare brand, VGAM Biome. Follow along as we dive into understanding the world of microorganisms, what this means for our skin, the importance of a minimalistic approach (especially at a time where we are being told we need a 10-step beauty routine!), the difference between “no-no” and “oh yes” ingredients, her company’s compostable and recyclable packaging, and reducing waste through her “Misfits” offering.3:03 Introduction to the microbiome6:22 The difference between your gut and your skin microbiota9:23 Simplifying our skincare routine: for our sanity and the environment10:08 Removing "no no" ingredients, adding the "oh yes"34:56 A focus on sustainable packaging, and a market for "Misfits"38:49 The value of incubator communities for entrepreneurs44:35 What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

While the topic of Impact Investing is gaining momentum across headlines, conferences and even social media, many of us don't feel fully equipped to talk about it, let alone engage in it! We have specifically put together this episode to help our Resilience Reporters better understanding the topic in an accessible, educated way with the delightful and insightful Pierre-Laurent Macridis, Senior Associate - Private Investment Research at Rally Assets, an impact investment management firm focused on helping investors generate positive social and environmental impact alongside a financial returnPierre-Laurent lives and breaths all things impact investing. And, perhaps even more importantly, he knows how to break down the concepts into digestible, jargon-free chunks. In less than an hour, you are going to learn the difference between 3 layers of investing: responsible, ESG and then (the top tier) impact investing, how the industry has dramatically changed over the years, the way the education system is adapting to these changes, creating broader stakeholder buy-in when it comes to impact investing and more. In his role at Rally Assets, Pierre-Laurent conducts private investment research for client portfolios, including deal sourcing, due diligence and post-investment monitoring activities. In addition, he anchors Rally Asset’s presence in Québec, Canada. Prior to joining Rally in 2023, Pierre-Laurent served as Associate Principal at Fondaction where he invested in emerging impact fund managers, supported the creation of the firm’s large-scale impact asset management company and managed its underlying portfolio of six impact funds.Pierre-Laurent holds a MSc in Renewable Resources and a BCom in Economics (both from McGill University). Outside of his day to day, he also serves as VP Outreach, Diversity & inclusion, and sustainable finance on Reséau Capital’s New Generation committee, and is a founding investment committee member at Montreal Propel Impact Fund.

Meet the messaging mastermind behind Equifuit, the North American market leader for Fairtrade bananas: Kim Chackal. As Co-Owner and Director of Sales and Marketing at Equifruit, Kim has spent the last 9 years shaping the brand to its current bright, almost cheeky state.Kim and the team have set their sights on Global Fairtrade Banana Domination, and are doing so while successfully balancing messaging between education (around the historically dark reality of traditional banana farming) and humor and light-heartedness - no easy task!Kim's fearless and bold approach is making waves in the produce industry. In 2021, Kim was recognized as “Produce Person of the Year” by the Ontario Produce Marketing Association and in 2022 she appeared on The Packer 25 list which highlights leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. Kim was recently named 2024 Outstanding Women in Produce honoree by Grocery Business Magazine and the CPMA. With 20 years of sales experience, she loves challenging people to rethink their consumption habits and consider Fairtrade as a sustainable solution in produce.This is such a fun, educational episode and truly a marketing masterclass. Introducing a true Banana Badass: Kim Chackal!

If the name Nutshell Coolers sounds familiar to you, you might have seen their innovative coconut husk-insulated coolers being covered by Forbes, Fast Company or CNN. Or maybe you saw it on Kickstarter where they reached their funding goal in just 7 hours. Or maybe, like me, it stopped you mid scroll when you saw their gorgeous product on Instagram.So who is Nutshell Coolers and how did they become one of the chicest, most environmentally and socially conscious coolers out there?On this episode of The Resilience Report, we sit down with Tamara Mekler, co-founder and COO of Nutshell Coolers. Tamara studied at Stanford University, where she received a B.S. in Behavioral Biology and an M.S. in Sustainable Development. Previously, Tamara worked in community-based conservation and environmental education in the United States and in her home countries, Spain and Mexico.Tamara and her team are such an inspiration, and it is incredible to learn details about the coconut husks that go into building their coolers, the income generated in local communities from purchasing those husks, and the CO2 emissions and the plastic foam that is avoided with each cooler. In a nutshell, this is one episode I know our Resilience Reporters are going to love!

The world of environmental impact is a delicate one, an area that requires an incredible amount of nuance when it comes to storytelling. So, who better to join us than two experts in the field of digital marketing and sales: Carman Pirie and Jeff White, co-founders of Kula Partners - an agency committed to helping leading B2B manufacturers craft digital experiences that transform how they engage buyers, serve customers, and outpace their competition online. Based out of Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, Jeff and Carman also co-host The Kula Ring podcast, which features conversations about marketing, sales, and technology with top manufacturing executives from across North America.This is such a fun episode of The Resilience Report – almost like you are a fly on the wall at a dinner party with myself and our next two guests chatting all things green claims, B2B messaging with a double-click into the manufacturing space, website accessibility and much more. 0:00 Intro3:47 Founding Kula Partners8:18 Green claims in B2B marketing11:03 Addressing greenwashing in the manufacturing sector 14:52 Marketers: Chief Sustainability Storytellers 16:41 Navigating polarizing topics as marketers23:28 250+ episodes in: creating a podcast for marketers in B2B manufacturing 32:35 Parallels between politics and marketing36:11 Web usability and accessibility for increased inclusivity48:05 What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

We are wrapping things up with an upcycled bow around here with a “Best of 2023” episode of The Resilience Report. For our regular listeners, you know that we like to end every episode with the same question, which is “What do you think it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward?” Not an easy question to tackle, but this did not stop our brilliant business leaders and ecopreneurs from sharing their actionable tips and tricks.This is an audible thank you to all of our listeners and guests for being part of The Resilience Report in our inaugural year. Your support, feedback and desire for positive impact have been like nothing I have ever experienced before. We already have some amazing content lined up for 2024 based on your messages, and I cannot wait to share more with you over the coming weeks!1:36 Aviation: Air Transat and Twelve4:15 Energy / Renewables: ADAPTR Inc. and Brevian Energy6:45 Real Estate / Construction / Major Projects: Knight Frank Investment Management and Yukon Government10:36 Finance / Investing: Investors for Paris Compliance12:20 Marketing / Communications: Digital advertising14:40 Waste Reduction: Les Plastiques DC and TIPA16:48 Food / Beverage: Lufa Farms17:46 Fashion / Beauty: The Unscented Company and Asymmetric by Design21:17 Corporate Culture / Strategy: Arche Innovation, leadership coach, and Transdev Canada

Tonya Dickenson is the Founder and Creative Director of Asymmetric by Design, a bold and sustainable jewelry company that empowers women to express their personal brand and values and connect with others. Tonya designs and creates one-of-a-kind asymmetric necklaces using exclusively natural, upcycled, and recycled materials, while supporting traditional artisans in the developing world. Her jewelry has been featured on major Canadian news outlets including Global News and CBC, and worn on the Red Carpet in LA and on Dragon's Den and reflects her passion for environmental and social justice.Before launching Asymmetric by Design, Tonya had a successful career in pharmaceuticals, mental health, and mask awareness, production and distribution, where she focused on making a difference and helping protect lives. Tonya has an Executive MBA from Smith School of Business at Queen's University, and a BAH in Pure Mathematics and Economics from the same institution. Tonya believes that we have won the lottery of life, and that we should use our talents and resources to combat climate change and reduce inequalities, making the world a greener and better place for all.Tonya share a number of gems (pun totally intended) on this episode that I know you are going to love!0:00 From pharmaceuticals to entrepreneurship5:20 Sustainable jewelry: environmental and social impact considerations16:25 Lived in 11 countries, visited over 100 countries: what sustainability looks like around the world20:31 The value of marketing and storytelling in sustainability22:45 The journey from corporate to entrepreneurship41:09 What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

A pioneering leader reshaping the future of sustainable business, Anie Rouleau and the company she founded (The Unscented Company) redefines the notion of clean with innovative, natural home and body care products. With a dedication to sustainability and social impact, Anie champions refillable packaging and waterless products, combating single-use plastics and protecting waterways. An advocate for the B Corp model, she promotes local sourcing, ethical leadership, and equal opportunity employment.Anie's achievements include appearances on Dragons' Den Canada, Canada's Top Growing Company for four consecutive years, and recognition with the Young Phoenix Prize and the Trudeau Medal. An influential speaker at institutions and organizations such as BDC, C2 Montreal, UQAM, Concordia, McGill, ETS, and the University of Ottawa, she's committed to mentoring young female entrepreneurs. Anie leads a B Corp Certified and Women Owned business, a role she's held since 2011.(0:00) Intro(2:47) The making of an entrepreneur(6:07) A unexpected market for fragrance free soap(8:56) Reducing single use packaging through refillable solutions(12:25) Selecting retail partners from yoga studios to Whole Foods(15:02) The value of local suppliers and partners(19:31) Fragrance free for skin sensitivity, asthma, pregnancy, and even hunting/fishing!(23:49) What is B Corp and who should pursue this certification?(31:10) The next frontier: reducing water footprint(33:40) The making of an ecopreneur(42:10) What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

On this solo episode, host Lauren Scott is going to answer a question that she gets quite often, which is "how to start a career in sustainability?"As someone who mentors undergraduate business students, Lauren often gets asked for the best way to be able to add sustainability onto their resumes. Similarly, she gets this question from professionals who are mid-career, and are now trying to figure out how to become part of the solution.This episode dives into two different approaches 1) building up your education and 2) building up your experience. Tune in for some fresh tips on how you can do so at no additional cost, and from day one on your new job!

When considering sustainable solutions, many of us are quick to think about the final good or service being sold. But as we start to understand the broader impact of supply chains, certain areas are really coming into focus. At the top of this list? Packaging.Our next guest has spent the past decade disrupting this industry, and she and her company are impeccably positioned to lead the change as companies around the world turn to more sustainable packaging options.Daphna Nissenbaum is the CEO and co-founder of TIPA®, a compostable packaging company in Tel Aviv focused on supplying the food and fashion industries with better, more resilient solutions. Daphna leads the TIPA team in the movement to revolutionize packaging systems and rid the world of plastic pollution with fully-compostable, flexible packaging that replaces conventional plastic, turning waste into resource, a crisis into an opportunity.In this episode, Daphna shares her journey to entrepreneurship, raising capital, leveraging existing machinery around the world to be able to produce locally and at scale, advice to leaders everywhere, and so much more!(0:00) Intro(3:23) Daphna in her own words(8:02) The difference between rigid and flexible plastic packaging(10:39) Flexible packaging: problems and opportunities(11:45) Leveraging existing and local machinery(17:33) Collective action to revolutionize the packaging industry(21:57) Securing capital and the right investors(24:37) "Be the best, be professional, ignore all the rest."(32:15) What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

Maria Kellis is a leadership coach and and best-selling author with an emphasis on aligning business with purpose.  With a strong background in engineering and management from MIT, she co-founded multiple technology companies in the US and worked in high-level positions for the Greek government. On this episode, she shares incredible insights on how, through her work, she empowers leaders to blend success with integrity.As our listeners know, the purpose of The Resilience Report is to highlight the amazing work of entrepreneurs and business leaders making a positive impact on the planet. In each episode, we explore and celebrate the way in which they have successfully married business with a bigger purpose. But how does one get there? While it is great to hear these stories and get inspired, sometimes we are just not sure how to get started, or how to apply it to our own careers. Maria joins host Lauren Scott to answer these listener questions and so much more!(0:00) Intro(3:18) What is leadership?(5:38) From mechanical engineering to leadership coach(8:24) Combining business with purpose(10:08) When to consult a leadership coach?(15:50) Balancing short term ROI with pursuing purpose(21:32) The impact of our environment on pursuing a meaningful career(24:52) Leadership coaching for an intrapreneur vs entrepreneur(30:52) Avoiding the victim triangle(34:29) Tangible tips to get started working in your purpose(37:30) AI for enhancing leadership(40:39) What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

Lufa Farms is on a mission to change the way people eat by growing food where people live and growing it more sustainably. To accomplish this, the company built the world’s first commercial rooftop greenhouse in 2011 and three more greenhouses since then (built in 2013, 2017, and 2020). With each new greenhouse, Lufa Farms holds itself to an ever higher standard of sustainability and technical ingenuity growing dozens of vegetables, greens, and herbs hydroponically. All of their greenhouses run following their five principles of responsible agriculture: using no new land, recirculating water, conserving energy, reducing waste, and using biocontrols instead of synthetic pesticides. Lufa Farms also partners with local farmers and food makers to provide customers with hundreds of products through their online Marketplace. Every week, the company distributes over 30,000 customized baskets filled with fresh, local, responsible food.In this episode, host Lauren Scott speaks with Callie Giaccone (responsible for Lufa Farms’ PR and copywriting) to talk about how the business has evolved over the past 10+ years to now include a marketplace of local producers, the way it now includes rooftop and indoor gardens, how technology is at the heart of their business, how their direct giving program helps to support those in the city struggling with food insecurity, why Lufa Farms is certified pesticide free, and so much more!Lufa Farms is an incredible example of how one entrepreneur can truly disrupt an industry for the better. Their growth trajectory is truly impressive, as is their desire to continue to do so as a means to create a better food system by growing food on city rooftops!(0:00) Intro(2:53) How Lufa Farms came to be(4:00) Expanding facilities and offering(5:17) Rooftop greenhouse vs indoor farm(6:24) Selecting marketplace partners(7:57) The role of technology in urban agriculture(9:20) Montreal as the perfect weather testing ground(11:33) The impact of the pandemic(12:52) Finding and training urban farmers(14:28) Water as a resource at Lufa Farms(15:27) Lufa Farms Foundation

Chrystal Healy is the VP Corporate Responsibility for Air Transat. In this episode, she dives into all things airlines and corporate responsibility. Of course, top of mind, is that of reducing emissions: we explore the different avenues the industry has taken, what technology is on the horizon, the impact of regulations around the world and even CO2 tunnel vision. We also explore the less often discussed social impact of the industry, including some of the incredible community and accessibility work being done at Air Transat. Chrystal shares some of the most common bottlenecks in deploying a sustainability plan, the importance of weaving E.S.G. into your organization’s overarching corporate strategy, the need for stakeholder buy-in, the role of listening when it comes to your sustainability approach, and so much more.(0:00) Intro(3:11) Chrystal in her own words(6:27) Bringing Corporate Social Responsibility to an Airline (Air Transat)(9:34) The biggest opportunities for ESG in the aviation sector(12:01) The biggest obstacles being faced(13:50) The role of governmental regulations in ESG across countries(16:43) Sustainable Aviation Fuel: from the perspective of an airline(20:49) Greewashing in the aviation sector(25:18) The social impact potential of airlines(30:43) Tips on starting an ESG program at your work(33:28) How to maintain CSR momentum(35:06) The importance of building a strong network(36:51) What it will take for businesses and leaders to be resilient going forward

On this solo episode of The Resilience Report, host Lauren Scott addresses a question that she get quite often, which is how can you balance your love of fashion (especially in a corporate environment) and the idea of minimizing your environmental footprint? This goes back to a principle you've probably heard many times in many different situations, which is reduce, reuse, and recycle. So how does this apply to fashion?  Tune in to find out.

While we all appreciate having access to electricity, most of us probably don’t give too much thought as to how it gets to our homes and businesses. We just want it to go on when we need it, for it not to be too expensive, and to be as clean as possible.We can largely thank our grid infrastructure for helping to have achieved this over the years. But the grid has its limitations:You are at the mercy of the fees charged by your local utility provider;Because everything is centralized, there are risks of major outages and even security threats;You don’t have control over the source of your power (for example coal vs renewable energy);And, more recently, the influx in electrification (notably of our cars) will put significant strain on the grid.In seeing these issues in his own community of San Diego (home to the USA’s most expensive electricity), Rod Matthews decided to do something about it. In early 2020, this navy veteran and a partner of his founded a company called Brevian Energy. Offering affordable commercial microgrids, Brevian Energy partners with renewable energy providers (solar, wind, hydrogen) as well as storage solutions (typically batteries) to offer affordable, reliable, renewable power to homes, businesses, and communitiesIn this episode, Rod shares with us the difference between the classic grid, microgrids and mini grids, how microgrids can play a critical role in reducing energy costs, increasing resiliency and minimizing emissions. Rod also shares his path to founding Brevian Energy, key government incentives to propel this transition, and shares incredible resources supporting veterans and BIPOC and women owned companies, especially in the renewables space.I loved chatting with Rod, and learning about how he identified a gap in the market, and has leveraged his entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to launch such an innovative company.(0:00) Intro(3:13) Rod in his own words(5:16) What is the traditional grid, and what makes a microgrid different?(9:15) Brevian Energy: a microgrid solutions provider(13:19) Partnering with renewable energy and storage providers(14:34) Microgrids for commercial buildings, neighborhoods(15:38) Leveraging state and federal level incentives(17:27) Remote communities: micro vs mini grids(18:58) The need for microgrids with increased electrification(" rel="nofollow">

As businesses and leaders navigate their sustainability journeys, one area continues to be a bit of a conundrum: aviation. We know that we need to reduce our carbon footprint, and yet corporate travel, sourcing components and delivering product continue to play a critical role in our operations. So how can we make aviation more environmentally friendly?On this episode, host Lauren Scott dives into what might very well be the best option on the market: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with Ashwin Jadhav, Vice President of Business Development at Twelve, a chemical company for the climate era that makes everyday products from air instead of oil. At Twelve, Ashwin oversees the customer acquisition, sales and commercial strategy of their SAF products. Ashwin is a self-proclaimed aviation nerd, bringing over 15 years of industry experience in business development, sales, and marketing at companies like Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney and IATA before joining Twelve. Ashwin holds a degree in Executive Leadership from the West Point Military Academy, and has an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  In this episode, he helps us to better understand the value of sustainable aviation fuel, how businesses and leaders with strong ESG programs are positively accelerating this model as are government regulations, how airlines can go about selecting sustainable fuel, the safety measures in place around the use of SAF, and much more.So, the next time you have to fly or ship your business’ products, know that some incredible innovation is underway to make this more sustainable thanks those like Ashwin and his colleagues at Twelve. The exciting part is that sustainable aviation fuel is only going to increasingly soar!(0:00) Intro(3:00) Ashwin in his own words(5:30) The impact of the aviation sector on global emissions(7:38) Why the electrification of aircrafts is harder than vehicles(11:27) What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?(12:56) Twelve: a carbon transformation company transforming the aviation sector(15:48) Twelve's global locations(17:58) E-Jet: opportunities and demand(20:58) Roadblocks before takeoff(24:33) The differences between countries and continents(27:59) How airlines can source SAF(29:40) Safety at the heart of SAF(