Four participants in the 2021-2022 cohort of St. Michael’s prestigious Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility & Sustainability have received the President’s Capstone Award for their summative projects.

“The University of St. Michael’s College is pleased to offer the SR&S program because it aligns directly with our overall institutional mission to be a force for good in society,” says University President David Sylvester. “The Capstone Award winners demonstrate how important this program is to effect positive change both in Canada and internationally.” 

In the category of Advancing Social &/or Environmental Impact, Heather McKelvey was recognized for her project, Integrating EST into Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises. The panel of three experts evaluating submissions described her work as “practical and compelling.” One judge noted that the project “identifies a stunning discrepancy in sustainability and social responsibility work” because the tools available to measure such work mostly apply to large-size enterprises, even though small- to medium-sized businesses make up 99.8% or all enterprises in Canada.

The category of Advancing Social & Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG into their Organization saw a tie resulting in two awards granted, with Amanda Baron’s A Review of Climate Risk and Resilience Management at Metro Vancouver Regional District and Patricia Escobar’s Assessing the Sustainability of Operations at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) each receiving top honours.

Baron’s work, which looks at issues related to managing climate risk in Metro Vancouver, was described as “extensive, thorough, well written,” with judges noting that the assessment of addressing strengths and weaknesses “is very effective and awakening for the reader, especially as it relates to potential damage and potential impacts from climate risk if issues are not addressed.”

Escobar, whose project created a customized gap assessment, was praised by judges for managing to “inform, educate, recognize, celebrate and provide a critical eye with recommendations for next steps.”

The final winner was Rosalind Share’s project, Rubric to Evaluate an Asset Manager’s Net Zero Emissions Strategy, in the category of Advancing Innovative Practices in Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG in their Organization. Share was praised for creating a “robust” rubric that asset managers can use to accurately measure claims of net zero carbon emission strategies.

Another seven program participants were awarded Honourable Mentions:

• Madelaine L. Emberson: “A Framework for Community Investment & Stakeholder Engagement at Navigatr Group”
• Leigh Jasmine: “Barriers and opportunities for building multi-stakeholder partnerships that accelerate social impact: An exploration of perspectives from the not-for-profit and corporate sector.”
• Trish Tervit: “How Dare You: how language brings hope to the climate change conversation Incorporating best practices for impactful sustainability communications”
• Siobhan Barrie: “Raising the Bar, Spirit of Inclusion Initiative – LCBO Internship Program”
• Marie Claude Mongeon: “Sustainable Development Planning at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC)”
• Mika Unterman: “Barriers to Adoption of SR&S in the Cannabis Industry, and Using Peer-to-Peer Structure for Better Outcomes”
• Emily Chiu: “An Analysis of CSR Strategies: Takeaways from Best-in-Class Executions”

A total of 48 students graduated with the most recent cohort.

Those considered for the President’s Capstone Award are nominated by the mentors they work with over the 16-month course of the program. Projects are assessed by a three-person panel, which includes experts in the fields of corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

Forty students are accepted annually to St. Michael’s SR&S program. The diploma’s “work as you learn” approach allows students to take their career in Social Responsibility and Sustainability to the next level. Participants tackle and solve a Sustainability/ESG challenge in their company in a major action project under the mentorship of faculty and co-learners; experience practical “real world” change management through the Experience Change Simulation and join a prestigious community of St. Michael’s alumni in continuing education, sharing, and networking. Graduates receive the post-nominal letters G. Dipl. SR&S. The diploma program is now accepting applications for 2023-2024. To apply, please see the Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability website.

A new partnership with Indspire has created the “University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto” award for Indigenous students. 

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students enrolled at St. Michael’s in undergraduate programs, the Regis-St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology, and the diploma in Social Responsibility & Sustainability are all eligible to apply. 

Eight awards of $4,400 each will be granted annually. The funds go directly to the students, to be used for tuition, residence fees, or other expenses. 

Applications are made via Indspire, which will oversee the selection and award process. 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Indspire to provide support for our Indigenous students,” says University President David Sylvester. “This is a significant moment for St. Michael’s.” 

Indspire is a national Indigenous registered charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for the long term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. 

Please see the Indspire website for more information on how to apply for the “University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto” award. 

The University of St. Michael’s College is celebrating the announcement of the three winners of the 2021 President’s Capstone Project Award in the distinguished Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability program.

• Brett Clapperton is the winner in the Advancing Social & Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG category in their organization category for her project Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan for Green Shield Canada, which outlines ways for her employer to engage in the process of reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous communities.

• Kate Gardner is the winner in the Advancing Social &/or Environmental Impact in Wider Society or Community category. Her project Case for a Pardons Ecosystem studies ways to address the challenges previously incarcerated Black youth face due to their criminal records.

• Charlotte Harman is the winner in the Advancing Social &/or Environmental Impact in their Industry or Sector category for her project The Rengenerative Law Firm.

Clapperton agrees with Gardner on the impact of the program.

St. Michael’s Social Responsibility and Sustainability program “is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons in CSR and sustainability, with the chance to gain exposure to a variety of key topics ranging from climate change to ethical procurement,” she says.

In all, 10 students were nominated for awards, with seven receiving honourable mentions. Those considered for the President’s Capstone Aware are nominated by their mentors. Projects must be distinguished in what they achieve or promote in one or more of the following criteria: 1) advancing social and/or environmental impact; 2) introducing innovative practices in social and environmental responsibility, sustainability, ESG and/or 3) significantly advancing social and environmental responsibility, sustainability and/or ESG to the creator’s organization.

“The Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability is a vital aspect of St. Michael’s programming,” says University President David Sylvester. “Sustainability is one of the pillars of our 180 Strategic Plan for the coming years at St. Michael’s and educating corporate and community leaders—and, in turn, learning from them— is a key part of our mission and vision.”

Forty participants are accepted annually to St. Michael’s program, which attracts students from across Canada and around the world. The diploma’s “work as you learn” approach allows students to take their career in Social Responsibility and Sustainability to the next level. Participants tackle and resolve a Sustainability/ESC challenge in their company in a major Action Project under the mentorship of faculty and co-learners; learn from global thought leaders; experience practical “real world” change managed through the Experience Change™ Simulation and join a prestigious community of St. Michael’s alumni in continuing education, sharing, and networking. Graduates received the post-nominal letters G. Dipl. SR&S.

The diploma program is now accepting applications for 2022/2023. To apply, please see the Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability website.

Meet Some of the Winners

Kate Gardner

For my Capstone Project, I developed the ‘Case for a Pardons Ecosystem’ to address the crippling systemic barriers to success which previously incarcerated Black youth face due to their criminal records. The Pardons Ecosystem establishes a new CSR partnership framework which has the potential to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of crime in the Black community while also addressing labour market shortages across various sectors which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. In practice, the Pardons Ecosystem will become a work-integrated learning program with wraparound supports, and will upskill and add a fresh – currently overlooked – source of talent to the labour pool supporting economic growth in the post-COVID recovery.

Conversations are ongoing between Loyalist College, RBC Royal Bank, John Howard Society Ontario, and various Black-led organizations and community leaders, including Louis March from Zero Gun Violence Movement and Andrew “Jaydahmann” Cox from Lawrence Heights around the planning for the implementation of a pilot project. The pilot project will involve the development of industry aligned micro-credentials with wraparound supports, including peer mentorship, to create an accelerated pathway  to employment and/or empower youth to pursue further postsecondary education.

Brett Clapperton

St. Michael’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability program is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons in CSR and sustainability, with the chance to gain exposure to a variety of key topics ranging from climate change to ethical procurement.

My Capstone Project, titled Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan for Green Shield Canada, is a strategic plan created to outline a path to Indigenous reconciliation for Green Shield Canada (GSC). As Canada’s only national non-profit health benefits and insurance provider, GSC is a mid-size company of roughly 1,000 employees headquartered in Windsor, Ontario.

As a Social Impact Specialist at GSC my role is to drive the expansion of GSC’s social impact program, including community investment, employee giving and volunteering, CSR reporting, communications, strategy and governance.

The goal of the Reconciliation Action Plan is to offer GSC and its employees a feasible, detailed map to build relationships with Indigenous communities, meaningfully engage in reconciliation, improve service delivery for Indigenous clients, and contribute to Indigenous economic empowerment.

Celebrate this year’s graduates with us at the Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability’s Fall Convocation 2021 page.