SP0316: Sustainable Finance Summit

The Sustainable Finance Summit is a large-scale event that brings together industry leaders to discuss the links between economic development, environmental protection, and sustainable development, and how finance can address these challenges. The aim is to generate constructive dialogue. Its aim is to stimulate discussion on sustainable finance and the opportunities it offers, as well as raise awareness on social or environmental issues and encourage the integration of sustainability in investment guidelines. This event happened once before back in 2018, where we invited leaders from multiple companies, such as PSP investments, CDPQ, and Desjardins, who illustrated the increasing relevance of sustainability in finance. The first-ever Montreal Youth Summit on Sustainable Business was also hosted in January 2020 by The Desautels Sustainability Network (DSN), the John Molson Sustainable Enterprise Committee (JSEC), and HEC’s Groupe Humaniterre. It was the largest summit on sustainable business hosted by student-run organizations in Canada, with over 40 speakers, and over 450 students attending.

This year, the Sustainable Finance Summit will also help students gain information on the latest developments and trends in sustainable finance and investment. This event provides MUS students with an opportunity to learn about sustainability concepts, enriching their academic experience and understanding of sustainability. This enables students to build sustainability connections and become active participants in the sustainability movement. It will showcase and critically evaluate emerging best practices across finance sub-sectors and sustainability themes. Topics we will focus on include climate-related physical and transition risks, ESG and EDI in investment decisions, net-zero transition plans, and leveraging sustainability in students’ future careers.

Our full set of speakers is not confirmed yet, however, we do have some settled keynoters such as Mary Hagerman, from Raymond James Inc., and award-winning wealth advisor who will be speaking about equity in the workplace, as well as how investment portfolios are adjusting to the sustainable metrics and growing companies in this field. Other confirmed speakers are Rosalie Vendette, an expert in sustainable finance for over 20 years, and working at Quinn+Partners, as well as Pierre-Laurent Macridis, who is the head of strategy, corporate development and impact at Fondaction. We will also have student speakers, who will have the opportunity to present the sustainable projects they are working on. For example, one of our very own, DSN president Francois Cossette, will be speaking about his sustainability project. The SPF funding will be very helpful for us due to the various expenses this event requires to be successful and gather many students. It will be taking place at the Faculty Club at McGill located at 3450 McTavish Street.