On May 30 and 31, the Sustainable Finance Summit was held in Montreal. Presented by Fondaction, in partnership with Finance Montréal, the event generated enormous interest.
The goal of the event was to illustrate how finance is addressing challenges of protecting the environment and sustainable development. A wide range of conferences, panels, and workshops were on the program.
With the theme Time for Action: Sustainable Finance Serving the Real Economy Transition, the summit brought together many key actors in the financial ecosystem who promote and define a healthy relationship between economic development and sustainable development.
We took part in the program by presenting a masterclass entitled Be the Change You Wish to See in the World. Led by Laurent Da Silva, cofounder of Nada Conseils, the activity addressed the effects of human behaviour and cognitive biases on solving social and environmental issues in business. Plus, Chantal Thieblin-Goffoz, our Director, Impact Financing and Sustainability, had the honour of making introductory remarks for the occasion, leaving participants with tools and resources to help recognize these biases and develop strategies to avoid them.
The first day of the summit focused on climate and biodiversity, the second focused on energy and just transition. A number of panels addressed the proponents and outcomes of just transition and the role of the financial sector in it. Topics such as funding affordable housing, the importance of the role of financial institutions, and the decarbonization of industries were focal points for the day.
Specifically, drivers such as building portfolios based on impact, encouraging sustainable practices in businesses, governments, and even individuals, and improving access to capital for sustainable activities are just some of the means by which sustainable finance can have an impact on the transition to the real economy.
In short, with speakers the calibre of Lorraine Audsley, Senior Vice-President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Export and Development Canada, and Guy Cormier, CEO, Desjardins Group, to name just those two, attendees had access to quality content and were given additional tools in their quest for an economy that is more respectful of people and the planet.