Leadership and Learning: MBA Alum Zabeen Hirji joins SFU Beedie as Executive-in-Residence Zabeen Hirji Widely recognized for her accomplishments, she “Inclusive leaders listen. They don’t judge. They is a director on both corporate and not-for-profit draw out ideas from everyone and make people An advocate of diversity and inclusion, Zabeen boards and advises senior levels of government feel valued.” Hirji (MBA 1994) believes the best investment and academia. a company can make is in its people. She is a Hirji believes that collaboration, creativity, champion of inclusive growth and prosperity As Executive-in-Residence, Hirji influences new compassion and problem-solving are enduring during a time of unprecedented social and programming and advises their social innovation and transferrable skills, and are precisely technological upheaval. As Executive Advisor, hub, RADIUS, on its Future of Work Program. the skills we are drawing on during the Future of Work at Deloitte, Hirji advises on the She promotes lifelong learning and offers a fresh COVID-19 pandemic. changing nature of work, the workforce and take on how curriculum can better reflect our the workplace. She is the former Chief Human changing world. “Lifelong learning, continuous re-skilling and Resources Officer for RBC. upskilling, are critical, and cultivating a love of “SFU Beedie is very much a partnership-oriented learning and the capacity to learn is something The SFU Beedie School of Business appointed school, and I believe wicked problems can only universities can accelerate. That’s how we build Hirji as Executive-in-Residence in March 2020. be solved multi-sectorally,” says Hirji. “I’d like to a dynamic and resilient workforce, economy She advises the dean and leadership team and contribute to taking that partnership mindset and and society.” offers the community four decades of business Beedie’s approach to the next level collectively and human resources leadership experience. engaging with business and government in Hirji believes that the university needs to curriculum design and delivery and building partner with its stakeholders to find answers to learning into our lives.” these questions. This engagement also involves building diversity “Unlocking the potential of people — of all people and inclusion into curriculum development and — is the key to prosperity,” explains Hirji. “It is both the right thing to do and the smart thing leadership structures so that it’s ‘part of their to do.” DNA.’ Diversity is a fact, says Hirji, and inclusion is an act. “Leadership is not just a title, it’s action, it’s behaviour—everybody around the table can have a role to play,” she explains. PRME SHARING INFORMATION ON PROGRESS 2018/19-2019/2020 51
PRINCIPLE 6: DIALOGUE We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organisations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability. 52 SFU BEEDIE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
2018/19-2019/20 HIGHLIGHTS Beedie Talks: International Experience Former Advisor to Barack Obama Hosts Embedding Sustainability Forum Inspired Bank Chief ’s Diversity Push Leadership Conversation at SFU Surrey The NEXT Leaders’ Council, Business Council During a December 2019 Beedie Talks event, SFU On November 6, 2019, leadership expert, advocate of British Columbia and the SFU Beedie Centre Alumna Sandra Stuart (BA ’16), HSBC Canada’s and author Betsy Myer visited SFU’s Surrey of Corporate Governance and Sustainability President and CEO, shared what inspired her campus to share her experience with students (CCGS) co-hosted a forum on embedding fight for greater diversity and inclusion at the and the local community at SFU’s Beedie School of sustainability on January 30, 2018. Professor bank. From 1999-2001 Stuart worked for HSBC in Business. Former senior advisor to US Presidents Stephanie Bertels, Director of the SFU Beedie Brazil, where, immersed in an unfamiliar culture, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Myers discussed School of Business Centre for Corporate she experienced challenges succeeding as an six emerging leadership trends for the 21st Governance and Sustainability and Founder of outsider. She also saw how unequal access to century. She focused on a radical transformation The Embedding Project, moderated a discussion education led to a lack of opportunities available of leadership resulting from unprecedented that brought together members of the Business to Brazilian women. changes in technology, demographics and the Council, the NEXT Leaders’ Council, and select global economy. SFU Beedie students. Participants engaged When HSBC Canada appointed Stuart to the board in an intergenerational discussion around of directors in 2011, they boasted 30% female “When leaders are committed to bringing out constraints and opportunities as corporations representation. As a diversity champion, Stuart their people’s most productive feelings, it makes integrate sustainability into strategic planning worked to ensure women achieved gender parity for happier people and more productive work and operations. in both the board and the leadership team. environments,” says Myers. Professor Bertels shared how The Embedding Clear targets to promote more women to board SFU Beedie and SFU Surrey, in partnership with Project helps companies embed social and positions helped with their success, and HSBC BMO Financial Group, invited all community environmental factors across their operations and has maintained gender parity since 2013. Current members to attend this free event. The decision-making. Panelists included: Jamie Gray- goals include ensuring gender balance at every conversation was the first event in the campus’ Donald, Vice President, Sustainability, QuadReal level. But Stuart believes real change requires a new lecture hall—a 400 seat, state-of-the-art Property Group; Candace Le Roy, Director of shift in culture throughout the organization. “I can facility—and served as an opportunity to celebrate Sustainability, SFU; Duncan Wilson, Vice make decisions and set targets,” she says. “They’re the campus’s expansion and its community. President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Port meaningless unless your team buys into them.” of Vancouver; Ronan Chester, Manager, Strategic Environmental Initiatives, Port of Vancouver; and Carmen Turner, Leader, Sustainability, Teck Resources. PRME SHARING INFORMATION ON PROGRESS 2018/19-2019/2020 53
Expert-led Panel Addresses Business Forum on Pension Fund Investing and Democratization and Decarbonization: Strategies for Climate Change and the Climate Change SFU Beedie Hosts SHARE Investor 2-Degree Challenge Summit Keynote The SFU Beedie Centre for Corporate Governance On February 21, 2018, the SFU Beedie Centre for and Sustainability (CCGS) was pleased to co-host The SFU Beedie Centre for Corporate Governance Corporate Governance and Sustainability (CCGS) a Pension Fund Investing and Climate Change and Sustainability (CCGS) proudly supported and the Shareholder Association for Research forum on October 31, 2019. the Shareholder Association for Research and and Education (SHARE) presented a learning Education (SHARE) and Vancity to present a public and networking event on the topic of “Investing CCGS Director and Trustee and Co-Chair of the dialogue with Ted Howard at the 2020 SHARE for 2-Degrees: How can investors make the SFU Academic Pension Plan Professor Stephanie Investor Summit. transition?” SFU Beedie students and faculty Bertels moderated the panel, which included the involved with the BEAM and the SIAS Funds following experts: Murray Gold, Senior Pensions On February 19, 2020, Howard, founder of the joined investment experts from the 2-Degree and Benefits Partner, Koskie Minsky LLP; Janis Democracy Collaborative and author of The Investing Initiative, the Fonds de solidarité and Sarra, Professor of Law at the Allard School of Making of a Democratic Economy, delivered the BC Investment Management Corporation Law, University of British Columbia; and Jacky his keynote address “Democratization and (bcIMC) to share strategies for aligning their Shen, SFU Director of Treasury. Decarbonization” at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for investment portfolios with the successful the Arts. His address kicked-off the three-day transition to a low-carbon economy The panel discussed risks and opportunities summit and featured a panel discussion with presented by climate change. They shared Seth Klein (Public Policy Researcher, Author and A response panel helped participants reflect strategies and examples of investment decisions Speaker), Chuka Ejeckam (Director of Research, on viable steps their investment organizations based on a time frame commensurate with the BC Federation of Labour), Tamara Vrooman (CEO, can take to address climate change and hold pension plan’s liabilities. Vancity) and Colette Murphy (Executive Director, global warming below the 2-degrees Celsius Atkinson Foundation). Discussions explored limit outlined in the Paris Agreement. Topics The CCGS co-hosted the event with the Dhillon how the principles of a democratic economy can discussed included “Current Investor Initiatives Centre for Business Ethics at UBC Sauder School support efforts in Canada and globally to achieve a for Supporting the 2-degree Transition,” of Business, the Shareholder Association for just transition to a low carbon economy. “Addressing Carbon in ESG Integration” and Research and Education (SHARE), and the Canada “Key Considerations for Developing a Climate Climate Law Initiative and the Centre for Business Involvement with the SHARE summit aligns Change Strategy.” Law at UBC Allard School of Law. with the CCGS mandate to bridge international research and practice in the areas of governance and sustainability. 54 SFU BEEDIE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser University 8888 University Drive Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 CANADA beedie.sfu.ca 56 SFU BEEDIE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
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