A new research chair in the Centre for Environment and Business will identify tools companies can use to address issues such as climate change and environmental sustainability while expanding their own business opportunities.
Funded by Export Development Canada (EDC), the EDC Chair in Environmental Finance will study how companies can adopt better environmental business practices and enhance their triple bottom-line performance through “green” financial tools and services such as:
“This initiative strengthens EDC’s commitment to facilitating environmental leadership by Canadian firms,” said Eric Siegel, EDC president and CEO. “We are proud to be associated with the University of Waterloo in meeting a growing need of Canadian companies to integrate environmental and business issues.”
EDC is a leader among the world’s export credit agencies in assessing the environmental impacts of its business and in its corporate social responsibility policies.
Matching funds provide additional professor
The new EDC Chair will be reserved for an expert who has made a strong contribution to studies in environment, business and finance. Through matching funds, an additional professor will be hired in a related field to further expand the Centre for Environment and Business.
“The EDC Chair in Environmental Finance expands our university’s contribution to one of today’s most pressing issues,” said David Johnston, president of the University of Waterloo. “This contribution by EDC will expand uWaterloo’s Centre for Environment and Business, which is educating the next generation of corporate leaders who can ensure a more sustainable environment for the future.”
The Centre for Environment and Business is home to Canada’s only undergraduate program to integrate environmental and business knowledge with 20 months of paid co-op work experience.
About EDC
EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC’s knowledge and partnerships are used by nearly 7,000 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is a financially self-sustaining crown corporation and has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for seven consecutive years.
EDC has adopted the Equator Principles, a financial industry benchmark for determining, assessing and managing social and environmental risk in project financing. Adopting the Equator Principles reflects EDC’s ongoing commitment to conduct its international business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and confirms the strength of its existing CSR policies.
For more information about the EDC Chair in Environmental Finance, please contact Steven B. Young, director of the Centre for Environment and Business.
