CEP Toronto Presents: Finding Success in Sustainability: Career Stories from Senior Leaders

The path to success is never linear, particularly in an emerging and growing field like sustainability.

Join us on November 26th as we chat with three successful, established leaders in sustainability about how they navigated their career journeys, professional triumphs, and their toughest lessons learned along the way.

Our speakers will share:

• Their unique journeys transitioning into the sustainability field/role
• How they overcame challenges and road bumps along the way
• What motivates them to succeed
• How they charted the path to become sustainability leaders in their respective fields of work

This panel event is for you if you are a mid-career professional currently looking to pivot your career into sustainability, or are already working in the field but hoping to make a larger impact in your work.

 This is the third and last event in our 3-part “Sustainability Career Webinar Series”, and builds upon our last webinar back in August called “Cultivating a Career in Sustainability”, where we heard from three young, successful, and ambitious sustainability professionals on how they kickstarted and grew a thriving career in sustainability. Now let's explore the path less traveled and learn how you can transition your career into sustainability - no matter what stage you are in your career!

Panelists: 

1. Wesley Gee, Director of Sustainability, The Works Design Communications Ltd.     

Combining academic expertise with extensive professional experience, Wesley leads Works Design’s sustainability practice. He provides guidance in stakeholder engagement, materiality, and performance measurement, as well as CSR/sustainability communications and reporting. Wesley contributed to the development of the GRI Guidelines and served on sector working groups with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). He is a judge for CPA Canada’s Corporate Reporting Awards and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events. He also lectures for the Sustainability diploma and MScSM programs at the University of Toronto. Before joining Works Design, Wesley was a senior sustainability consultant at Stantec and senior CSR advisor at the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility. He holds a Master’s in Sustainable Business from the University of Leeds.

For more information on Wesley and his work visit his LinkedIn profile here.

2. Rachel Guthrie, Head of ESG Reporting and Impact Measurement, TD Bank Group 

Rachel Guthrie is the Head of ESG Reporting and Impact Measurement at TD Bank Group.  Rachel has overseen the annual production of TD's Corporate Responsibility report since 2009, helping navigate TD's disclosure through GRI standards and materiality assessments.  Rachel's team is also responsible for ESG stakeholder engagement, the development of ESG  policies and position statements, and impact measurement. Originally from the U.K., Rachel completed her undergrad at St. Andrews University in Scotland and returned to school mid-career for a Certificate in Corporate Responsibility from St. Michael's College in Toronto.  She volunteers with Ski Patrol Canada during the winter months and enjoys backcountry camping and canoeing in the summer.

For more information on Rachel and her work visit her LinkedIn profile here.

3. Kim Rapagna, Director of Corporate Sustainability & Environmental Policy, Canada Post 

Kim Rapagna has over 15 years of experience in corporate responsibility and sustainability having worked for major multinational companies such as Target Canada, TD Bank, Mondelez International, and Kraft Foods. Prior to joining the corporate sector, Kim worked in the non-profit sector with the leading organization's World Wildlife Fund, the Canadian Human Rights Foundation. A strong proponent of collaborative impact and cross-sectoral solutions, Kim has served as Co-Chair of PACNext, the National Zero Waste Council’s Food Working Group, and the Retail Council of Canada’s Sustainability Working Group. Kim is an active volunteer, having served on the board of several not-for-profit organizations, most recently the Redwood and the Hope Foundation. She serves as a volunteer mentor for Woodgreen and a member of the selection committee for the Merit Award Bursary program.

For more information on Kim and her work visit her LinkedIn profile here.

Moderator:

Shawna Weisberg, Executive Director, Ceridian Cares & Advisor, CEP Toronto

​Shawna is the Executive Director of Ceridian Cares, the corporate charitable foundation of Ceridian

HCM. Ceridian Cares bridges the gaps for individuals when public and private support systems are not

enough to meet their basic needs or quality of life. Previously, Shawna managed a corporate

grantmaking portfolio with the Community Investment team at CIBC, and spent several years leading a

national employee donation campaign for TD Bank, raising over $11 million annually for charities across

Canada.

In her spare time, Shawna has been an artist and illustrator for over 20 years.

For more information on Shawna and her work visit her LinkedIn profile here.

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Register your spot soon as space is limited!

A special thanks to our incredible event sponsor Fresh Restaurants!   One of our favourite vegan eateries in the city, try them the night of the event via takeout or deliver, available directly through their website.

CEP Toronto is a self-funded, non-profit, and volunteer-powered organization that strives to create opportunities for all professionals to collaborate and learn, ultimately driving sustainability and climate action. Please consider leaving a donation upon registration to help support financing our operational expenditures so that we continue offering you virtual events that generate invaluable insights into the sustainability field.