The 2nd National CSIN Conference took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from March 3 to 5, 2010. The content below is the collection of papers, presentations and video recordings from the event.
Scoring Green Prosperity
Hazel Henderson is a futurist, columnist, author of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy and world-renowned expert on sustainable development. This presentation includes feedback from the audience.
Environment Canada and You: A Forum for Feedback
This forum focuses on the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) and the new Federal Sustainable Development Act, as well as strategies to address the technical and policy challenges of environmental indicators and the importance of indicators to Canada's Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Presenters: Darlene Thibault, Director, Information and Indicators Division; Dennis O'Farrell, Manager, National Indicator Integration and Coordination; Greg Wilburn, Director, Sustainable Development Strategies; and Colin Dobson, Policy Analyst in the Federal Sustainable Development Office, Environment Canada.
Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policy-Making in an Uncertain World
This session explores how the concepts and practical tools of sustainability, accountability and adaptability need to successfully converge at the management core in public and private organizations. It shows how and why adaptive policies can help anticipate conditions that lie ahead and navigate toward successful outcomes. Presenter: Darren Swanson, Senior Project Manager, Measurement & Assessment Program, International Institute for Sustainable Development and co-editor and author of Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policy-making in an Uncertain World.
Why Sustainability Reporting Matters
By exploring both experience and current practice, this session brings together leading reporting practitioners to share their views on the role, relevance and importance of sustainability reporting in the advancement of sustainable development. Panelists: Dan Rubenstein,CA, MA, President, Scales of Governance and IISD Research Associate; Andre Martinuzzi, Professor and Director, Research Institute for Managing Sustainability, Vienna University of Economics and Business; and Valerie Chort, National Leader, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Practice, Deloitte Canada.
The Adaptive Quadruple Bottom Line
The focus of this presentation is an overall approach for organizational sustainability management by aligning categories of measurement such as knowledge management and processing, operational processing and performance, together with internal and external stakeholders, to present a quadruple bottom line view in terms of the financial, economic, environmental and social ramifications. Presenters: Henk Hadders, University of Groningen and Dr. Cory Searcy, Professor, Ryerson University and IISD Associate.
Measuring and Assessing Societal Progress: A Must for How We Live and Work Today
This presentation by Enrico Giovannini, President, Italian Statistical Institute (ISTAT), followed by a Q+A session, addresses how key indicators can become a fundamental instrument to manage democracy in the information age.
How Business Measures Sustainability
Taking a business-like approach, this panel session examines the importance of sustainability measurement and reporting, the rising demand for “How To” techniques, plus the legal obligations and ramifications of sustainability reporting and accountability. Panelists: Grace Barrasso,Senior Consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM); David Simpson, MA, Director of InterPraxis Consulting; Sandra Odendahl, Director, Corporate Environmental Affairs, RBC; and Greg McNab, Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP.
The Value of Civic Indicators to a Community: Making the Case
This presentation focuses on a business case for using civic indicators as well as answers to such questions as "Why should a community invest in measuring quality of life?" and "How would the community function without this effort?" to better understand the value of civic indicators: who benefits and how. Presenter: Rob Coleman, Research Officer, Community Quality Institute.
Understanding Indicators
This seminar features participants asking questions of a professor and a seasoned professional to explore various ways and means to begin using indicators in their work at any level. Presenters: Dr. Cory Searcy, Ryerson University and IISD Associate and Maureen Hart, Community Indicators Consortium.
Reporting and Disclosure: Stakeholder Perspectives
Panelists examine and discuss a cross-section of practical approaches for reporting and disclosure—from the perspectives of consultants, academics, boards and the private sector. Panelists: Alberto Fonseca,PhD Candidate, University of Waterloo's Faculty of Environment; Todd Scaletta, MBA, CMA, FCMA, Director of Knowledge Management, CMA Canada; and Sean Watters, Web Project Manager, Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade.
Measurement and Accountability: Why Bother?
Johanne Gélinas, Leader, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Group, Deloitte Canada, addresses questions such as “Are you achieving your goals?,” “What is your return on investment?,” “Are you making progress?” and “Can you report on your progress beyond your own intuition?” Ms. Gélinas demonstrates why measurement matters and why it should be part of one's core business.
Sustainability Decision-Making: Measurement at the Federal Level
This panel focuses on "How to develop better policies and facilitate improved decision-making for sustainable development." The discussion also highlights tools, techniques, approaches, information and indicators that promote citizen engagement and stakeholder participation, consideration of socio-economic and environmental aspects, plus long-term perspectives in policy-making. Panelists: Scott Vaughan,Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development; David Runnalls,President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development; Barry Sadler, International Expert on Sustainability and Strategic Environmental Assessment. Panel Chair: Michael Keating, Executive Director, Sustainability Reporting Program.
Municipal and Provincial Sustainability Reporting: Case Studies Panel
The focus of this panel is the creation of a new municipal development plan for the City of Winnipeg, using as a case study the transformation of Sudbury from a mining and mineral production hub to its current status as a centre of education, health and tourism, including an examination of what led to its discovery and recognition of education as a means of sustainability. Also featured is the process of development of sustainable prosperity measures for Nova Scotia and details of its economic development strategy, including natural, financial, built, human and social capital. Panelists: Becky Raddatz and Ian Hall, Property & Development Department, City of Winnipeg Planning; Catherine Matheson, General Manager Community Development Department, City of Sudbury; Catherine Lane, Senior Analyst, Nova Scotia Economic & Rural Development.
A Systems View of Sustainability Indicators in Educational Institutions
This panel examines how indicators have played a role in embedding sustainability into institutional decision-making and practice. Topics include campus sustainability indicators, future trends and measurement indicators for campus climate action—such as Green Billing, energy management, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) and courses dedicated to sustainability indicators and assessment. Presenters: Dr. John Robinson,Professor for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability and the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia; Nancy Knight, Associate Vice President, Campus & Community Planning, University of British Columbia; Cameron Owens, PhD Candidate, Simon Fraser University.
Community Information Database Exploration
An orientation and demonstration workshop focused on the Community Information Database: a free, web-based tool for researchers and communities that provides consistent, reliable socioeconomic and demographic data of regions in Canada. Presenter: Carl Sauriol, Senior Analyst Rural Research and Analysis, Rural and Co-operatives Secretariat, Agricultural and Agri-Food Canada.
Measuring and Managing: Recent Findings from Ottawa
This address by Scott Vaughan, Canada's Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, highlights findings of reports to Parliament by the federal Commissioner of the Environment andSustainable Development, including the performance of federal government climate, chemicals management, environmental assessments and other programs.
Communicating Sustainability to Media, Government and the Public
Four experts address differences of scale, timing of major sustainability issues and how to effectively communicate with key audiences. Panelists: Lynne Slotek,National Project Director, Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW); Johanne Gélinas, Leader, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Group, Deloitte Canada; and Stephen Leahy, International Environmental Journalist. PanelChair: Michael Keating, Executive Director, Sustainability Reporting Program.
Walking the Talk: Sustainability Assessments and Real Change
This workshop details the Sustainability Solutions Group's experience with sustainability assessments, including challenges, successes, the process and the methodology used to establish the framework and indicators. It also explores the importance of and methodologies for ensuring a process for change after an initial sustainability assessment. Presenters: Rebecca Foon, MUP, LEED AP with Dale Hildebrand, Associate Members, Sustainability Solutions Group.
Fostering a Culture of Sustainability: The Role of Cultural Indicators
This workshop examines how society has institutionalized the notion of culture and placed it within a leisure-time, tourist-oriented and academically-based niche of the world's economy. It also includes a discussion of the Critical Assessment Framework tool for envisioning programs and indicators designed to help foster a culture of sustainability. Participants identify and reflect on assumptions, insights and blind spots in society. Presenters: Douglas Worts, Culture and Sustainability Specialist, World Views Consulting and Dr. Lynne Teather, Professor, Master of Museum Studies Program, University of Toronto.
How to Leverage Sustainability Indicators in Business
This presentation focuses on a suite of online tools designed to support new and expanding businesses in Philadelphia by accounting for sustainability factors. A range of “decision factors” are detailed, including proximity to community assets, open space, public transit, commercial corridors, population density, tax incentives and demographics, among others. Presenter: Robert Cheetham, President, Avencia, Inc.
The Canadian Index of Well-Being
Part 1 of this presentation discusses the overall approach to the development of the CIW: its history, acceptability criteria, validating procedures, data and charts from the four domains that have been released to date, along with an illustration of the composite index. Part 2 focuses on consumer lifestyles and their impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Presenters: Hans Messinger, MA, Economist and Senior Advisor Statistics Canada and Alex Michalos, PhD, FRSC, Brandon University.
Accounting for Progress: Measuring What Matters to Canadians
Attached is a transcript of the speech given by the Honourable Roy J.Romanow at the 2nd National CSIN Conference Gala Dinner, March 3, 2010. His remarks address the Canadian Index of Wellbeing's role in Canada, how shared values can inform measurement in the CIW's collective drive to chart a course for a better and sustainable future for Canadians and for future generations.
Canadian Sustainability Indicator Initiatives
This Presentation presentation, created especially for the 2nd National CSIN Conference by Collingwood Brown, details the current range of sustainability indicator initiatives across Canada.
2nd National CSIN Conference: A Summary Statement
A summary of the 2-day event by Dr. Lászlo Pintér, Director of Measurement & Assessment, International Institute for Sustainable Development.