Championing the environment through innovation makes economic sense

TORONTO - Oct. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- TORONTO, ON, October 15, 2014 – More than 140 business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from around the world will be participating in the Action Partners Leadership and Innovation Summit (http://www.action-partners.com/global-leadership-innovation-summit/) on October 20-21 at MaRS Discovery District in downtown Toronto.

“We want to create a forum where the brightest minds meet with business leaders who are committed to taking action – whether it’s around climate risk, sustainable energy, carbon emissions or resource efficiencies,” said Yasmin Glanville, Founder and CEO of Rethink Sustainability Initiatives (RSI), the non-profit organization behind the summit.  “We have the technology, we have the know-how and we have the proven case studies – we now need to showcase the successes and inspire and engage other business leaders to take action.”

During the two-day summit, a poll study of 2500 Canadianswill be presented demonstrating the extent a company’s community investment programs impact people’s brand perceptions and whether they would buy or work from that company.

The summit will also cover a range of topics including “wild weather of the future”; “sustainable food, fish supplies and water systems”; “the energy-water-carbon-nexus” as well as “community systems: energy, cities, water, transport and people”.

Speakers include Dianne Dillon-Ridgley, Environmentalist and Human Rights Advocate, who has worked on issues of the environment and sustainability, both domestically and internationally, for 30 years. Since 1997 Ridgley has been a director at Interface, Inc., global manufacturer of modular carpet and a leader in sustainable design. She was a director at Green Mountain Energy for the first six years and still chairs the Environmental Integrity Committee for the company.

Other prominent speakers include:

·       Annette Verschuren, Chair & CEO of NRStor, Chair of the Clean Energy Task Force for Ontario, Chair of the Venture Capital Advisory Group, and Chancellor of Cape Breton University (former President of Home Depot Canada)

·       Christopher Henderson, President, Lumos Energy and Canada’s pre-eminent Clean Energy Advisor to Aboriginal communities.

·       Peter Boyd, Chief Operating Officer, of Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room

·       David Miller, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund – Canada

·       Linda Lang, Expedition Artist and Founder of Polar Artists Group

·       Jeff Daniels, Entrepreneur-in-residence at Fasken Martineau

An “innovators den” will take place where four innovators looking for support and investment will present commercial-ready or early stage products, services and solutions addressing some big challenges facing business and society, to a panel of expert judges in front of a live audience.  The finalists competing are:

Howard Weinstein, “Solar Ear”

Solar Ear’s mDREET technology enables young children in developing countries to be scanned for hearing problems to determine whether a hearing aid is needed. Solar Ear will then manufacture solar-powered hearing aids for the fraction of the cost of a conventional hearing aid.

Mike Williams, RWDI Habitat, “2030 Compass”
RWDI-Habitatbelieves that there is an opportunity to drastically enhance how buildings are designed by harvesting the information contained within completed projects and converting it into decision-making intelligence. With this opportunity in mind RWDI-Habitat developed COMPASS. COMPASS is an intuitive, fully customizable, web-based tool that allows architects, contractors or engineers to track, compare and analyze their portfolio of completed designs.

Robert Pocius, TekPak Solutions, “Omnidegradable Packaging”
The only shelf-stable, fully biodegradable packaging in existence, patent pending, Omnidegradable packaging can biodegrade in any environment in a fraction of the time it takes conventional plastics to decompose. Imagine reusable landfills and no more Ocean Islands of Plastic waste.

Bruce Gray, Solaris Manufacturing Inc., “Solar Pump”

A breakthrough heating and cooling technology, the solar pump combines solar energy with the efficiency of heat pumps. This would replace traditional boiler or furnace heating systems, resulting in substantial financial savings and reduce the need for fossil fuels. ‘SunPump’ can also be installed and delivered significantly cheaper than ordinary solar and geothermal power.

“We’re delighted to host this timely and important conversation at MaRS, bringing together top business leaders and innovators to chart a practical, action-based path toward greater sustainability and a cleaner environment,” said Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery District. “We need our best game and new collaborations to make progress on these difficult challenges."

Rethink Sustainability & Action Partners

Since launching in 2012, Rethink Sustainability Initiatives (RSI) has evolved from  delivering  event-centric think tanks for senior and emerging leaders, into its Action focused mission of engaging partners and collaborators to harness innovation to discover, rethink, redo and develop scalable, solution focused initiatives – designed to address major challenges impacting  the future sustainability and advancement of  business,  people and our environment . The two day summit provides a dynamic platform for intergenerational leaders and experts to explore existing and potential solutions and business opportunities for collaborating in action.

   For media interviews, contact Cathy-Anne O’Brien, BlueSky Communications, 416.929.2506 or cobrien@blueskycommunications.com