When Delta first began our clean tech and sustainability practice in 2010, we soon became aware that there was very little being shared in the way of best / most sustainable practices across different sectors. Recognizing that solving climate change was going to take finding the best solutions from every sector – and for all sectors to see perspectives outside their own, and ultimately to collaborate on solutions, we undertook to try and change that – and to simultaneously build a community of sustainability and clean tech experts and thought leaders. From that idea, in 2011, The Clean50 Summit, and the Clean50 Awards were born.
We could describe it as “giving back” but truthfully it was more driven by abject panic at the state of the world, and the clear and present need for immediate and urgent action.
That year, and each year since, Delta has undertaken a months-long cross-Canada search for the 50 individual leaders, 10 emerging leaders and 20 innovative sustainability oriented projects that have done the most to advance sustainability and clean capitalism in Canada over the prior two years.
The combined 80 honourees are ultimately drawn from literally every corner of Canadian endeavour: industry, resource extraction, all forms of energy, transportation, finance, government, clean tech, venture capital, finance, real property, academia, ENGOs and civil society.
To get there, every year we exhaustively search for and review over 500 nominees and projects that represent, quite literally, the state of the art, across that broad slate. In the process, we comb through extensive submissions from individuals and organizations who hail from sea to sea to sea. And so, after 9 years of this exercise, we have met, reviewed and evaluated the accomplishments of virtually every senior and accomplished professional in the sustainability, clean tech and ENGO sectors in the country, and ultimately recognized a total now of over 500 people and projects with awards.
At the conclusion of each cycle, we annually host the Canada’s Clean50 Summit, where over a 12 hour span, we engage the 80 incoming honourees and 30 past Clean50 honourees and a few special expert guests with each other in a creative fashion designed to drive cross-sectoral education and collaboration, and which has led to hundreds of positive outcomes, partnerships and sharing of ideas and best practices. It is considered the ultimate networking event of the year by many attendees.
HOW DOES THIS IMPACT DELTA’S STAKEHOLDERS?
In the process of running the Clean50 program, we have helped honourees advance their personal and professional objectives, connected them to others who can help them solve their problems, promoted their businesses, and through our steadfast commitment to the program, become an essential and, dare we say, a valued part of each of the 3 communities we serve. Our annual exercise also ensures we stay at the forefront of trends and innovation across the country.
That community in turn has been quick to help us – in part because the community appreciates just how important it is to have the best possible people running sustainability programs in order to maximize impact.
For more on the Clean50, visit https://www.Clean50.com