Category: Make The World Better Magazine

Brown Girl Green: Building Community to Fight Climate Change

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Post date January 4, 2024
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Online communities can lead to powerful real-world connections. With the right content, tools, and a dash of radical vulnerability, creating a platform to share stories has helped close gaps and bring more people into the fight against climate change, especially those often left in the fray.

We spoke with Kristy Drutman, Founder of Brown Girl Green, about how her platform is empowering conversations, community, and careers in the climate change space.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start advocating for and creating content about environmental rights?

When Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, I felt devastated about the impacts the climate crisis was having and would have on the country where my family members live. I realized I had a responsibility and privilege to use my voice to raise awareness about these issues, especially in the US.

What do you consider to be your biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

My biggest success was building an online community where people started learning about each other’s work and actually meeting each other in real life after discovering one another through the Brown Girl Green platform.

Further, creating the Green Jobs Board, a company now helping thousands of people find and secure jobs to work on the climate crisis, feels like a true, tangible impact I’ve created through digital media tools. I identified a major pain point and storytelling gap when it comes to mobilizing and bringing more people into the movement: finding spaces and opportunities for them to build long-term, lifetime careers. Multiple young people of colour are on my team, working to address accessibility gaps in the world of climate work and to begin building the standard for a sustainable and equitable future.

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

Having a platform creates a space for conversations that otherwise wouldn’t be prioritized or heard. It increases the surface area of opportunity for communities and campaigns that otherwise get left off the radar by the mainstream media. It provides me with the agency and autonomy to put out good work in the world without having too many strings attached to me in the process. In that way, my radical vulnerability creates a space of permission for others to strive and speak their own truth as well.

Kristy speaking to a group and doing resume review for green job seekers at the Earth Day festival in New York City.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

Algorithmic suppression of BIPOC creators, internet trolls/haters, and keeping the work funded through partnerships, collaborations, and my management team. All of this requires a lot of energy and brainpower to ensure the moving puzzle pieces create a sustainable platform and workflow. Also having to vet who I work with — based on ethics, sustainability of my work, etc. — takes it to the next level.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

Yes! The new release of greenjobsboard.us. For any companies and organizations looking for a platform to hire amazing, diverse talent, please consider using Green Jobs Board! Also, the Brown Girl Green podcast is up and on fire these days with weekly episodes all about climate education and environmental justice. If you’re looking for an environmental podcast curated with fascinating topics and full of melanin, subscribe to wherever you listen to shows and the Brown Girl Green YouTube channel.

How can people help support your mission?

I am always looking for organizations and values-aligned businesses to collaborate with, whether it be speaking engagements, workshops, content, or getting green jobs up on our site! If you’re someone who feels aligned with my work and mission to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusion to the climate space via storytelling and education, please hit me up!

Social Media:

browngirlgreen.com/
browngirlgreen.com/greenjobs
facebook.com/browngirlgreen/
twitter.com/browngirl_green (@BrownGirl_Green)
linkedin.com/company/brown-girl-green/
instagram.com/browngirl_green/ (@browngirl_green)
youtube.com/@BrownGirlGreen/
patreon.com/browngirlgreen
communities.kajabi.com/browngirlgreen/challenges

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags Community, Make the World Better, MTWB

Asparagus Magazine: Amplifying Sustainable Living

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Post date January 4, 2024
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Sustainable living helps fight climate change and build a better world, but the journey can often feel overwhelming and discouraging. To keep people motivated, it’s important to apply a creative, intersectional lens, providing encouragement, expertise, and a touch of levity, so everyone can make big and small changes in their lives.

We spoke with Jessie Johnston, Founder, Publisher, and Editrix-in-Chief of Asparagus Magazine, about how this publication is using storytelling to inspire and support a community of readers determined to live sustainably.

Left to Right: *Asparagus* Vancouver-area team members Aniana Dominguez, Christine Fwu, Jessie Johnston (holding dearly departed Feline-In-Chief Millicent), Zohra Shahabuddin, Daina Lawrence, and Sun Woo Baik at a rare in-person gathering in 2022. Photo credit: Sun Woo Baik.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start creating Asparagus Magazine content?

I founded Asparagus in 2018 because it was the magazine I wanted to read but just couldn’t find. Despite my passion for the environment and social justice, I mostly read magazines focused on other subjects. My favourite was Wired, a publication that brings together in-depth reporting, excellent writing, practical tips, and big-picture thinking, all woven through with a refreshing thread of irreverence.

When I first dreamed up Asparagus, there seemed to be two major trends in storytelling about sustainability: articles were either focused on small consumer choices, with guidance that was easy to digest but often not backed up by reliable evidence, or they were evidence-based examinations of big issues that were heavy and depressing to read.

Sometimes people want to understand a complex systemic issue, and sometimes they just need help picking toilet paper. My goal was to create a place where skilled writers could tell both the large and small stories of how we can live sustainably and tell them in a way that took the issues seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. The “Wired of green,” as it were.

Readers can care about the environment and social justice, and also want a break from the dread of 21st century living. So, from the very beginning, Asparagus has been a publication that values humour and creativity as highly as we value rigorous fact-checking and an intersectional worldview.

What do you consider to be your biggest success?

Our biggest success was winning the award for British Columbia Magazine of the Year at the 2022 Alberta Magazine Awards. For a publication as small as ours, receiving that recognition from our peers was meaningful and inspiring. We’re also thrilled that an initiative we’re a collaborator on — the Climate Disaster Project — has been nominated in the Engagement category of the 2023 Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards. It’s pretty incredible to be part of a finalists list with international heavy hitters like The Guardian and Al Jazeera.

Since publishing the Winter 2021 cover story on bats, the *Asparagus* team has learned something surprising: Everybody loves bats, but nobody knows that everybody else loves bats! This issue is by far the most popular choice when they give copies away at farmers markets. Photo credit: Erin Flegg.

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

The cover story of our most recent issue was called “We’re All in This Together,” and that’s as true of the climate crisis as it was of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many of the world’s problems arise from people’s failure to recognize our deep interconnectedness with each other and the rest of life on Earth.

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools humans have to bridge those divides. By publishing stories that connect our readers to their neighbours, to people continents away, and to the ecosystems we’re all part of, Asparagus can strengthen those readers’ resolve — and capacity — to take action in their own lives that can impact the planet as a whole.

Stories not only help people better understand each other and the world around us, but they also bring people together. Our journalism has enabled us to create a community of readers who gather around issues they care about and want to understand better.

Since 2018, we’ve presented virtual and in-person documentary screenings and discussions, and in August 2022, we held our first in-person event in over two years. That sold-out gathering — co-hosted with EartHand Gleaners Society — was a joyful opportunity for us to share the sustainable textile expertise of EartHand’s artists with some of our longtime readers and welcome EartHand fans to our community. These kinds of opportunities to learn and connect are critical to building the informed coalitions we need to make things better for all life on Earth.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

We are a tiny organization with an even tinier budget. It’s important to us to always pay contributors, even if we can’t pay them as much as we think they deserve. As such, we’re only able to publish as many stories as we can afford to pay for, which, these days, is not very many. But without new content, it’s hard to grow our audience to the size that could support us. It’s a vicious circle we’re trying hard to break out of so we can create award-winning, thought-provoking journalism for years to come.

And, as of this August, we’ve been hit with a new challenge to growing our audience: having all our posts and links to our website blocked in Canada on both Facebook and Instagram as a result of Meta’s punitive response to recent federal legislation.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We are working on building partnerships that will help us get back to publishing online and in print with the frequency of past years. If you work with or know of an organization looking to collaborate on high-quality journalism about how we can live sustainably, we’d love to connect. Our next exciting initiative could be a partnership with you!

How can people help support your mission?

Having the COVID-19 pandemic start just as we celebrated publishing our second issue meant we weren’t able to build our audience the way we had planned at a time when our young organization really needed to grow. As a result, we don’t have the number of readers or financial supporters that we need to sustainably support the work we created Asparagus to do.

People who believe in our mission can best support us by subscribing to the print magazine and/or by making a financial donation. Those who can’t contribute financially can still help by spreading the word about our work to their communities, whether by posting on social media, requesting that their local library or newsstand stock the magazine, or, most impactful of all, making individual recommendations to family, friends, and co-workers who want to build a just society on a healthy planet.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags Make the World Better, Sustainable Living

Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Make The World Better Magazine

Make The World Better Magazine Impact Update 2023

Post author By user
Post date December 4, 2023
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We have big dreams for our in-house publication, Make The World Better Magazine. Our biggest: to amplify stories of changemakers so their impact spreads far and wide and purpose becomes the mainstream.

Of course, big dreams take time and effort to become reality. Along the way, it’s encouraging for featured participants, our readers, and the Sparx team to see that our work is making a tangible difference and contributing to a better world.

Check out our 2023 impact update for insight into the progress we’ve made so far on our goals, starting from when we launched the magazine in September 2021 until our fifth issue, released in July 2023.

MTWB Magazine Statistics

Impressions and Engagements

The first five issues of Make The World Better Magazine have garnered the following amounts of impressions and readers since their respective publication dates:

Issue 1 – Better Together: 3,613 Impressions, 829 Readers (since September 2021)

Issue 2 – The Next Regeneration: 3,625 Impressions, 799 Readers (since April 2022)

Issue 3 – The Circular Economy: 3,155 Impressions, 1,036 Readers (since September 2022)*

Issue 4 – Capital As A Force For Good: 664 Impressions, 419 Readers (since February 2023)

Issue 5 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 524 Impressions, 370 Readers (since July 2023)

*The last edition of the magazine that we published on Issuu. All links to editions on this platform expired in May 2023. From Issue 4 onwards, all issues were published exclusively on the Sparx website.

Meanwhile, our Make The World Better Magazine blog posts have cumulatively attracted 1,122 Impressions and 1,014 Readers.

This brings the grand total to 12,703 Impressions and 4,467 Readers!

Additionally, across our Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) social media accounts, Make The World Better Magazine content has garnered 15,860 total social impressions and 1,303 total social engagements.

Demographics

Make The World Better Magazine has been read by users in 54 countries. The majority of our readers are located in Canada (54%), followed by the United States (26%), Ireland (3%), and the United Kingdom, India, and Sweden, all at roughly 2%.

With readership as far-reaching as Japan, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Estonia, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe, our readership has truly hit global levels. We hope to see the number of readers in each of these countries increase and make an impact in even more locations.

Milestones

Exposure and Awareness

We’ve worked hard to increase awareness of Make The World Better Magazine through various methods such as outreach, sharing on social media, event attendance, and networking. With each new connection we make and issue we produce, awareness expands.

Of course, we can’t thank our featured participants enough for the pivotal role they play in our publication. Each time they share MTWB Magazine content across their social media channels and their featured articles in blogs, newsletters, and social media blasts, it helps our publication achieve greater impact.

As of Issue 5, we’ve had the honour of featuring 43 changemakers:

Issue 1 – Better Together:

Issue 2 – The Next Regeneration:

Issue 3 – The Circular Economy:

Issue 4 – Capital As A Force For Good:

Issue 5 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Our next issue, the Amplifiers edition (set for the end of 2023) will see 10 more changemakers added to our participant line-up.

Print Copy Distribution

Along with providing print copies to participants and on request, we’ve distributed the magazine at several purpose-driven events, including:

We’re proud to report that the magazine has been well-received at these events and has opened the door for positive conversations and new partnerships. For example, all 50 copies of the Circular Economy issue that we brought to the Canadian Circular Economy Summit were gone by the end of day one.

In addition to bringing physical copies to events, we also provide scannable QR codes so attendees can dive into each purpose-driven page digitally.

Patreon

In 2023, we created a Patreon account for Make The World Better Magazine. Our goal is to build a community of values-driven individuals, gain wider support, share content, and spread impact on this new-to-us platform. You can sign up here.

Featured Company Milestones

We really believe in the work every featured participant is doing. In light of this, we take great joy in keeping track of their achievements, collaborations, and other updates. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats in the purpose-driven space.

While all the changemakers we’ve featured have made their mark in some way or another, the following have had some noteworthy successes since being featured in Make The World Better Magazine:

Issue 1 Participants

Raising the Roof: Completed Reside project in Toronto (December 2021), facilitated Community Builders expansion in Greater Sudbury (February 2022), and received a $129,000 affordable housing initiative grant for Raising the Roof Orillia (July 2023).

ShareWares: Partnered with Body Energy Club to implement reusable cup program (May 2022), launched Tim Horton’s Borrow a Cup pilot program in Vancouver (June 2022), partnered with SkipTheDishes to provide reusable packaging option for Vancouver residents (December 2022), and was a recipient of CleanBC Plastics Action Fund: Phase 2 (April 2023).

QMUNITY: Partnered with Capilano University to deliver a Gender Diversity and Queer Inclusivity learning pilot program (December 2022) and started construction on a 2SLGBTIA+ social housing tower with two-level space for QMUNITY on September 2023, after receiving initial approval from Vancouver City Council back in July 2021.

Issue 2 Participants

Bluebird Grain Farms: Broke ground on new processing facility/expansion project (August 2021), received the SBA Seattle District Rural Small Business of the Year award (May 2022), and held a Grand Opening for their new granary (September 2022).

Cascadia Seaweed: Won BC Food & Beverage Awards – Innovation Award (2020), Sustainability Award (2021), and Social Impact Award (2022), as reported here; was awarded $1.8M in Grant Funding from the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (2021), received $4.3 million from the federal government to establish a 100-hectare seaweed farm and agri-feed processing facility close to Prince Rupert (October 2022), awarded $73,771 by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (November 2022), secured $1.5 million funding from the British Columbia Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (June 2023), and partnered with ReFeed Canada Partners to launch Cascadia’s first commercialized agricultural product (2023).

Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: Launched market program, Eco-Harvest (May 2022) and partnered with General Mills, who Invested $3 Million to scale Eco-Harvest (June 2022), as reported here; Eco-Harvest became the first market program to reach pilot certification under the Value Change Initiative in the US (2022) and partnered on seven USDA Climate Smart Commodity Grants (September — December 2022), according to their 2022 Annual Report; and announced the positive incomes being delivered with Eco-Harvest program (June 2023).

Moment Energy: Established a supply agreement with Mercedes-Benz Energy (MBE) for second-life electric vehicle batteries (July 2022), announced the successful installation of its Flora system at the God’s Pocket Resort (March 2023), established a distribution agreement for battery energy storage systems with Saskatchewan Renewable Energy Solutions (July 2023), and became the first and only company in North America to achieve UL 1974 certification, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries (October 2023).

ReFeed Canada: Received the StrongerBC Accelerating Manufacturing Grant (October 2021); signed on as the exclusive Canadian distributor for four innovative Agtech companies: Cascadia Seaweed, Agrotek Industries, HYDRALOC, and Circular Harvest (2023); and signed on as a non-exclusive Canadian Distributor for GreenStreme® organic fish fertilizer for growing and soil health (2023).

Solaires: Named a Victoria Tech Community Awards finalist in two categories: Scale Company of the Year (11-29) and Innovative Excellence – Hardware (November 2022) and was named CB Innovation Awards 2023: Best green energy innovator (May 2023).

Issue 3 Participants

Circular Rubber Technologies: Received $3.2 million in funding from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta (February 2023) and was a finalist for the Foresight Canada 2023 BC Cleantech Awards – Startup of the Year award (March 2023).

Too Good To Go: Saved nearly 79 million meals in 2022, registered over 20 million new users and worked with over 80,000 new stores in 2022, welcomed 595 new colleagues to the team, continued their B Corp journey and were named “Best in the World” in Governance for the second year in a row (2022); and acquired tech start-up CodaBene in November 2022 and rolled out FoodMemo in France with expansion plans slated for 2023, according to their 2022 Impact Report.

Issue 4 Participants

Foresight Canada: Celebrated a decade of impact in September 2023 and released their Impact Report. Highlights include: over 8,000 jobs created, $474 million in revenue generated, over 1,000 companies supported, and $1.68 billion in ventured raised capital (2023).

Spring Activator: As mentioned in MTWB Magazine, Spring partnered with TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good to launch their first Women-led Impact Investor Challenge (September — December 2022). Across this investor challenge and two others (Food Impact Challenge and Kootaney Investment Challenge), Spring gave out investments totalling $170,000 as of November 30, 2022.

Issue 5 Participants

Benevity: Joined CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace, and pledged to support a coalition representing more than 21 million employees globally toward positive change (September 2023).

Meaningful Access Consulting: Selected as the Open Door Group’s Untapped 2023 BC Workplace Inclusion Champion for Small Business (Under 100 Employees) (2023).

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners: Released their 2022 Impact Report after our interview with them for Issue 5, which included impact stories and headline metrics across portfolio companies, including 71% Indigenous ownership, $25 million Fund 1 and $100 million Fund II assets under management, and 25 investments in 11 companies.

MTWB Events

The Summit on Responsible Investment

The Summit on Responsible Investment brought together participants from previous issues of Make The World Better Magazine to discuss mission-aligned topics during the Make The World Better panel.

Following a company presentation from Susgrainable (Issue 3), the following participants appeared together on stage, both virtually and in-person, to talk all things regenerative business:

Mike Williamson, Founding Partner and CEO at Cascadia Seaweed (Issue 2)
Bram van den Berg, COO and CFO at Circular Rubber Technologies (Issue 3)
Tracy Lydiatt, Mining Innovation Project Manager at Foresight Canada (Issue 4)
Sage Lacerte, Founder & CEO at Sage Initiative (Upcoming — Issue 6)

Key discussion points included: providing an overview of their companies and purpose-driven work, the benefits of regenerative businesses, bridging the gap between innovators and investors, partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, and making a profit while doing good.

MTWB Day

Our in-house event is centred around putting aside our usual workflows to dedicate the day to making as much impact together as we can, including attending purpose-driven film screenings, shoreline clean-ups, hackathons, and webinars.

As part of Make The World Better Day 2021, we launched the inaugural edition of the magazine. Check out our Make The World Better Day 2023 Event Recap for what we did and accomplished this year.

Future Event Planning

We hope to host and moderate more Make The World Better–themed panels and events in the future. The Sparx team has been brainstorming possibilities that we’re excited to turn into action. Meanwhile, we’ll continue to participate in various purpose-driven events to share copies of the magazine and make an impact.

Testimonials

We’re excited to share what our participants have said about Make The World Better Magazine. Their positive feedback is a great encouragement to us going forward, sparking high hopes for the continued and future success of our publication.

“[T]he layout looks absolutely gorgeous and the content is absolutely incredible. Congratulations on your first publication.” — Plan International Canada

“Great to see that the magazine is published! I read our article, it is great.” — Raising the Roof

“You all did a great job. What a wonderful publication! […] Thanks again for highlighting our farm, we really appreciate the PR!” — Brooke Lucy, Co-Owner & Founder of Bluebird Grain Farms

“Pleased to be in such great company 🙌 Thank you!” — Cascadia Seaweed

“[I]t looks great. […] We really appreciate you all providing us this opportunity to share our work.” — Thayer Tomlinson, Director Of Communications at Ecosystem Services Market Consortium

“Thank you for the feature.” — EMKAO Foods

“Make The World Better Magazine, published by Sparx Publishing Group, is on Journey to collaborate with innovative companies, whose mission is to make the world a better place by what they do. I am honored to have been interviewed in the second edition (see Pg. 44-45), where we discussed how Insurance can be utilized to help commercialize for innovative businesses. […] Special thank you to Hamish Khamisa [President & Founder of Sparx PG] & Alexandra Nikitina [Head of Growth at Sparx PG] for leading the charge on this mission, along with all of the Innovative Companies and their visionaries who have been featured in this edition. They see the world as it could be and pursue the vision through their incredible work.” — James K. Asaad, President and Vice Chairman- Toronto at Ferrari & Associates Insurance and Financial Services

“Thanks so much for passing this on and again for the feature. […] It’s a really great read!” — Nada Grocery

“Feeling so thankful to have Moment featured by Sparx after being ranked as one of Canada’s Top Impact companies!” — Edward Chiang, Co-Founder & CEO at Moment Energy

“Thanks, Sparx Publishing Group for featuring Moment Energy! If you are interested in hearing about Moment Energy’s founding story, mission, challenges and successes, as well as goals and upcoming projects, then read the magazine from pages 38 to 41.” — Miguel Adolfo Reséndiz Jiménez, Marketing Manager at Moment Energy

“Check out our exclusive interview on the newest issue of Make The World Better Magazine that highlights organizations accelerating us towards a more #sustainable future. Thank you for the feature, Sparx Publishing Group and a big thanks to Alexandra Nikitina [Head of Growth at Sparx PG] for coordinating with us!” — Solaires

“Thank you for the opportunity to share our story, and shed light on this important issue 🙏.” — FoodMesh

“Thanks for sharing the link — it’s great to see this come together!” – Andrea Davis, Media and Communications Manager at Benevity

“Thank you so much for including us, this is awesome!” — Cicely Belle Blaine, Founder & CEO of Bakau Consulting

“Thanks so much […] [I] can’t wait to share! Also excited to receive the hard copies in the mail :)” — Rita Steele, Founder of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective

“[W]e really appreciate being included in the magazine and contributing to the thoughtful discourse around DEI and accessibility.” — Karin Pasqua, Co-Founder and Accessibility & Universal Design Consultant at Meaningful Access Consulting

“It looks great! I love the typography choices and layout. It has a very fresh and minimalist look with an element of sophistication (aesthetics nerd here).” — Spring Activator

“I showed my son the article and he was very proud. So I’m a happy mom and that’s the best I can hope for in this world.” — Sxwpilemaát Siyám / Chief Leanne Joe

“The story turned out great and I’ll make sure to share it on all of our platforms.” — Randal Wyatt, Founder & Executive Director of Taking Ownership PDX

Cascadia Seaweed also emailed us to share positive feedback, including that they found our Why and How Circular Economy Companies in Canada Should Use Storytelling blog post useful and that they were so inspired by our reimagined Secret Santa, which they saw in our newsletter, that they decided to do it at their company as well.

And, it was wonderful to see ReFeed Canada share a link to their featured article in their communications flow.

Together, We Can Make the World Better

Enjoy stories of impact? Subscribe to Make The World Better Magazine to dive into purpose as soon as new issues are released.

And if you’re a changemaker working hard to make the world better, contact us for a free marketing consultation. We’d love to join forces and help tell your story.

Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Make The World Better Magazine

From Content Marketing to Content to Make The World Better: Our Purpose-Driven Journey

Post author By user
Post date October 30, 2023
No Comments on From Content Marketing to Content to Make The World Better: Our Purpose-Driven Journey

Making the world better is a lifelong commitment. Every day, individuals and organizations are igniting positive change and improving the world in ways both big and small.

Through concerted efforts to continually create moments, take steps, and make changes, we advance on our collective journey toward making life better — not just for ourselves but for our family, friends, communities, and eventually, everyone.

There’s no denying that the journey is fraught with challenges. We may take a wrong turn, encounter delays and setbacks, or even wonder if we’re really making an impact. But the destination is worthwhile, and there’s only one way to reach it: by pressing onward.

The changemakers in the Amplifiers edition of Make The World Better Magazine are taking steps to make the world better and demonstrating what’s possible. They inspire us to keep going. It’s an honour to share their stories, to amplify each other’s impact, and to walk together on this purpose-driven journey.

At Sparx Publishing Group, we started our journey by venturing into uncertainty, but we saw an opportunity that we could not ignore. Driven to help amplify impact-focused organizations and individuals so their efforts to help people and planet can thrive, we took a risk and changed course. And, as we progress on our purpose-driven journey, we continue to grow and change to do better.

Sparx’s Journey to Choosing Purpose

Our journey began over 10 years ago, and it’s certainly been a long and winding one. We embarked with the spark of an idea to make the world of self-directed investing more accessible for Canadians through a free online resource called Sparx Trading. Creating content for Sparx Trading laid the foundation for Sparx Publishing Group’s growth and was our first content marketing success story.

Carried by our values of integrity and responsiveness, we soon branched off on a new path, one that takes us deeper into purpose every day.

“We were founded on a premise that we could use content to make a positive impact and that has become even more true today than it was when we started,” says Hamish Khamisa, Sparx’s Founder and President.

While Sparx was increasingly focusing on impact, 2020 was a significant turning point. Hamish Khamisa honoured his daughter, Anahera, who was stillborn at 35 weeks, with the creation of our in-house event devoted to doing good, Make The World Better Day. We’ve always believed that a single spark can ignite a world of change, and the love and hope that Anahera embodied were the sparks that set our mission in motion.

After that, our journey began in earnest. “Sparx has put in a lot of effort over the years to determine what it means to ‘make the world better’ and how our mission fits into that statement,” says Sonia Lau, Junior Frontend Developer. “We’ve gone from a generic marketing company to one that takes on projects that focus on our environmental and social responsibility, as well as uplifting other companies that do the same.”

We began dedicating our time to intentional practices, like turning Make The World Better Day into an annual event, launching Make The World Better Magazine, donating to various causes, and offering pro bono work for mission-aligned organizations.

However, it took us time and effort to get to the point where we had clarity from a market perspective on who we could ideally serve and work with. “We now prioritize working with clients who share our core values and are actively contributing to making a positive impact on the world,” says Aretta Yeung, Marketing Analyst. “The partnerships and collaborations that we have sought out have led to opportunities to work on projects that align with our mission and reinforce our commitment to purpose-driven initiatives.”

Striving to be stronger members of the purpose-driven community through networking and event participation has also contributed greatly to our journey. “Attending a variety of mission-aligned events on DEI, sustainability, and other topics allowed me to learn best practices and get inspired by leading individuals and organizations in the purpose-driven space,” says Alexandra Nikitina, Head of Growth. Through this undertaking, we’ve been able to grow in our purpose and meet many mission-aligned contacts.

“While the desire to make the world better has always been at the forefront, Sparx has gone from dreaming to doing,” says Libby Shabada, Copywriter.

Growing Purpose With a Diverse Team

Moving from dreaming to doing wouldn’t be possible without the right team. Our team comes from diverse backgrounds, earning us a CAMSC certification, and what unites us is a desire to work hard to drive positive change.

“I feel constantly inspired through the work that we do and the contagious energy our team generates as we create a platform for change,” says Brandon Ashcraft, Marketing Coordinator.

Sparx operates by following a set of clearly defined values, which are communicated throughout the hiring process. Because of this, we were able to build an enthusiastic and values-aligned team.

“Curiosity and the drive for self-improvement are personal values that I see constantly reflected in our work,” says Nicole Yeh, Graphic Designer. “We are curious about the innovators making a positive change in the world, and we are dedicated to connecting those ideas with an audience.”

While challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic partially rewrote the composition of the Sparx team, the switch to working remotely opened the door to even broader perspectives and hires from outside of the Vancouver area. But the impact went even deeper. “Partially due to going through COVID-19 and remote work, I’ve learned more about people’s struggles with mental health and isolation,” says Ken Yeung, VP of Operations. “I think [being transparent and honest] helps build rapport and respect with team members.”

This has made a positive difference in our workplace culture. As a result, everyone feels encouraged to share their unique perspectives on how to make the world better and to share their input across all areas of our work, from the content we produce to how we conduct our business.

Our perspectives and ideas are diverse, which enhances our problem-solving abilities, yet there’s a common thread uniting us: we see our work as meaningful. That inspires us to give it our all.

“The fact that I get to be a part of the work that amplifies valuable stories makes me want to deliver the best work I can so that our work in sharing these stories may be accessible and impactful to more people,” Elisabeth Choi, Communications Designer, says.

Our diversity is a real strength for the work and space we’re in. Any organization that acts with intentionality can build that space too.

Inspiration Beyond Our Desks

The diversity of our personal experiences has led to a flow of purpose-driven ideas, which travel with us into our work. But we also find ways to integrate what we’ve learned at Sparx into our everyday lives.

“I always say that it’s important to walk our talk since it’s important for me to try to embody what I share or preach to those around me. So, I’m glad that as a team, we always try to learn and live out the purpose-driven values we share to our audience,” says Pauline Macapagal, Communications Specialist.

Together, our team is always learning: from the stories we amplify and changemakers we work with, from the causes we champion and initiatives we engage with, from our mistakes, and from each other.

“Working at Sparx challenges me to think more about the ways I can create a more positive social impact in my personal life,” says Nicole.

Creating a positive impact in our personal lives takes on a different meaning for everyone. For some, we’ve discovered ways we can make progress on various causes through our everyday actions.

“I’m following more activists on social media, learning and sharing content, buying more locally-made and Indigenous brands — many of which we’ve featured in our gift-giving guides! — and finding everyday ways to reduce my environmental footprint,” says Libby.

For others, our experiences have caused us to look inward and be mindful of our personal accountability.

“This experience has inspired me to dig deep within myself, prompting me to be more intentional when it comes to aligning my personal choices and decisions with the values that truly resonate with me,” says Aretta.

“I’ve personally learned and grown as an individual to be kinder, to care more about the world and learn ways to preserve it, and especially to be more active in the activities that help make the world better,” Elisabeth adds.

Ultimately, our work inspires us to take initiative and engage with amplifying impact both at work and at home. As Pauline’s learned, “no matter how big or small, an impact can effect great positive changes that travel far and wide to places and people you wouldn’t expect.”

Amplifying Stories of Impact With Make The World Better Magazine

Amplifying impact so it travels far and wide is exactly what we seek to do with Make The World Better Magazine, a core Sparx initiative our team was eager to rally behind and learn from.

For Sonia, the Circular Economy issue was a real stand out. “It features a lot of the companies where their missions feel familiar and can be easily supported. For example, I could see myself using EcoMeter to find an eco-friendly restaurant, or getting food from Too Good To Go, or using one of Susgrainable‘s baking mixes. A lot of these companies provide an approachable way to support their mission that fits pretty seamlessly into your lifestyle.”

As for Hamish, the feature on Sxwpilemaát Siyám/Chief Leanne Joe was profoundly impactful. “As a parent, I felt that centring her perspectives around the implications of her work to future generations resonated deeply and speaks to the ethos of the magazine — to inspire others to leave the world better than how they found it.”

Every participant has been truly inspiring, and we want to see their impact thrive. All of their stories have inspired us to come up with fresh ideas about how we can grow Make The World Better Magazine.

Team members, like Pedram Milani, Web Developer, have been thinking up some new ways to engage audiences around the magazine. “I think a 10–15 second YouTube short/TikTok segment covering companies could be a nice way to highlight companies and bring attention to brands and the magazine,” he says.

And Pauline imagines another type of digital platform: “It would be really cool to see the magazine available on e-readers. That way, we’re making it more accessible […] and being more environmentally friendly,” she says.

Other team members are dreaming of collaborations, special editions, follow-ups with past participants, partnerships with institutions, spin-offs centred around different topics, and going global.

“I envision stories and initiatives from around the world featured in the magazine, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and inspiring collaborative efforts to address global challenges,” says Thuan Nguyen, Sparx’s former Financial Analyst.

Team members are also excited about the potential to cover more initiatives and causes. “I would really love to see more stories about organizations and individuals working to help the homeless and children and families,” says Michelle Baleka, Copywriter. “Making the magazine is a learning experience for me too, and it would be great to know about more organizations and initiatives that are helping [them].”

These hopes are encouraged by the positive responses we’ve received from everyone who’s been featured in the magazine, shown interest, or taken a dive into its purpose-driven pages. Their support has ignited our expansion goals, and we’re taking active steps to reach them with our Make The World Better Magazine Patreon and exciting new partnerships.

Most of all, as Alexandra says, we have hope that the magazine can help “make being better a norm as opposed to a niche.”

Looking Forward to a Brighter Future

Speaking of hopes, we have some pretty high ones for Sparx as a whole.

“I’m excited to see how Sparx continues to allow our culture and values [to] blossom through our work and exponentially scale that level of growth through future projects,” Brandon says.

Individually, we all have different ideas of what this growth would look like and specific areas of impact we want to reach more deeply.

“I would love to see Sparx expand their client base and help a few start-ups become viral,” Pedram says, while Ken hopes we can “continue expanding our clientele and ideally create a SaaS-like project that we can scale,” and Michelle wants to “work with more circular economy organizations and clients that assist with things like ending homelessness and breaking the cycle of poverty.”

With hopes to grow in Canada’s purpose-driven space through collaborations, sustainable partnerships, raising awareness around and contributing to the adoption of more regenerative solutions, and building up a community of like-minded organizations that help each other out, we’re determined to amplify more voices catalyzing positive change.

“My hope is that through our marketing and communications efforts, we will be able to meaningfully inspire demand for products, services, and business practices that contribute to the long-term well-being for all,” Hamish says.

A Spark of Inspiration Can Change the World

The path to a better world is long and challenging, but we’re excited to travel alongside so many amazing changemakers on our journey. As Hamish says, “The biggest thing that I get excited about is now being fully confident that we’re not alone in the work we want to do.”

Our hope is that through our work, readers like you feel inspired to start your own impact journey or to feel more energized to continue along your purpose-driven path.

Whatever stage you’re at, if you have a spark of hope to make the world a better place, it will not only serve as a guide for yourself, but a beacon to others to join in your journey.

If you’d like to help Sparx with our mission, you can join us by reading and supporting Make The World Better Magazine on Patreon, meeting up with us at purpose-driven events, and following us on social media.
You can also reach out to us via our contact page. We’d love to hear your purpose-driven story and include you in an issue of Make The World Better Magazine. Or, if you’re looking for a marketing partner, we’d love to help amplify the work you’re doing to create more good in the world.

Tags Make the World Better, MTWB

Make The World Better Magazine Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips

25+ Resources That Will Amplify Your Efforts to Make the World Better

Post author By user
Post date October 16, 2023
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Everyone has a part to play in making the world better. Whether you’re looking to influence positive change through social media, make a difference at your workplace, and/or support or advocate for a cause, or you’re looking for ways to make meaningful changes in your everyday life, these resources will help amplify your own efforts or those of others doing good.

Resources From Organizations Featured in Make the World Better Magazine

Check out these resources and supplementary content from individuals and organizations featured in this issue of Make The World Better Magazine.

Asparagus Magazine – Submission Guidelines: Apply to share your purpose-driven stories about individuals and organizations working to make the world better, sustainable living tips, and environmental and social justice. Underrepresented voices are a priority and both aspiring and established writers are encouraged to apply.

Brown Girl Green – Green Jobs Board: Looking for a job where you can actively help make the world better? Or perhaps you’re an employer looking to find someone with a real passion for purpose? Check out Brown Girl Green’s Green Jobs Board to find and submit jobs in policy, tourism, education, media, and more.

David Suzuki Foundation – Building Bridges for Climate Action: Engagement Strategies for Millennials: Amplify your environmental advocacy efforts with this guide, designed to help increase your understanding of how millennials engage with climate change so you can create effective engagement strategies.

David Suzuki Foundation – Community Engagement Toolkit: Grow your environmental initiatives and personal impact with this dual-language toolkit, filled with ideas for collective and individual action, steps for getting started, and networks, resources, and tools for every step of your journey.

Intersectional Environmentalist’s Leah Thomas – The Intersectional Environmentalist: How To Dismantle Systems of Oppression To Protect People and Planet: Dive into this novel by Leah Thomas, Founder and Values Officer of Intersectional Environmentalist, to learn more about the link between environmental justice and civil rights, and discover actionable strategies for protecting people and planet.

Intersectional Environmentalist – Reimagining Food Justice and Food Sovereignty Toolkit: With this digital toolkit, increase your understanding of food justice and food sovereignty, and discover steps for taking action, including ways to amplify community-based initiatives.

Love Food Hate Waste Canada – Tips Board: Promote efforts to eliminate food waste by sharing food-saving tips and stories, or visit the board for actionable recipes and advice to make positive changes in your kitchen.

Not My Problem – Sustainable Brand Database: Naman Bajaj provides paid Not My Problem subscribers with a Sustainable Brand Database they can use to find brands across the globe and across a range of industries, from cleaning products to apparel and more, that have verifiable sustainable practices. A seven-day trial is available.

RIPPLE of CHANGE – Contribution Form: Share your impact story or help amplify organizations and initiatives with RIPPLE of CHANGE’s (ROC) nomination form. On this page, you can also answer ROC’s call for writers.

RIPPLE of CHANGE – Start a Ripple: Learn how you can start your own ripple of positive change with actionable lists across multiple categories, including activism, education, health, identity, and land, as well as recommended books that will help you take your purpose-driven journey to the next level.

Sage Initiative – Application Form: Apply to join the third Sage Initiative as a participant, sponsor, or mentor to learn more about impact investing, fund some good, and support Indigenous womxn.

Squirrel News – Podcast: Tune in to the Squirrel News podcast, hosted by Founder Jonathan Widder and Ed Crasnick, an Emmy-winning writer and comic from Los Angeles, to discover solutions for positive change and get inspired by guests who are making the world better.

Sustainability Advantage – 7 Ways Companies Can Contribute to the SDGs: Learn how your company can help advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and amplify collective efforts toward the goals.

Sustainability Advantage – Master Slide Decks: Bob Willard, Founder of Sustainability Advantage, has over 900 slides for subscribers to use and tailor for their purposes, saving them time and resources. Enjoy in-depth content on sustainability in the business community, including frameworks, business cases, and more.

Resources From Other Changemakers

ACE Hot Talks – Climate Influencers at COP26 With Kristy Drutman aka Brown Girl Green: Kristy Drutman, Founder of Brown Girl Green, joined Action for Climate Emergency’s Indy Howeth to share insights into how young people can use their creativity to help progress the climate movement on social media.

Amplify Good Podcast: Hosted by Aria Camaione-Lind, this inspiring podcast series shares stories of changemakers who are bringing their values to their work and driving positive change in their communities.

Arielle V. King’s – Environmental/Climate Justice and Liberation-Related Resource Recommendations: Arielle V. King, host of season one of Intersectional Environmentalist’s the Joy Report Podcast and Director of Programming for Black Girl Environmentalist, shares an extensive list of resources to help amplify environmental justice efforts.

Eco Ally – The Ultimate Guide to Killing It as a Sustainability Influencer: This comprehensive, eight-step guide provides sustainability influencers and aspiring influencers with detailed tips on how to make a real impact.

Good Good Good – 37 Ways To Make a Difference in the World: Good Good Good’s guide offers 37 actionable ways individuals can help make the world better, from protecting the environment to using the internet to amplify good.

Giving Tuesday – Social Media Toolkit: Giving Tuesday happens every November. Learn how you can join this movement through your social media channels and spread some good.

Greater Good Charities – Get Involved: Amplify your mission to help people and planet with this resource from Greater Good Charities, which you can use to start a fundraiser, build a fundraising page, and launch a Facebook fundraiser.

Influencer Intelligence – How to Work With Influencers for Purpose-Driven Marketing Report: Discover best practices for teaming up with an influencer to amplify your purpose-driven business with this downloadable report from Influencer Intelligence.

National Screen Institute’s TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators: Indigenous influencers and Indigenous-owned small businesses can join this free accelerator to grow their community on TikTok, learn how to collaborate with brands, and learn skills and tools to make content creation a career.

Sparx PG’s Resources

3 TED Talks to Inspire You to Make the World Better: Spark your inspiration with three talks that provide tips for remarkable storytelling, expanding your mission, and spreading good in the community.

How Companies Can Harness the Power of Technology and Social Media to do Good: Discover actionable ways your purpose-driven organization can amplify impact online.

How to Avoid “Rainbow-Washing” During Pride Month: Learn how to genuinely amplify 2SLGBTQIA+ voices and support the community during Pride Month and beyond.

Amplify Your Purpose-Driven Story with Sparx
We would love to increase support and awareness around the good your purpose-driven organization is doing. Want to team up? Give us a shout for a free consultation. Together, we can amplify your impact.

Tags Amplify Good, Make the World Better, MTWB

Make The World Better Magazine

Make The World Better Magazine is on Patreon!

Post author By user
Post date September 21, 2023
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Sparx’s publication, Make The World Better (MTWB) Magazine amplifies good by sharing the incredible stories of individuals and organizations driving positive impact in their communities.

With purpose embedded in everything we do, our small and dedicated team of experts wants to continue spreading good to an ever-growing audience. To help achieve this, Sparx has created a new way for readers to digitally access and support the magazine: our Make The World Better Magazine Patreon page.

Keep scrolling to find out all the details, including why we chose Patreon, how it benefits MTWB Magazine, and our goal of building a purpose-driven community.

Why We Chose Patreon for Our Growth Efforts

When we decided to expand our reach, we began by researching possibilities for growing Make The World Better Magazine, including different print and digital distribution channels. Reviewing our findings, we landed on providing a fresh digital access point for readers, with the benefit of improving online discoverability.

Along with offering a different user experience for engaging with Make The World Better content, we wanted to provide a concrete way for people to support our magazine production. And we determined that using an established platform would enable us to focus on making content rather than on technical infrastructure.

With its simple and easy-to-navigate interface, sleek design, and focus on creativity and community, Patreon immediately caught our attention. We were excited to start exploring the support resources and to engage with the vibrant community of creators who call Patreon home.

Our Patreon has opened up new realms of versatility for us. We can now start crafting and sharing mission-aligned, dynamic content that goes beyond the pages of Make The World Better Magazine. Plus, we can curate content to the interests of the MTWB community, depending on their level of interest in the magazine and mission.

How Readers Can Support Make The World Better Magazine

Thanks to our Patreon page, there are plenty of new ways to support Make The World Better Magazine. By offering monthly monetary support, users can help pay for print and distribution costs so we can share our magazine in more places and at more events, cover internal labour costs, and make progress toward our goal of hosting mission-aligned events.

Most importantly, supporting the magazine means contributing toward our mission of amplifying good. User support will help raise awareness around and spread the word about featured changemakers and the work they’re doing to advance important causes.

To allow flexibility when it comes to support amounts, we plan to offer support tiers with varying rewards. Right now, we’re starting from a general tier, but we envision having additional opportunities for more active and passionate members to shape and contribute to the direction of our content.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways the community can support MTWB Magazine. Word of mouth is a powerful way to gain awareness and readership. And sharing links to our Patreon page on social media is a great way to help us grow and gain support.

What Building a Purpose-Driven Community Means to Us

Our main goal is to form a purpose-driven community around Make The World Better Magazine on Patreon. A community of folks who want to leave the world better than how they found it. Who really believe in our mission and want to spark meaningful conversations, see impact flourish, and ignite positive change in their communities and around the world.

We’re excited to use this space to grow and connect with this like-minded community, share extended resources, and make a larger impact.

Let’s Work Together to Make The World Better

Join us in our mission! Check out our Patreon page here to become part of the Make The World Better community.

And, if you’re a purpose-driven organization with an impact story to share, contact us for a free consultation. Together, we can help amplify your efforts and build a brighter future for all.

Tags Amplify Good, Make the World Better, MTWB

Make The World Better Magazine

BIPOC Sustainability Collective: Supporting BIPOC Climate Leaders

Post author By user
Post date August 5, 2023
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Climate change impacts everyone. Coming up with innovative solutions requires a diverse range of input, but most environmentalist spaces lack proper diversity, equity, and inclusion to reckon with the intersectionality of its effects. The BIPOC Sustainability Collective was launched in order to unite and support BIPOC folks who have experienced discrimination in the environmental sector.

We spoke with Rita Steele, Founder of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective, about how this initiative is not only growing but making a real impact both when it comes to DEI and rescuing the planet.

At the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s November 2022 event, Towards a Just Transition: Building an Inclusive & Climate-just Workforce, in partnership with VEC.

Tell us about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s mission.

Climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately impact people of colour, yet we are underrepresented in the organizations tackling these issues. On the West Coast, many BIPOC sustainability professionals and activists find themselves as the only person of colour in their organizations.

The BIPOC Sustainability Collective is an initiative that aims to foster a capacity-building community for BIPOC professionals and activists to connect and seek peer support while navigating largely White environmentalist spaces on the West Coast. With 170 members and growing, we aim to build a support system, resources, and sense of community among BIPOC working in sustainability, climate action, and environmental conservation. We know that one of the most effective ways to move up in organizations and make meaningful change is to have strong, reciprocal, and supportive networks, especially when it’s not always possible to find allies within the organizations we work in.

What inspired you to start the BIPOC Sustainability Collective?

In 2021, I launched the BIPOC Sustainability Collective in response to my own experiences in a toxic and discriminatory work environment. I created a Facebook group to support other BIPOC sustainability and climate change professionals and activists around Metro Vancouver and invited individuals in my network. Initially, the intention of the collective was to help BIPOC folks to make meaningful and lasting connections with peers and mentors working in the sustainability sector. My hope was that those who were going through experiences of oppression and discrimination while working in climate action and environmental protection could reach out and seek help from a network of supporters.

In 2022, I started forming a relationship with the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) because our teams shared similar goals to diversify the sector and support the BIPOC leaders who face barriers within it. Through a budding partnership, VEC offered official support to help scale up the potential of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective in their Zero Emissions Economic Transition Action Plan (ZEETAP).

In November 2022, VEC worked with the Collective to plan our first in-person kick-off panel and dialogue event where we invited 40+ BIPOC sustainability professionals to convene about their experiences in the sector -– bringing the Collective from social media into real life. That event really kicked off the momentum of the Collective and got the network on the map.

Overnight, the BIPOC Sustainability Collective went from a Facebook group managed by one moderator to a 15-person volunteer-led organization with strong partnerships with multiple organizations, funding opportunities oncoming, and ambitions far beyond what I had initially thought was possible. VEC is now our foremost partnership, and we are building more by the month.

What were some of the challenges you encountered?

The growth of this organization has been very organic and has largely grown through word of mouth. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve mostly been met with overwhelming support. We have had so much volunteer interest that we haven’t had to promote or formally recruit volunteers to join our cause at all.

We are experiencing organizations requesting to partner with us, potential funders asking more about us, and all of our volunteers are here with both a personal stake in and a deep passion for the work. I think this shows that there is such a dire need for a space like this one in Vancouver. I feel very fortunate that the group is able to grow so organically.

What do you consider the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s biggest success?

Bringing the BIPOC community together. This network gives us a community, support system, voice, and a platform to achieve our goals, move up through our careers, and forward a collective mission toward justice-centred and people-first climate action. Through our ongoing events, we are fostering opportunities for like-minded BIPOC folks to build relationships amongst each other and seek meaningful support from peers with relatable experiences to forward climate and environmental action.

Through a partnership with VEC, we ran an event in November 2022 called Towards a Just Transition: Building an Inclusive & Climate-just Workforce, which explored the experiences of BIPOC climate professionals in Vancouver and how we can envision a climate-just workforce together.

Additionally, in our first collaboration with Connecting Environmental Professionals, we held the BIPOC Sustainability Collective x CEP Networking & Learning Collaboration Event in February 2023, an event for BIPOC professionals and allies to explore justice, equity, decolonization, diversity, and inclusion (JEDDI) challenges within our sector and how we can collectively contribute to addressing them.

What makes the BIPOC Sustainability Collective unique?

We are the only BIPOC community in the sustainability space within the Metro Vancouver region and throughout British Columbia. Everything we do is about inclusivity and that may also lead to working with allies and partners outside BIPOC communities to forward diversifying the sector.

Our growth strategy is organic and, at its core, we’re really focused on our new organizers’ different capacities and interests in all ways which matter to them. We will be balancing needs we hear from our community with capacities we hear from our team. This is so that the work that goes behind our collective is also sincere and grounded in rest and resilience and accounts for the different needs of our volunteers with various commitments. Our goal will not necessarily be to grow the fastest or the largest but to grow in a strong, stable, and sustainable way.

How do you feel the BIPOC Sustainability Collective makes the world better?

There’s no denying that the link between our BIPOC communities and the climate crisis exists. Marginalized groups and communities have been hit harder, particularly those from lower economic countries, women, people of colour, LGTBQIA2S+, people with disabilities, and immigrants. This coupled with discrimination at work makes for a compelling case to create safe and empowering spaces such as the BIPOC Sustainability Collective to exist and support diversifying the sector and leading our region toward more inclusive, just, and equitable climate action.

How would the climate sector, and the world in general, be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive?

In our conversations with BIPOC professionals working in the sustainability sector, we’ve learned about additional barriers faced in forwarding their climate action work including, but not limited to:

High barriers to entry into the sector (including costs for higher education, internships, restrictive hiring practices, and years of work experience which often require privilege, parental and financial support, and an expectation of Western cultural and work experiences).
Accessing inclusive networking spaces (with diverse participants, without pressure to code-switch or perform in ways that conform to accepted Western cultural norms).
Lacking opportunities for advancement/career growth, leadership, and professional development within their organizations, or being pigeonholed/tokenized into DEI roles rather than being permitted to grow into roles they seek.
Experiencing discrimination, microaggressions, and racism in the workplace (and outside of the workplace) while trying to focus on championing climate action

An organization called Diversity in Sustainability published findings from their survey, “The State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Sustainability” in 2021. They found that due to many of these barriers, “of all groups [working in the sustainability sector], White or Caucasian practitioners have the longest tenure in sustainability as a profession. Worldviews of dominant groups tend to persist over time.” Meaning, for these folks who do remain in the sector, mainly White and Caucasian practitioners, their worldviews, leadership expertise, and influence also tend to dominate climate change narratives and solution pathways within the sector.

In order to effectively tackle the great challenges of the climate crisis, we must tackle solutions using different approaches, lived experiences, worldviews, and areas of expertise. If our sustainability sector is being limited by a lack of diversity and, therefore, is also lacking diversity in perspectives on climate solutions, we will additionally face the challenge of limited solutions for the future. In this way, diversifying the sustainability sector is critical to solving the climate crisis.

Tell us about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s goals.

The BIPOC Sustainability Collective is on its way to forming its first strategic plan. For now, it is guided by its passion to support and connect BIPOC activists and professionals in their work on sustainability, climate action, and environmental conservation.

Overall, we are passionate about diversity in the sector as a whole, safe and inclusive networking spaces, professional development support, advocacy and sector research, resources and career support for BIPOC professionals, getting BIPOC on boards and in leadership positions, mentorship/peer support, and deep collaborations with other networks.

Our short-term goal is to attract talented individuals to join our mission. Our long-term goal is to be a community BIPOC individuals go to in order to feel supported and successful in their sustainability endeavours.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We are currently working on building out our email list. If you identify as BIPOC and are working in the sustainability sector in Metro Vancouver, please add yourself to our email list or join the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s Facebook group to stay updated on future events. At this time, we only have communication/email channels available for those who identify as BIPOC. For allies, partners, and those who are interested in learning more, please contact our founder directly through LinkedIn.

What do you most want people to know about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective?

We’re here and ready to serve and support the BIPOC sustainability community. We’re also committed to diversifying the sustainability sector and making it a safer and more inclusive space for BIPOC folks to champion their climate action, sustainability, and environmental work within.

How can people help or contribute to the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s mission?

Increase awareness of our events and initiatives in order to reach more BIPOC folks! If you are BIPOC, join our collective! If you are an ally, send our group and work to people in your network, talk about us with colleagues in your workplace, and share the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s Facebook group link online! Additionally, join our email newsletter.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags BIPOC Sustainability, Vancouver

Make The World Better Magazine

Meaningful Access Consulting: Equitable Inclusion for All

Post author By user
Post date August 3, 2023
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When spaces are inaccessible and, therefore, exclusionary, it has a deep and profound impact on those affected. Yet rather than truly understanding its widespread effects, accessibility is often not given the level of consideration and implementation needed to make the places where we live, play, and work truly inclusive for everyone.

Meaningful Access Consulting Co-Founders, Marco & Karin Pasqua.

We spoke with Karin Pasqua, Co-Founder and Accessibility & Universal Design Consultant at Meaningful Access Consulting, about how Meaningful Access Consulting is shifting perspectives, transforming inaccessible spaces, and empowering everyone to have equitable access and participation.

Tell us about Meaningful Access Consulting’s mission.

Meaningful Access Consulting is an accessibility and universal design consulting firm that believes everyone should have the opportunity to participate in every aspect of community life regardless of their ability or disability. We work with developers, cities, businesses, and not-for-profits to help ensure that their locations are not only accessible but functional and beautiful.

What inspired you to start Meaningful Access Consulting?

Marco, my husband and Co-Founder of Meaningful Access Consulting, is a wheelchair user and is directly impacted by inaccessible spaces, and my mind works like a cross between an occupational therapist and an engineer. Together, we love solving complex accessibility problems and turning barriers into thoughtful solutions. Being accessibility consultants helps us create a lasting impact not just for those with disabilities, but for our communities as a whole, including seniors, children, people with temporary disabilities, and those of us who just need a bit of extra assistance for one reason or another.

What were some of the challenges you encountered?

Marco never wanted to be seen as a person with a disability who stood on a soap box and advocated for access. He started out as a game developer but was laid off in 2008 when the recession hit, so he turned his attention to inspirational speaking. It took him a long time to reconcile his lived experience with his professional experience and accept the professional designation of accessibility consultant. Once the company launched and I joined him, the next challenge was to navigate moving from a team of one to a team of two and take into consideration the needs of our “Junior Associate,” our two-year-old daughter, Stella.

Marco emceeing the 8th Inclusive Employer Awards.

What do you consider Meaningful Access Consulting’s biggest success?

Our biggest success is seeing how our work has changed people’s attitudes. We know that the biggest barrier for most people with disabilities is attitudinal barriers, and shifting mindsets allows people to join us in improving the understanding of what better accessibility means for everyone.

We have really seen a shift over the last few years in the perception of accessibility and inclusion. It’s no longer “the right thing to do” but rather becoming part of people’s active consideration because of how accessibility impacts people directly — not just for the person who identifies as having a disability but also the senior awaiting knee replacement surgery, the person who’s a new parent and only has one hand free, the avid athlete who was injured last week, or the person needing support with their mental wellness. Accessibility impacts all of us, and we are starting to see that change in attitudes.

What makes Meaningful Access Consulting unique?

We are a family firm. We are a married couple, one with a visible disability and one without, and we bring our toddler along on many of our assessments and to job sites. We work together extremely well, and our combined experience really lends itself to the work that we do. We firmly believe that you should meet someone where they are at but then not leave them there. We focus on the positive and always provide a roadmap on where a business, organization, or government can take next steps to do even better.

How do you feel Meaningful Access Consulting makes the world better?

We help change people’s minds and perspectives and really help people understand that accessibility is not only “the right thing to do,” but really impacts all people of all ages, now and in the future. We help our clients understand that everybody needs to belong and participate in their communities. It’s not good enough just to add a ramp to the front of the building or use a service elevator. It’s about equitable access and participation. It’s more than just getting in the door but actually participating in every aspect that we wish to participate in.

Marco demonstrates that universal design benefits everyone by playing with his daughter at the accessible playground at Unwin Park in Surrey, BC.

How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive?

The world is a better place when we are all able to be seen, heard, and participate fully in all aspects of our communities, be it live, work, play, or learn. When we create spaces where we are all welcome, our diverse perspectives can be shared, appreciated, and respected. Every person’s story matters, and every person deserves the opportunity to not only share their story but continue to write new and exciting chapters for themselves.

Tell us about Meaningful Access Consulting goals.

Our goal is to help shift mindsets by helping businesses, not-for-profits, and government organizations make changes to their employment strategies, built environment, and attitudes to work toward creating a more inclusive and accessible province, country, and planet.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We are currently working with the Province of British Columbia, sitting on a technical subcommittee to help advance accessible employment strategies, as well as on the technical subcommittee for the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program. As such, we are helping to inform the Province of Alberta’s Accessibility Legislation engagement project as well as various cities’ Accessibility Strategic Plans, including the Cities of Surrey, Richmond, and Regina.

We are also very excited to be helping to shape communities around British Columbia, including the new Coronation Park planned community in Port Moody. At any given time, you’ll find us on a construction site, behind a computer reviewing plans, or, in Marco’s case, on stage providing disability awareness training events.

What do you most want people to know about Meaningful Access Consulting?

We are here to work with you, your design, and your budget. We’re not here to tell you everything you’ve done wrong, rather we enjoy pointing out all of the things you’ve done well – oftentimes, it’s not even things you’ve thought about through the lens of accessibility.

How can people help or contribute to Meaningful Access Consulting’s mission?

Give us a call or an email! We’d love to help you become more accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities. Be an advocate within your organization and see where there might be barriers or accessibility gaps for your staff and your clients.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags Amplify Good, DEI, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Make the World Better, Meaningful Access Consulting, MTWB, Vancouver

Make The World Better Magazine

Benevity: Nurturing DEI Causes Internally and Externally

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Post date August 3, 2023
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Businesses have the power to do a great deal of good, and their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have the capacity to reach far and wide. Benevity, a Calgary-based software company, not only connects businesses with the resources they need to build purpose-driven corporate cultures, they have deeply embedded diversity, equity, and inclusion into the core of who they are and what they do.

We spoke with Janeen Speer, Chief People Officer of Benevity, about how this organization is fostering a culture of DEI and belonging internally to empower global impact.

Inside Benevity’s HQ, located in Calgary, one of three Benevity offices in Canada, with the others located in the US and the UK.

Tell us about Benevity’s mission.

Benevity’s mission is to build more purpose-driven corporate cultures by engaging employees, customers, and communities around causes that resonate with them. We also aim to drive automation, scale, and technology efficiencies on the charitable side of the landscape.

What inspired your founder to start Benevity?

Benevity Founder Bryan de Lottinville always wanted to leave the world better than he found it. In 2007, he discovered that of the then-$300 billion in donations in North America, less than 5% were being made online, less than 5% of donation volume was coming from companies, and 67% of employees were not engaged in their jobs. Benevity — one of the earliest B Corporations — was founded to constructively disrupt this status quo.

To better integrate business impacts and social outcomes, Benevity created a multi-sided tech platform that democratizes and empowers passionate, proactive, experiential participation in giving back. This is in contrast to the often dutiful, obligatory, transactional interactions that flow from the traditional once-a-year fundraising program for company-chosen charities.

What were some of the challenges Benevity’s founder encountered?

Benevity was initially built as an application program interface and was used by early clients by embedding the technology into their own platforms. In essence, it was an engine that powered things like disaster relief matching programs, employee donations, and sending and receiving electronic charitable gift cards through a company’s own giving website.

But to make the difference that the team aspired to, we knew we’d have to build a software as a service product to make it easier for companies to “plug-and-play.” We needed to build the car for the engine and had heard a lot about the challenges with current employee giving programs. Soon after, Benevity’s main product offering, Spark, was born in early 2011.

Benevity Founder and Executive Chairperson, Bryan de Lottinville, speaks at Goodness Matters, Benevity’s annual client conference, about the macrotrends informing the dynamic CSR industry.

What do you consider Benevity’s biggest success?

Canadian Pacific Railway was the first company to buy Spark, and Maui Jim was one of the first internationally recognized companies to become a client. But Nike was the big tipping point in 2013. Nike considered 38 workplace giving software vendors before ultimately choosing Benevity. This was a major win for Benevity, with only 12 employees at the time!

Now, with nearly 1,000 companies using Benevity’s software, including more than 25% of the Fortune 500, Benevity’s client community is comprised of the most iconic and mission-driven companies in the world.

What makes Benevity unique?

It’s not every day you get to wake up knowing you could literally change the world — unless you work at Benevity! We have a purpose-driven culture where doing good and doing great work go hand-in-hand. We hire passionate, smart, authentic people who are at the top of their game, and we want to make sure they don’t check important parts of themselves at the door. We’ve worked hard to build and nurture a culture that creates a sense of belonging at its core, where all of our people feel seen, heard, and valued, not despite their differences, but because of them.

Our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives include panels for 2SLGBTQIA+ issues, International Women’s Day, and Black History Month, with speakers from all of Benevity’s offices talking about their diverse experiences and perspectives to help us understand how we can become better allies for each other.

We also have several employee resource groups, including groups for employees with visible and invisible disabilities (Benev-ability), for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community (Beneviqueers), our Black Employee Network & Friends (BEN & Friends), and more. Additionally, our Belonging Champions are Benevity-ites who work with the leadership team to identify more opportunities to create an even deeper sense of belonging at Benevity.

Another hallmark of our culture is our creative efforts to challenge the status quo, our recognition that we are not perfect but can always be better, and our willingness to go the extra mile for each other and our clients. It’s the kind of culture one gets when you’re able to connect people’s work with a genuine sense of purpose, meaning, and impact.

How do you feel Benevity makes the world better?

While Benevity is a relatively small business, we power impact from some of the biggest, most beloved brands out there. And in that way, we show the world that profits don’t have to be sacrificed in pursuit of purpose; in fact, the opposite is true. When companies lead with purpose, they are more likely to thrive. Benevity’s Talent Retention Study shows that robust employee users of our software had 52% lower turnover rates in their companies than non-users, making the pursuit of a higher sense of purpose a win for companies, their people, and society.

We are showing the world that they can count on businesses to be a positive force in society. Whether it’s the fight for justice, equity, and accessibility, or responding to other devastating world events, Benevity, our clients, and networks are right there doing all we can.

So far, our clients and their people have generated more than $12 billion in donations and 56 million hours of volunteer time to support 418,000 non-profits worldwide — and 92% of those funds have been paid electronically. The company’s solutions have also facilitated 900,000 micro-actions and awarded 1.2 million grants worth $18 billion.

Our platform has also helped to rally companies and their people around DEI causes. For example, in June 2020, we saw a 15x increase in support of racial justice causes following the murder of George Floyd, with $166 million contributed in June versus $10 million in May. Countless more people got involved through their company’s corporate purpose programs, tracking 434,000 volunteer hours and 29,000 positive actions.

Each year, volunteers, or what Benevity calls Do-Gooders, give back during Benevity’s annual client conference, Goodness Matters. in 2017, Fortune 1000 company CSR leaders joined the Mojave Desert Land Trust for a stewardship event.

How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive?

When differences are valued and everybody has access to the same opportunities, it’s easy to see that diversity, equity, and inclusion benefit everyone. And when people feel a sense of belonging, and the safety and security of being accepted, they can be their true selves.

Our team has over 50% representation of women both as a company and at the senior leadership level. Our team is also about one-third Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. We have reached this not by setting targets but by focusing on the behaviours that we felt were needed to drive a truly inclusive culture. And we’ve seen firsthand that the good created from a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace reaches far and wide, allowing for business, personal, and societal growth.

Tell us about Benevity’s goals.

At Benevity, we have something called a “Moonshot,” that is to act as a catalyst to infuse a culture of goodness into the world. Our main goal is to help companies help people be their best selves in their everyday lives by connecting them with a sense of purpose and belonging while delivering business and social impact.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We’re constantly innovating within our product ecosystem, sifting through data to uncover new trends and speaking with trailblazers to stay ahead of the curve. One initiative is our Benevity Impact Labs, an incubator and resource hub that helps companies, non-profits, and individuals maximize their impact and authentically live their purpose.

Another initiative is the Speaking of Purpose podcast, hosted by Sona Khosla, Benevity’s Chief Impact Officer. Sona speaks to some of the world’s most disruptive brands, leaders, and changemakers whose unparalleled insight, inspiration, and advice help us understand how critical purpose is in business and the world. The episode, “DEI&B – More Than Another Corporate Acronym,” provides a deep dive into diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

There’s also the weekly Social Impact Show. We have episodes that explore important DEI-related topics, including how it impacts business today, modern strategies to promote DEI in the workplace, how CSR and diversity build better workplaces, and more.

What do you most want people to know about Benevity?

Benevity is not just a fintech engine to process donations to non-profits. Our goal is to inspire everyday goodness in people, and our products provide many ways to do that, including volunteering time and skills, participating in learning and activism, or making small, everyday behavioural changes like confronting unconscious bias and creating less waste at the office. All these things help to activate one’s sense of personal purpose and make a positive change in the world.

Benevity-ites celebrate International Women’s Day. In 2018, Benevity Founder and CEO, Bryan de Lottinville, contributed $100,000 of his personal funds in double donation matching for women’s causes with the hopes of inspiring incremental progress toward gender parity.

How can people help or contribute to Benevity’s mission?

When a tragic event happens in the world, we encourage you to look for avenues to take action and gain back the empowerment, connectedness, and hope that we all have intrinsically within us.

One way to do this is to find out about your company’s workplace giving program and get involved in it. Ninety-three percent of companies that use Benevity’s employee engagement software enable donation matching for their people. The most common match is one-to-one to the cause of the employee’s choice, although we are seeing more and more companies do two-to-one, three-to-one, and even up to five-to-one in special circumstances.

While Benevity has seen an incremental increase in participation across corporate purpose programs from 11% in 2021 to 12% in 2022, it is estimated that $10 billion dollars in matching funds go unused every year, and a big reason for this is because people simply don’t know it’s being offered! Imagine the social impact that could be made if more people took advantage of these powerful programs.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags Amplify Good, Benevity, DEI, Equity, Inclusion, Make the World Better, MTWB, Vancouver

Make The World Better Magazine

Bakau Consulting: Equipping Workplaces for Their DEI Journey

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Post date August 2, 2023
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Around the world and in our communities, countless people experience oppression every day. Championing diversity, equity, and inclusion to combat this starts with looking at the environments closest to us — the workplace being a key one. That’s why Bakau Consulting has made it its mission to educate businesses on how and what practices to implement so workplaces can be positive environments for everyone.

We spoke with Cicely Belle Blain (they/them), Founder & CEO of Bakau Consulting, about how this organization is not only championing DEI practices, but proving what is possible by achieving equity within their own workplace.

Tell us about Bakau Consulting’s mission.

In 2018, I founded Bakau Consulting Inc., a full-service equity, inclusion, and anti-racism consulting company based in Canada, with a global, intersectional approach.

Since the beginning, our mission has been to help our clients make meaningful, long-lasting change within their organization. Our work is rooted in community, social justice, and a passion for equity, which translates into tireless advocacy for systemic change, and we work closely to develop and implement equity strategies that are instrumental, conductive, and sustainable. Bakau Consulting intentionally seeks to positively impact employees’ lives by paying living wages, providing health insurance and PTO, scheduling wellness check-ins, and encouraging work/life balance not only at our company but our clients’ as well.

In the last five years, Bakau Consulting has grown from a sole proprietorship to a team of 20 strategists, consultants, artists, researchers, storytellers, and educators with diverse lived experiences, skills, and expertise. The team and I have served thousands of clients worldwide, offering well-researched and historically-informed educational content.

What inspired you to start Bakau Consulting?

Bakau Consulting was founded on the stolen, unceded, and traditional lands and waters of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations in 2018. In addition to founding Bakau Consulting, I’m also the Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Vancouver. At that time, Black Lives Matter was still considered a fringe movement, and there was little mainstream attention for anti-racism and social equity consulting. Starting Bakau Consulting was motivated by a passion to eradicate oppression from every workplace in Canada. As time went on, this passion has evolved in our mission to actualize sustainable, secure, healthy, joyful, and accessible workplaces.

At Bakau, we are driven by the essential care we have for our communities and each other. We intentionally gather as a team and envision alternative futures, and we trace roadmaps we believe will get us there, powered by the care, tools, and resources available for us at the organization. To co-imagine, co-create, and co-resist as a team isn’t easy, especially coming from such different cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life – it is exhausting, scary, and many consider it useless. Yet at Bakau, we manage to stay on track, motivated by communal radical hope.

What were some of the challenges you encountered?

As a small business, we constantly make difficult financial decisions. Leading with our values at heart centres us in our decision-making. We combine our knowledge, lived experiences, and values to help our clients transform their workplace, so it only makes sense for our own workplace to have the main focus be on the humanity of our employees.

We are proud to be a certified Living Wage Employer and offer thriving wages to our team. As a remote workplace, supporting the team’s well-being has been a challenge and a priority. We invest in not only providing a robust health benefits plan but encouraging our team to rest and not work overtime.

We offer a 4-day work week. For us, it’s about understanding that there is more to our humanity than working. Having a work-life balance is not just a buzzword to throw around for us, we stand for it and weave it into all of our business decision-making.

Focusing on people and not solely profit has created some cash flow issues, but we don’t take it as a failure as a business – quite the opposite. We lead with our values and recognize it’s people who make our company a good place to work, and this is what we are proud of the most.

What do you consider Bakau Consulting’s biggest success?

We are proud to be a pillar in the community of those striving for diversity, inclusion, and anti-oppression. This is something that we commit to actioning in our business and the businesses we work with. We believe that the work we do cannot be done at the expense of the mental and physical health of our staff. We prioritize their diverse needs by providing a 32-hour workweek, extended benefits, additional health and lifestyle spending accounts, five vacation weeks, multiple avenues for seeking accommodations, and ample personal leave days.

Under Bakau Consulting, I’ve created numerous workshops and strategies to educate clients on anti-oppressive values. My workshop “Unlearning Anti-Blackness,” was one of the first public educational programs in British Columbia to cover Black Canadian history in detail for adults, while also offering powerful educational tools and teachings. The workshop has also been adapted for K-7 students and presented in various schools across the province.

Right to left: Cicely Belle Blain, Bakau Consulting Founder & CEO, and Blair Imani, author in a panel discussion.

What makes Bakau Consulting unique?

The foundation of our business is diversity and inclusion, and we actively ensure anti-oppressive values are infused into our everyday practices to uphold our commitments. The consulting assistance that we offer is particularly difficult and taxing due to the intricate correlation between our lived experiences and the educational aspect of the services we provide.

The nature of our work demands adequate care of our already diverse team. As a Black, queer-owned company, many folks from equity-seeking backgrounds find their professional home at Bakau, so we invest considerable time and resources into the ongoing safety and enrichment of our team. In response to team feedback, we increased mental health-related benefits, as well as introduced additional health and lifestyle spending account funds to deliver sustainable and consistent resources to support the safety, emotional health, and mental well-being of each team member.

How do you feel Bakau Consulting makes the world better?

As an organization and individuals, we understand that we will not end oppression within the workplace, especially not worldwide. We try to stay focused on the people around us, the lands we operate on, and the communities we belong to. At Bakau, we strive for our clients to implement as many large- and small-scale practices to make workplaces equitable and more enjoyable for everybody involved in and, therefore, outside the workplace. For us, this means a robust compensation package is a foundational element: pay equity, living wages, extended benefits, paid sick leave, as well as ample vacation and personal days – all are important for people to feel valued for the work they do.

Each person has a unique experience, so we work collaboratively to create accommodations for self-identified needs, and we encourage our clients to do so as well. We celebrate different religious and spiritual holidays, so we provide religious and cultural accommodations and hybrid work options that are important for fostering belonging at our workplace. In this sense, we are encouraged to take holidays and schedule days off around religious, spiritual, or cultural holidays and celebrations. Some of the holidays Bakau recognizes with paid time off include Yom Kippur, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Eid al-Fitr, among others. Employees are encouraged to take this time to observe the date as they see fit. With all of these initiatives in place, people’s lives are more enjoyable and, therefore, make the world a better place.

How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive?

A world that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion would be one where all people are able to thrive, be authentic, and experience safety. Currently, many people are experiencing oppression and discrimination on a daily basis on all different scales, from personal to systemic.

A world without diversity, equity, and inclusivity is a world ravaged by violent systems of oppression. We don’t want to just survive, we want to thrive. What does an imagined future look like when we have the space to breathe and hold radical hope at our centre? We want a world where we have the space to dream, a space where the most silenced voices can be heard.

Tell us about Bakau Consulting’s goals.

Bakau’s mission is to assist companies, organizations, institutions, and collectives to identify integral areas of growth, both in the short and long term. From there, we work closely to develop and implement equity strategies that are instrumental, conductive, and sustainable.

All too often, there is an overemphasis on creating diversity and not enough on sustaining diversity. It creates a revolving door effect, and people of marginalized identities can be left in a worse place than where they started when the promotion of diversity and inclusion is mishandled.

Our goal is for organizations to commit to ongoing education, unlearning biases, and equity-informed policy updates. We want to promote psychological safety, boundary-setting, and opportunities for mentorship and growth to help mitigate tokenization and create an environment where people can truly thrive.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

Our new facilitation program!

Facilitation is a coveted skill that brings transformative structure to the workplace and beyond. Over the years, people would often ask us if we lead Train the Trainer workshops to teach others how to facilitate their own sessions. Our facilitation skills stem from lived experience, ample time, ongoing education, and navigating discomfort.

Our Facilitation Certificate Program (FCP) is a three-month guided, content-rich program. This online program teaches essential skills and strategies for powerful, inclusive facilitation. The FCP begins by strengthening fundamentals of anti-oppression, equity, inclusion, and intersectionality. It then evolves to skills-based training, including active listening and inclusive communication, cultivating safer spaces, activating meaningful dialogue, developing workshops and agendas, and navigating group dynamics and conflict resolution.

What do you most want people to know about Bakau Consulting?

We’d like folks to know that any organization, regardless of whether it is for-profit or not and regardless of industry or field, as long as we’re operating under capitalism, needs to stay vigilant of becoming complicit in the dehumanization of workers and labourers.

Joy Gyamfi, photographer, attending a Bakau Consulting panel

How can people help or contribute to Bakau Consulting’s mission?

Indigenous sovereignty, Black liberation, and anti-oppression are the driving forces behind our work. Any person that is committed to these values is already in community with us, seeking collective liberation.

We advise everybody, but especially people in leadership positions, to persistently honour and uplift the Indigenous communities and host nations of the lands that they’re on and to seek decolonial education (individually and as a team). We encourage everyone to pay reparations as it is feasible and to support small local businesses whenever they have the chance.

We want to motivate people to do research on their favourite brands, businesses, and service providers — find out what they stand for and make sure their values are aligned with yours. The more intentional we are with our social, creative, and economic capital, the better we can serve our mission, which isn’t just Bakau’s, it belongs to all of us.

Becca Schwenk, Bakau Consulting creator and Director of the Facilitation Certificate Program.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine:

Tags Amplify Good, Bakau Consulting, DEI, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Make the World Better, MTWB, Vancouver