SHARE is pleased to announce the Catalyst Award for responsible investment leadership in Canada.
First announced at the 2024 SHARE Investor Summit, the Catalyst Award has been designed to honour today’s catalysts—fearless changemakers and leaders advocating for and mobilizing progress across the Canadian responsible investing landscape.
The Catalyst Award will recognize trustees, investment committee members, governors, executives, or staff members from Canadian institutional asset owners who have demonstrated the leadership, vision and forceful stewardship exemplified by the innovators who came before us.
Given the prominent role that ESG now plays in the contemporary landscape, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when taking such investment factors into consideration was considered a radical act. The movement of ESG and responsible ownership from the fringes of Canadian finance to a fundamental pillar of the system was driven by a small but dedicated group of leaders and innovators whose patience, passion and commitment to real-world change inspires this award.
Historically, these catalysts were people like Renata Pratt, who established the trailblazing Task Force on Churches and Corporate Responsibility; Moira Hutchinson, who later led the Task Force and helped countless organizations establish their own impactful investment practices; Bob Walker, who cultivated a new generation of stewardship leaders at what is now NEI Investments; and SHARE’s own founding Executive Director Peter Chapman, who trained, guided and empowered our leadership for more than two decades.
These individuals share the qualities of vision, persuasion, perseverance and integrity that make them catalysts for change.
The purpose of this award is to continue their work by recognizing such qualities in the current generation of responsible investment leaders.
The nomination period for the 2025 award is open from Monday, September 23, 2024 to Friday, December 6, 2024. The winner of the inaugural award will be announced at the 2025 SHARE Investor Summit.
Nominations can be submitted by colleagues, supervisors, or other stakeholders within the responsible investment community. Individuals can also self-nominate.
