Peter A Allard School of Law

Climate Justice is a Business Responsibility

What is the role of businesses in working towards climate justice?

This expert panel will discuss the opportunities, constraints and responsibilities that corporations have in adapting their business practices to address the unequal impacts of climate change, considering their different emissions contributions. Speakers will examine the extent to which businesses are able to—and should—be socially and environmentally responsible. As part of the discussion, this roundtable will consider whether and in which ways legal requirements can drive sustainable business practices.

The roundtable discussion will be followed by a Q&A, moderated by Kookai Chaimahawong, Executive Director, Centre for Climate and Business Solutions, UBC Sauder School of Business.

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Panel Speakers 

Stephanie Bertels is the VanDusen Professor of Sustainability at SFU's Beedie School of Business. She founded and leads the Embedding Project, a global public-benefit research project collaborating with leading global companies to develop practical tools that help them to embed sustainability and do their part to support environmental and social resilience. Stephanie regularly supports executives and boards as they embed sustainability into their oversight and decision-making.

Carol Liao is an Associate Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law and Co-Director (Academic) of the Centre for Climate Justice at UBC. She is the Chair and Principal Co-Investigator of the Canada Climate Law Initiative, advancing director knowledge on the latest in climate science, climate risk disclosures, and fiduciary obligations. She is also the UBC Sauder Distinguished Fellow of the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics at the UBC Sauder School of Business. She is an internationally respected expert in corporate law, sustainability, and climate governance.

Andrew Jorgenson is a Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Climate and Society Lab at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is also a Faculty Associate at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, and a Faculty Affiliate of both the Centre for Climate Justice and the Climate Solutions Collective. As an environmental macrosociologist trained in global political economy, Andrew conducts research on the human dimensions of global and regional environmental change, with a focus on the societal causes and consequences of the climate crisis.

David Hardisty is Associate Professor and SMEV Chair of Marketing and Behavioural Science at UBC Sauder School of Business. David studies consumer behaviour change, especially in the domains of sustainability and financial decision making. He co-founded the Decision Insights for Business and Society (DIBS) group, and the Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions (IBioS) research cluster. He teaches courses on decision making, consumer behaviour, ethics & sustainability, experimentation, and statistics at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. He currently chairs UBC Sauder's committee on Academic Programs, Teaching, and Learning.

Moderator

Kookai Chaimahawong is the Executive Director of the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions at UBC Sauder School of Business, known for her expertise in impact investing and ESG strategies. Her career includes launching a successful social enterprise startup, establishing SDG partnerships at the United Nations, and leading investments in sustainability-focused ventures through Venture Capital and Private Equity funds. Additionally, she serves as a Sessional Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Kookai is a member of the ESG Advisory Council of the ESG Centre of Excellence within the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation (JEDI) for the Province of British Columbia. She is also the board chair at the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum and is a regular speaker and mentor in global climate-tech startup and responsible investment communities.


Organized by the UBC Sustainability Hub, Centre for Climate Justice, Climate Emergency Response at UBC, Centre for Climate and Business Solutions at UBC Sauder and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS).

This event is part of the Climate Justice Series, hosted by the UBC Sustainability Hub. The 2024-25 series focuses on the question 'What is Climate Justice?', which explores how climate justice intersects with multiple disciplinary perspectives and examines what working towards climate justice could look like across different areas. It showcases how climate justice is an integral part of climate research and teaching. 


  • External Organization
  • General Public
  • All Students
  • Alumni
  • Faculty
  • Graduate Students
  • JD
  • Staff
  • Research Talks
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