Manveet Kaur Waraich, Staff Writer | 

When people hear sustainability, they often think of environmental conservation and climate change. However, sustainability goes far beyond these areas—it’s a transformative lens for reshaping industries and systems. Mount Royal University’s 2024 Sustainability Forum embraced this philosophy and featured 57 speakers across diverse fields to share their perspectives on building a sustainable future.

The forum’s message was clear: sustainability isn’t confined to one sector but can be integrated into any field. From aviation and art to city government, Indigenous knowledge, and marketing, the event highlighted how sustainability serves as a guiding principle across industries.

Key takeaways from guest speakers

The day kicked off with keynote addresses from Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, who emphasized the importance of cities and public-private partnerships in driving environmental progress, and WestJet Vice-President Daniele Gorla, who discussed sustainable aviation practices. 

Let’s take a look at the long and informative list of experts in attendance at the forum. 

BUSINESS

Marketing | MRU professors. Anh Thu Nguyen and. Neil Brigden discussed integrating the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into business education to prepare students for global sustainability challenges.

Supply Chains | Irina Dovbischuk shared findings on how global value chains create social value, particularly in developing countries.

CSR | Chelsea Willness from the University of Calgary explored why some stakeholders react negatively to sustainability initiatives and how businesses can avoid “backfire effects.”

Stampede | MRU alum Austin Lang led an interactive session on local sustainability using systems mapping to identify key stakeholders for change.

IKEA | Kris Lindskoog from IKEA Calgary compared the company’s global and local sustainability efforts, underscoring the impact of community-level actions.

STEM & INNOVATION

Biomimicry | Carlos Fiorentino and Kira Hunt highlighted how nature-inspired innovation offers sustainable solutions in architecture, engineering, and design.

AI | Hadi Fariborzi addressed the dual potential of artificial intelligence to either improve or harm sustainability efforts, stressing the need for responsible development.

Transportation | Malcolm Adams, CEO of COREO Inc., introduced his sustainable carpooling app designed to combat solo commuting challenges.

Parks and Recreation | Joe Pavelka discussed overcrowding in Canadian parks and its impact on environmental stewardship.

PERSPECTIVES

Indigeneity | Winona Lafreniere emphasized the importance of Indigenous practices in environmental restoration and ecological balance.

Decolonization | A panel featuring Ranjan Datta, Chief Daniel Mistaken, and Teena Starlight called for disaster resilience strategies informed by Indigenous and marginalized communities’ lived experiences.

Buddhism | Brian Nichols explained how Buddhist teachings and ecodharma philosophies can address ecological crises.

Art | Melanie Kloetzel from the University of Calgary discussed how art can expose the root causes of climate change and promote justice.

HEALTH

Optometry | MRU alum Elizabeth Roden outlined how Operation Eyesight Universal contributes to the SDGs by preventing blindness and restoring sight globally.

Mental Health |  Janet Arnold, an MRU access advisor, explored the emotional toll of climate change and ways to foster hope.

FINANCE

ESG Reporting | Linda McWeeney from TU Dublin discussed the impact of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive on businesses.

ENERGY & PRODUCTION

Energy Transition | Peter Jalkotzy, CEO of NextGen Power Group, shared how his company is pursuing net-zero emissions by transforming waste into energy.

Oil & Gas | Connie van der Byl, MRU’s associate vice-president of research, highlighted how industry alliances balance competition and cooperation to achieve environmental goals.

INTERIOR DESIGN

Decarbonizing Design | Chi Dara analyzed the environmental impact of over 30 commercial products and explored strategies for advancing decarbonization in interior design.

GOVERNMENT

Climate Adaptation | Kaitlin Chantler, a climate adaptation specialist with the City of Calgary, outlined the city’s plans for becoming more resilient to climate change.

MEDIA

Sustainable Storytelling | MRU professors Meg Wilcox and Brad Clark discussed the role of podcasting in climate storytelling, emphasizing the importance of amplifying underrepresented voices.

Student Project Showcase

Students also presented innovative projects tackling sustainability challenges:

Overconsumption | Morgan Dahlseide, Cordelia Lee, and Krysten Loiselle mapped out overconsumption systems and proposed solutions.

Urban Resilience | Mark Barsoum, Theo Geier, Fatime Llamzon, Steven Orechow, and Ethan Leong focused on climate change, energy, and urban resilience in Calgary.

Food Systems | Ryan Tebbutt, Tanner Grygus, and Oliver Marchuk explored food waste and access barriers in Calgary’s food system.

Looking ahead: Sustainability and you

“The main objective is that students get to see sustainability from different points of view,” explained Mauricio Latapí, assistant professor of Management at MRU and lead organizer of the forum. “So we have you know Indigenous speakers, but also business speakers and then we have sustainability from medicine or NGOs, just different perspectives. The idea is that students see that sustainability is not only environmental, not only policy making, but it can be a part of everything and anything that they’re interested in.”

In addition to the speaker series, student showcase, and greenhouse tours, MRU presented The Grizzlies, a Canadian film exploring themes of resilience within a northern Inuit community. This screening was part of the ongoing Sustainability Cinema Series, a monthly collaboration with institutions across Calgary. You can check out the full schedule here. 

If you’re looking to get involved, explore volunteer opportunities, or attend future events, take a look at MRU’s Sustainability Initiatives.

Manveet Kaur Waraich is a Staff Writer for The Reflector 2024-2025.