For the first CCHL National Conference, the Canadian College of Health Leaders engaged with Events for Change as an in-kind sponsor. Events for Change is an MCI program that is designed to curate and execute sustainable and equitable events, qualified against a proprietary criterion that was developed by their team of specialists. CCHL committed to 15 actions items as part of the work with Events for Change, including providing attendees and staff with an energy-efficient checklist, offering plant-based meals, partnering with a food bank for post event food donations, offering complimentary feminine hygiene products, and making strides towards a paper-less event. Previous conferences hosted by the College were assessed and achieved Champion level status, but after making some key changes and focusing on equity and sustainability, the CCHL National Conference rose to the Legend level. The Legend level is the highest level of excellence in the Events for Change program and is the most progressive. It was noted in the post-event report that of all the clients who have participated in the Events for Change Program to date, the CCHL National Conference has achieved the highest score.
In addition to the Events for Change program, the College also partnered with Trees for Life to host a fundraiser to plant trees for healthcare heroes. This fundraiser was successful in raising enough money to purchase 50 seedlings. Over the first fifty years of their lifespan, every 10 seedlings planted will compensate for approximately 5 tons of C02 emissions. The money raised is the equivalent of taking 5 cars off the road for a full year or offsetting almost a full day’s worth of C02 emissions from an average 200 bed hospital.
The College is proud of the momentum achieved at the CCHL National Conference and will continue to strive for improvement and be an advocate for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable events.
To learn more about Events for Change you can visit their website: https://www.sustainability-scorecard.ca/.
To learn more about Trees for Life you can visit their website: https://www.treesforlife.ca/
Click here to read the full CCHL National Conference Report from Events for Change (PDF).
