The Best Companies For the World

We are living in momentous, exciting times. People are rallying to build a better world, one with a more inclusive, green prosperity.

Entrepreneurs are part of this global socio-cultural movement; their successful companies create value for society and meet high environmental, social and governance standards.

They create businesses of all sizes, in every sector of the economy. No longer satisfied with being the “Best in the world”, they create companies to be the “Best for the world”.

In this discussion, our host and Futurpreneur CEO Karen Greve Young will welcome our guests Isabelle Hudon, BDC’s new CEO, and moderator Craig Ryan, BDC's Director, Purpose Entrepreneurship, to share what BDC has learned about this exciting movement. Craig will lead an enthusiastic discussion with four young entrepreneurs who will describe their entrepreneurship journeys as well as their companies’ successful contributions to a more sustainable world.

When: October 19th from 2:00pm – 3:30pm EST

Meet the panelists:

Joe Parenteau, Chief Executive Officer of Fable

Fable is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store that sells high quality tableware at an accessible price point. Additionally, they are devoted to creating a brand that helps more people cook at home, share meals, and give back to the community. They partner with MealShare and other charities to help give back to the community around Vancouver.

Hannah Brennan & Mark Coombs, Co-Founders of Sleepout

For years, Mark Coombs suffered from insomnia and needed to have every room he slept in pitch-black; meanwhile, Hannah Brennan dealt with towels and garbage bags being taped to windows until she had finally had enough. Together, they launched Sleepout, a brand devoted to helping people sleep better while doing good for the environment.

Sleepout is deeply committed to environmental justice, with a climate-positive (beyond carbon neutral) mandate and sustainable design and manufacturing. In partnership with One Tree Planted®, Sleepout has committed to plant a tree for every product sold, as well as completely offset all of its own carbon emissions. They use sustainable manufacturing processes and ethical business practices with top certifications in all areas to make a positive impact on both people and the planet.

Naomie Caron, Chief Executive Officer of Selfish Swimwear

As the designer and founder of Selfish Swimwear, Naomie Caron has always had a flair for enhancing fashion. Torn between the overconsumption of the fashion industry and her vocation for social justice, Naomie decided to create a more sustainable and all-inclusive brand.

Selfish Swimwear is an ethical and responsible swimwear brand that advocates body positivity. Handmade in their Montreal studio, each piece is made with care and love. From the design to the last stitch, they make it all. Selfish Swimwear uses fabric made from recycled fibres to create sustainable swimsuits that are comfortable and timeless.

MODERATOR: Craig Ryan, Director, Purpose Entrepreneurship at BDC

Craig Ryan has more than twenty years of experience providing strategy and policy advice to decision-makers in business, government and civil society. He never planned to be a banker but decided to give it a go upon learning that BDC was exclusively dedicated to people creating companies; he now leads its team to help grow Canada’s national movement of certified Beneficial corporations (B Corps). Craig has a masters in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and sits on the boards of directors of Rise, a charity that provides loans and advice for people with mental health problems who are launching business projects, and NOVAlex Clinic, the charitable wing of the only B Corp law firm in Quebec.

Special Guests

Isabelle Hudon, President and Chief Executive Officer at BDC

Isabelle Hudon is President and CEO of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. As BDC’s first woman CEO, Ms. Hudon brings a deep business background and a clear vision for an inclusive economy to support growth for Canadian entrepreneurs. She is a champion of diversity, gender equality and the green economy, leading BDC’s 2,500-person team in their efforts to help Canadian entrepreneurs grow resilient, sustainable businesses.

Karen Greve Young, Chief Executive Officer at Futurpreneur

Karen Greve Young is CEO of Futurpreneur, a national non-profit that has supported the success of 14,400+ young entrepreneurs over the past 25 years. Building on her global finance and strategy experience, Karen is an accomplished non-profit leader dedicated to fostering inclusive economic and social prosperity through new approaches and partnerships. Her pan-Canadian Futurpreneur team is proud of their work helping diverse, young entrepreneurs launch businesses that contribute to sustainable economic development in their communities and for Canada.