CHARLOTTETOWN – May 2, 2024 – After a first year of success and triumph, RDÉE Prince Edward Island’s « IMPACT: Towards Responsible and Sustainable Development in Atlantic Canada » (IMPACT DD) project is looking to recruit a second group of businesses and organizations that have a francophone capacity to accompany them on their sustainable development journey.

The first cohort was made up of the Société acadienne et francophone de l’ÎPÉ (SAF’Île), Urbainville Farms and Double Hil Cidery. Since last fall, these three have each received approximately 16 hours of training to learn how to analyze their operations and practices, determine their sustainable development (SD) objectives, set up an SD committee, consult their partners and prepare an SD plan. They also each receive 25 to 100 hours of individual coaching from coordinator Israël Poulin to guide them through the process. The whole process should be completed by the end of June. A small « graduation » ceremony is planned for them in June.

« It’s been a very interesting and constructive experience for these first three clients, » says Maryne Floch-Le Goff, the RDÉE economic development officer in charge of the IMPACT project. « We are therefore looking to offer a similar experience to three or four other companies and organizations from this fall until late spring 2025. But interested parties must apply no later than July 4 by visiting the www.rdeeipe.net/impact web page. In the weeks following this date, we’ll make a selection, announce the names of the second cohort, and then launch the training in late September or early October. »

GREAT VALUE

The coaching offered to each of the selected customers is worth around $15,000, but is provided free of charge through the project. In the medium term, participants should see a reduction in their operational costs and a maximization of their productivity, an improvement in their reputation and innovation in the way they do things as they experiment with new techniques and tools. They should also see an improvement in their employees’ well-being at work, and should be able to better attract and retain employees and better manage their risks. All this while reducing their environmental impact and resource consumption and increasing the social benefits of their activities.

The IMPACT project, which is offered in all Atlantic provinces, aims to make everyone aware that sustainable development aims toward a healthier and more respectful use of all resources, be they financial, human, material or natural. The program often refers to ESG criteria: environment, social and governance. So it’s much more than simply “going green”.

Over the three years of the program, RDÉE PEI hopes to support 10 companies and organizations on their journey. The IMPACT DD program, funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes, is delivered in partnership with the Centre québécois de développement durable and RDÉE Canada.

To promote sustainable development, IMPACT also presents an annual award at the Acadian Entrepreneurs’ Gala, recognizing a company or organization for its SD efforts. The project also organizes public awareness workshops and publishes articles on a variety of SD topics.

-30-

PHOTO: Maryne Floch-Le Goff, RDÉE PEI’s economic development officer in charge of IMPACT, and Israël Poulin, coordinator of the IMPACT DD project, discuss the recruitment of the second cohort of participants for 2024-2025.

 

For further information, please contact:

MARYNE FLOCH-LE GOFF
Economic Development Officer
Sustainable Development Sector
(902) 907-2921
maryne@rdeeipe.org

 

ISRAËL POULIN
Coordinator
IMPACT DD Project
consultant.agora@gmail.com