Across the globe people are keenly aware of how social and environmental factors are critical to the health and prosperity of our communities. As efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are pursued by business, governments, and communities worldwide, students from the Smith School of Business are seeking to make their impact.

Hosted by Smith’s Centre for Social Impact, the 13^th annual Social Impact Summit provides unique opportunities for Queen’s students and our broader community to learn from today’s trailblazers who are scaling solutions to today’s toughest challenges.

The summit, being held on Queen’s campus on Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11, brings together leading academics and practitioners to foster discussion on a wide variety of issues and topics that will empower them to move forward and make a social impact. This year’s theme is ‘Fierce and Furious.’

“The Social Impact Summit, along with the Social Innovation Bootcamp that was held Oct. 13-14, are  opportunities for students to engage with leading professionals in the area of social finance, social entrepreneurship, social innovation,” says Joanna Reynolds, Associate Director, Centre for Social Impact. “The summit allows students to reflect upon their values and to understand from seasoned professionals how values apply to business and community life.”

As always, the summit offers an excellent lineup of speakers, including an opening keynote address on Friday by Zita Cobb, co-founder and CEO of the Shorefast Foundation and Innkeeper of the Fogo Island Inn.

A full day of learning and networking activities follows on Saturday, including morning keynote sessions featuring speakers Geoff Green, founder and President of Students on Ice Foundation, Chef Michael Smith and Chastity Smith, proprietors of The Inn at Bay Fortune, and Valérie Courtois, Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. The afternoon has a full schedule of panel sessions and workshops.

The Social Impact Summit is open to the Queen’s and the Kingston communities, but registration is required.

Delegates expected to attend the Social Impact Summit include Queen’s students in the Commerce programs as well as the MBA and Master of International Business programs.  Many of whom are enrolled in the Certificate in Social Impact Program.

The Centre for Social Impact wishes to thank the OLG for their continued support of the Social Impact Summit. Visit the Centre for Social Impact’s website for the complete agenda.

The Centre for Social Impact at Smith School of Business was established in 2004 with a mission to educate students and foster education, research, and advocacy on issues impacting our local and global communities. Every year, the Centre presents and supports a wide range of programming for students, staff, faculty, and members of the Queen’s community to learn about the processes and practices that drive social impact – including the practice of values-based leadership and, social innovation, which refers to an innovative product, process or program that profoundly and positively changes a social system and is widely recognized a key driver of solutions to such complex issues. For more information please contact the Centre at csi@queensu.ca.