March 8 is International Women’s Day, and the United Nations has declared the IWD 2022 theme Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, “recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.”
This year’s theme is particularly relevant, as women are among the most vulnerable groups disadvantaged by the climate crisis. Globally, women are more likely to experience poverty and barriers to access of education, information and resources – and therefore less likely to be able to engage in climate action.
International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate and encourage women’s leadership and participation in climate action. On March 8, Niagara College is proudly celebrating some of the outstanding employees who are leading the charge on sustainability and gender equality in their respective areas.
Taryn Wilkinson manages the Office of Sustainability at NC. Together with her colleague Amber Schmucker, their goal is to enhance the culture of sustainability at NC. This includes raising awareness and engagement, and moving the College toward broader, net-positive sustainability impacts – a central part of NC’s strategic direction.
Taryn is an alumna from NC’s Environmental Management and Assessment Graduate Certificate program and she holds a Master of Environment and Business. Taryn works to address the reduction of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, waste diversion, biodiversity and water monitoring at NC – all while collaborating with employees and students to enact best practices and create inclusive, work-integrated learning and engagement opportunities.
Taryn’s sustainability work often intersects with issues of gender inequity, like working with a women-led brewery in Bhutan to develop the first corporate greenhouse gas inventory in the country. With her help, the brewery in South Asia developed environmental management plans to reduce their footprint and thrive in the sector. Taryn also led climate change research for the development of climate-responsive gender assessments for the Government of St. Lucia as part of the EnGenDER project.
“Women are demonstrating immense resiliency around the world by leading climate action movements, building clean sources of energy, finding innovative ways to reimagine products, and championing alternative models of what a sustainable community looks like.”
Taryn wants the whole NC community – students and employees alike – to get involved with climate action.
“Everyone has a role to play in addressing sustainability-related challenges. Our office loves working with students and employees to create new opportunities and find efficiencies in existing systems, to update and enhance those sustainability skill sets on campus and in our local and global community.”
Navjote Khara, professor and program coordinator of the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration, approaches gender equality from a place of empowerment. Khara – who recognizes that gender balance and a sustainable future are not mutually exclusive – carves out space in the classroom for female students to voice their opinions, seek women mentors, and engage in research led by women.
Khara’s research interests include sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
“There is a unanimous consensus that gender balance and sustainable development goals are mutually reinforcing and the way to a sustainable future for all.”
In her classroom, Khara puts important questions to her students to shed light on the realities of gender inequality, from gender-based violence, sexual harassment, gender poverty, and gender-based pay gaps – all of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. She upholds the value that educational institutions, and especially business schools, have a critical role to play in acknowledging the existence of inequities in classrooms and in the business fields.
Ashley Buck is the Indigenous Student Success Leader in Indigenous Education at NC. Her work centres around honoring traditional Indigenous knowledge and ways of being and doing. Ashley is Onondaga and a member of Six Nations of the Grand River, and her strengths lie in relationship-building, which she explains is at the heart of Indigenous culture. Ashley is also active in the community, chairing the Indigenous Education Advisory Council in collaboration with local school boards and Indigenous community agencies.
Supporting Indigenous students at NC, Ashley’s work is naturally entwined with sustainability. She explains that the relationship to land and place is very important to Indigenous peoples, and there is much that Indigenous teachings can offer students about sustainability. At NC, Ashley collaborates with the Office of Sustainability in the Indigenous Garden, exploring traditional medicine and plants and traditional knowledge about the land.
Supporting Knights student athletes and sport development across the Niagara Peninsula, Michele O’Keefe is NC’s Athletic Director. As one of the top female policy-makers in international sport, Michele serves on the FIBA Americas Board and FIBA’s Central Board. Locally, she is a board member of the 2022 Canada Summer Games Host Society.
Michele is committed to elevating women in sport and to leading with sustainability in mind. Committed to the UN’s sustainable development goals in sport, Michele is leading initiatives for women and girls to imagine the possibilities the world of sport can take them. NC’s Women’s Coach School allowed female athletes to envision a career contributing to sport and community. Their latest initiative – Girls Day – co-hosted with the City of Welland, will take place in May and will support young girls stepping into sports with a safe and inclusive environment.
