Announcing the finalists for our Business of Good Awards

Our first annual awards celebrate B.C. organizations that turn the principles of social responsibility into action

It’s always tough to start a new awards program, and that was no different with the Business of Good.

But sifting through the numerous submissions, we found a wealth of socially responsible, community-minded organizations that prove it really is possible to give back while turning a profit.

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without the expertise of our judges, all four of whom are listed at the bottom of this page.

We hope you’ll join us in recognizing the winners and runners-up at our March 4 event at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The contenders will also be featured in the March issue of BCBusiness.

Here are the finalists, listed alphabetically, in five categories (Community Involvement, Environmental Sustainability, Inclusivity, Indigenous Prosperity and Workplace Wellness), along with a special citation.

BroadbandTV Corp.

Beedie

Canucks Sports & Entertainment

Concert Properties

East Side Games

Gabi & Jules Handmade Pies and Baked Goodness

Genus Capital Management

Hatfield Consultants

Hedgehog Technologies

Modo

Odlum Brown

Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm

Persephone Brewing Co.

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, UVic

Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, UBC Sauder School of Business

Rhiza Capital

Salt Spring Coffee

Spring Activator

Traction on Demand

Unbounce

Judges

Darian Kovacs

Kovacs has 15 years’ experience in marketing, communications and public relations, and has been a founder and board member of various foundations and charitable organizations. Through his award-winning company, Jelly Marketing, he’s worked with local, national and global brands to build and execute their digital and PR strategies.

Carol Liao

Liao is director of the Centre for Business Law and assistant professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, and the UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar with the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics at the UBC Sauder School of Business.

Matt O’Grady

The former BCBusiness editor-in-chief  is an award-winning communications professional who has held senior leadership positions at regional and national media companies, including head of the Globe and Mail‘s B.C. bureau. Besides freelancing for a variety of outlets—he writes our It’s a Good Thing column—O’Grady teaches journalism at SFU and Langara College.

Mary Ellen Schaafsma

Director of the Social Purpose Institute at United Way of the Lower Mainland, Schaafsma works with companies throughout the region and beyond. She helps them experience the benefits of pivoting their business model to instil a social purpose at their core while creating tangible and meaningful community and societal impact.

Judges recused themselves when any conflicts arose through their personal or professional obligations