8th Annual Summit
for the credit union industry
Hosted by UNFCU #UIS2025
Attend In-Person or Virtually
Palais des congres de Montreal
10017 1001 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montreal, QC H2Y 0A3, Canada
Reception
Tues. 18 Nov, 17:30-19:30
Hotel Bonaventure Montreal
Post- conference (optional event)
Wed. 19 Nov., 15:30 – 16:30
Sustainable theme guided tour of the International Civil Aviation Museum
Event details
Credit unions are catalyzing local impact on a global scale to advance sustainability. With community focus, we are taking action on a changing climate* and socio-economic inequalities. Our collective impact has defined a movement. Join the conversation at this year’s United in Sustainability Summit in Quebec, the North American birthplace of cooperatives. We’ll explore ways to achieve bottom-line growth, while making a positive difference in society:
LEARN how to incorporate values-based Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) into your strategy and reporting.
OBTAIN resources and insight on sustainability in the Digital Age, the culture of inclusion, green products/services, clean energy, and member well-being.
CONNECT with global experts and peers on best practices, ranging from climate risk mitigation to social purpose, building more resilient communities, and more!
Whether starting or accelerating your sustainability journey, attendees will find useful information, practical application, and fresh ideas at the Summit.
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Location & Where To Stay
Entering the Palais des congres de Montreal
Activities
Complimentary Breakfast 08:00 – 09:00
Complimentary Lunches 13:15 – 14:15
Post- conference (optional activity on 19 Nov 15:30-16:30)
Sustainable theme, guided tour of the International Civil Aviation Organization Museum
Reception
Join us for networking and celebratory fare on the first night of our conference. Complimentary event. from 15:30 – 17:30.
Hotels
Program Agenda
UIS Summit, 18 November – Day One
Palais des congrès
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast/Networking
09:00 – Welcome remarks by Yma Gordon, FVP, Global Impact & Inclusion, UNFCU, and Executive Director, UNFCU Foundation, New York, USA.
09:15 – Keynote: Wellington Holbrook, President and CEO, Vancity, Vancouver, Canada on the Business Case for Sustainability: leveraging the credit union difference for positive impact
09:45 – Q&A/Fireside moderated by Yma Gordon
10:00 – Presentation: Sustainability in the Digital Age: unpacking AI’s impact on the environment, challenges, and opportunities with Sally Radwan Golestan, Chief Digital Officer, UN Environment Programme.
Session facilitated by Dr. Damon Matthews, Professor of Geography, Planning and the Environment, Concordia University, Montreal; Interim Executive Director, Future Earth Canada Hub and Sustainability in the Digital Age
10:45 – Networking Break
11:15 – Our Panel of Experts weighs-in on their perspectives and trends in credit union sustainability with Andrea Harris, VP, Impact Strategy, Vancity, Vancouver, Canada; Simeon Chapin, Chief Community Officer at American Eagle Financial Credit Union, Connecticut, USA; Stéphanie Guico, COO, Fonds Cap Finance, Montreal, Canada; and David Honick, Senior Manager, Climate & Sustainability, UNFCU, New York, USA; moderating Susan Hendershot, Director of Community Engagement, Self-Help Climate Capital Self-Help Credit Union, Illinois, USA
12:15 – Panel: Why the maxim, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is now more relevant than ever with insights on communicating your values with Chip Lusk, President/CEO, IDB FCU, Washington, DC, USA; Damaris Carroll, Lead DEI and Employee Experience Partner and Michael Summers, EVP & Chief Culture Officer, Velera, Florida, USA; Emma Hayes, Chief Culture Officer, NCSECU, North Carolina, USA; moderated by Carlene Alexander, VP, Global Impact & Inclusion, UNFCU, New York, USA
13:15 – Lunch and Networking
14:15 – Panel discussion – Green solutions: Insights and best practices on bringing new products to market and engaging your members on sustainability. In conversation with Eric Darmanin, Chief Revenue Officer, UNFCU, and Jamie O’Donnell, AVP, Product Solutions Marketing, UNFCU, New York, USA; Dan LeFree, CEO, Harborstone FCU, Washington State, USA; and Laurie Fielder, VP, Green Lending, Eastrise FCU, Vermont, USA; moderated by Marie-Josée Paquette, General Director of the Quebec Council of Co-operation and Mutualism, Quebec, Canada
15:15 – Spotlight – Bringing Climate Risk into Focus: A deep-dive on insurance, strategies, opportunities, and risk management practices with Steven Rothstein, Chief Program Officer, Ceres, Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets, Massachusetts, USA; Neda Arabshahi, EVP, Center of Clean Energy and Resiliency, Inclusiv, New York, USA; and Dan Apfel, CEO of Genesee Coop, New York, USA
16:15 – Day one of the Summit concludes
17:30-19:30 – Reception Bonaventure Hotel
UIS Summit, 19 November – Day Two Palais des congrès
08:00 – Breakfast/Networking
09:00 – Welcome remarks and program review
09:05 – Panel: Partnerships that accelerate impact: the role of community-led innovation and the global replicability of sustainable solutions (Angelina Tracy, Vice President, Strategic Growth & Global Programs, World Council of Credit Unions, sharing results from a just-released study identifying success factors for credit unions in climate finance, capacity building, funding and regulatory frameworks; David McDonnell, CEO, Naomh Breandan Credit Union, Galway, Ireland, Pat Morrissey, Chief Marketing Officer, Synergy Credit Union, Cork County, Ireland, and Tracy Fortino, Director of Sustainability & ESG, First West Credit Union, Vancouver, Canada); moderated by Maggie Stefanowicz, Health, Safety and Environment Specialist, Thales
10:00 – Segue to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bélem, Brazil with Daniela Romio, Communications Officer, Sicredi CU-Brazil
10:15 – Workshops Fireside Chat – Data and Disruption: The Future of Financial Health in the Face of Changing Climate and Technology with Dr. Taylor Nelms, Vice President of Research and Insights; moderated by Megan Synder, SVP and
Chief Impact Officer, Unitus Community Credit Union, Oregon, USA
Panel – Reporting and Accountability – no greenwashing here: insights from (Shannon McIlhone, Technical Lead, Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials, Toronto, Canada; Paul Herendeen, Vice President of Sustainability, Clearwater
CU, Montana, USA and a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, and Dr. Sonja Novkovic, Professor Emerita of Economics at Saint Mary’s University, and Academic Director of the International Centre for Cooperative Management,
on sustainability alignment and reporting; and Elizabeth Dove, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network-Canada – moderated by Jérôme Petigny, Team Lead, Climate Change, Biodiversity and ESG Data at Desjardins, Montreal.
11:15 – Networking Break
11:30 – Spotlight on the Cooperative Advantage with Dr. Leon Prieto, Professor of Management & Founding Director of the Center for Social Innovation & Sustainable Entrepreneurship at Clayton State University, Georgia, USA,
Research Fellow at Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation – University of Cambridge, UK
Facilitated by Juan Fernandez Ceballos, President & CEO, Luminate, Louisiana Credit Union League
12:15 – Panel discussion – Perspectives on Governance sustainability lessons learned leading organizations through operational, policy and climate change with Dennis Cunningham, Manager of Environmental Sustainability, Assiniboine Credit Union, Manitoba, Canada; Dr. Sonia Li Trottier, Director, Canada Climate Law Initiative, Montreal, Canada; and Karen Miner, Managing Director, International Centre for Co-operative Management, Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia, Canada; moderated by Carlos Calderon, President/CEO, OAS FCU, Washington, DC, USA
14:00 – Social Purpose in Action Presentation: how to fully leverage a key CU differentiator and earn members’ trust with Coro Strandberg, Chair of the Canadian Purpose Economy Project, and social purpose and ESG expert, BC, Canada; and Maureen Young, Vice President, Social Purpose, Coast Capital Credit Union, BC, Canada; moderated by Dr. Jennifer Esperanza, EVP of Organizational Strategy at Coopera Consulting, Iowa, USADemo: ESG & Social Purpose Toolkit, published by the Canadian Credit Union Association: a new credit union roadmap to start or advance your journey with author Coro Strandberg and Kerry Ould, CMO and Communications Officer, PenFinancial, Ontario, Canada
14:40 – Wrap up and reflections
15:00 UIS Summit concludes
Check out previous United in Sustainability Summits
The annual United in Sustainability (UIS) Summit was established in 2018. It serves as a platform for credit unions and industry thought leaders to share information, tools and resources related to sustainability, diversity and corporate social responsibility.
2024 UIS Summit
The 7th United in Sustainability (UIS) Summit underscored financial cooperatives’ progress on positive community impact and commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Credit unions and their associations convened at the UN NY headquarters on actionable strategies and best practices for advancing sustainability – from green financing to ensuring financial inclusion.
2023 UIS Summit
The 6th Annual UIS Credit Union Summit was held on Monday 30 November 2023 at the Organization of American States (OAS) Main Building in Washington, DC. Learn how to start or advance your credit union’s sustainability journey and how to combat climate change and socio-economic disparity.
2022 UIS Summit
The 5th Annual UIS Credit Union Summit was held on Monday 14 November 2022 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Learn how to start or advance your credit union’s sustainability journey and how to combat climate change and socio-economic disparity.
Spread the word. Join the movement!
Have questions? Contact info@unfcufoundation.org
United in Sustainability is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
