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The Chronicle Herald • Sponsored Content
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
SALTWIRE.COM
Looking ahead Promoting diversity and inclusion, supporting members through COVID-19 top of mind for new Chair, Vice Chair SARA ERICSSON
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eamwork and community are a huge part of what has seen the people and businesses in Nova Scotia through this past year, as people have together faced the COVID-19 pandemic while using different approaches to find a way through it. Our province has seen people navigate these tricky times by using their unique abilities, mindset, background, knowledge, culture or beliefs. Embracing this diversity of approaches is also how Nova Scotia businesses have together, as a business community, crafted great strategies that have helped them succeed, even in the pandemic’s darkest days. Focusing even further on this approach of diversity and inclusion is exactly what newly named Halifax Chamber of Commerce Chair Mark Sidebottom and Vice Chair Faten Alshazly have in mind as they head into their first year on the jobs. They are looking to foster collaboration and connection between businesses of all shapes and sizes, helping them come together and celebrate their unique offerings that each contribute to the magic this city and province are known and loved for. “There’s so much potential and incredible talent in all Nova Scotians. If you create the right conditions, you can see that flourish here. I’ve seen that time and again, when you get the right person set up with the right energy and conditions. When you facilitate that, amazing things happen,” says Sidebottom. UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES The appointment as Chair is new for Sidebottom, but Chamber work is not, as he served as Vice Chair last year and has been involved in countless Chamber committees. This involvement has given Sidebottom a first-hand look at the Chamber’s impact on Halifax area business, something he expects will only grow after the Chamber adopted new measures to help support its members through pandemic pivots. “This new role is an opportunity for me to give back and to pass this experience on, to contribute to the business community at large and to help businesses and members. It’s
also an opportunity for us to help each other navigate our future together as a team,” says Sidebottom. In addition to his time at the Chamber, Sidebottom brings a unique combination of big business and entrepreneurship experience to his new role. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Nova Scotia Power and the owner of a daycare chain in Nova Scotia and across Canada. Sidebottom also knows what it’s like to be a newcomer to Canada, having immigrated to Nova Scotia from the United Kingdom in 1977. This combination of perspectives is what he’ll use to connect with the Chamber’s diverse network of members. “These perspectives give me an understanding of what supports are important to a wide range of members — what their needs are and how we can create value for them based on those. This, together, helps me connect how the Chamber can best help each of its members,” says Sidebottom. New Vice Chair Alshazly is the Principal and Chief Creative Officer of the WeUsThem ad agency. She is a business owner with a combination of experience in health care, academia, government and now in the private sector, from which she has gleaned a unique combination of skills. These experiences have given Alshazly tenacity, creativity and an innovative outlook, which help her problem solve and work toward future successes. They are also what, she says, will help her identify how to support all Chamber members, their businesses and engage with them on how the Chamber can help them on their path to success. “We need to be thinking of all our constituents. As a woman executive and leader who also happens to represent a visible minority, I also bring this lens to the role — the lens that we aren’t all on an equal playing field. We need to be mindful of that,” says Alshazly. “We need to build resilience in our business community to ensure a sustainable future for all, from the single-owner businesses to the multinationals,” she says. Alshazly is also someone who believes in the value of personal connections. Although her schedule can make it difficult, she always tells everyone she
Mark Sidebottom and Faten Alshazly discuss their upcoming year as incoming Chair and Vice Chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce at the Nova Scotia Power offices. Ryan Williams Photography
meets, including members of the Chamber, to send her a note or drop her a line to schedule a meeting over coffee so she can get to know them better. Conversation is, after all, the quintessential Nova Scotian way of getting to know anyone, personally or professionally. “I am very approachable, so please do reach out if you would like to sit down and chat. We might need to fight through each of our schedules to find a time that works, but I am right downtown when I am in the office, so please feel free to drop me a note and hop on over so we can get to know each other,” she says. DIVERSITY FOCUS KEY Patrick Sullivan, Halifax Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, says he and the Chamber are excited as they look ahead to what’s in store during the next year, with Sidebottom and Alshazly at the Board’s helm. “I am so pleased to welcome our new Board leadership. With strong backgrounds in leadership, strategy and diversity and inclusion, Mark and Faten will lead us through a year of economic recovery and planning,” he says. Continuing to support businesses through their COVID-19 recovery will remain a focus in 2021, as Sidebottom says the Chamber will keep on as an advocate for business supports and solutions as it builds upon its 2020 successes in these areas. Another priority for both Sidebottom and Alshazly is to hone in even further on diversity and inclusion within the Chamber’s support programs and membership. “We will be looking at continuing to create relevant and timely information for our members that can help them flourish and recover this year,” says Sidebottom. “We’ll also be working to expand our membership, as well as a diverse and inclusive approach to how we do business. Bringing different perspectives to the table is a win for everybody.”
This new role is an opportunity for me to give back and to pass this experience on, to contribute to the business community at large and to help businesses and members.” — Mark Sidebottom, Chair, Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Mark Sidebottom is the Chief Operating Officer at Nova Scotia Power and incoming Chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Board. Ryan Williams Photography
Faten Alshazly is the Chief Creative Officer and Principal of WeUsThem and incoming Vice Chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Board. Ryan Williams Photography
Alshazly says diversity, equity and inclusivity will remain at the heart of the work that happens at the Chamber. She says the work that has brought these elements to the forefront will continue and even broaden in scope, as the Chamber continues listening to its Halifax business community and the organizations of all sizes that have helped build it up. “I want the work we do at the Chamber to reflect the incredible cultural richness and diversity of attributes of our members,” says Alshazly. On top of ensuring a lasersharp focus on diversity and inclusion, Alshazly says she’d like to see the Chamber advocate and advise for looking at how to optimize the capacity of Halifax’s port to facilitate national and international travel and bring it back to pre-COVID-19 levels, as well as help in bringing events and conventions back to Halifax once vaccines are widespread and restrictions loosen. “We need to get ready to help our beautiful city get back to some level of normalcy so that everyone can enjoy what Maclean’s now knows — that we are the top city in the country from a variety of perspectives,” she says. Bringing people together — within current public health and safety guidelines, of course — is something Alshazly and Sidebottom will both champion, thanks to how the practice bolsters business, churns out new ideas and creates community. Adding more diversity into that mix is something both agree will set Halifax up for even more success in the future — and the greatest possible chance at making it through the end stages of the pandemic even stronger than before. “We are here to support each other and if we can help you, we will,” says Alshazly. “I love the notion that we have such a diverse group of businesses that are members of the Chamber and I’d like to see that continue to grow, so more members can see all the benefits the Chamber has to offer.”
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Sponsored Content • The Chronicle Herald
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
SALTWIRE.COM
The Chain Yard team gets ready to deliver their cider across the city. Chain Yard
For the community, by the community Creating impact with investment
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his past year, we’ve seen Halifax business leaders and organizations step up for their community and local businesses by offering their support. Whether it be providing free and accessible informational training sessions and roundtables or offering funding programs and low-interest loans, community organizations and businesses have given back. It goes to show when the going gets tough, we can rely on the support of our business community. Since 2015, CUA has been making impactful investments through their Community Investment Grant Program. Committed to strengthening the financial health of Nova Scotians, the program contributes to projects and initiatives that make our communities and economy stronger. “As a banking institution serving Nova Scotians, our team is committed to helping good work go further in the communities where we live and work,” says Marie Mullally, President and CEO of CUA. “The program is the largest initiative within our annual Community Impact Plan and enables our team the opportunity to learn about important work happening across our province, driving meaningful conversations about how we can help entrepreneurs and community leaders in their everyday work.” Each year since then, CUA provides direct funding to individuals, organizations, small businesses and social enterprises from across the province. It’s a way to create meaningful and positive economic, social and environmental impact. About 70 organizations throughout Nova Scotia received more than $250,000 in funding and applications for the program increased by 33 per cent in 2021. CUA’s Community Investment Grant Program launched again this year and $100,000 in funding was awarded to 19 projects, organizations and small businesses. “This was the largest and most talented group of applicants in the program’s history and these 19 recipients had ideas and a vision that made us so proud to be part of their continued work,” says Mullally. The recipients’ collective aim is to make a positive impact in communities across Nova Scotia. The grant was distributed across five categories: new business, community, health and wellness, small business and sustainability. Selected by CUA’s Member Advisory Council, the recipients gathered for a virtual celebration to recognize and discuss the impact the funding will have. “Although we were unable to
invite recipients to an in-person celebration, eliminating the need to travel enabled a virtual celebration, welcoming representatives from many organizations across Nova Scotia,” says Mullally. “It was an inclusive way to shine a spotlight on every recipient and is an idea we plan to carry forward.” “For our team, these microgrants are much more than money,” says Mullally. “We continue to follow the journey of the recipients, promoting their efforts and encouraging our own customers to choose Nova Scotia-owned businesses.” A perfect example is Halifax Chamber member and 2017 small business grant recipient Stefanie MacDonald of Halifax Paper Hearts. The stationery and design studio owner not only prospered after receiving the grant, but she also became connected to other recipients. Now, the whimsical treasure maker has products of at least two other recipients sold in her retail store. “Helping to foster those connections goes beyond money; that’s helping entrepreneurs to build a network that will continue to deliver value in the future,” says Mullally. Amongst the 2021 recipients were two other Chamber members: Chain Yard Cider was awarded a $7,500 grant for the small business category and Greenii Inc. was awarded a $8,500 grant for sustainability. “It was a great day when I found out we won!” says Mike
Lim, Partner and Operations Manager of Chain Yard Cider. “I told the other owners first and then started messaging the suppliers.” The grant will facilitate the purchase of a Nova Scotiamanufactured “fizz whizz” carbonation system for the urban cidery. This canning equipment will improve on-site production by allowing the north end Halifax location to can in smaller formats and automatically carbonate the cider to desired levels. “We had planned to purchase these pieces of equipment next year, but we saw the opportunity to move on these projects faster than anticipated if we received the grant,” says Lim. With increased automation, Chain Yard’s small production team will focus on other tasks while the product is being carbonated. The smaller format of cider cans will further enable the design of a six pack, which can potentially be available at NSLC and private liquor stores this summer. “We are very thankful to CUA for their support and for the community and we look forward to putting this equipment to use, to help us grow as a company and to grow the Nova Scotia cider industry,” says Lim. Likewise, the grant will help Greenii Inc. purchase a rotary paper-sheeter machine to help improve production and ramp up its capacity. The machine will cut big rolls of clean-waste
Helping to foster those connections goes beyond money:, that’s helping entrepreneurs to build a network that will continue to deliver value in the future.” — Marie Mullally, President and CEO of CUA
paper into small sheets to make paper bags. The plan also includes buying a crinkle paper shredding machine. “Winning was a fantabulous experience because we were looking for funds to buy a machine to support our product,” says Purushothaman Cannane, Founder of Greenii Inc. “It’s perfect timing and there are no words to explain this experience. Thanks to CUA!” The community-based organization is a social enterprise solving the single-use plastic problem by reducing landfill and carbon emissions. It also
2022
MINA ATIA, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
gives employment opportunities for immigrating and newcomer refugee women. “We plan on employing more immigrant women, minorities and people with disabilities,” says Cannane. “We are also planning to work with paper waste resources, like paper mills, recycling centres, libraries, schools and universities.” Using the soon-to-be-acquired machine can speed up the production process and scale Greenii’s business throughout other Atlantic provinces, Canada and the U.S. in the next few years. “We can save more trees by quickly converting the wastepaper rolls into sheets and eventually convert into paper bags, bin liners, wine bags and crinkle paper shreds,” says Cannane. “A million thanks to CUA for such a timely support of our business. Our company is very grateful to them and our community and we would like to congratulate other winners and applicants.” Planning for the 2022 Community Investment Grant Program has begun and CUA will be releasing details later this year. “We encourage Chamber members, small businesses and community organizations to consider how a microinvestment could be a catalyst for greater impact,” says Mullally. “Seeing recipients’ continued growth and expansion is what will validate the program’s lasting impact.”
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