We are in a time of change. For Laridae, as well as for many of our clients across Ontario, 2019 has been a year of transition.
The changing landscapes range from global movements in corporate responsibility for social and environmental impacts, government shifts in policy, community pressures, and adjustments to organizational structures and service delivery, to individuals seeking meaningful employment that is driven by purpose.
As Laridae’s new CEO, I believe that building a company, a team, and a community within an ethical framework has never been more important. In a time when there is a global shift pushing both companies and individuals to “do better”, Laridae is well positioned. We have long focused on how best to represent and support all of our stakeholders. We publicly demonstrate this as a proud B-Corp. Indeed, the future of Laridae is truly about generating value for all of our stakeholders, including staff, clients, and the communities in which we live and work.
Our Clients
As a company that serves only non-profits and public-sector organizations across Ontario and beyond, Laridae seeks work that drives our purpose and speaks to our values. Our mission continues to be to support our clients—by finding creative solutions that reflect their emerging needs, integrating successful change, and enhancing their ability to deliver even better services. In response to our clients moving through change—whether the situation requires addressing organizational structures, supporting workplace culture through a period of turnover, guiding governance decisions, ensuring efficiency and sustainability, and even preparing for possible integrations—Laridae supports and encourages effective change management.
Our Communities
When considering the great impacts and pressures that communities are facing, we must do all we can to improve lives and livelihoods. As individuals and as a company, we appreciate the benefits of healthy, thriving communities that foster collaboration, inclusivity, and sustainability. To do our part, we prioritize fair and ethical relationships with suppliers and sub-contractors, with a focus on buying local and supportive sourcing; consider our social responsibility through client work; and focus on reducing our overall environmental impact.
It is our duty as citizens, and as a company, to not only join the global shift, but lead the charge as a B-Corp, while encouraging others to do the same.
Our Team
Over the last seven years, Laridae’s team has been a rock. Collectively, we have built this company into one of the leading consulting firms in the non-profit space in the country—an accomplishment we are very proud of. Our strong relationships with non-profits across Ontario are based on collaborative approaches and best-practice solutions. To date, we have supported over 150 organizations to address significant challenges; we have helped them thrive in measurable ways. We are motivated by our purpose and compassion, which are demonstrated through the projects we deliver, the clients we work with, and our B-Corp certification.
We will continue to invest in our team. We will continue to seek meaningful work that enables us to deliver on our values, offer learning opportunities and professional growth, and create a workplace culture that attracts and retains fantastic talent.
Through this year of transition, Laridae has seen three of our amazing colleagues, Amanda English, Laura Gaughan, and Jenn Harrington, move on to the next big opportunities in their lives. We can’t thank them enough for their contributions to Laridae and can’t wait to see what they go on to accomplish next.
In recent months, we have been pleased to welcome two new faces, Matt Ditchfield and Alnis Dickson, who have contributed significantly to our internal and external capacity. Furthermore, on a personal note, I look forward to this opportunity to continue growing Laridae alongside Jonathan Bennett, Laridae’s Founder, as he shares his expertise in strategy, planning and governance with clients as a Senior Associate.
In this year of change, it is time to reflect and grow, to evolve. Together with our communities, we must be ready to embrace change and solve the toughest challenges that confront us all.