The latest addition to their executive team shows that the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is looking to stay consistent with their environment, social, and governance (ESG) goals for 2024.
The crown corporation yesterday announced they’ve added Natasha Questel as its new Chief Social Purpose Officer and Vice President, Marketing, effective Jan. 22. Questel has had a lot of experience in the non-profit and consumer-packaged-goods sectors. She was most recently CEO at One Girl Can, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to breaking down poverty and gender inequality among vulnerable girls. Previous to that, she was president of Happy Planet Foods, a Vancouver-based sustainable food company.
In December, BCLC issued their annual report that detailed not only $1.6 billion in net income, but also progress in embedding social purpose into business operations, as well as expansion of its social and environmental commitments.
The organization has set goals for 2030, a “roadmap” as Manager of Sustainability Innovation at BCLC, Jim Gudjonson, said on how BCLC can be more sustainable as an organization – becoming a leader in addressing climate change, creative positive social impact, and governing in the public interest. ESG was set to be not a plan, but a framework, he added, so its elements are embedded at a strategic, divisional, and departmental level in the organization.
Goals are set under all three categories of the framework (environment, social, and governance) and achieving those goals will be measured by various metrics.
“As BCLC continues to mature as a social purpose company working to generate win-wins for the greater good, it’s integral that we continue to embed our ‘reason for being’ into all that we do,” said Pat Davis, President and CEO, BCLC, in a statement. “Natasha’s passion for making a difference, combined with her demonstrated business success, will enable us to innovate and iterate on how we can further improve our business – and influence others to do the same – for the betterment of society.”
Questel also clearly made an impression with her volunteer efforts, including serving as board chair and working board member of Basket Brigade Canada, a not-for-profit that delivers food baskets to single mothers and under-represented Canadians in need. She has been featured in the Globe and Mail and Vancouver Sun talking about the need to break down barriers for women and drive inclusivity in the Canadian workplace.
