Skip to navigation Skip to content

News  •  4 min

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS - 6 BOARD OF DIRECTOR POSITIONS OPEN

Published on 

Équiterre is an environmental organization working to make the necessary collective transitions towards an equitable and environmentally sound future more tangible, accessible and inspiring - by reorienting how we feed ourselves, how we get around and how we produce and consume.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As a non-profit organization, Équiterre is governed by a Board of Directors which currently includes nine individuals elected by Équiterre’s members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), for a renewable two year term.

Hailing from various professional, social and cultural sectors, Équiterre Board members have strong environmental values and are involved in their communities. Each Board member injects vitality into the organization in their own way, through their enthusiasm and ideas.

With a staff team of 65 employees, Équiterre has experienced significant growth in recent years. Over the course of 2021, Équiterre’s Board of Directors established two new committees to help guide the organization’s growth--the Human Resources Committee and the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee--which were added to the Governance and Ethics Committee. In order to ensure that these three committees operate to their fullest potential, the Board decided to bring on two new members to broaden the required areas of expertise. The number of Board members has therefore increased from 9 to 11, thereby opening up the possibility of two new positions to be elected in 2022. These two openings will, however, be conditional on the adoption by the AGM of the amended by-laws (changing the number of Board members).

At the 2022 AGM/EGM, 6 of the 11 volunteer board member positions will be open to be filled by new candidates or by current members willing to stand for re-election. The Annual General Meeting will be webcast on April 28, 2022 from 4 to 6 pm.

  • To view the list of current Board members
  • To view the list of candidates for election in 2022, click here (in French)

WHAT IS A BOARD MEMBER'S ROLE?

Working together with Équiterre’s management team, Board members ensure that the organization runs smoothly and is managed properly and efficiently. Candidates must have a personal interest in promoting the ecological transition. They must be available to attend 5 board meetings per year, including Équiterre’s annual retreat. Meetings are usually held in the evening, except for the annual retreat, which takes place during the day. Board members should also be available to serve on one of the Board's committees, where any additional meetings are dependent on the members and their availabilities (minimum of 3 meetings per year). In addition, directors also play a role in the search for independent private sources of income, such as fundraising activities, to help ensure that Équiterre maintains its financial independence.

At the AGM, the Chair of the Board and the Treasurer table the Annual Report, budget and action plan for the current year, along with the financial statements for the previous year. Board members are also responsible for mapping out Équiterre’s strategic directions, and as part of this role, they oversaw the development of the Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 (in French).

WHAT TYPES OF PROFILES ARE WE SEEKING?

To ensure broader expertise within our Board of Directors and to support all facets of governance, we look for candidates whose contributions can help enrich one or more of the following aspects:

  • Human Resources: Our team continues to grow, and the Board would like to be able to draw on increased expertise in areas that relate to our organizational model, employment equity and diversity, succession planning and salary policies;
  • Legal experience: As a non-profit organization, Équiterre requires an effective analysis of the legal issues involved in conducting our activities. We are therefore seeking candidates with a strong legal background and experience;
  • Finance and risk management: it is critical that the Board be able to advise management on these matters and make recommendations to it through the Finance, Audit and Risk Management committee.
  • Government Relations: Équiterre is in continual contact with various levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) and a thorough understanding of how these various bodies work would be an asset to the Board.
  • Philanthropy: With independent sources of funding providing a high level of independence in its operations, Équiterre’s board would benefit from expertise in the area of philanthropy;
  • Organizational management: With our ongoing commitment to best practices in governance and a major digital transformation project underway, we are looking for people with experience in this area.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Send us your bio and a photo of yourself using this form (in French);
  • Send us an introductory video (in French) no longer than one minute (landscape format) via WeTransfer to mnormand@equiterre.org. The video should include a summary of: 
    • your expertise and your work experience and how they match one or more of the profiles listed;
    • your interest in Équiterre's mission.

Deadline: 11:59 pm on April 12.
These items will then be posted on our website and members will be asked to vote using a secure form which will be sent out at a later date. Feel free to contact mnormand@equiterre.org for any technical support.

* To be eligible to vote at the AGM and to run for a seat on the Board of Directors, you must be a member in good standing of Équiterre. Please note that Board meetings are conducted in French.

Our organization subscribes to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in employment in our policies, practices, programs and leadership, within our teams and on our Board of Directors. Every effort is made to ensure fairness, diversity and inclusion within the Board in order to reflect the plurality of Quebec society.