Over 50 Canadian Companies Advanced Thinking On Climate Adaptation And Communities In Hybrid Event

On 14 April 2026, UN Global Compact Network Canada, in partnership with West Fraser Timber and with support from Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Adaptation Program, hosted Risk to Resilience: The Business Case for Community-Centered Climate Adaptation at West Fraser’s corporate headquarters in Vancouver and online. The half-day, hybrid event brought together sustainability leaders, supply chain professionals, HR executives, and community-focused strategists from across the country to explore how integrating climate and social considerations strengthens both business and community resilience, protects value chains, and builds lasting community trust.

Actionable takeaways for businesses:

Co-create solutions with communities

The most resilient strategies are often co-designed and co-created with local communities from the ground up, drawing from local and industry knowledge.

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Invest in trust and relationships

Prioritize long-term relationship building rooted in shared values over short-term transactional partnerships.

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Take an intersectional lens

It’s critical to consider and understand the historical context and layered impacts of environmental racism, colonialism, and poverty on communities. 

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Build cross-sector partnerships

Climate change cannot be addressed by business or government alone.

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Consider these key areas when measuring ROI and business value

Meaningfully consider the value of natural assets and social return on investment for adaptation and resilience projects. Align with community on what is risk and what is return.

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Treat community resilience as a core business strategy

If we are not aligned with communities, our futures become unstable. Operational resilience cannot be separated from community resilience. 

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There is no one size fits all strategy

Strategies need to be catered for the local context, needs, and vulnerabilities.

We have captured all the feedback shared during the event and plan to integrate these valuable and strategic insights into our upcoming toolkit for business on climate adaptation.

We'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our in-person and virtual speakers and attendees for their contributions to this important dialogue. We're grateful to presenting partner, West Fraser Timber, for their leadership and hospitality, and to Natural Resources Canada for making this research and event possible.

Further research findings and resources from this project will be shared in the Fall. 

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