Getting Back in Touch, Regeneratively

During my last work engagement, I was busy with a new product launch and unable to write & share any updates. This is part one of the?updates and news I have to share since early fall of 2023. It flows rather non-linearly including initiatives I've been involved in and some expressive?reflections on the topics discussed.?On April 25th, I jotted things down despite the severe seasonal allergies I was having--I needed to break through the pent-up latency after months of not posting. Feel free to skim through areas that don’t align with your time and patience of the hour. And if it may not read very coherently, keep following as the next ones are bound to be better.

?Recent Project Update

I worked with the Shift Critical International (SCI) startup from July 2023 to February 2024. I helped with project research, coordination of corporate clients along with various business tasks like website management (SquareSpace) and social media management. Most of you know working at startup means wearing various hats and my time at Shift Critical was no exception. More prominently, however, I helped with the product launch of an online module-based course on Canada's Modern Slavery Act with an engaging multi-media?and user-friendly platform. Check it out here.

I didn't imagine leaving with this proficiency when starting my work at the SCI but I now am quite good at managing the logistics of creating courses on the Thinkific Course delivery platform.

Corporate Sustainability

As part of my continual training on keeping up to date with the corporate sustainability emerging trends and news, I started following the IFRS guidelines a year ago. And earlier this year, I took the IFRS Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting Course, and also participated in the IFRS Sustainability Symposium. I look forward to studying sustainability disclosures better with fellow peers. And I will be sharing my accounts of the Symposium?soon.

In February, I also attended the ECO Impact Conference in Calgary which focused on the workforce trends in the sustainability field. It was the first in-person conference I was?attending after a?few months of intense remote work.

The takeaway highlights for me were the pace of sustainable resource development in Canada, indigenous land monitoring and engagement, voluntary carbon credits,? Canada's Modern Slavery Act, and ESG. Nature-based solutions were also a theme but being interested in nature-based solutions and having a background in it, it was apparent that our sector is yet to emphasize NB Solutions the way they deserve. I have taken it upon myself to study Taskforce in Nature related Financial Disclosures especially its interface with the GRI, IFRS standards, and the emerging EDI frameworks.?

The next thing I'm attending? I'm attending the Socially Responsible Business: New Standard Release Webinar hosted by Corporate Racial Equity Alliance on May 20, 11 pm PST. I will share you the highlights at a later note.

Rewinding: Reflections

Being a systems thinker, I have joined different sectors to understand the perspectives on climate change and sustainability from different angles. It was theoretically a?worthwhile cause and I certainly have gained a lot of insights and transferrable skills by trying to?chart my own path; bridging the?polarity and divide in the narrative around energy transition in Alberta and Canada, however, proved to be too difficult for me to try to tackle without a larger community of support and practice.?

Traditional?networking and educational streams didn't prove to be enough to?help me chart?a career path that can be satisfying. Doing a Master's degree didn't prove to be a key to?opening doors --merely a tool in the?toolkit remaining to be utilized.?

I have found I can uplift myself?by creating space for people who share a commonality with me. I am also a good organizational?coordinator so it?makes sense to help incubate and actively collaborate with nonprofits and collectives that share my vision and align with my mission. Speaking of vision and mission, here is the mission I've set for my professional career and the Regenerative Change Collaborative (formerly known as Afshordy Collaborate):

1. Enabling social innovators, change makers, and grassroots teams to launch their projects and grow their impact sustainably.
2. Supporting purpose-driven organizations to scale up their performance and impact based on sustainability and EDI frameworks.
3. Empowering individuals on their journey toward self-resilience and change leadership.

Supporting Change-makers and Individuals' resiliency

With point #3 in mind on self-resilience and collective agency, last Halloween I created a slide deck creating a branded first iteration of my work expanding on focus and approach:

?

Understanding the gap I have observed, the Collaborative would be a source of curated support to those undergoing a leap or a pivot in their professional or change-making journey. I hold capacity buildign spaces, direct people to existing resources, networks, and mentors that can support them. A new offering I have is 1-1 in-person coaching to young adults and adults who are in a transitionary phase in their lives. Since writing this original version, I have found established coaches and networks with direct alignment with this mission and approach. I always relied on collaborations and as time goes on, those collaboration opportunities emerge and can morph into prospective partnerships.

?EDI News and Updates

In February, I attended a GLOBE Side-event on gender parity and was introduced to the 50-30 challenge. The Challenge aims to advance gender parity (50% women and/or non-binary people) and increase diversity (30% other equity-deserving groups) on boards and/or in senior leadership roles. It's free to sign up for the challenge and as a member, you'll be provided with useful step-by-step guidance tools that make it easier to roll out EDI initiatives in your organization. Here's the link to learn more and sign up https://50-30tools.ca/

And...?

Most recently, I have also joined the Diversity in Sustainability Membership Circle. My involvement in this space originates from the desire to be close and active to the JEDI causes which yield personal value and systems impact.

Another aspect has been the desire to enrich?my land-based connections. On that line, I have been visiting a community farm called Abundance Community Farm for a couple of years and this year I have become a permanent member of their 2024 growing season! We are a collective of urbanites who are organized through an impressive organizing team to grow organic food and community together.

Available Open Space forums: Navigating meaning and support in today's world

I'm holding space for the following subject areas; These are based on what I have observed to be lacking for working professionals in pushing through the currents of professional and personal lives. All are free or pay what you can. If interested, please email [email protected]

• Holding safe and inclusive conversation space to share your everyday equity, inclusion, and diversity (EDI) experiences. It would be facilitated in a way that everyone could share anonymously/chatham style. Open to everyone.

Frequency: Every Month

• ?Holding accountability space for those who are navigating a job transition or charting the next step of their career. Most believe that job search is a part-time job at best, and a tricky or isolating one too. One can argue you need to advocate for building your career along all stages of your professional life, and often you could use support on this treacherous path.

Frequency: Every two weeks

• Holding sharing and support Space for neurodivergent individuals.

Frequency: Every two weeks

• Holding sharing and support Circle for individuals with chronic or short-term health conditions. Possibility to merge this support circle with the EDI Space.

Frequency: Every month or more as per demand

Interesting or nerdy Articles or topics I'm learning about:

How Agroecology Can be Part of Just Transition in Canada's Food Sector https://theconversation.com/how-agroecology-can-be-part-of-a-just-transition-for-canadas-food-system-224039 ?

Anything TNFD

Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation

This report discovers tools, recommendations, and case studies on how to plan, design, and implement nature-based solutions for adaptation that advance gender equality and social inclusion while enhancing resilience, biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity.

Community and Network Weaving

I have supported three nonprofits and professional collectives in the last year: BIPOC Sustainability Collective, Nsun Collective, and BC Sustainability and Impact Collective*.

BIPOC Sustainability Collective

I've noticed the need for the BIPOC members in the sustainability field which eurocentric frameworks and methodologies have traditionally dominated. In 2022, I wanted to launch a BIPOC-based conversation in sustainability through Afshordy Collaborate (which I am now naming Regenerative Change Collaborative) until I came across the fantastic new initiative Rita Steele had founded with support from the Vancouver Economic Commission. Since then I became an active organizing member and am now among its inaugural Board of Directors. Check out the BIPOC Sustainability Collective website to learn more.

Network Weaving in BC: BC Sustainability and Impact Collective

If you are in BC and are in the environmental conservation, circularity, or impact sector, you are probably already part of the BC Sustainability and Impact Collective. If you said yes to both of those but aren't part of it, I suggest you would consider joining this Channel via LinkedIn or Slack (we are more active on Slack). The network ambassadors are currently organizing to provide new upcoming engagement opportunities.

Capacity Building for Iran and Iranians in Diaspora: N-Sun Collective

I helped with the incubation and nonprofit incorporation of the NSun Collective Nonprofit. The main mission of the Nonprofit is to Inspire social dialogue and advocacy within the local communities in Iran by providing a forum for arts and community building with a focus on Iran and Persian culture.

NSun Collective is the poster child of a long-time Iranian-Canadian social advocate and art enthusiast. I try to share more with you later. For now, I leave you with this familiar quote:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world" - Margaret Mead

Book suggestions for the Network Weavers

The Rainforest: Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley. This is not a new book but was a book I was introduced to while working at the tech innovation space in Calgary. It became the basis of my research thesis. While I don't focus on energy transition anymore. I still very much am interested and engaged in organizational development, and network building.

Wow, you made it this far! I hope you found this catch-up letter helpful or at least enjoyed reading parts of it. Excuse any potential language error; my focus here was to catch up and share more so than to be correct. Transpiring comments and discussions are welcome.

Looking forward to seeing you at one of the Open Forums or next time we get to connect.

Paris (Parastesh)

?