As we prepare for an important leadership change at the end of the year, this is the last letter I will be writing as Executive Director. For me, it’s a great time to pause and reflect on the accomplishments made and opportunities ahead.

I am extremely proud of the work we’ve done over the past decade at The Natural Step Canada. It has been encouraging to witness progress being made and the huge increase in awareness of the need for more sustainable ways of living and working. And it has been equally encouraging to be part of the birth and development of a dynamic new non-profit organization in Canada.

But despite the fact that The Natural Step Canada has now worked with over 200 organizations across the country—which has led to thousands of sustainable actions—sustainability remains an even more urgent challenge today. We face critical and growing sustainability crises on many fronts and there is a mounting feeling that time is running out. As a society, it is clear that we still have a great deal of work to do to transform our financial and social systems, and to shift sectors of Canadian society to be aligned with principles of sustainability. The sustainability movement in Canada needs to redouble its efforts.

The Natural Step Canada is ready for the challenge. We will be entering 2012 with new leadership, an exciting strategic plan, and the strongest and most talented team we’ve ever had.

Recently, we sent out a special notice announcing that Chad Park will become the new Executive Director of The Natural Step Canada. I can’t think of anyone more qualified to lead this organization than Chad, who was chosen from a national field of impressive applicants. Chad’s appointment will ensure a smooth transition for the organization and the opportunity to build on a solid track record.

I have been working with Chad for nine years now as he is one of the founding members of The Natural Step’s team in Canada. In his current role as Director of Programs and Strategy, Chad is responsible for overseeing strategy and delivery of our programs. He is also a very experienced and talented sustainability advisor, having worked with many leading municipalities and companies across Canada and internationally. Chad’s long-term work with The Co-operators Group Ltd. helped them to be named the top corporate citizen in Canada by Corporate Knights Magazine in 2011.

Under Chad’s leadership—and with the guidance of a strategic and well-connected Board of Directors, Chaired by Monica Polhmann—The Natural Step Canada will increase our work with businesses and municipalities to support the development of role model organizations committed to sustainability-driven innovation. We will expand our learning programs for sustainability champions and scale-up our work with emerging leaders across Canada. Chad will also provide leadership for the development of The Natural Step Canada’s newest initiative, The Sustainability Transition Lab: an innovative model for multi-stakeholder collaboration in strategic sectors of Canadian society.

I’d like to sign off by thanking the members of The Natural Step staff and Board of Directors for their unwavering commitment to creating a high-impact non-profit organization in Canada. I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to lead, work with, and learn from such a talented, professional, and passionate team. They are an outstanding group of change agents who are extremely good at what they do. They inspire me every day and I look forward to continuing to support their work.

Thank you again to everyone I’ve worked with who has made this such a rewarding opportunity. I look forward to continued collaborations on the transition to a sustainable society.

Kelly Hawke Baxter