Partnerships
Partnerships reflect EDC’s commitment to initiatives that support long term benefits in education and work experience for students interested in international business and trade. EDC is proud to maintain partnerships with AIESEC Canada, Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), and the University of Waterloo.AIESEC Canada
As a national platinum partner to AIESEC Canada, EDC supports AIESEC’s Global Internship Program which places Canadian students on international work placements and receives foreign students to work in Canada. This program fosters international leadership, diversity, cultural understanding, and corporate social responsibility. EDC supports funding to AIESEC Canada for their work in international student exchange and local leadership on 28 university campuses. EDC is also an active partner in AIESEC’s national conferences and engages AIESEC in the promotion of EDC’s International Business Scholarships. For more information about AIESEC, please visit their website www.aiesec.ca.
Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
As a national strategic partner to FITT, a training association and certification body for international trade education, EDC contributes to the educational content of the FITTskills courses, as well as supports FITT’s annual national conference. In spring 2009, EDC and FITT announced the launch of a new EDC-FITT Internship Program, whereby a FITTskills graduate would be awarded a one year work placement at EDC’s head office in Ottawa, with the Small Business Team. This placement will provide the intern with the one year of relevant work experience necessary to complete the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation which is administered by FITT. For more information about FITT, please visit their website www.fitt.ca.
University of Waterloo “Export Development Canada Environmental Finance Chair”
In 2008, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the University of Waterloo (UW) established the creation of the new Export Development Canada Environmental Finance Chair. This role was developed to research and identify financial products and practices that will help companies engage in business practices such as socially responsible investing and integrate social and environmental performance measures into their business activities.
The EDC Chair in Environmental Finance, based in the University’s School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), will also help businesses identify new ways to commercialize “green” technologies and services as well as explore carbon financing and clean energy funds.
The EDC Chair will be reserved for an expert who has made a strong contribution to studies in environment, business and finance. UW will also hire an additional professor in a related field, to further expand its SEED.
Jim McArdle (Senior Vice-President, Corporate Secretary & Legal Services, EDC) was invited to be part of a panel discussion at the launch of SEED on November 6, 2009. He advocated for the benefits of “integrative” trade.
The funding of this Chair is part of EDC’s Community Investment – Youth Education Program to promote a trade culture in Canada in partnership with Canada’s universities.
