London Inc. Weekly 01 • 24 • 2020
McCabe Promotional attains Ontario first with B Corp certification
Photo: McCabe Promotional has attained B Corp certification
PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING AND products firm McCabe Promotional has attained B Corp certification, becoming the first promotional products distributor in Ontario to gain the designation and one of only eight distributors in the world.
“We’re extremely proud to be a Certified B Corporation and part of a movement that is proving companies can balance profit and purpose,” said company president, Jamie McCabe. “With every action we take, we strive to be thoughtful and respectful of everyone who is impacted by our business. This approach extends to how we engage our employees and source products to how we treat the environment and give back to the community.”
Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet high standards of verified social and environmental, public transparency and legal accountability to balance purpose and profit. Unlike traditional corporations, B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders: customers, employees, communities and the environment before their shareholders. There are now over 3,000 B Corp organizations globally.
“We first heard about the designation from a client and fellow B Corp,” said McCabe of his interest in the certification. “The more we researched it, the more we realized that we had the attributes of a Certified B Corporation. Consumers today are not only seeking out environmentally sustainable options, but they are also demanding companies conduct business in a more socially conscious and ethical manner.”
According to McCabe, the business worked diligently over the past 12 months to complete the B Corp assessment, which analyzes the firm’s commitment to team engagement, good governance, community involvement, customer stewardship and environmental sustainability. To maintain certification, B Corps are reassessed every 3 years. 
Fanshawe College granted cannabis research license
Photo: Fanshawe College has been granted a federal cannabis research license
FANSHAWE COLLEGE, THROUGH its Centre for Research and Innovation, is positioning itself to be a leader in applied cannabis research thanks to a newly granted cannabis research license. The license, approved on January 10, 2020, will enable Fanshawe to apply research expertise in food science and waste management to the cannabis industry.
“There is a real need for further research into the production of cannabis-based products,” says Colin Yates, chair of the Centre for Research and Innovation. “Fanshawe is uniquely positioned through its research expertise to meet that need. We will tap into the college’s strong knowledge base in agri-foods to lift the Southwestern Ontario economy and maximize the growth potential of the cannabis industry. We will focus specifically on researching methods to create new and better food-and-beverage products, while reducing cannabis waste by creating novel products. Fanshawe’s research activities are especially strong in food science and environmental sustainability, so this new cannabis research license is a natural fit for the College to expand our role in the sector.”
As the legalization of cannabis in Canada has developed demand for safe and effective consumer products, it has also resulted in an increase of waste that is produced through product development—and currently there are few effective solutions.
The license was granted by Health Canada after a rigorous 10-month application review process that looked at Fanshawe’s facilities, security, research infrastructure, expertise and capabilities.
“This license allows us to support the needs of the growing cannabis industry in new and innovative ways,” added Dan Douglas, dean of the Centre for Research and Innovation. “It further allows our research faculty, staff and students the legal ability to handle cannabis products and materials. The strengths established at Fanshawe through our Centre for Applied Research in Biotechnology labs will be applied to support industry partners during this period of rapid growth. We are excited by the opportunity this license provides us to engage with cannabis sector partners wanting to be at the forefront in their applied research.”
Faculty and staff involved in applied research activities will be able to share expertise with partners in the sector as they explore new opportunities for cannabis products.
London hairstylist set to defend North American title
Photo: Julie Vriesinga
JULIE VRIESINGA, A hairstylist at Salon Entrenous on Richmond Row, is set to defend her title of North American Hairstylist of the Year later this month at the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) in Long Beach, California.
Vriesinga is a finalist this year in both the categories of North American Hairstylist of the Year and the invitation-only category of Master Hairstylist of the Year. As the winner of 2019 Hairstylist of the Year, Vriesinga was also invited to put on an artistic performance during this year’s awards show, showcasing her work.
Considered the industry’s most prestigious professional beauty competition, the North American Hairstyling Awards is organized and hosted by the Arizona-based Professional Beauty Association (PBA). PBA members include manufacturers, distributors, salons, spas, schools, independent practitioners, students and industry suppliers.
This year’s NAHAs will take place on January 25th in front of a live audience of approximately 3,000 beauty industry professionals and will be live streamed online.
Viking Cruises to set sail on the Great Lakes
Photo: Viking Expeditions will begin Great Lakes cruises in 2022
A CRUISE SHIP company known worldwide will soon set sail on the Great Lakes. Viking Expeditions, a division of Viking Cruises, announced last week a set of cruises on Lakes Michigan, Huron, Superior, Erie and Ontario that are expected to launch in 2022.
The company announced three different eight-day expeditions—from Toronto to Milwaukee (dubbed Niagara & the Great Lakes); Thunder Bay to Milwaukee (Undiscovered Great Lakes) and one from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay (Great Lakes Explorer). Prices begin at $7,595 (Cdn.) per person.
Viking has been sailing across the world for decades, including trips in Europe, the Antarctic and the Caribbean.
“Our guests are curious explorers. They want to continue traveling with us to familiar and iconic destinations, but they would also like to travel further,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “We began as Viking River Cruises; then we evolved into Viking Cruises with the addition of ocean cruises; today we stand singularly as Viking, offering destination-focused voyages on more than 20 rivers, five oceans and five Great Lakes, visiting 403 ports in 95 countries and on all seven continents.”
The ships designated to set sail on the Great Lakes—the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris—are currently under construction and expected to be completed next year. Both are Polar Class 6 ships, which allow them to operate during summer and autumn, as well as in medium first-year ice.
The ships, each 665 feet long with a guest capacity of 378, will offer a variety of different rooms and suites available for passengers, as well as luxury amenities.
On its website, Viking said its Great Lakes debut “will bring the newest and most modern vessels ever to explore this region of North America and will mark a major commitment to local tourism and economic development for the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario.”
Featured Business Event
2020 Changing Faces of Agriculture | February 27, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Western Fair District Carousel Room
Canada’s agri-food sector was highlighted by the federal government’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth Report as one of Canada’s high-potential sectors for growth with exports alone generating more than $55 billion per year. With roughly one in nine Canadian jobs depending on the agriculture system, and just over half of Canada’s best farmland in Ontario, the agriculture sector is a significant driver of the local economy.
2020 Changing Faces of Agriculture will feature a hot breakfast buffet and panel discussion at Western Fair District with some of the area’s leading agriculture experts, including Joe Dales of RH Accelerator and Keith Merker of WeedMD.