Cataléthique is a business ethics catalyzer. This professional network aims at harnessing the power of Quebec businesses towards the creation of a larger community that respects all people and the environment. Through the various activities it offers (cocktail-conferences, reading-debates, visits, cine-debates ...) Cataléthique aims at facilitating the sharing of best practices in social responsibility and sustainable development.
Net Impact Professional Montreal (NIP-M) was first formed in May 2003, under the auspices of Kariann Aarup (MBA 1993), a social entrepreneur and educator; Ted Kantrowitz (MBA 2002), specialist in alternative energies; Brenda Plant (MSc 2003), a consultant in shareholder responsibility and corporate accountability; and Jean-Philippe Renaut (B.Comm 2001), a management consultant.
As the organization grew and members’ careers evolved, the core organizing group changed. Mathieu Regnier, Juliette Patterson, Stephan Becker and Olivier Rousseau joined the core organizing committee early on, replacing Kariann and Ted. Marion Hill got involved soon after that.
In early 2005, the late Rodrigo F. Contreras, a corporate lawyer joined the team and gave much of himself even during his failing health. Chantal Beaudoin and Félix-Antoine Jolicoeur joined in the Fall of 2005, bringing new energy and skills to the group when careers took Stephan Becker and Jean-Philippe Renaut away overseas.
While the original association with the wider, predominantly U.S., Net Impact network served as a launching pad, the fact that this network was little-known in Quebec and that the name was meaningless in French led the new organizing members to consider a re-branding. Cataléthique still enjoys a loose affiliation with the Net Impact network, but is a fully independent organization.
The name, cataléthique, is a combination of catalytic, signifying environmental advances and efficiencies, and ethics, by which we mean human rights and other social considerations. To boot, a “catalyst“ accelerates the reaction rate without being consumed by the overall reaction.
The chinese symbol for catalyst is the same as the one for marriage broker. We like to think of cataléthique as the marriage broker between social, environmental and economic values.
Cataléthique was constituted as a not-for-profit organization in early 2006 and was officially launched on March 9th, 2006. The founding Board of cataléthique include Chantal Beaudoin, Marion Hill, Félix-Antoine Jolicoeur, Juliette Patterson, Brenda Plant and Olivier Rousseau.
In 2011, the Board of Directors of Cataléthique completed "The Natural Step" process led by Esther Dormagen of Optim Ressources to identify the strategic objectives of the organization and to improve its services.
The Cataléthique team thanks the former members of the Board of Directors:
- Esther Dormagen
- Olivier Sinquin
- Cindy Savard
- Chloé Dodinot
- Muriel Kearney
- Philippe Lanthier
- Brenda Plante
- Chantal Boudoin
- Juliette Patterson
- Chantal Beaudoin
- Marion Hill
- Félix-Antoine Jolicoeur
- Brenda Plant
- Olivier Rousseau
