In 2000, our ambition was to create a bold, values-based company that would support a sustainable planet. Our five founding partners spent a lot of time thinking about a company name, including one that was also available as a domain name on the internet. After much back and forth, we came up with Stratos, which was meant to be an acronym for “Strategies to Sustainability,” not realizing how many companies already bore that name, including a Quebec pizza chain.
Stratos quickly built a national reputation as thought leaders in the new and evolving sustainability space. In our early years, we focused on four main areas: environmental policy and legislation; leadership in sustainability reporting; strategic approach to contaminated sites management; and industry associations. As the policy climate shifted in Ottawa and natural resources entered significant growth cycles, Stratos’ work went West and North. In 2008, we opened an office in Calgary and diversified our work in the North to Territorial Governments and Co-Management Boards.
Along the way, Stratos developed a unique approach to facilitating conversations and solutions on challenging and difficult topics including, climate change, hazardous waste, nuclear waste storage, pipelines, protected areas, and species at risk. In particular, advancing knowledge and developing solutions to battle climate change has always been a constant for us and a topic near and dear to our hearts. As we deepened our experience in specific sectors, we adopted the term “tri-sector athlete” to describe our integrated and holistic approach to working with industry, government and civil society/communities to address environmental, social and economic challenges.
Inspired by the relationships and friendships we have built, the stories we have heard and the wisdom shared through our work with Indigenous peoples all across the country, in 2018, Stratos embarked on our reconciliation journey and took the step of developing a formal Reconciliation Strategy.
For most of our company’s existence, Stratos has been a women-led, women majority firm and that has influenced our culture and how we approach our work. We have always strived to consider equity, diversity and inclusion in our work. However, like many others around the world, the events of 2020 catalyzed our commitment: we resolve to make the consideration and pursuit of equity, diversity and inclusion core to everything.
Throughout our 20 years, we have built a firm together that has always endeavored to live our values:
Relationships: We believe that strong relationships, collaboration and trust are paramount in bringing about positive change
Integration: We understand and integrate diverse perspectives and innovative approaches into our work and anticipate and respond to changing realities
Excellence: We deliver exceptional quality and value and are accountable in everything we do
Respect: We create a supportive work environment within our team and with our partners and clients, respecting professional and personal commitments
We are grateful to our clients, partners and friends for the work and impact we have had together. We are thankful that we have weathered the challenges of the past year together with our clients and partners, and we look forward to the years ahead, working together on the transition to a clean and inclusive world.
