Business executive, author, and community leader Anne Giardini has been elected to the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Inc. (SFI) Board of Directors, Ottawa, Ont., Canada, as a member of the Economic Sector. Currently president of Weyerhaeuser Co. Ltd. in Canada, Giardini has been with the company for 20 years. She is a past or present board member of several organizations, including the board of governors for Simon Fraser University, the Vancouver Board of Trade, UniverCity, and the Forest Products Association of Canada. She has also published two novels and a variety of articles and papers. She was named B.C. Queen's Counsel in 2010.

 

"Anne Giardini is not only a respected leader in the forest industry but a published author, educator, and philanthropist," SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said. "Her insights and perspective will enhance our board and aid SFI's efforts to secure a healthy future for our forests. We look forward to welcoming her to her first board meeting this week."

 

Giardini said that "I have the greatest respect for the work SFI does to build future forests. I look forward to working with other members of the board, all of them committed to research, conservation, communities, training, and education to sustain a wide range of forest values."

 

In 2013, Giardini was honored with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her efforts to raise funds for Plan Canada's international "Because I'm a Girl" campaign. She was also named one of Canada's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine in 2011.

SFI Inc.'s 18-member board represents environmental, social, and economic sectors equally to meet the many needs of forests and communities. The board members include representatives of public and private landowners, manufacturers of forest products, conservation groups, academia, aboriginal interests, community organizations, and government officials.