Embedding sustainability at Englobe: a conversation with Geneviève David Watson

At Englobe, sustainability is about much more than reporting. It’s centred on how the company makes everyday decisions, supports its people, measures its impact across sectors and communities, and plans for long-term resilience and growth. 

As ESG Director, Geneviève David Watson helps guide that work by connecting strategy, governance, and accountability with practical action across the business. She brings a systems-level perspective to Englobe’s environmental, social, and governance priorities — including the development of Englobe’s annual Sustainability Report for the past two years – as well as the company’s broader ESG performance framework. 

In the conversation below, Geneviève shares how Englobe is embedding sustainability, transparency, climate action, and long-term resilience into the company’s operations and growth – and why it matters. 

Note: questions have been lightly adapted for clarity, and some responses have been excerpted for conciseness.

Englobe: Your professional background is multi-faceted. How do your past experiences and academic qualifications shape the way you approach ESG leadership at Englobe today? 

My professional background is rooted at the intersection of sustainability, public policy, and organizational transformation. 

After obtaining my master’s degree in environment and sustainable development, I began my career working closely with municipalities and environmental organizations supporting climate action, policy development, and stakeholder engagement at both the provincial and local levels. This early experience gave me a systems-level understanding of how environmental and social issues translate into real operational, regulatory, and community impacts. 

I then transitioned into the private sector, where I spent several years building and leading ESG and sustainability strategies within the construction and real estate industry. In that role, I developed enterprise-wide ESG frameworks, established governance structures, led sustainability reporting, and supported major development projects in integrating decarbonization, energy efficiency, and social responsibility objectives.

At Englobe, I bring this combined perspective to the design and deployment of a centralized yet adaptable ESG strategy that reflects the diversity and scale of our operations. 

Leading the development of our Sustainability Report and our ESG performance framework has been an opportunity to align our technical expertise, our people, and our values around a shared vision of responsible growth.

Englobe: What does it take to move sustainability from a long-term ambition to something that is genuinely embedded in how a company operates? 

In my experience, the difference between an aspirational strategy and one that is truly embedded in a company’s culture lies in execution, accountability, and day-to-day decision-making. Aspirational strategies often rely on high-level commitments and long-term ambitions, but remain disconnected from operational realities. 

In contrast, an embedded strategy is clearly linked to business priorities, supported by leadership, measured through meaningful indicators, and understood by employees as part of “how we do things,” not as an add-on. 

At Englobe, bridging this gap has been a deliberate and structured effort. One key factor has been translating ESG priorities into concrete actions that resonate with the organization’s diverse operational contexts. 

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, we have focused on adapting our ESG framework to reflect the realities of our service lines, regions, and teams, while maintaining a clear, centralized vision and governance structure. 

Finally, culture plays a critical role. At Englobe, we have worked to embed sustainability through ongoing communication, internal engagement, and leadership alignment, positioning sustainability and responsibility as shared objectives rather than the responsibility of a single team. 

By connecting sustainability outcomes to operational excellence, risk management, and long-term value creation, we have been able to make it a practical, relevant, and durable part of the organization’s culture.

Englobe: As Englobe continues to grow, what progress in 2025 stands out most to you — and where has the organization been most challenged? 

In 2025, one of Englobe’s most meaningful areas of progress has been strengthening inclusion and governance. 

We took concrete steps to advance inclusion and belonging by obtaining the Women in Governance Certification, and by formalizing Inclusion and Women in Leadership committees. These structures have helped embed inclusion more deeply into our decision-making processes. 

We also launched employee resource groups, creating safe and structured spaces for employees to connect, share perspectives, and contribute to a more inclusive culture. 

In parallel, we activated our GHG reduction plan, with new actions focused on our vehicle fleet and office operations, translating our climate commitments into tangible operational measures. 

At the same time, one of our main challenges has been managing sustainability alignment in the context of rapid growth. As Englobe continues to expand through acquisitions, it is essential - and complex - to ensure that new teams and entities buy into our sustainability vision, initiatives, and performance tracking. 

Maintaining consistency, momentum, and engagement across a growing organization requires strong coordination and adaptability. This remains a key focus as we continue to scale our sustainability efforts.

Englobe: Why is transparency — including around limitations, or areas for improvement — so important in sustainability reporting today? 

Times are changing, and sustainability is no longer a trend; it is a long-term expectation from employees, clients, partners, and communities. 

In that context, transparency is essential to building trust and credibility in sustainability reporting. Being open not only about our progress, but also about our limitations and areas for improvement, demonstrates maturity and authenticity in our approach. 

Stakeholders increasingly value tangible results over aspirational statements. Transparency helps ground our commitments in reality. 

By clearly acknowledging where we are, where we are making progress, and where more work is needed, we reinforce the credibility of our sustainability efforts and create a solid foundation for continuous improvement and accountability.

Englobe: Looking ahead, what gives you optimism about Englobe’s sustainability journey? 

What gives me the most optimism about Englobe’s sustainability journey is the strong alignment between what we do as an engineering firm and the essence of sustainability itself.

Our role is to design, assess, and adapt infrastructure so it can meet today’s needs while anticipating future challenges - whether related to climate change, resilience, population growth, or resource constraints. 

At Englobe, this mindset is deeply embedded in our expertise and in the commitment of our people to build solutions that are durable, responsible, and forward-looking. 

Looking ahead, the next frontier for sustainability in the Canadian engineering industry lies in fully integrating resilience, climate adaptation and long-term value creation into every project and decision. This means moving beyond compliance toward proactively anticipating future risks and opportunities, using data and innovation to design infrastructure that can withstand changing conditions. 

Firms that succeed will be the ones that recognize sustainability as a fundamental part of engineering excellence. This is where Englobe is well-positioned to lead.

Englobe: In closing, you work in a field that is complex and constantly evolving. On a personal level, what keeps you motivated on a daily basis? 

What continues to motivate me is the ability to turn complex sustainability challenges into practical, measurable actions that strengthen both organizational performance, and our positive impact on the communities and environments where we operate. 

On a personal level, sustainability is what truly motivates me. It is who I am. If I were not working in sustainability, I honestly don’t know what I would be doing. 

That said, it is not always easy. The role does come with complexity, scrutiny, and a great deal of change management - and these challenges are very real. But they are also what makes the work meaningful. 

Driving change, even when it is difficult, is necessary, and it is simply the right thing to do. Knowing that the efforts we put in today contribute to a more resilient, responsible, and future-ready organization is what keeps me engaged and committed, even when the path forward is not always straightforward.

Englobe’s 2025 Sustainability Report will be launched on June 18, 2026.