Three accomplished women with diverse backgrounds are the newest members of Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Board of Directors, meaning women now comprise 60% of the independent board members. This eclipses OPG’s previous commitment to ensure women comprised 30% of the Board.
Anju Virmani, Tracy Primeau and Mary Filippelli were appointed to OPG’s board in 2021, with Filippelli being the most recent addition, in September 2021. They join Chair Wendy Kei and six additional independent board members.
OPG’s independent board members bring extraordinary expertise and a varied skilled set in OPG’s most critical operational and strategic areas, including: the broader energy sector, including nuclear; finance; audit; human resources and talent attraction and retention; environmental, social and governance; and infrastructure project management.
“As Chair of OPG’s Board of Directors, I welcome the addition of these three talented women, who join our accomplished team to help guide the company through this exciting time,” Kei said. “Ensuring we have a diverse board is not only the right thing to do, but will be critical as we help lead decarbonization, within the electricity sector, and in Ontario’s broader economy.”
OPG is committed to build greater equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) throughout the organization. OPG has also committed to Equal by 30, a pledge by public and private sector organizations to work toward equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.
“At OPG, we set progressive goals for increasing diversity on our Board and throughout our company, because we know we are stronger for the mix of talent and perspective of a more diverse organization,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG’s president and chief executive officer. “Advancing solutions to the greatest challenge of our time, climate change, requires varied voices and experience, and that is reflected in the make-up of our Board of Directors.”
OPG is a member of 30% Club Canada, a campaign that aims to have 30% of board seats and senior management positions in the Canadian business community held by women by 2022. In addition, OPG is a member of Catalyst, an organization focused on building workplaces that work for women, through research, education and events.
OPG is a recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Commitment to Employment Equity Award, one of several such recognitions the company has received.
OPG was the first signatory of the Electricity Human Resources Canada Accord, which has now expanded to include other forms of ED&I such as racialized minorities, LGBTQ2S+, and persons with disabilities, in addition to women.
OPG is the largest clean electricity generator in the province, providing more than half of the power Ontarians rely on every day. It is also one of the most diverse generators in North America, with expertise in nuclear, hydroelectric, biomass, solar and natural gas technologies.
