The State of Sustainability 2023: Q&A with Intengine’s Founder Connie Linder
I sat down with Connie Linder, founder of Intengine, the most comprehensive eco-business platform on the planet, to hear her take on the top trends, challenges and opportunities in the sustainability movement—and why she chooses hope over fear.
Lise Boullard
Lise Boullard: You’re the founding owner of the world’s largest directory of eco certifications and sustainable businesses, Vancouver-based Intengine. Is sustainability something that's always been important to you?
Connie Linder: Yes. I was raised in a small town, in Comox on Vancouver Island. I was really fortunate because my family would spend a lot of time outdoors and do things like go fishing on the weekend, which instilled in me an appreciation for nature.
I also believe in personal accountability. I always tried to stand up for the truth, even as a kid. If I saw something that I thought needed to be changed, I was the one who would say, “We need to fix this.” The leaders in my local community saw some leadership potential in me, and they nurtured it. When I was 15, the local government created a spot for me on council.
LB: That’s amazing that you were able to get that experience at such a young age. How did the position on council eventually lead you to launch Intengine?
CL: Sustainability for me is really looking at things in a holistic way, seeking balance and integrating systems that are aligned with the outcomes you want to see. Later in my career I became a stockbroker which was a great experience because I learned to understand the role of the public markets and that of a financial advisor with his or her clients. Then some things happened in the industry where I had to make a decision, and I decided I was more interested in helping create the businesses people invest in.
I ended up running a consulting company for 20 years and building a very strong resume in terms of developing, managing and scaling a business. Eventually I realized I wanted to work on deals that aligned with my values and on new innovations that were solutions-oriented.
Years ago I started Intengine, which was then called the GreenPages Directory. Now we're sitting on the world's top eco business directory that's positioned to scale.
LB: Would you be able to talk a little bit about the impact Intengine has had so far?
CL: Over the last six months we've had an explosive upwards trend. Our domain authority tripled in a three-month period and our page views have doubled in the same period, so that's pretty significant growth. We've got close to 200,000 business listings on the site right now and we're intending to scale that number. Hopefully we’ll have close to a million listings over the next 18 months.
LB: That's huge, congratulations. You're sharing such important and valuable information, and it's a very positive thing you're doing for the world.
CL: Thank you.
LB: What’s your vision for Intengine five years from now?
CL: It’s actually the same vision I had when I started the company. I see Intengine as being the central hub and resource for anyone interested in doing things in a healthier way. If you’re a clothing designer who uses non-toxic dyes and natural textiles, you come to Intengine to locate suppliers. If you’re in construction and you want the knowledge of an engineer who knows how to do geothermal energy, or you want to look at using wood panels from renewable wood, you come to Intengine. Or if you’re a farmer or a restaurant owner and you want to have natural forms of animal protein in your dishes, you come to Intengine to connect with the farm that supplies the humane-raised and handled animals.
We have also coined the term ‘Sustainability Mapping,’ meaning someone can do a search and see who has obtained a certain sustainability certification or standard.
For procurement professionals, we will be launching our Buyers Program soon. This will include a Buyer Dashboard where the lead company can invite its supply chain, allowing for aggregation of key metrics and KPIs for reporting.
LB: What are some of the most important changes you have seen recently in the sustainability movement?
CL: Sustainability is going from “nice to have” to “must have”. For example, in the spring of 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed new supply chain rules that would require companies to disclose any climate risks related to their suppliers. The European Union has also proposed legislation that all packaging on the market will need to be recyclable by 2030.
While these legal changes can have widespread positive impact, personally, I’m concerned with the increased politicization of sustainability and the trend of having more centralized, global bodies overseeing sustainable initiatives. For sustainability to flourish you need innovation, and innovation flourishes in an environment of critical thinking and open dialogue. We need to protect the environment while also maintaining the ability to discuss with diverse and inclusive voices.
LB: So what’s the solution? If this politicization is happening, how can citizens make smart environmental choices on their own accord?
CL: We need to maintain our freedom to speak so that we can invite all levels of discourse into the conversation. And in terms of the increased centralization of decision making with sustainability, we need to maintain the ability to make decisions at the local level. You don't want an authoritative body halfway across the world making your community laws. Also, be wary of people and organizations who are peddling fear. The ones who are going to really transform and support the earth are the ones presenting solutions and hope.
LB: How can Intengine support people, ensuring they have agency when making planet-friendly decisions?
CL: We align ourselves with our values. We allow people to align with their values. We allow organizations to put their best foot forward by showing what they are actively contributing to doing that's positive for people and the environment. We're not allowing our platform to be politicized. We want to be that breath of fresh air where people can find solutions and hope without a lot of the fear that is often seen in the sustainability movement.
LB: Could you talk a little bit about the sustainable practices you have going on at the Intengine office in Vancouver?
CL: Well, I bike to work as much as I can. We are a multi-cultural team from diverse backgrounds and have a hybrid model that allows employees to work remotely. Really our collective contribution to sustainability is made by putting our attention on creating a database of sustainably focused companies to support the innovators behind them, and help facilitate information that can enhance the lives of millions of people.
To learn more about Intengine’s services, to browse the directory or to create a business profile visit Intengine.com
Tags: sustainability movement, eco business, sustainability mapping, procurement, supply chain, state of sustainability