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Lynda Kuhn champions social responsibility

The Maple Leaf Foodsā€™ exec says fighting for fairness isnā€™t just her job, itā€™s her way of life. She's driven to advance sustainability and create a better future.

±Ź“Ē²õ³Ł±š»å:ĢżJanuary 24, 2025

µž²ā:ĢżAllison BarssĢż

A man has his arm around Kuhn's shoulders standing on a veranda in Kenya.

Lynda KuhnĢż(µž“”ā€™77) is no stranger to seeing the big picture.Ģż

As the purpose advisor for , she ensures that sustainability is central to all aspects of the businessā€”a process which culminated in a vision for Maple Leaf to ā€˜raise the good in foodā€™ and become the most sustainable protein company in the world. Social responsibility is her sweet spot, and it gives Kuhnā€™s work the purpose sheā€™s been seeking her whole life.

A 2007 volunteer trip to Kenya remains a seminal point of inspiration for the notable alum, when she saw dire health conditions and limited access to basic needs. ā€œWhat stood out most was the hope I saw in the children I met, particularly to pursue higher education,ā€ Kuhn shares.

ā€œI was inspired by their dreams for a better future.ā€

Now, the drive to help create a better future is something Kuhn engrains in her role with Maple Leaf each day. ā€œWeā€™re a company that seeks to create shared value, not just shareholder value,ā€ she says. ā€œThis includes becoming the first large-scale carbon neutral food company in the world, advancing better nutrition, leading in food and workplace safety and humane animal care, and advancing positive social impact.ā€ Along with playing a key role in establishing and implementing Maple Leafā€™s values, Kuhn is also an active chair of ā€”a registered charity whose goal is to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50 per cent by 2030.

Kuhn stands at a podium that says Feed Opportunity speaking into a microphone.

A change-maker in the making

Kuhn greatly credits her time as an anthropology major at DalĢżfor her ability to think more broadly about societal issuesā€”a skill that continues to serve her well. ā€œHaving small classes and lots of one-on-one time with professors, it was an ideal way to learn to think strategically,ā€ she says. ā€œTo stretch my understanding of different world views, needs and values, and how to apply these to collaboratively advance business and social impact strategies.ā€

After later graduating from McGill University with a masterā€™s in anthropology, one of Kuhnā€™s first roles in the workforce included working with First Nations communities throughout Atlantic Canada, including the Potlotā€™ek Band Council in Cape Breton. ā€œI had a particular passion for working with Indigenous peoples, to support an Indigenous-led process for advancing economic and social strategies that reflected and strengthened their culture and value,ā€ she says. ā€œI listened to where the community wanted to go and used my anthropological training and writing skills to support that.ā€ ĢżThis included establishing one of the first on-reserve bilingual, bicultural primary education programs in Atlantic Canada.

A notable alum

From 2014 to 2017, Kuhn was recognized by UNICEF Canada as a member of its ā€”a group of 60 Canadian female philanthropists dedicated to saving lives through maternal, newborn and child health initiatives in various countries. She also served on the boards of Give-a-Day and Dignitas Internationalā€”a medical and research organization dedicated to innovating sustainable solutions to global health challengesā€”and is a director of the , a private foundation established by the Michael McCain family to advance womenā€™s mental health in Canada.

In 2023, Kuhn joined the Ā鶹“«Ć½ Advisory Council, keen to lend her expertise to help the council fulfil its mandate, particularly on the heels of the launch of Dalā€™s Bringing Worlds Together campaign. ā€œWith my experience in the agrifood sector, along with leading work to define and bring an organizationā€™s vision and purpose to life, I want to bring skills and relationships that will advance Ā鶹“«Ć½ā€™s goals,ā€ she says.

ā€œDal is place of meaningful, community connections and I hope through my involvement, I can help bring those connections to life.ā€

It comes as no surprise that in 2024, Kuhn was added to Ā鶹“«Ć½ā€™s notable alumni list, celebrating alumni who have achieved significant accomplishments in their respective personal and professional lives. ā€œItā€™s an honour,ā€ says Kuhn. ā€œDal is a place thatā€™s had a profound impact on my life and career. Itā€™s shaped how I think, my talents; itā€™s made me who I am.ā€

Coming full circle

Early in 2024, Kuhn travelled back to Kenya to meet with people she now considers friendsā€”a trip she looks forward to each year. Included in those she met with were students and alumni of the , which Kuhn co-founded in 2013 to provide determined young Kenyans the financial means and mentorship they need to complete their education and become future leaders in their society. To date, Wezesha has supported over 200 young people to complete post-secondary education and go on to fulfilling careers.

ā€œEducation is a transformational experience for these young people, most of whom come from families who subsist on less than two dollars a day and for whom higher education is simply unaffordable,ā€ she adds. ā€œThe ripple effect of our investment in these talented, aspiring students extends to their families, their communities and their country.ā€

Kuhn adds that some of the first students to benefit from the Wezesha Education Foundation are now doctors, teachers, researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs. ā€œNow, they are mentoring and helping the next generation of our students.ā€

Kuhn stands with a woman in a colourful dress on the balcony of the school / Kuhn stands with her arm around a member of the foundation indoors. Kuhn at the Wezesha Education Foundation in Kenya, which she co-founded.