November 09, 2022
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Lori Nikkel, Second Harvest CEO, Appointed to Order of Ontario
Head of Canada’s largest food rescue organization joins 23 others on 2021 list
TORONTO, ON – November 9, 2022 -- Second Harvest announced today that CEO Lori Nikkel has been appointed to the Order of Ontario for 2021. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will bestow the province’s highest honour on Lori at a ceremony to be held November 21, 2022.
As chief executive for Canada’s largest food rescue organization, Lori Nikkel has scaled the organization nationwide and directed the publication of the first report to quantify food waste in Canada. In the last 12 months she has overseen the rescue and redistribution of 53.3 million pounds of surplus edible food to more than 3,700 non-profits across Canada.
The Order of Ontario recognizes exceptional leaders from all walks of life and diverse fields of endeavour whose impact and lasting legacy have played an important role in building a stronger province, country and world.
"Lori embodies the highest level of excellence in her field. Under her leadership, Second Harvest's impact on food rescue and the environment is more outstanding with every passing year. We are very proud of Lori's achievements and believe this is a fitting recognition for her immense dedication and hard work," Jeff Hauswirth, Chair of Second Harvest's Board of Directors said.
There were also 23 others who were appointed. Only 822 people have been appointed to the Order of Ontario since its establishment in 1986.
"As Chancellor of the Order, I join Ontarians in congratulating the 2021 Order of Ontario appointees,” Her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of The Order of Ontario said in a news release. “Their service to our province is a reminder to all of us fortunate enough to call Ontario home, that the fabric of society is knit together by good deeds and the dedication of individuals. May their accomplishments be an inspiration and example for many to follow.”
Lori is a sought-after expert on the issues of food rescue and food waste reduction and has advised other countries on their own food-waste reduction strategies. Her knowledge and proven successes have cemented Second Harvest as a global thought leader, including being recognized by the United Nations as Canada's Food Hero in 2020.
In 2021 Lori was named one of Canada's Most Admired CEOs by Waterstone Human Capital for transformational leadership and was one of Canada's 2021 Women of Influence. She is also a Clean 50 winner for outstanding contributions to clean capitalism and an inaugural Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council member.
About Second Harvest
Second Harvest is Canada's largest food rescue organization and is a global thought leader on perishable food redistribution. We operate at the intersection of hunger relief and environmental protection, tackling food loss and waste through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, continually innovating and collaborating to ensure a more sustainable planet.
We work with thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain utilizing logistics and technology to reduce the amount of edible food going to waste, thereby diverting unnecessary greenhouse gases from entering the environment. Our inclusive model ensures this healthy surplus food is redirected to thousands of charities and non-profits across the country, providing millions of Canadians experiencing food insecurity access to the nourishment they need. Learn more: secondharvest.ca
Media inquiries
For more information, please contact
Adam Vrankulj, Senior Manager of Communications
Second Harvest
416.346.3617
adamv@secondharvest.ca