Every so often, something happens that makes you pause and feel genuinely grateful for the path you’ve been on. That happened for us at this year’s VIATEC Awards.
Synergy was named the recipient of the 2026 VIATEC Social Impact Award, an appointed award recognizing a company or organization that is driving meaningful, measurable change in addressing social, political, environmental, or economic challenges. We’re honoured to be recognized for the work we do.
Where It All Started
Our founder, Jill Doucette, took the stage last night with a walk down memory lane:
She talked about Synergy’s early days, including a pitch competition in Ottawa where she showed up as a biology student who knew very little about business. After the pitch, she was ushered into a room full of investors. A woman in an all-white suit approached her. Jill asked what she did. The woman replied, “I’m an Angel.” Jill’s internal response: “Wow, they’ll let anyone in here.” We’ve come a long way since then.
But what hasn’t changed is why we started: we came to this work through climate science, believing that businesses and industry are an integral part of the solution to the environmental challenges we face today. That vision has guided every project, every partnership, every hire.
This Is a Victoria Story
One of the things that struck us most last night was looking around the room and seeing just how many companies on Vancouver Island are solving genuinely hard problems – monitoring fisheries, reimagining EV charging infrastructure, and building the world’s first browser to offset user emissions. We are grateful to be part of that community, which has helped shape our company.
Some of our most meaningful work has been done alongside Victoria-based organizations like AXYS Technologies, Jasco Marine Science, and Redbrick. These collaborations reminded us that sustainability isn’t a solo endeavour; it’s something we build together when companies share values and collaborate on the projects that benefit people and planet. As Robina Thomas said that evening: “Listen to others, find common ground, and think big.” We couldn’t agree more.
To Our Team
This award belongs to the people who show up every day and bring their passion to this work.
Jill said it best in her acceptance speech:
“This all wouldn’t be possible without a talented team with big hearts, thank you to everyone who works at Synergy, bringing your beautiful brains, team spirit, and focus on collaboration and finding win-win solutions.”
What Comes Next
Receiving this recognition only deepens our commitment to collective climate action. There’s still so much work to do, and we’re grateful to do it alongside clients, partners, and a community that believes business can be a powerful force for good.
Thank you, VIATEC, for this award. Thank you, Victoria. And thank you to everyone who has trusted us with your sustainability journey.
Synergy Enterprises is a Victoria, BC-based sustainability consultancy helping businesses measure, manage, and reduce their environmental impact.
