March 7, 2025
Bryan de Lottinville receives Haskayne鈥檚 2025 Inspiring Business Leader Award
The Haskayne School of Business has named its , recognizing his entrepreneurial success and profound impact on corporate social responsibility.
As the founder of , a 91快色-based tech company that was one of Alberta鈥檚 first 鈥榯ech unicorns鈥 (companies valued at north of $1B), de Lottinville has demonstrated that businesses can be both profitable and purpose-driven. Benevity鈥檚 market leading enterprise impact platform helps companies engage their employees and customers around different types of social impact initiatives, such as volunteering, charitable giving, grantmaking and the like.
鈥淚鈥檝e never been much for personal awards, in part because the phrase 鈥榠t takes a village鈥 is so deeply true,鈥 de Lottinville says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously very flattering to be considered in the esteemed company of the other business leaders that have won this award over the years, and I鈥檓 truly both honoured and grateful.鈥
The road from corporate finance to Benevity
De Lottinville's journey to becoming a leader in corporate purpose began in the legal world, where he spent several years as a corporate finance lawyer on Bay Street before transitioning to leadership roles at high-growth companies such as SMED International and iStockphoto. In 2008, he founded Benevity, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that has since facilitated $19 billion in donations and 100 million volunteer hours for nearly 500,000 global non-profits.
At the core of Benevity鈥檚 success is a simple, but powerful, belief that businesses can drive social good in a manner that helps them deliver financial growth.
鈥淒oing well by doing good isn鈥檛 just a catchy tagline, it鈥檚 a strategy and path to sustainable success for both people and companies,鈥 says de Lottinville. His vision has shaped Benevity into a global leader in corporate social responsibility, with clients that include Nike, Google, Apple and a majority of the Fortune 1000. In 2021, Benevity was sold to private equity for US$1.1 billion.
A new approach to mixing business with philanthropy
The leadership provided by de Lottinville has not only shaped Benevity and its unique corporate culture; it has also helped redefine how businesses approach corporate purpose. 鈥The connection between purpose, values and business goals isn鈥檛 a trend; it鈥檚 a business imperative鈥, says de Lottinville. 鈥淚t shapes how companies engage and earn the trust of employees, customers and communities at large.鈥
He urges future leaders to embrace what he calls the 鈥淧ower of And鈥 - the idea that businesses (and individuals) don鈥檛 have to make a choice between profit and impact. 鈥淵ou can build a profitable business, provide financial security for yourself and also affect positive change,鈥 says de Lottinville. 鈥淲e鈥檝e become too binary, too polarized in our perspectives. The world鈥檚 biggest challenges all require collective action to solve.鈥
Now serving as Chief Enthusiast and executive chair of Benevity, de Lottinville continues to champion purpose-driven leadership and grassroots engagement. His contributions have earned him global recognition, including a Top 100 Corporate Social Responsibility Influence Leader designation and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
The Inspiring Business Leader Award celebrates leaders like de Lottinville who push boundaries, challenge norms and create lasting impact.
As he reflects on his legacy, de Lottinville hopes to leave behind more than just a successful company: 鈥淚 want people to see vividly that business can be a force for good, and that doing the right thing isn鈥檛 just ethical, it鈥檚 also a competitive advantage.鈥
Bryan de Lottinville will be celebrated on May 6 when he receives the 2025 Inspiring Business Leader Award at the Percheron Ballroom in BMO Centre at Stampede Park. Go for tickets and more information.