September 18, 2023
Calgary - Equitable Origin’s Board of Directors announced today at the World Petroleum Congress that it has appointed Canadian climate innovation champion Jason Switzer as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Equitable Origin advances market-based mechanisms to incent leadership in responsible energy development, and to support Indigenous rights. Today, natural gas certified to Equitable Origin’s EO100™ Standard for Responsible Energy Development represents nearly 15% of US and Canadian production, with Calgary-based companies such as ARC Energy among its pioneering adopters.
Switzer replaces Soledad Mills, who built the EO100 certification program, and has been the organization’s CEO since 2015. Among her accomplishments, Mills has championed EO’s Center for Strengthening Indigenous Rights (CEFO Indígena), securing key Indigenous partners as well as supporters including the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas, and the Internet Society Foundation. She also established a joint certification partnership with methane emissions performance standard MiQ, helping both scale their impact.
A graduate of MIT, Switzer brings to Equitable Origin decades of work in industrial decarbonization and international development, including at Shell Canada, Cenovus Energy and the Pembina Institute. Organizations he has helped establish and grow include the Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance, the Canada Cleantech Alliance and the $100M Clean Resource Innovation Network. Most recently, he led carbonNEXT to accelerate Carbon Capture startups, at Foresight and Carbon Management Canada.
“Jason’s deep commitment to a just energy transition combined with his track record in forging pragmatic cross-sector partnerships to get results will be catalytic for the organization,” said Hannah Stutzman, Equitable Origin’s Board Chair. “As we start this new chapter, the Board extends our appreciation to Soledad for the outstanding work she did to bring EO to this place of strength.”
“We must improve the benefit for people and the environment from each electron we produce, hydrocarbon-based or renewable,” said Jason Switzer. “We have a remarkable team at EO, and an impressive roster of assessors, producers and supporters that is growing daily. I look forward to working with them to scale up the market for independently-certified responsible energy as a means for rewarding top-performing companies, strengthening Indigenous Peoples’ rights and combating Climate Change.”
“I am honored to welcome Jason Switzer to our team as a preeminent leader in decarbonization and a seasoned expert in the co-creation and impactful delivery of better solutions in energy systems. As we enter this next phase of growth, I am beyond excited to see the positive impact that we will have as an organization, working together with our expanding range of community partners, Indigenous leaders, energy providers, and producers,” said Jennifer Turner, Equitable Origin’s Energy Director.
About Equitable Origin
Founded in 2009 by Rhodes Scholar and entrepreneur David Poritz, Equitable Origin brings transparency and comparability to the energy markets upon which we all depend. Equitable Origin was established to incentivize leadership in responsible energy production through independent certification. Certification empowers host communities, investors and users to positively-influence energy producers, to the benefit of all. Today, Equitable Origin standards cover Oil and Gas production and transport, with a Renewable Energy standard in development. Equitable Origin is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, multi-stakeholder organization incorporated in the United States with operations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, South America and Europe.
Media Contact:
Viktor Kopic