Canadian business leader Michael H. McCain was welcomed by the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business to a full house of 250 students Wednesday.

This unique event was held in partnership with the C.D. Howe Institute, a research think tank.

McCain, executive chair of the board for Maple Leaf Foods, led a discussion with members of the student body entitled “Shared Value Creation and Renewing Commitment to Our Fiduciary Duty.”

“As business leaders we have a moral and legal responsibility for shared value creation. I am excited to have the opportunity to speak with future business leaders from the Odette School of Business on the topic and the impact that they can have as future leaders,” McCain said.

“This topic is incredibly important to me. At Maple Leaf we have been clear that achieving our vision to be the most sustainable protein company on Earth would be fuelled by creating shared value. It underpins our core business strategies, investments, and innovation.”

Dwight Duncan, Odette School of Business executive-in-residence, said the partnership with the C.D. Howe Institute created an opportunity to attract a speaker of McCain’s calibre.

“This lecture was intended to bring the most up-to-date and cutting edge thinking to our students, faculty, and community,” said Duncan, who also serves as a fellow within the C.D. Howe Institute.

“Michael is consistently on the forefront of these conversations that further the business education our students receive.”

Following the lecture, Mucci Farms’ CEO Bert Mucci provided McCain and C.D. Howe leaders with a tour of Boem Berry Farm in Kingsville.

The school also hosted an evening dinner with McCain and local greenhouse farmers, University of Windsor alumni, and community stakeholders in a round-table discussion about the future of food, touching on shared values in industry and government and the challenge of economic short-termism.