I grew up in a household where giving back to our community was a thread woven into the fabric of our family values. I have early memories of walking through our neighbourhood with my mom, canvassing for the Canadian Cancer Society, or helping my Nana in the kitchen as she baked fresh rolls for a family down the street going through a hard time.
These small but meaningful acts shaped my understanding of what it means to support your community—stepping up in moments of injustice or rolling up your sleeves when someone needs a hand. That deep sense of care and contribution has influenced both my personal life and my professional path.
Throughout my career, I’ve sought out spaces where growth and impact aren’t mutually exclusive. And I’ve come to believe that the idea of “work-life balance” might be a bit of a myth. After all, we’re not living in an episode of Severance. We carry our personal values with us to work, and our work often follows us home.
Instead, I prefer the idea of work-life integration, a mindset that recognizes the natural blend of personal and professional. With the average person spending over 90,000 hours working in their lifetime, I want to spend that time in a place where my values are reflected and where I can make a real difference.
Finding Davis Pier felt like coming home. The values I hold close, community, impact, and inclusivity, were right there. I know many of my colleagues share this feeling.
One of Davis Pier’s core values is Impact: “We show up, we listen, and we build trust. We know this is the foundation for building lasting outcomes.” Impact at Davis Pier takes many forms, from providing pro bono consulting services to participating in community initiatives and fundraising efforts. We actively look for ways to give back as a team, not just as individuals.
“We show up, we listen, and we build trust. We know this is the foundation for building lasting outcomes.”
One of the most significant ways we embed these values into both our culture and our work is through our B Corporation Certification.
I’m proud to share that Davis Pier was recently recertified as a B Corp, an achievement that reflects our deep commitment to creating meaningful change. This certification isn’t a one-time milestone, businesses must go through a rigorous reassessment every three years to ensure they continue to meet B Lab’s high standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Even better? Our score improved, reaching 120.5 points, well above the 80-point threshold required for certification. There are now over 9,000 B Corps across 102 countries and 160 industries, and we’re proud to be among them.
The decision to pursue and maintain this certification wasn’t just a checkbox for us. It was an intentional step. We chose this path because we believe in the values B Corps promote:
- reducing inequality,
- lowering poverty,
- building stronger communities, and
- creating jobs with dignity and purpose.
These goals align closely with the work our team already does, work rooted in empathy, curiosity, and real change.
Davis Pier is filled with purpose-driven people. For many of us, the principles behind B Corp come naturally. But having the certification reinforces our commitment, it gives structure and shared language to the impact we aim to have.
Mike and Darryl, Davis Pier’s Co-founders, often speak about servant leadership—a philosophy that prioritizes the growth and well-being of others before self. They live this out through their volunteer work with organizations like Kids Help Phone and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This example of leadership from the top, paired with the energy our team brings to every volunteer opportunity, is what inspires me every day. It reminds me that I’m in the right place. A place where my values don’t just coexist with my work, they thrive within it.
Emily Miller (she/her) is Manager, Operations & Community at Davis Pier. Emily is responsible for leading operations and internal communications. She also oversees the firm’s community connection and social impact through CSR efforts and the B Corp certification.
