# Purpose Driven Development and SI Vancouver Take Innovative Impact Partnership Award

> Purpose Driven Development and Soroptimist International of Vancouver won the 2026 Innovative Impact Partnership Award at the Greater Purpose Conference in Toronto.

- Published: 2026-10-28T18:05:01+00:00
- Section: Business
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-28/purpose-driven-development-greater-purpose-award
- Source: [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/28/3390652/0/en/greater-purpose-announces-winners-of-the-2026-greater-purpose-awards.html)

## Key takeaways

- Purpose Driven Development and Soroptimist International of Vancouver won the Innovative Impact Partnership Award at the 2026 Greater Purpose Awards.
- The awards were presented at the Greater Purpose Conference in Toronto on October 28, 2026.
- GreenShield CEO Zahid Salman was named Social Purpose CEO of the Year in the large business category.

Purpose Driven Development and Soroptimist International of Vancouver won the Innovative Impact Partnership Award at the 2026 Greater Purpose Awards, presented at the Greater Purpose Conference in Toronto on October 28, 2026. [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/28/3390652/0/en/greater-purpose-announces-winners-of-the-2026-greater-purpose-awards.html) announced the winners.

## Purpose Driven Development's Soroptimist Partnership

Greater Purpose recognized the partnership for combining real estate and community development expertise with advocacy for women and girls to address systemic social challenges. [Purpose Driven Development](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00sc531/purpose-driven-development) is a Vancouver-based, founder-led boutique real estate development management firm serving non-profits, First Nations, government entities and faith-based organizations across Canada. It was founded in 2016 and provides project management, financing, tenant relocation and strategic advisory for affordable housing and mixed-use developments.

Annelise van der Veen, Director of Partnerships & Finance at Purpose Driven Development, was named Emerging Social Purpose Leader Under 40. Greater Purpose cited her work bringing together real estate, partnerships and social finance to advance community development through a social purpose lens.

"Business can and should be a force for good," said Brad Offman, founder and CEO of Greater Purpose. "The 2026 Greater Purpose Awards are a reminder of how many outstanding Canadian organizations are already living that conviction – and an invitation to every business leader to follow their lead."

Claire Williams, Chief Purpose Officer of Greater Purpose, said the organization's vision is for Canada to be a global leader in the purpose economy. Zahid Salman, CEO of [GreenShield](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00035lk/greenshield), won Social Purpose CEO of the Year in the large business category for making health equity and access central to the insurer's mission. GreenShield research published in October found nearly 40 per cent of Canadian women do not know where to seek menopause care, the Financial Post reported.

## Purpose Driven Development's Project Record

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Purpose Driven Development has more than $2 billion in real estate development value and has unlocked over $180 million in project financing. The firm's portfolio includes more than 2,250 mixed-income affordable rental homes underway. Its Soroptimist House project, 135 affordable homes for women in an $85 million development designed and delivered by an all-women team with GBL Architects and Ledcor, progressed under construction ahead of schedule. Purpose Driven Development serves as development manager and financing lead on the project.

## Greater Purpose Award Winners Across Categories

Lucie Bourgeois, founding president of [Umalia](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/02l2gx4/umalia), won the Purpose Leader Award. Unwrapit took Outstanding Social Purpose Company of the Year for small business, veritree for medium business and Assiniboine Credit Union for large business. Phil Haid of Public Inc. and Brad Liski of Tru Earth Environmental Products won Social Purpose CEO honours in the small and medium categories. Armour Valve received the Purpose Reporting Award, and Hope Air and Uber shared the Purpose Storytelling Award.

## Companies in this story

- [Purpose Driven Development company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00sc531/purpose-driven-development) · website: https://www.purposedrivenroi.com
- [GreenShield company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00035lk/greenshield) · website: https://www.greenshield.ca
- [Umalia company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/02l2gx4/umalia) · website: https://www.umalia.ca

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