Joanna Griffiths, founder and CEO of Knix— a Toronto-based intimate apparel company best known for their human-centric design and cutting-edge technology – is Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022.
She was selected by an independent panel of judges and EY said Griffiths is this year’s national program winner for her commitment to leading with purpose, working towards greater sustainability and transforming the consumer landscape.
“In a niche industry where innovative technology doesn’t typically come top of mind, Griffiths has successfully created a mission-driven brand that champions product innovation and sustainability, all while celebrating body positivity and prioritizing comfort,” said Paula Smith, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Canada Program Director. “As a market disruptor and successful entrepreneur, she is paving the way for the next generation of human-centric brands by shining a light on the real day-to-day challenges faced by their customer base and responding with ground-breaking products.”
Joanna Griffiths
EY said Knix is connecting with real and diverse people and pushing boundaries in the market through inspiring campaigns featuring matters like fertility and the postpartum experience. By driving conversations around typically stigmatized topics, the brand is successfully creating much-needed awareness and acceptance, while promoting a community-first approach to business. Knix’s success recently led the company to expand into new categories with leakproof products that span underwear, swim, lounge, activewear and more, it added
“We’re so grateful at Knix to EY for this incredible honour and to Canada for not only embracing the idea of leak-proof underwear, but for welcoming a brand that looked different. We could never have done it without them and our community,” said Griffiths. “We’re a company that focuses on impact and one that celebrates people for who they truly were. In a world that profits from society’s self-doubt, we at Knix believe that the most aspirational thing is to love yourself exactly as you are.”
Griffiths will represent Canada on the global stage to compete against 60 other country winners for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ this summer in Monaco.
The 2022 independent national judging panel for Canada included: Geoff Chutter, President and CEO, WhiteWater West Industries; Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder, Kingsdale Advisors, The BlackNorth Initiative; Germain Lamonde, Founder and Executive Chairman, EXFO Inc.; Kim Mason, Senior VP and Head of Private Banking, RBC Wealth Management; Linda McCurdy, President and CEO, K-Bro Linen Systems Inc.; Kristi Miller, Managing Partner, Krystal Growth Partners; and Joseph Randell, President and CEO, Chorus Aviation Inc.
All the national award winners can be found here.
(Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He works as well as a freelance writer for several national publications and as a consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list)
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