Canada's Greenest Employers (2021) by Canada's Top 100 Employers

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Canada’s Greenest Employers (2021)

GETTING TO ZERO:

How one employer has reduced its footprint

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CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

2021 L.BERMAN/CVC

14 th Annual Edition

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, JUNIOR EDITOR

Jing Wang,

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Kristen Chow,

MANAGING DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING

Ye Jin Suhe,

CLIENT EXPERIENCE LEAD

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Michael Benedict Brian Bergman Jane Doucet Don Hauka Patricia Hluchy D’Arcy Jenish Bruce McDougall Nora Underwood Barbara Wickens

 Credit Valley Conservation Authority in Mississauga, Ont., uses a special collection program (TerraCycle) to

capture additional recyclables, such as pens and pencils, and has even set up its own organic composting in areas where no municipal organic program exist.

t’s far too early to be talking about the ‘lessons learned’ during a pandemic that continues to inspire fear and surprise in equal measure. Most Canadians, weary from a year of devastating losses in human and economic terms, see the wisdom in admitting how much we don’t know. Drawing hard lessons from the Gordian Knot that is COVID-19, at this stage, comes close to a fool’s errand. Yet there’s something in the human condition that seeks to improve and learn, especially when confronted with an existential challenge like the pandemic. It comforts us to know that at least some good things can come from this period, even if the public health emergency is still in its second act. The relationship between the pandemic and efforts to create a sustainable future is one such area. Early last spring, people around the world marvelled at how quickly pollution levels had declined after millions of vehicles disappeared from roadways and air travel vanished overnight. Soon afterwards, newspapers and magazines were full of stories predicting that urban areas would need reimagining – even that we might not need to invest so much in the carbon-intensive infrastructure needed to keep our ‘outdated model’ of the city functional. But it wasn’t long before the pandemic would show us another side of ourselves, holding the looking glass up to reveal how income disparities resulted in harshly different outcomes for people of colour, recent immigrants and Indigenous peoples. We’re all in this together, the rallying

cry of politicians in the pandemic’s early days, fell silent in the public lexicon when it became clear who was really bearing its costs. The ‘lessons learned’ from the pandemic don’t stop there, of course – even vaccine nationalism proved not enough to prevent rich countries (like Canada) from being devastated by virus variants that originated far beyond their borders – but I think the point is made. Modesty, it turns out, is the virtue the pandemic revealed to be in shortest supply. Climate change and finding a sustainable way for humanity to live in an increasingly fragile natural world are the defining challenges of our time. The pandemic has offered a preview of how these challenges will reverberate throughout society, likely in ways that defy our capacity to predict or solve easily. Take a few moments to consider what this year’s Canada’s Greenest Employers are doing to respond to these environmental challenges. Their initiatives are practical, often incremental, steps that show how it’s possible to reduce or even eliminate the environmental footprint we all leave. The thread that runs through all this year’s winners is humility: unlike the pandemic, we need to be modest in assessing our capabilities to deal with climate change and a deteriorating natural world. Far better for all of us to take the simple steps needed to put the world on the path toward a sustainable future. – Tony Meehan

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Introduction As climate change challenges the world, Canadians know we must do better, particularly in business.

anada’s Greenest Employers 2021, selected by Mediacorp Canada Inc. and celebrated here in this special competition for environmental leadership, have the kind of practical strategies that make a real difference. And as these Greenest companies show, sustainability and success do go hand in hand. Under the stress of a global pandemic, not only have they continued to green their organizations in so many innovative ways – from electric vehicles to solar reflecting roofs to creating habitat for honeybees – but increasingly demonstrate a formalized commitment supporting the global transition to a low-carbon economy. All have ambitious plans to reduce their ecological footprint. Indeed, some have

already achieved carbon neutral, while others are well underway to meeting their varied targets. Examples include: Accenture with a goal to reduce carbon by 11 per cent by 2025 (over a 2016 baseline year); and Schneider Electric Canada with manufacturing plants in Victoria, Edmonton and Brossard, Quebec now certified zero waste to landfill. Community partnerships also strengthen the contribution companies can make towards a healthier planet. For instance, Cowbell Brewing Co. in Blyth, Ontario, has worked with Maitland Valley Conservation Authority to plant over 12,000 native trees and pollinator plants on over 9.3 hectares of its land, helping ensure its brewing operations remain carbon neutral. Many winners maintain that COVID-19

has sparked a reset on their best practices. Post pandemic, they expect to continue with less commuting and travel as well as an increased use of technology to connect – all with positive environmental benefits. Additionally, the sustainability culture of Greenest employers has spilled into home offices, increasing awareness and encouraging individuals to make more environmentally responsible choices to reduce their personal carbon footprint. Every effort counts. Young people looking to join an organization are more mindful than ever of a company’s environmental practices and have set the bar high. From a carbon perspective, business as usual with its bad behaviours is no longer good enough. – Diane Jermyn

COWBELL

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

2021

t Cowbell Brewing in Blyth, Ont., has worked with a local

conservation authority to plant 12,000 native trees and pollinator plants on over 9.3 hectares of its land, helping ensure its brewing operations remain carbon neutral.

LOYALTYONE

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

2021

2021 WINNERS

 LoyaltyOne conducts annual waste audits and continues to refine its waste reduction strategies, expanding its waste diversion program to capture organics, clothing, eyeglasses, e-waste, coffee cups, batteries and writing instruments.

CCENTURE INC., Toronto. Professional services; 5,453 employees. Increased investments in virtual collaborative technology to help reduce unnecessary employee travel. ADOBE SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software publishers; 302 employees. Offers its employees subsidies to encourage sustainable living purchases for the home, such as on the purchase of solar panels. AET GROUP INC., Kitchener. Ont. Environmental consulting; 29 employees. Part-

ners with numerous community environmental initiatives, including The Carbon Cleanse, a four-week challenge to address energy use, waste, commuting and water usage. ARAMARK CANADA LTD., Toronto. Food service contractors; 14,253 employees. Manages numerous communication initiatives through its Healthy for Life program to help employees and customers make sustainable choices every day. ASSINIBOINE CREDIT UNION LTD., Winnipeg. Credit union; 415 employees. Has surveyed employees on their commu-

ting habits since 2009 and encourages them to reduce their carbon footprint.

lower income households lower their bills.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria. Provincial government; 31,117 employees. Celebrates a number of environmental awareness initiatives annually, including Earth Week, Earth Hour, the Hibernation and Stay Cool Challenges.

BC HYDRO, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 5,863 employees. Delivered over 16,000 Energy Saving Kits offering energy efficient products to help

BELL CANADA, Verdun, Que. Communications; 37,528 employees. Manages the dedicated VideoZone program featuring the latest video conferencing technology to enhance online meetings for employees and reduce unnecessary travel.

C HOUSING MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, Burnaby, B.C. Housing programs; 821 employees. Promotes a culture of sustainability across all levels of the organization and encourages environmentally responsible choices both at home and at work.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

(CONT.)

ACU

2021 WINNERS

BLACKBERRY LTD., Waterloo, Ont. Secure software and services; 1,918 employees. Eliminated plastic bottles from all vending machines and introduced a program to test reusable cutlery and dishes. BLUEARTH RENEWABLES INC., Calgary. Renewable power generation; 106 employees. Encourages employees to post photos of their at-home environmental initiatives and offers prizes for the best ideas. BRITISH COLUMBIA LIQUOR DISTRIBUTION BRANCH, Burnaby, B.C. Liquor and cannabis distribution and retail; 2,797 employees. Began the phase out of plastic bags in 2019 that is estimated to save 22 million plastic bags.

ANON CANADA INC., Brampton, Ont. Imaging equipment and information services; 974 employees. Supports numerous local environmental initiatives through its Branch Out program that is funded through its longstanding toner recycling program. CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT, THE / CRD, Victoria. Municipal government; 565 employees. Partners with various community organizations to educate residents and the local building industry on green building standards and residential retrofits.

CO-OPERATORS GROUP LTD., THE, Guelph, Ont. Insurance; 6,172 employees. Is a founding member of the Corporate Knights’ Council for Clean Capitalism. COWBELL BREWING CO., Blyth, Ont. Breweries; 78 employees. Has creatively worked around small-town infrastructure limitations to ensure minimal impacts on the local environment and the municipal systems. CREDIT VALLEY CONSERVATION AUTHORITY / CVC, Mississauga. Environment, conservation and wildlife organizations; 213 employees. Set up its own organic composting where no municipal organic program is available.

ENTONS CANADA LLP, Vancouver. Law firm; 1,251 employees. Encourage employees to take on the Healthy Habits Challenge, a month-long initiative

 The Community Grants Committee at Winnipeg-based Assiniboine Credit Union helps keep non-profit organizations in the community sustainable and successful.

addressing the environment, exercise, food and to learn something new. DESJARDINS GROUP / MOUVEMENT DESJARDINS, Lévis. Que. Financial institution; 40,137 employees. Introduced special financing rates for members who purchase new hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as discounts on insurance rates. DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto. Architecture; 301 employees. Has committed to the industry’s 2030 Challenge that includes a commitment to design all projects as carbon neutral by 2030. DURHAM COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, Oshawa, Ont. College; 792 employees. Manages its own in-house Green Office certification program to recognize offices across the campus that adopt sustainable practices in day-to-day operations.

FFICIENCYONE, Dartmouth, N.S. Energy conservation advocacy; 132 employees. Encourages green living choices with rebates to residents for the purchase of energy efficient appliances, home energy assessments and small business energy solutions. EMTERRA GROUP, Burlington, Ont. Recycling and waste management; 1,036 employees. Has made significant infrastructure investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its fleet operations. ENMAX CORP., Calgary. Electric power distribution; 1,713 employees. Is a leading public advocate of energy conservation and alternative energy production in Alberta. EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support; 1,756 employees. Launched a website dedicated to sharing environmental tips, data from the head office’s waste

audits and information on upcoming green initiatives.

ARM MUTUAL RE, Cambridge, Ont. Insurance; 91 employees. Partnered with Sustainable Waterloo Region to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent, over a 2008 baseline year. FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 7,069 employees. Has an ongoing multi-year strategy (with its parent company) to develop and offer customers 40 hybrid vehicles, including 16 fully electric models.

ATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering; 3,381 employees. Features water efficient appliances and automated building sensor technology at its head office.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

2021 WINNERS

(CONT.)

HEMMERA ENVIROCHEM INC., Burnaby, B.C. Environmental consulting; 201 employees. Sets-up employee workstations with a special three-way waste bin that lets employees efficiently sort their recycling, organics and non-recyclables directly. HOME DEPOT OF CANADA INC., Toronto. Retail; 14,591 employees. Helps Canadians make greener choices with its Eco Options product line that includes a variety of products that offer lower environmental impacts. HP CANADA CO., Mississauga. Computer technology and services; 498 employees. Incorporates environmental considerations into all product design through its formal Design for Sustainability program. HUMBER COLLEGE, Toronto. College; 1,752 employees. Maintains extensive waste reduction efforts, increasing its waste diversion rate to 69 per cent in 2019, up 42 per cent since 2012. HYDRO OTTAWA, Gloucester, Ont. Electric power distribution; 701

employees. Invests in alternative energy for the future, partnering with the City of Ottawa to install solar panels on eight municipal buildings.

KEA CANADA LTD. PARTNERSHIP, Burlington, Ont. Retail; 3,500 employees. Has numerous programs focused on sustainable sourcing, from the WWF’s Better Cotton initiative to ensure sustainable cotton production to sourcing certified food products. IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE INC., Montreal. Real estate investment and management; 1,055 employees. Installed over 200 electric vehicle charging stations at its the properties, serving a growing number of electric vehicles every year.

EILHAUER LTD., Scarborough, Ont. Furniture manufacturing; 262 employees. Allows customers to return some used furniture items for disassembly and recycling through its Take-Back program. KILLAM APARTMENT REIT, Halifax. Property management and development; 512 employees. Established apartment renovation guidelines that include energy

efficient appliances, water efficient fixtures, programmable thermostats and low odour paints.

its waste reduction strategies and expand its waste diversion program.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 8,399 employees. Has a longstanding formal print strategy that has reduced paper consumption each year since 2008.

ABATT BREWING CO. LTD., Toronto. Breweries; 3,417 employees. Supports numerous environmental issues locally, nationally and internationally, from the London Environmental Network to World Water Day.

MANULIFE, Toronto. Insurance; 12,489 employees. Has invested over $14 billion in renewable energy projects in North America since 2002.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 27,360 employees. Manages a range of initiatives to increase consumer access to sustainable products, including its longstanding PC GREEN product line.

ANITOBA HYDRO, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 4,947 employees. Produces virtually all of its electricity from self-renewing hydroelectric power (water) and added geothermal and wind power to its renewable portfolio.

MCGILL UNIVERSITY, Montreal. University; 6,555 employees. Boasts a number of environmental firsts, including being the first campus in Canada to receive certification from the Marine Stewardship Council.

LOWE’S CANADA, Boucherville, Que. Retail; 12,948 employees. Adopted the target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 per cent below its 2016 levels by 2030.

MEDTRONIC CANADA ULC, Brampton, Ont. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 682 employees. Is a founding member of Ontario Electronics Stewardship Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care.

LOYALTYONE, CO., Toronto. Marketing consulting; 844 employees. Conducts annual waste audits and continues to refine

METROLINX, Toronto. Public transit; 4,137 employees. Encourages alternative transportation with preferred parking for

q An employee with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in the BC Public Service working at Muncho Lake Provincial Park, not far from the BCPS

Alaska Highway in northern British Columbia.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

2021 WINNERS

(CONT.)

carpoolers along with programs to reduce single-car trips. MOHAWK COLLEGE, Hamilton. College; 1,080 employees. Has ongoing programs to improve fleet fuel efficiency and is working towards ensuring that 75 per cent of replacement fleet vehicles are hybrid or electric. MOTT MACDONALD CANADA LTD., Vancouver. Engineering; 174 employees. Implemented numerous initiatives across the firm, including paper reuse and double-sided printing programs, zero waste lunch and learn events and sustainability chats.

NATURE’S PATH FOODS, INC., Richmond, B.C. Food manufacturing; 193 employees. Has an ambitious waste management program with a targeted 90 per cent waste diversion rate.

FARM MUTUAL RE

ATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION, Ottawa. Federal government; 460 employees. Hosted a unique Urbanism Lab Speaker Series featuring presentations by leaders in urbanism, design, heritage and conservation, sustainability, and place-making.

 The head office of Farm Mutual Re in Cambridge, Ont., is also home to three honeybee apiaries.

NIGHTINGALE CORP., Mississauga. Furniture manufacturing; 113 employees. Continues to exceed minimum industry standard ensuring all of its chairs are Greenguard-certified as low-emitting products.

HUMBER COLLEGE

ACIFIC BLUE CROSS, Burnaby, B.C. Insurance; 865 employees. Has partnered with Winnipeg-based Alvéole in the installation of two urban rooftop beehives that are home to 10,000 honeybees. PERKINS&WILL CANADA ARCHITECTS CO., Vancouver. Architecture; 216 employees. Works closely with Passive House Canada to develop an industry training program for the design and building of passive buildings. PRINTING HOUSE LTD., THE / TPH, Toronto. Printing; 578 employees. Has a longstanding partnership with Forest Farmer to plant a tree for every new Printing House account opened.

 In addition to planting more trees, Humber College improved its waste diversion by almost two-thirds since 2012.

2021 WINNERS

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

(CONT.)

ED RIVER COLLEGE, Winnipeg. College; 1,464 employees. Maintains a growing green building footprint, including the BOMA Best certified Roblin Centre and the Vehicle Technology and Energy Centre.

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, Toronto. Real estate investments; 603 employees. Partners with the Print Releaf Exchange program that reverse-calculates how many trees were cut to produce paper the company consumes. ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Toronto. Telecommunications, cable, publishing and subscription programming; 22,635 employees. Hosts an annual Waste Reduction Week to raise employee awareness and encourage suppliers and contractors to adopt sustainable strategies.

SODEXO CANADA LTD., Burlington, Ont. Food service contractors; 5,700 employees. Has gathered chefs for training on expanding plant-based menus, along with sourcing 100 per cent of egg products from cage-free and free-run farming operations. SUNNYBROOK HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE, Toronto. Hospitals; 6,468 employees. Encourages employees to consider cycling to work through the employee-led Bikes User Group Sunnybrook, secure bike parking, and hosting several bike-share stations. SURREY, CITY OF, Surrey, B.C. Municipal government; 2,125 employees.

Established an organic biofuel processing facility to process collected organics with the renewable natural gas being used to help power its natural-gas powered garbage collection trucks. SURREY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 36, Surrey, B.C. Schools; 9,778 employees. Champions a number of energy-producing features at its locations, including solar walls to preheat outdoor air. SYMCOR INC., Mississauga. Data processing and support services; 1,580 employees. Encourages alternative modes of getting to and from work, including secure bike parking, EV parking, preferred

parking for carpoolers and transit discounts.

D BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 53,694 employees. Announced an impressive $100-billion investment program (by 2030) for the development of the low-carbon economy, including lending to companies and projects with low-carbon operations. TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Vancouver. Telecommunications; 23,488 employees. Encourages employees to work from home through its formal Work Styles program, designed to assist employees in

q The Vancouver head office of Perkins&Will Canada Architects features a three-storey tropical living wall, with over 30 species of plants, that connects employees with nature.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 57,242 employees. Introduced numerous green building features at locations across the bank, including green roofs, solar electricity panel installations, rainwater collection and LED lighting retrofits.

AP CANADA INC., Vancouver. Custom computer programming services; 3,283 employees. Offers electric vehicle parking and secure bicycle parking, and is also committed to adding electric vehicles to its own fleet of vehicles. SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,737 employees. Has captured over 120,000 cellphones and smart phones since 2009 through its Phones for a Fresh Start program.

SHERIDAN NURSERIES LTD., Georgetown, Ont. Nursery and garden centre; 220 employees. Offer educational programs to the wider community, such as the Growing Up Green school outreach program that provides plantings to help green schoolyards.

K.MUISE/PERKINS&WILL

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 2,024 employees. Features numerous activities organized by its head office employee-led green team, from a book share and reuse program to clean-up days at nearby parks.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

adopting flexible work arrangements and reduce commuting. TORONTO ZOO, Toronto. Zoos and botanical gardens; 267 employees. Has a formal Plastic Statement that commits itself to take action to reduce, reuse and recycle any plastic that is used and sold. TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CANADA INC./ TMMC, Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 9,601 employees. Has diverted approximately 95 per cent of all waste through its many initiatives. TRANSLINK (SOUTH COAST BRITISH COLUMBIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY), New Westminster, B.C. Public transit; 7,646 employees. Has been recognized by the American Public Transportation Association Sustainability Commitment for its ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

BC / UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver. University; 12,739 employees. Adopted the LEED Gold certification standard for all new construction and major renovations of institutional buildings, with 26 registered and certified buildings.

UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK, Toronto. Hospitals; 12,223 employees. Conducts regular energy and waste audits to address specific ongoing environmental impacts of its varied operations, including energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, Edmonton. University; 8,748 employees. Manages a Zero Waste program that includes the goal of diverting 90 per cent of waste from landfill. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA, Prince George, B.C. University; 643 employees. Hosted an online 20 Days of Sustainability social media campaign to promote sustainability initiatives on campus. UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. University; 10,456 employees. Is a leader in the study and application of new sustainable building design, including the new Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory.

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, Victoria. University; 3,203 employees. Manages a campus community garden with 90 plots as well as an ongoing native plant landscaping and invasive species removal program.

V W

ANCOUVER, CITY OF, Vancouver. Municipal government; 7,582 employees. Has a number of formal health ecosystem initiatives from reducing water use in parks to native habitat plantings to stormwater runoff mitigation initiatives. ATERLOO NORTH HYDRO INC., Waterloo, Ont. Electric power distribution; 122 employees. Has worked with Sustainable Waterloo Region since 2010 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent in 2020. WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY, Waterloo. University; 1,690 employees. Supports a unique Sustainable Hawk Fund which dedicates up to $30,000 annually towards student-led sustainability projects.

X Y

EROX CANADA LTD., North York, Ont. Computer technology and services; 1,974 employees. Helps clients manage paper usage though its ConnectKey software platform that helps clients reduce the need for additional printers.

SUNNYBROOK

(CONT.)

 A beekeeper manages the on-site honeybee apiary at the Bayview campus of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

MCA OF GREATER TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 3,027 employees. Established a dedicated Green Fund to support ongoing green initiatives, including facility improvements, sustainable new building practices and for environmental education initiatives. YORK UNIVERSITY, North York, Ont. University; 4,815 employees. Manages a formal ZeroWaste program that captures household recyclables, batteries, e-waste, appliances, ink cartridges and more, diverting 69 per cent of waste from landfill. – Diane Jermyn

2021

J.HOLLAND/U.VIC.

2021 WINNERS

 The University of Victoria offers secure bike parking for over 230 bikes, a bike kitchen, gear lockers and benches — and is also home to the unique SPOKES (Student Promotion of Kickstands Etc. Salvaging) bike repair and loan program, managed by volunteers who refurbish donated bikes and loan them out for a nominal fee of $10 per year.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Methodology Mediacorp’s Greenest Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness. Applicants for the award are compared to other employers in their industry and must pay a fee to enter the contest. Winning employers, selected by editors of Mediacorp’s Top 100 Employers, are evaluated using four main criteria: (1) unique environmental initiatives or programs they have developed; (2) whether they have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint; (3) whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute unique skills; and (4) whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees or customers. Any employer operating in Canada may apply for Mediacorp’s Greenest Employers competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector. The Globe and Mail is not involved in the judging process. – Diane Jermyn

2021

 Employees at Wilfrid Laurier

WLU

University planting greenery on their campus in Waterloo, Ont.

KEILHAUER

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

 Josie Abate (centre), sustainability officer at Keilhauer Ltd., designs a stool with the engineering team with a view to reusability and using sustainable materials.

GE T TING TO ZERO How one member of Canada’s Greenest Employers turned itself into a sustainability leader

o what’s the big deal? The president of one of Canada’s Greenest Employers drives a Prius. Hardly a surprise. Except that Mike Keilhauer has been driving one of Toyota’s low-emission hybrids since they first arrived in Canada in 2000. Really, before they arrived. “I bought it sight unseen a year in advance,” says Keilhauer, president of Toronto’s Keilhauer office and commercial furniture manufacturer. “I told the Toyota guys I wanted to be the first one in Canada

to get it.” And was he? “No, I was the first one in Ontario. They gave the first one to Dr. David Suzuki in Vancouver.” Which was fine with Keilhauer, since Suzuki was one of the people in the 1990s who inspired him to make revolutionary changes to his company in the name of sustainability. Keilhauer’s saga in many ways showcases how company leaders can, with determination, bring about transformative and ground-breaking green policies, even in an industry as full of chemicals and potential waste as

furniture-making. He and three brothers founded the company in 1981, mentored by their late father Ed, a master upholsterer, but at that time, says Mike, “we were a startup company just trying to survive.” Come the Nineties, though, he began listening to people like Suzuki and, most impressionably for him, Ray Anderson, late CEO of the American carpet giant Interface, who in 1994 had a “come to Jesus moment,” notes Keilhauer. Anderson set his company on a path to “Mission Zero”

with a pledge to reduce its negative impact on the environment and “live zero every day.” “So we started dipping our toe into it back in the mid Nineties,” says Keilhauer. There was a vision. “If you could do the whole manufacturing cycle as a closed loop, so that you use the same materials over and over and over again, it would actually be a system that can maintain itself, and would be great for the environment,” he says. But getting there was no easy journey. “Just trying to get

(CONT.)

INSIDE KEILHAUER (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): 1. Employees building a carbon-neutral office chair, Swurve, at the company’s manufacturing facility in Scarborough, Ont. 2. An employee wraps reusable shipping materials around new furniture prior to delivery. 3. The company designs its product to be free of harmful chemicals, constructed of sustainable materials that have lower environmental impact.

KEILHAUER

recycled materials was hard. There were no supply chains for them.” They started out simply, he says. “We did our facilities, we did our source of power, we did waste to landfill. That’s sort of the low-hanging fruit that I think every company should be working on.” Then came the product line itself. “We had to go in and break down all the materials in every one of our products, down to the core elements. Not just, oh, it’s a plastic, but what’s the plastic, what’s the chemical content of it, what are the materials that go into it, because we’re trying to be Red List free, which means carcinogenic-free materials. But to do that, you have to really dig deep, and it’s hard to get there, because your suppliers don’t always have the information or aren’t willing to give it up.” Today, Keilhauer has come close to achieving closed-loop manufacturing, with over 85 per cent of waste diverted and strict controls on its suppliers and their materials. It recently introduced the Swurve, the company’s first carbon-neutral chair. “In essence it comes back down to reduce, reuse, recycle,” says Keilhauer. “Then you have a perfect closed loop. That’s always been our goal and our driving force for 25 years. You just have to take the first step and commit to it, and then make sure you’re actually looking at everything you do to see how you can do it better.” To Richard Yerema, managing editor of Mediacorp Canada, which runs the competition, stories like Keilhauer’s are integral to the winners of Canada’s Greenest Employers. “These are the practical examples of what’s possible,” he says. “That’s the strength of this list.” He notes that as with its other employer competitions, Mediacorp looks at the policies that make a company more rewarding for employees. “The Greenest companies are inspiring beyond just the benefits they offer – it’s like, this is the company I want to work for, this is a legacy I can leave my kids,” says Yerema. “And where the rubber meets the road is in employment – the people who bring in the practical policies and make change happen. These are the folks that lead that conversation and inspire other businesses to follow suit.” With a Prius – or soon, for Keilhauer, an electric vehicle – in the parking lot. – Berton Woodward

KEILHAUER

GETTING TO ZERO

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

BC Housing has a people-centred sustainability vision

hey may be in housing, but BC Housing team members know the real foundation of sustainability is more than bricks and mortar – its people. One of the biggest landlords and developers in the province, the Crown agency builds new low-carbon buildings and retrofits older structures to be more energy efficient, as well as having a host of other sustainability initiatives. But the bedrock it’s all built upon is a comprehensive vision of respectful and trusting relationships between people from all different backgrounds.

We have bold objectives to contribute to resilient communities through sustainable, low-carbon, future-proof buildings that promote health, equity and inclusion.”

— Magda Szpala Director, Sustainability & Resiliency

“BC Housing is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in B.C. and to embedding the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging and sustainability into all of our work,” says Magda Szpala, sustainability and resiliency director. “We’re currently developing a new sustainability and resiliency strategy which supports the integration of these responsibilities into BC Housing’s mission of making a positive difference in people’s lives and communities through safe,

affordable and quality housing.” Headquartered in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, BC Housing has two mandates. One is to develop, manage and administer subsidized housing across the province and provide affordable housing options. The agency works with about 800 non-profit housing providers, helping over 116,000 households in 200-plus communities. Its second mandate is to license residential builders, assure the quality of residential construction and conduct research and education benefiting industry and consumers. The livegreen Sustainability Plan guides the delivery of the organization’s green commitments. Initially developed a decade ago, the plan is being revised with an expanded mandate and focus on social aspects of sustainability, as well as resilience. “It is exciting to be part of a larger movement that recognizes the need to re-think how we conduct our business, how we relate to one another and how we interact with the natural world,” says Szpala. “We have bold objectives to contribute to resilient communities through sustainable, low-carbon, future-proof buildings that promote health, equity and inclusion.” Doug Schell experiences the social side of sustainability every day as manager, recycling and waste management. He runs programs that help BC Housing’s tenants go from green to greener, such as increasing use of recycling spaces by expanding their size, making them easier to maintain and improving lighting and ventiliation. The results are overwhelmingly positive, but Schell says it can’t happen unless people are on the same sustainability page. Workshops for tenants and staff help reinforce the message. COVID-19 has shifted education online, but Schell finds folks as engaged as ever.

 BC HOUSING EMPLOYEES HAVE A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY AND A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY “We’re trying to make sure everybody understands what’s involved in sustainability and that means engaging with people having a consistent message,” says Schell. “The more people you get involved just strengthens the process and builds community.” BC Housing employees have their own close-knit community and a commitment to sustainability supported by their livegreen Employee Council. Employees participate throughout the year in council events like the 30-by-30 Challenge that encourages them to spend at least 30 minutes a day outdoors for 30 days. Meatless Mondays promotes plant-based meals. There’s also Go-by-Bike Week and the Shoreline Clean-up. EMPLOYEE-LED CAMPAIGNS ENCOURAGE COLLEAGUES TO MAKE MORE SUSTAINABLE DECISIONS AT WORK AND AT HOME

BC Housing continues to be a leader in green housing construction, requiring new developments to be built to high levels of energy efficiency. The portfolio includes over 40 LEED Gold-certified housing projects and the agency has built four structures with Passive House certification, which minimizes the energy used for heating and cooling. And increasingly, they’re including climate adaptation measures in building designs. It all creates a comprehensive sustainability culture that makes Schell eager to go to work each day. “Every day I wake up and renew my commitment to try to make our world a better place for the next generation," he says.  COMMUNITY GARDENING AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMS FOR TENANTS

We’re proud of our team’s dedication to building

social and environmental sustainability into housing solutions for British Columbia.

bchousing.org

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

New initiatives make a big difference at Bell Canada

reen initiatives have become so ingrained in the culture at Bell Canada that even amid the challenges and uncertainty of the COVID-19 health crisis the company’s environmental commitment remained clear. In fact, over the past year the company accelerated its focus on sustainability, becoming the first North American communications company to achieve ISO 50001 certification for energy management and announcing plans to be carbon neutral across its operations in 2025.

We are proud to build on Bell's strong record of active environmental leadership. It’s part of our overall commitment to excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards across all of our operations.” — Marc Duchesne Vice President, Corporate Security and Responsibility “We are proud to build on Bell's strong record of active environmental leadership,” says Marc Duchesne, Bell’s vice-president of corporate security and responsibility. “It’s part of our overall commitment to excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards across all of our operations.” For more than two decades, Bell has integrated environmental awareness into its corporate culture through focused

procedures, practices and policies. “We’ve learned that seemingly small changes can make a big difference,” says Catherine Goyer, director, corporate responsibility and environment. “It’s important to combine clear goals with strategies and actions that are meaningful in all areas of our work.” Bell recently launched a directive on single-use plastics to reduce plastic waste across the company. This includes eliminating plastic bags from its retail stores, environmentally assessing promotional items and stocking cafeterias with reusable dishes and cutlery. When COVID-19 hit, Bell adapted to ensure long-standing environmental efforts continued seamlessly. This included launching collaborative web pages for team members to share ideas about sustainability practices and measures. “We establish our environmental programs with the help of our team members,” says Duchesne. “We’ve formed green teams throughout the company and assigned environmental coordinators across Canada to implement our environmental initiatives.” At the same time, Duchesne adds, Bell’s senior leaders have taken on a major role in reinforcing the company’s environmental values and increasing awareness that caring about the environment creates value. That conviction has advanced Bell’s company-wide energy management practices to ISO 50001 standard, putting in place an energy management system with measured results that allows for continuous improvement. Bell’s comprehensive, inclusive approach is also key to the company’s commitment to be carbon neutral in 2025 through a range of initiatives such as building and equipment upgrades to reduce power consumption, using Energy Star qualified products, using

 CATHERINE GOYER, DIRECTOR, CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENT AT BELL CANADA more fuel-efficient company vehicles and adopting alternative energy such as solar and wind. “Certification is a further step toward energy efficiency,” says Duchesne. “We have been and will continue to be aggressive and bold about managing our energy. We’re now one of the few Canadian companies certified under ISO 50001. It makes us a better company.” For Goyer, an environmental specialist 95 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS AVAILABLE FOR TEAM MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Give your career a boost. Join a winning team. Apply today at bell.ca/careers Follow us @bell_jobs

who holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, this ISO certification demonstrates Bell’s ongoing commitment to a sustainable future. “It’s a dedicated, long-term commitment that integrates energy management into our day-to-day operations,” says Goyer. “Everything we do as a company, we uphold our environmental commitments every step of the way.”  FIRST TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY IN NORTH AMERICA TO HAVE ITS ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ISO 50001 CERTIFIED

your career just got better

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Canon Canada’s culture drives its green commitment

OVID-19, despite its lifethreatening challenges, was not about to stop Canon Canada Inc.’s dedication to environmental sustainability. “2020 was unprecedented and difficult in every way,” says Henry Teixeira, Canon Canada’s national senior manager of general and environmental affairs. “But we stayed true to our beliefs and, as they say, were able to pivot as we continued to deliver meaningful initiatives.”

People are dripping with perspiration, but I have never seen a frown on anyone’s face.” — Henry Teixeira National Senior Manager of General and Environmental Affairs At the start of 2020, Teixeira planned to build on Canon Canada’s successful Branch Out program, whereby employees in its 12 cross-Canada offices get down and dirty, volunteering on community projects. Branch Out began seven years ago as a tree-planting program but by 2019 had branched out to include eradicating invasive plants, building habitats and protecting shorelines. Staff that year logged nearly 1,700 volunteer hours, all paid on company time. Such volunteer work can be gruelling. “People are dripping with perspiration,” says Teixeira, “but I have never seen a frown on anyone’s face.” Still, an employee volunteer-driven Branch Out was a no-go during the pandemic, so Teixeira and the company shifted gears. “Where we couldn’t, we supported others who could,” he says.

For example, Canon Canada provided financial backing for conservation organizations that employees could no longer volunteer for and had worked with in the past. It also sponsored a new program with Earth Rangers, a conservation organization that works with children. As a result of that financial support, some 6,600 kids across the country participated in Earth Rangers’ Pollinator Power Mission, learning how to create pollinator habitats in their backyards or on their balconies. For young adults, Canon Canada established scholarships for undergrads in environmental studies at the University of British Columbia and York University. “If you want to foster environmental awareness in the community, it’s our youth who will be setting the tone for the future,” Teixeira says. Asked why a leading digital imaging company cares so much about sustainability, Teixeira replies with one word: kyosei. That’s Japanese for a philosophy that embraces the principle of “people harmoniously living and working together into the future.” Says Teixeira: “Kyosei is more than our corporate philosophy. It’s a genuine belief that only environmental sustainability will assure our futures.” This year, Teixeira hopes the pandemic will fade so Branch Out activities can resume. But he also has his eyes on a new initiative – cleaning up PPEs. “Masks, especially, are being scattered everywhere,” he says. “We are looking at how they can be responsibly recovered and recycled.” Meanwhile, when employees return to their LEED Gold head office in Brampton, Ont., work will continue on reducing the hazardous waste caused by single-use plastics. “By installing hydration water stations in the staff cafeteria, we expect to eliminate 8,000 plastic bottles from landfills and 3,000 straws per year,” says environmental affairs specialist Diana Kouril, a member

 AN EMPLOYEE AT CANON CANADA TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPANY'S ONSITE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING PROGRAM of the company’s corporate-wide Green Team. New employees know Canon Canada takes its environmental commitment seriously. “Everyone gets a reusable bottle on Day 1,” Kouril says. She adds: “We have a growing responsibility in the community we live and work in. And our customers expect the same from us. So what’s really exciting is EMPLOYEES HAVE PLANTED NEARLY 36,000 TREES, SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS IN SIX YEARS

constantly striving for improvement, constantly reflecting on how we can do better as we meet new environmental concerns. “I’m proud to be part of all this creativity as we respond to new challenges.” For his part, Teixeira is also proud of how everyone embraces Canon Canada’s kyosei commitment. “Our employees,” he says, “really are dedicated to improving the environment. After all, it’s our future.”  HEAD OFFICE’S GREY WATER SYSTEM SAVES 20% OF CITY WATER ANNUALLY

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Capital Regional District tackles waste in the lab

ustainability and environmental protection have long been a key part of Jennifer Blaney’s job as manager of the Water Quality Laboratory for the Capital Regional District (CRD), the regional government for 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island. But lately Blaney and her colleagues have focused that sustainability lens on themselves.

Sustainability means a lot to me and it’s great to be able to come to work and have a positive impact.” — Jenmei He Senior Laboratory Technician The laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing water, wastewater and drinking water quality for the region, is itself in the midst of seeking Green Lab Certification status from a U.S.-based non-profit organization that is helping establish a global sustainability best practices standard for lab operations. “There’s a huge established waste stream that’s almost a cost-of-doingbusiness for labs,” says Blaney. “It includes everything from the copious amounts of disposable gloves we use to the plastic bottles we need for our samples. This Green Lab program is an attempt to find ways to reduce that waste.” As the first part of the certification process, all members of participating labs fill out a questionnaire covering up to 14 topics, including water and energy use, recycling, travel and purchasing. The

responses are analyzed and scored as part of an initial assessment report. The report assesses not just what sustainability practices are in place, but also the degree to which lab team members are aware of those practices. The participants are then encouraged to discuss each of the topic areas in detail and the steps needed to build a stronger culture of sustainability. They can then apply to be re-assessed and, ultimately, certified. The CRD lab received its initial assessment in March 2020 and is in the process of reviewing and developing a plan of action. The goal is to produce a written comprehensive policy and set of procedures that will help existing staff and new recruits alike pursue the best sustainability practices. Both Blaney and Jenmei He, a senior laboratory technician who is taking the lead on the Green Lab initiative, say the process is helping identify areas where the CRD lab has already made significant progress as well as others where more work is needed. For example, even before the initial assessment was done, the CRD lab had moved to minimize water and plastic waste by reducing the size of individual water samples and plastic containers. On the other hand, the Green Lab report showed more could be done to reduce energy consumption when it came to transporting samples and other courier services. As a result, He has started an initiative that mandates, where feasible, the use of electric vehicles for transport and batches together supply orders as much as possible to reduce the number of required trips. One of the most positive outcomes is just learning more about what colleagues do to improve sustainability. “It could be something as simple as turning off the lights when you leave a

 JENMEI HE (LEFT) AND JENNIFER BLANEY, TWO OF THE TEAM MEMBERS LEADING THE GREEN LAB INITIATIVE, AT THE NEW CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT LABORATORY IN THE MCLOUGHLIN WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY room or shutting down equipment at the end of the day,” says He. “Some people were already doing things like that and, through our discussions, we are learning from each other about best practices.” The Green Lab program is in keeping with the strong value placed on sustainability by the CRD, which deals with everything from parks and housing services

to cultural and recreational facilities. “It’s a huge draw,” says He. “Sustainability means a lot to me and it’s great to be able to come to work and have a positive impact.” Blaney concurs. “For me, it’s a corporate value that matches my personal values,” she says. “It’s very motivating and makes me proud of the work we do.” 

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AS PART OF A REGIONAL CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY

IN-HOUSE 'TAKE THE STAIRS' CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE ELEVATOR USE AND ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Cooperative values fuel green growth at Desjardins

n employee working in the finance sector uses an average of 10,000 sheets of paper every year. For Desjardins Group, that could amount to nearly one billion sheets of paper annually – if it weren't for its Paper Challenge. Aware of the numerous environmental impacts of paper’s life cycle, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Canada's leading cooperative financial group launched its initiative to reduce paper consumption in 2019. Measures have included increasing digital connectivity, double-sided printing and new ATMs featuring envelope-free deposits.

By championing sustainable development and responsible consumption, we hope to start important conversations.” — Gildas Poissonnier Manager, Sustainability and Responsible Finance “As a result, Desjardins has seen substantial year-over-year declines in its paper usage,” says senior sustainability adviser Charles Bernardi. “Still, there's always more to be done.” For instance, when Desjardins Insurance contacted clients who had signed up for e-statements but hadn't waived paper mailings, 90 per cent of them agreed to go fully digital. “When it comes to such sustainability initiatives,” adds Bernardi, “we want to go as far and as fast as possible.” Desjardins’ focus on environmental

responsibility is both long-standing and widespread throughout its various business sectors and support functions. Indeed, the company pioneered responsible finance in Canada and continues to develop products and services for individuals and businesses looking to reduce their environmental footprint. “We're a key driver of socio-economic development in our communities,” says Gildas Poissonnier, manager of sustainability and responsible finance. “Our employees are committed to the well-being of our members and clients.” “Taking action on climate-related risks and opportunities is intrinsic to Desjardins’ cooperative values,” he adds. The organization is committed to reducing GHG emissions to 20 per cent below 2018 levels by 2024. In addition to extending its paper reduction program until then, it has implemented strategies in two other key spheres: real estate and transportation. Poissonnier says that by adhering to the highest possible standards of property management, a number of buildings have receiving LEED or BOMA BEST certification, independent, third-party recognition of environmental excellence. Transportation initiatives include encouraging employees to walk, run or cycle to work by installing showers and locker rooms in busier offices, partially reimbursing monthly transit passes, and moving up the timeline for installing 200 electric vehicle charging stations in Québec and Ontario. As of December 2020, 268 stations had been installed. “These programs have had less impact since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in nearly 80 per cent of employees working from home. Even so, they still send an important message,” says Poissonnier. “By championing sustainable development and responsible consumption, we

We don’t offer you a job. We offer you job satisfaction. There’s a difference.

 REPRESENTATIVES FROM DESJARDINS AND HYDRO-QUÉBEC IN FRONT OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SUPERSTATION AT COMPLEXE DESJARDINS IN DOWNTOWN MONTRÉAL hope to start important conversations and have a positive influence on the well-being of our members and clients,” he says. With its democratic, member-run governance structure, Desjardins ensures communications go both ways. The company has responded to growing demand for environmentally responsible products with its Green Program. It offers a variety of perks and incentives, including reduced loan rates and discounts on insurance premiums for eligible eco-friendly homes and vehicles. Furthermore, Desjardins offers investment products that support and promote sustainable development. It’s also investing its own assets in ways that reflect RÉCÜP PROGRAM TO RECYCLE OFFICE SUPPLIES AFTER CORPORATE MOVES

its strategic priorities. In partnership with the Desjardins Group Pension Plan, for example, the company has invested almost $1.25 billion in renewable infrastructure projects, making it a Canadian leader in the sector. Desjardins’ activities can have a positive influence on employees as well. When Bernardi joined Desjardins in 2013 he was a recent university graduate, happy to have a summer internship in Procurement. Seeing the impact of the department's purchasing decisions was a revelation. “Sustainability is not the reason I joined Desjardins,” he says, “but it played a crucial role in my decision to stay.”  $250-MILLION 'GOODSPARK FUND' SUPPORTS INITIATIVES INCLUDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Find out for yourself. Join the Desjardins family. desjardins.com/careers

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

From food to energy, Durham College is leading the way

f you want to see a model for sustainable local food production in the future, pay a visit to Shane Jones at Durham College (DC), where the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food has become a beacon of sustainability located just east of Toronto. Jones is program coordinator for DC’s horticulture programs and a professor in the School of Hospitality and Horticultural Science at the college’s Whitby, Ont., campus. But what he does a lot of the time is tend a very busy urban farm, complete with a greenhouse, market garden, arboretum, orchards and much more. The farm delivers a remarkable amount of food from a very small space – less than half a hectare, producing about four tons a year.

We are laying a foundation of sustainability at DC to help create a greener future for all.” — Dr. Elaine Popp Executive Vice-President, Academic “It’s amazing how much food you can make in one acre,” says Jones. For instance, he and his team pull 700 heads of lettuce per week from a hydroponic farm established in a recycled shipping container. In the greenhouse and surrounding fields, there are, among others, carrots, broccoli, radishes, turnips, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, saffron, figs, papaya, corn, garlic, currants, gooseberries, strawberries and raspberries. Not to mention 300 fruit trees, including apple, peach, pear, plum, apricot and persimmon. Much of the food is channelled straight

to the culinary program for students to use in class, as well as to the college’s fullservice restaurant in the Weston Centre, Bistro ’67, which has remained open for takeout during the pandemic. Some also goes to outside customers, including a local brewery. To Jones, the effort is a highly sustainable example of the grow-local food movement, producing low-cost food with little waste and few emissions. He also sees it as a way many restaurants and other businesses could source their own ingredients, even in cities, on a relatively small patch of land. “We’re trying to promote local food,” he says. “Hopefully in the years to come we will prove our model and we're going to see these small plots – urban agriculture spaces – pop up all over.” The horticulture programs are also an example in microcosm of the college’s strong commitment to sustainability at its campuses. With two main locations – Oshawa, Ont., and Whitby – DC emphasizes the concept in two of its four over-arching strategic goals, involving businesses and communities. “We are laying a foundation of sustainability at DC to help create a greener future for all,” says executive vicepresident, academic Elaine Popp. On campus, there are such measures as a Green Office Certification program for waste diversion, electric vehicle charging ports, electronics and battery diversion, and textbook recycling. On a larger scale, the college recently opened the Energy Innovation Centre and geothermal field, which showcases how energy from the earth is used to help power the Oshawa campus. “It’s able to harness 550 tons of clean, sustainable geothermal energy which we use to help fuel our buildings,” says Popp. “It’s part of an ongoing transformation that the college has made

 THE RECREATIONAL GREEN SPACE OVER THE GEOTHERMAL FIELD AND GREEN ROOFS AT THE OSHAWA CAMPUS OF DURHAM COLLEGE to our energy infrastructure, to be able to support and implement sustainabilityfocused initiatives on campus.” She notes that the Whitby campus also draws on solar panels for some of its power. And the college’s Centre for Collaborative Education, opened in 2019, gained a LEED Gold certification for energy and environmental design. “Durham’s approach,” says Popp, GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICATION ENCOURAGES SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ON CAMPUS

“comes down to establishing a culture that makes it easy for employees to participate in sustainability initiatives and practices, and to build and promote that culture of sustainability. When we onboard employees, we make sure they are introduced to the environmental initiatives we have underway, so these practices get integrated into their daily work from the moment they join us.”  DC’S GEOTHERMAL FIELD SAVES ENOUGH ENERGY ANNUALLY TO POWER AN AVERAGE HOME FOR 136 YEARS

LEADING THE WAY TO A GREENER FUTURE DC PROUD TO BE NAMED ONE OF CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

IKEA goes green for both community and customers

ndeterred by the pandemic, IKEA Canada last November turned Black Friday on its head. There were no deep discounts to lure customers into its stores that were allowed to be open. Yet they came in droves, lured by incentives to return gently used store-bought goods. The traditional super shopper day, extended for two weeks at IKEA, became the latest in the multinational’s creative measures demonstrating its commitment to sustainability. “We wanted to engineer a mind shift from mass consumption to circularity,” says Maria Valley, a “communications responsible” at IKEA’s suburban Vancouver store in Richmond, B.C. “Despite COVID-19, the public response was overwhelming.”

Our goal is to have all our products made from recycled, recyclable or renewable materials by 2030.” — Melissa Barbosa Head of Sustainability Indeed, since IKEA launched its national Sell Back program three years ago, over 30,000 submissions were made for consideration to be resold in the store’s previously owned section or donated to an organization that will repurpose them. The items are assessed and customers receive an equivalent store credit. During the Black Friday promotion, that store credit was doubled and 10,000 items were submitted. Says Valley: “It’s a fantastic way to give products a second life. There is always

someone in the community who can use it.” Community is at the heart of IKEA’s sustainability ethic. And community is defined broadly with a focus on those in need, made abundantly clear during COVID-19. While the pandemic restricted direct employee involvement with some longtime partners because of safety protocols, the company boosted its efforts elsewhere, providing $2.3 million in support for more than 300 community organizations across Canada that support groups such as refugees or women living in shelters. “As the world’s largest furniture retailer, we have a special environmental responsibility,” says Melissa Barbosa, head of sustainability for IKEA’s Canadian operations. “One way we do this is by following our own three Rs. Our goal is to have all our products made from recycled, recyclable or renewable materials by 2030.” There are other goals, as well. Among them, all deliveries should be conducted by electric vehicles or other zero-emission means by 2025. And by this fall, IKEA wants to cut food waste at its in-store restaurants in half and move to rechargeable batteries, only. Meanwhile, IKEA was the first retailer to halt sales of incandescent light bulbs. In its restaurants, it has eliminated single-use plastics and introduced new environmentally friendly products such as veggie hot dogs and a pea-protein-based “plant ball” that replicates the taste of meat. Quips Barbosa: “Give peas a chance.” IKEA operates 14 stores in six provinces. All stores offer electric vehicle charging stations. Eight of them are equipped with solar panels, and the company also owns two wind-power farms in Alberta. As a result, it contributes four times more energy overall to the grid than it uses

So much more than a job. You’re home here. Build your dream job with us. www.IKEA.ca/careers

 EV CHARGING STATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL IKEA LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE throughout the country. When pandemic lockdowns shuttered the Richmond IKEA outlet for several months last spring, Valley was undeterred. As lead of the store’s People & Planet Positive committee, she helped organize outreach to the community’s vulnerable. “Our sales floors were unrecognizable,” Valley recalls. “They were a sea of blue bags full of relief materials.” One project Valley proudly worked on was creating a children’s play area at PHASING OUT NONRECHARGEABLE BATTERIES BY OCTOBER

a nearby women’s shelter. “We didn’t just send them boxes of equipment,” she says. “First, we worked with them on a design, recognizing their fears of being exposed outdoors. Then, with the children peeking at us from inside, we erected the structure.” Valley adds: “It was incredible to see the excitement of the children and the tears of joy from their mothers. That sort of initiative gives me all the energy I need to do even more for our community.”  ELIMINATED SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM ALL HOME FURNISHINGS

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

On Planet Keilhauer, the loops are all closed

utside the main Keilhauer furniture factory building in Toronto’s Scarborough district, you may see gardeners on hands and knees, personally pulling dandelions from the strips of grass on each side of the front walkway. The company’s lawns are allowed no fertilizers or chemicals, so the front door gets special treatment. “The rest of it still looks nice but we’re, you know, weedy,” says president Mike Keilhauer.

The scientists are sending up huge warning signals and I think we have to do everything we can to be the best that we can be.” — Mike Keilhauer President Inside, you may come across the gracefully designed Swurve, the company’s first carbon-neutral office chair. Keilhauer has eliminated carbon emissions throughout the chair’s production by sustainably sourcing materials, manufacturing responsibly and offering advice on recycling. Bolstered by carbon offsets, each chair produces net-zero carbon emissions. These are just small samples of the intense commitment by Keilhauer, both man and company, to sustainability in an industry – office and commercial furniture – where the challenges of recycling and waste management are considerable. But Keilhauer has long believed in the principles he first learned from Dr. David Suzuki and others in the 1990s, and the company

is now able to divert at least 85 per cent of its waste away from landfills. “We’re all living on this planet,” Keilhauer says. “The scientists are sending up huge warning signals and I think we have to do everything we can to be the best that we can be.” The key to the company’s approach is closed-loop manufacturing, says Josie Abate, sustainability officer and manager of the program they call Planet Keilhauer. “We define closed loop manufacturing as basically ensuring every material and chemical we use can be cycled back into the manufacturing system, some way or somehow,” she says. “Everything that can be recycled is recycled. We also feel it’s very important that these are healthy materials. So everything that comes into our facilities is screened for compliance so we don’t have any harmful or toxic chemicals.” Suppliers sign a strict sustainability code of conduct, which now covers over 80 per cent of them, and the company periodically audits the vendors to ensure they are conforming. Office furniture uses a lot of textiles and leather, and the company is able to recycle some 28,000 kg per year. Leftover scraps are recycled to other companies for carpets and other uses. Larger pieces of material go to school boards in the Greater Toronto Area for use by teachers in sewing, crafts and other classes. And very large pieces, such as the ends of rolls, go to community organizations that may use them for sewing or sewing instruction. Most of the wood, metal and plastic support pieces in the furniture are crafted by suppliers before manufacturing, so there is little waste involved. But the company offers advice to make it easy for its customers to eventually recycle its furniture. “We just want to make sure the customer can responsibly dispose of it, or ship it back to

 KEILHAUER EMPLOYEES MEASURE OUT FABRIC FOR A NEW PIECE OF FURNITURE us and we will responsibly dispose of it,” says Abate. Mike Keilhauer adds that while aluminum or steel can be reused many times, plastic can be tricky when it is not pure polypropylene. “So now we’re designing a plastic chair using pure polypropylene shells instead of glass-filled, with an aluminum structure, so both are pure materials that can be recycled appropriately.” He’s DIVERTS OVER 85% OF WASTE, INCLUDING 28,000 KG OF TEXTILES RECYCLED OR DONATED

also looking closely at substitutes for foam, possibly including natural rubber. The company’s two facilities carefully monitor both their own carbon emissions, which are low, and the emissions content in materials. Purchasing carbon offsets brings the net total even further down. Says Keilhauer: “You have to keep going – just keep moving forward and making it better with each step you take.”  OVER 80% OF SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED FOR THEIR ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

At Keilhauer, we make work comfortable for all by holding ourselves to the highest environmental standards. keilhauer.com

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

KPMG aims to be a net zero carbon business by 2030

wo years ago, Lauren Brown had a mission to remove paper cups from the kitchen at KPMG LLP (Canada) in Toronto. When management not only listened, but removed the plastic cutlery as well, it inspired Brown to start a sustainability committee. “I realized I could make a difference because the company was really interested in making changes,” says Brown, a manager in management consulting. “So eight of us volunteered to form the committee. A lot of our work is around arranging events and initiatives to educate employees on how they can reduce their carbon footprint, which is great because that’s exactly what we want to focus on.”

Once you realize you can do something and see change, you get inspired to do more.” — Lauren Brown Manager, Management Consulting The committee quickly grew to 30 members – a testament to how passionate people are to work for an employer that acknowledges the climate crisis and is taking action. While this year has been very different, with most people working remotely, Brown feels the pandemic has put the company in the unique position of being able to reset the status quo. “Our focus is on what the new normal looks like and how we can encourage our leaders to move forward on things we’ve proven we can do,” says Brown. “We’ve proven we don’t need an office, per se, or to travel as much, so how can we create

new policies around that? Management is definitely listening.” The committee is currently working with the firm on implementing sustainable and environmentally friendly initiatives to decrease travel as well as paper wastage. Brown says just having this platform has given people more opportunities to act. “People want to make a change, they want to do good in the world,” she says. “Once you realize you can do something and see change, you get inspired to do more.” Gaurav Gupta, senior manager, national social impact, finds inspiration in the groundswell of people he witnesses being much more mindful of everyone’s impact on the planet, from employees to clients to people they work with in their communities. “The intent to reduce one’s carbon emissions is there – we need to give people the tools, education and training to enable that,” says Gupta. “Also, as we hire more young people, who make up a large percentage of KPMG, they come in knowing about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and are bringing fresh energy to our environmental commitments.” KPMG’s environmental strategy is strengthened by its commitment to be a net zero carbon business by 2030. Gupta explains that the science-based target is about achieving a 50 per cent reduction in direct and indirect greenhouse gas or carbon emissions by 2030. One of the ways the firm is looking to move towards this goal is by committing to 100 per cent renewable electricity through providers and purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates. “People can find it hard to understand carbon emissions because of the jargon around them,” says Gupta. “It’s

 LAUREN BROWN (BACK ROW, SECOND FROM LEFT) IS A MANAGER IN MANAGEMENT CONSULTING WHO HELPED START THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AT KPMG

important to translate that into language that’s easily understandable and show people how they can contribute to these targets throughout their workday by making better choices.” While working from home, for instance, even something as simple as

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switching off the lights and sitting near a window or not having the heating on all the time makes a difference, he notes. “We have a strategy and we’re starting to execute on it both at the leadership and individual level,” says Gupta. “I feel confident we’ll get there.”  GLOBAL GREEN INITIATIVE HAS REDUCED EMISSIONS PER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BY OVER 16 PER CENT SINCE 2010

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Going green has deep roots at Labatt Breweries

hen it comes to the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle – Labatt Breweries of Canada leaves no stone unturned to lessen its environmental footprint. “Every aspect of the brewing operation, whether water savings, energy savings or CO2 usage, is constantly under review,” says Alexandre Martel, senior general manager at the company’s London, Ont., brewery.

Every aspect of the brewing operation, whether it’s water savings, energy savings or CO2 usage, is constantly under review.” — Alexandre Martel Senior General Manager, London Brewery It’s all part of the environmental innovation program in Labatt’s Better World initiative. Recycling is a major component and includes virtually everything tangible – paper, cardboard, metal, glass and plastic. And it’s a bottom-up, employee-driven initiative. “All our employees are encouraged to participate,” says Martel. “The frontline people crafting the beer are most aware of the opportunities. My job is to remove roadblocks.” This past year, a team of operators came up with a proposal to reduce the amount of water used to wash the empty beer bottles that arrive through provincial recycling programs. Jillian Wheatley, environment and health & safety manager, says the bottles pass through multiple chambers for

cleaning. In the final three chambers, only filtered water is used, and employees saw an opportunity to reduce wastage. “We were able to install new pumps and piping to recirculate and reuse the water from the last three chambers instead of letting it go down the drain,” says Wheatley. “It was a huge saving.” The company has also launched several initiatives to reduce its CO2 consumption. One involves sourcing packaging and other inputs from companies located near its breweries to cut down on transportation. Another that produces bigger savings is recycling the CO2 used in the brewing process itself, something Labatt has been doing for some time and continually strives to improve. In terms of the third of the “three Rs.” Labatt currently recycles 99.7 per cent of used paper, cardboard, glass, metal and plastic. “All the cardboard cases that empties arrive in are recycled,” says Wheatley. “We send a tractor-trailer full of cardboard out at least once a week, and often more frequently.” For a number of years, Labatt has been reducing the amount of paper used in administration and management departments, in part by equipping everyone with laptops, which the company is now providing to operators on the brewery floor. “Instead of printing operating procedures, which can run to 20 pages or more, employees can download them at their workstations and follow them electronically,” says Martel. Labatt’s other Better World initiative includes working with local communities. Each spring, employees and their families at the London brewery have participated in a shoreline cleanup along the Thames River, which flows through the city. Similar events are held in other Canadian cities where Labatt has breweries. The brewery also hosts the City of

 LABATT EMPLOYEES LIKE JILLIAN WHEATLEY ANNUALLY CLEAN UP LONDON’S THAMES RIVER SHORELINE London’s annual Environmental Forum, which is usually held on June 5 to coincide with United Nations World Environment Day. Representatives of the City, non-profit groups and private companies participate. As well, Labatt supports ReForest London, the non-profit

organization behind a campaign to encourage city residents to plant one million trees. “We share best practices and good ideas,” says Martel. “We’re creating networks so we can grow greener together.” 

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Lowe’s Canada has a mission to sell sustainability

ike many Canadians, Girin Mark Amin is committed to recycling both at home and on the job. Amin, however, is an industrial engineer who works at the Lowe’s Canada distribution centre in Milton, Ont., where his contribution to a cleaner environment doesn’t stop with dropping something into a blue box. The centre deals with large volumes of cardboard, plastic and polystyrene, the three largest constituents of its waste stream. But rather than sending it all to landfill, the home improvement retailer has procedures and the requisite equipment to sort and compact the materials into bales for recycling.

We do it because it’s the right thing to do.” — Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Asset Protection and Sustainable Development Amin’s focus is on facility and operational design to optimize various processes, including waste management. The goal is to ensure that everyone remains safe while working as productively as possible. There are no trade-offs between respective corporate goals, he says. “You don’t have to sacrifice sustainability for efficiency,” Amin says. “We handle tons of recycling each month. It really adds up.” And that’s just one distribution centre. Headquartered in Boucherville, Que., Lowe’s Canada has more than 470 corporate and affiliated dealer stores operating under the Lowe's, RONA, Reno-Depot and Dick's Lumber banners – and they all make it easy for customers to drop off

products that need careful handling when no longer useful. In partnership with select non-profit organizations, the items are then safely disposed or given new life. In 2020, the program collected 98 tons of household batteries, 2,200 tons of paint and 77 tons of bulbs and fluorescent tubes. The numbers are lower than in 2019. But Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux, senior vice president of public affairs, asset protection and sustainable development, says this does not indicate Canadians have become less concerned about the environment. The COVID-19 pandemic, he explains, caused some temporary store closures and changed shopping habits as customers began spending more time online. When asked if the pandemic changed how the organization views its recycling program or its overall commitment to sustainability, Lamoureux is clear that being a good corporate citizen is a priority for Lowe’s Canada. “When you’re running a marathon, you don’t change course when you encounter a rough patch. The program requires a lot of effort on the part of our stores, but we’re not about to stop. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.” Lowe’s Canada makes it easy for customers to reduce their environmental footprint in other ways as well. Its ECO seal on over 5,000 products identifies the most environmentally friendly alternatives for their home improvement or construction products. The company has also committed to offering by 2025 only wood products that have been responsibly sourced. To date, about 80 per cent of the lumber it sells is certified by independent, third-party organizations as coming from sustainably managed forests. Many Lowe’s Canada initiatives are taking place behind the scenes. Last year,

 LOWE'S CANADA COLLECTED 2,200 TONS OF PAINT FROM ITS RECYCLING PROGRAM IN 2020 OVER 5,000 ECO PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN STORES the company announced its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 per cent below its 2016 levels by 2030. It has already invested more than $24 million in energy efficiency initiatives, including retrofitting all corporate stores with LED lighting systems. It will also continue installing building management systems in various stores and distribution centres across Canada. Measures include equipping them with automation networks that control lighting, heating and cooling so energy is used only

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during business hours. Lowe’s Canada’s sustainability initiatives are not only driven by management. They resonate deeply with the company’s associates, like Amin. “It makes me feel good to work for a company that’s so environmentally responsible,” he says. And when it comes to achieving longterm sustainability, employee engagement is no small thing, according to Lamoureux. “Excitement drives success,” he says, “and success drives the appetite for more success.”  FREE RECYCLING FOR HOUSEHOLD ITEMS INCLUDING PAINT, BATTERIES, LIGHT BULBS AND FLUORESCENT TUBES

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Manulife: green buildings, green roofs – and bees

anulife is helping green the rooftops of downtown Montréal. Starting in 2019, the real estate arm of Manulife Investment Management installed urban gardens on top of five of its Montréal properties, producing more than 1,500 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables annually that were harvested and donated to local community organizations. Manulife’s efforts to promote urban biodiversity don’t stop there. In recent years, the Toronto-based insurance and financial services firm has introduced honeybee hives to many of its properties across North America. Today, more than three million honeybees make their home on a Manulife-owned rooftop.

We believe sustainability creates value for our tenants, investors, shareholders and broader stakeholders.” — Regan Smith Global Head of Real Estate Sustainability These are just two small examples of Manulife’s overarching commitment to sustainability. As of the end of 2020, Manulife’s portfolio of green investments totalled $29.2 billion, including investments in renewable energy and energy efficient projects, green buildings and sustainably managed forestry and farmland holdings. “We at Manulife recognize the threat posed, particularly by climate change, to the economy, public health and the livelihoods of the communities where we

operate,” says Sarah Chapman, global chief sustainability officer. “So we are taking important steps to reduce our environmental footprint, support the transition to a low-carbon economy and invest in climate change mitigation and resilience.” In the past five years alone, Manulife’s forests and farms are estimated to have removed an annual average of 3.1 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, the equivalent of taking 675,000 passenger vehicles off the road each year. Then there are the more than 350 properties Manulife owns or manages across 27 cities and 11 countries. “Over 80 per cent of our buildings have already received a third-party green building certification,” says Regan Smith, global head of real estate sustainability. “This represents formal recognition that we are not only meeting best practices when it comes to sustainably managing our properties; we are in many cases exceeding them.” In 2019, Manulife’s Churchill Office Park property in Ottawa made history as the first building in Canada to be certified under the LEED version 4.1 standard which recognizes performance excellence in five key areas – transportation, water, energy, waste and human experience. “We believe sustainability creates value for our tenants, investors, shareholders and broader stakeholders,” says Smith. It’s also a major driver of employee engagement. “Sustainability helps employees connect their own personal values with the overall mission of the organization,” says Chapman. “That’s a great source of pride for all of us.” To further encourage employee engagement Manulife recently launched a program known as the Real Estate Sustainability Awards, which recognize individual “Green Champions” who are

 MANULIFE TEAM PLANTS TREES IN MONTREAL AS PART OF THEIR VOLUNTEER DAY helping advance the company’s goals at the local level. “Many of our champions are property management employees or building operators,” says Smith. “They are people who are going above and beyond daily job expectations to live out our values every day.” Smith adds that the recent experience of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic MANY BUILDINGS INCLUDE GREEN ROOF, EV CHARGING STATIONS AND SOLAR PANELS

has put the importance of sustainability in even sharper focus. “Everyone is now acutely aware that what happens in one part of the planet affects all of us,” she says. “The fact we are so interconnected has really brought to the forefront that our actions have environmental and social impacts and what’s needed is a collective effort to manage and mitigate those impacts.”  NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART BUILDING AUTOMATION AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Medtronic listens to its people on sustainability

hen Surinder Sehdev joined Brampton, Ont.based Medtronic Canada ULC as a consultant for six months in 2005, it was to review an environmental health and safety audit. When his report was done, he planned to consult for other clients. That plan changed when he was offered a permanent position, and there’s good reason why he’s still there 16 years later. “Nowhere else in my 50-year career have I come across a company with such a strong green directive,” says Sehdev of Medtronic, which is the largest medical technology, services and solutions company in the world. Now the senior manager of environmental health, safety and sustainability, Sehdev credits senior leaders for their commitment to sustainable practices.

Nowhere else in my 50-year career have I come across a company with such a strong green directive.” — Surinder Sehdev Senior Manager, Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability Medtronic Canada president Neil Fraser listened when Sehdev told him that responsible corporate citizens bring health and safety into everything they do. “At the time, I was worried about our field employees being exposed to blood-borne pathogens and radiation, and that our head office in Mississauga wasn’t environmentally friendly,” says Fraser. “Surinder understood what we needed to do and has

been a phenomenal pioneer, catalyst and champion for all of our green initiatives.” One of the most impressive of those initiatives is Medtronic’s Brampton head office, which opened in 2009 with a LEED Silver energy and environmental designation. In fact, the Brampton headquarters was the first Medtronic office globally to go green. Fraser and Sehdev are proud of that – and applaud their people for asking for it. “Before we moved, we had an allemployee meeting where we talked about the design,” says Fraser. “One of the first things on people’s minds was whether the building would be environmentally friendly. We had a limited budget, and the perception was that it would cost more, but it didn’t – we just had to reprioritize.” Another improvement was asking customers to return end-of-life devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators to Medtronic. Considered hazardous waste, they were being safely stored in the warehouse. Medtronic created a process to collect and disinfect the devices, then properly dispose of any recyclable parts, such as batteries and precious metals. “We’re doing things the way you’re supposed to as environmental stewards,” says Sehdev. “None of my proposals have been turned down. Sometimes it costs you money, but you have to ask what your return on investment will be and whether it supports your mission.” That mission includes maintaining good citizenship as a company and recognizing the personal worth of all employees. “We listen to our people, which is part of our strong culture,” says Fraser. “It’s important that executives endorse green practices, and it’s good business to do so, but it really comes back to what our employees expect and want.” Small but impactful steps on the green path include allowing employees to take

 SURINDER SEHDEV, SENIOR MANAGER, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY AT MEDTRONIC CANADA coffee grounds from the cafeteria to use as compost in their gardens. Two years ago, everyone received a tree seedling to plant at home. “The idea was that we all need to plant more trees to help protect the environment,” says Sehdev. “We planted a big tree at the office as a symbolic gesture.”

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Another initiative was putting a charging station for electric cars in the company’s parking lot. There are incentives for leasing hybrid company cars. “It’s another step in the right direction, and as new ideas crop up, we’ll look at them with a sustainable focus,” says Fraser.  AIMS TO REDUCE OPERATIONAL CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BY 50% OR MORE BY 2025

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Amid COVID-19, Mohawk College stays on the green track

etting its students, staff and the surrounding community galvanized about environmental sustainability is a core value of Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ont. But with the advent of COVID-19, Mohawk’s Sustainability Office had to suspend most of its in-person green educational and engagement programs. Staff members were quick to come up with innovative alternatives.

We have an awesome office team of young professionals who are really excited about engaging people in sustainability.” — Kate Flynn Acting Director, Centre for Climate Change Management In 2020, Mohawk shut down its 50-plot community garden, where more than 300 people, mostly students but also faculty, staff and people in the community, could grow their own produce. So Ashley Packer, a sustainable food systems coordinator in the college’s Sustainability Office, suggested she make the space into a “victory garden” and tend to it on her own. “Ashley met with the local food bank, Neighbour to Neighbour, and we asked what we could grow that would be widely appealing,” recalls Kate Flynn, acting director of Mohawk’s Centre for Climate Change Management, which oversees the Sustainability Office. “By October, Ashley had been able to grow about 100 kg of vegetables, which is pretty exciting.” The produce went to Neighbour to Neighbour,

and through them some of it was directed to Mohawk students. “We have an awesome office team of young professionals who are really excited about engaging people in sustainability,” says Flynn. “And one thing that’s been really cool this year is that, despite the fact that we’re off-campus, we have found ways to pursue that goal.” In another example, Nico Strabac, coordinator of sustainable programs and services in the Sustainability Office, was really missing engagement with students and taking part in green extracurricular activities aimed at them. So he and Packer pitched the idea of creating a 10-hour online sustainability leadership program that students could take for free. Thirty people are taking or have completed it. “They come out of this program with a recognition as a ‘sustainability leader’ on their co-curricular record, a separate transcript that’s offered by our Student Life department,” says Strabac. “So, when they graduate they can say, ‘Yes, I have a diploma in marketing and communications, but I also have this designation.’” Strabac notes that Mohawk values input from students about its sustainability efforts. One project that emerged from them is the college’s Idea Bank in which, every year, students submit suggestions for making the campus more sustainable. Three to five ideas deemed to be feasible are given the green light by a team including student representatives and the president of the Mohawk Students’ Association. The creator of the top idea gets a $500 prize. The Idea Bank is how Mohawk’s community garden and its bike-loan program – whereby students can easily borrow a bike gratis for up to 72 hours – came into existence. But its sustainability programs also include everything from honey bee apiaries and an on-campus farm stand to

 MOHAWK COLLEGE STAFF GARDENING IN THE SCHOOL'S POLLINATOR GARDEN teaching local children about gardening and environmental science. A clear symbol of the college’s commitment to sustainability is its Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation, one of the largest zero-carbon buildings in Canada at 96,000 square feet. Because of its design and rooftop solar panels, the awardwinning building, opened in 2018,

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generates more electricity than it consumes, the rest going to other Mohawk facilities. “It’s helping to change our mindset across the region as to what buildings can be,” says Flynn, “and, I think, helping Hamilton as a whole to have a leadership position on green building and new ways of doing things.”  CANADA'S LARGEST NET-ZERO INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING, THE JOYCE CENTRE FOR PARTNERSHIP & INNOVATION

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Lessons from a pandemic at Pacific Blue Cross

hile few people would wish for a repeat of the past year-plus, the green team at Burnaby, B.C.-based Pacific Blue Cross can count at least one major silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic: a drastically reduced emissions output in 2020 compared to 2019. “One of our key drivers that year was staff commuting,” explains building facilities manager Dustin Cashmore. “Once the pandemic hit, we noticed a drop in our biggest emissions output, which was huge for us. So we’re thinking maybe we can use this to our advantage and make some further reductions.”

Who doesn’t want to save the world?” — Dustin Cashmore Building Facilities Manager The green team – a grassroots committee of staff and leadership – is only one of the many company initiatives of the past 15 years to reduce its environmental footprint and raise consciousness among employees about environmental responsibility, not just at work but at home and in the community. For the past six years, Pacific Blue Cross has taken part in Climate Smart, a program that helps small and mediumsized businesses create a greenhouse gas inventory followed by an emissions reduction plan. “We look at everything that is contributing to our footprint, from paper usage and waste to business trips and travel,” says senior vice-president and

chief operating officer Leza Muir. “I think the pandemic is showing businesses of all types a new way forward, that we can have a totally different environmental footprint than what we have had in the past.” Over the past several years, Pacific Blue Cross has made significant changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As part of a major building renovation in 2017, the company installed light sensors in all meeting rooms and offices and moved almost entirely from incandescent to LED lighting, among other things. Garbage bins were removed in all offices, and central recycling and waste areas were set up on every floor – though Cashmore concedes there are so many options for recycling that it required a great deal of internal communication. Still, he adds, employees are excited about it and up for learning what goes where. “You see staff helping each other, and it’s great,” Cashmore says. “Who doesn’t want to save the world?” One of the most impressive reductions at Pacific Blue Cross has come as a result of a digitization initiative that has been under way for several years. Now, 88 per cent of members’ claims and 93 per cent of claims from healthcare providers are submitted electronically. “What does that really mean?” Muir asks. “We’ve been able to reduce output by over four million pages in one year, which is amazing.” That’s 500 trees and about 300 tonnes of carbon dioxideequivalent waste saved that year alone, just by reducing paper. “It’s so absolutely huge,” she adds. “I am really proud of that.” In the near future, when Pacific Blue Cross settles into the new normal, Muir imagines that while face-to-face business will resume, working from home will

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continue to some extent. And that will mean extending the company’s energy reduction plan beyond the office walls, continuing to reduce the footprint at work as well as helping

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staff to do the same in their own homes and working with local groups that are improving health and well-being in their communities. “I call it our triple bottom line,” says Muir.  AWARDED GOLD BOMA BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS SINCE 2016

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Rogers is committed to a more sustainable future

ogers Communications is on a journey to create a more sustainable future, and the company has made significant progress in delivering on its environmental social governance (ESG) strategy. According to Tony Basson, director of energy and sustainability, “Our commitment to the environment is embedded in our culture and company values – and at the heart of our green strategy is our people.”

Our commitment to the environment is embedded in our culture and company values – and at the heart of our green strategy is our people.” — Tony Basson Director of Energy and Sustainability “We have environmental committees and local green teams who support our initiatives,” Basson continues. “Many of our programs rely on the incredible enthusiasm, commitment and efforts from our 23,500 employees.” One of those employees is Mandy Bairos, a customer solutions specialist for the Rogers management office in Kitchener, Ont. Bairos is passionate about the environment, and in 2016 she launched a “green team” for her building. Her first order of business was to create a recycling system at her call centre in accordance with the Get Up & Get Green recycling initiative that had been introduced at Rogers’ head office in Toronto. Back then, “every desk in her building had a tiny little black trash can for all kinds of

garbage,” she says. So Bairos went to local hardware stores and put together a makeshift “triple-stream” waste unit with separate receptacles for cans and bottles, paper and trash, testing it on one floor of the building. By 2019, every floor had the official triple-streams. Response to these recycling units on Rogers’ in-house communication platform, Yammer, was enthusiastic. “I was getting high-fives from people across the company,” Bairos says. “People were over the moon about this small but impactful initiative.” This is one of many green initiatives Bairos has supported. “It’s employee commitment like this that helps build environmental awareness at Rogers,” says Basson. “Our Get Up & Get Green program was initiated by employee feedback – they told us they wanted to reduce our waste and improve recycling. We listen to our employees and respond with programs that help create a more sustainable future.” The Get Up & Get Green program now includes about 1,000 central waste stations across the country, and some Rogers sites have recycling as high as 70 to 90 per cent. Basson notes that Rogers leadership is committed to instilling environmental responsibility in the company’s culture. “Our leaders consistently talk to our teams about how one of our top priorities is to be a strong, socially and environmentally responsible leader in our communities.” That commitment dovetails with Rogers’ policy of giving every employee a day off each year to volunteer, and many take part in green activities. In 2019, before COVID-19, team members contributed 20,000 hours to 80 events across the country, including World Wildlife Fund Canada’s annual shoreline cleanup. “They cleaned 30 km of shoreline, picking

 ROGERS TEAM MEMBERS VOLUNTEERING AT A SHORELINE CLEANUP up 1,400 kg of debris. And through Forest Recovery Canada’s tree-planting event, we planted over 3,000 trees.” Rogers has several other green initiatives. In less than a decade, the company has reduced its greenhouse-gas emissions by 21 per cent and installed electric vehicle charging stations at its Toronto and Brampton offices. To deliver even further on its ESG strategy, Rogers is evaluating innovative options to reduce its carbon footprint and adopting Task Force

on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) frameworks. And local green committees continue to advocate for sustainability. Bairos organizes at least one green event a month for her team. In March, it was a recyclingat-home contest where the winner won a donation to an environmental charity. “It’s just a small way,” she says, “to drive awareness of how we can all help the environment.” 

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RBC has a blueprint for building a more sustainable future

hen RBC introduced its Climate Blueprint in 2019, it spelled out the bank’s commitment to sustainability, including providing $100 billion in sustainable finance by 2025. The plan has been more successful – and created change more quickly – than anticipated. “We exceeded our sustainable financing target in the first two years,” says Andrew Craig, senior director, sustainability at RBC. As a result, RBC updated the Blueprint – twice – and expanded its target to $500 billion to support sustainable companies and projects by 2025.

There’s not a lot of debate about the reality of climate change. The debate is more about the pace and scale of the efforts required to address climate change and adapt to its effects.” — Andrew Craig Senior Director, Sustainability, RBC While RBC has a strong record of environmental stewardship, the Blueprint signified a fundamental change. Green initiatives were once considered a means for managing reputation, Craig explains. Now RBC has embedded climate as a core business strategy. The RBC Climate Blueprint sets out five pillars to guide RBC’s focus on accelerating clean economic growth and supporting clients in a socially inclusive transition to net-zero. Four encompass short- to long-term commitments for addressing

climate-related risks and opportunities. Measures include developing and expanding climate-related financial products and services; committing to net-zero emissions in its lending by 2050; deriving 100 per cent of RBC’s electricity from sustainable sources by 2025; and providing research and thought leadership on climate policy. The fifth pillar is rooted in its Tech for Nature program, which brings together charitable partners, technology experts, the public and private sector – including RBC’s own unique capabilities – to build the multi-partner coalitions needed to work towards solving environmental challenges. Through this initiative, there are now over 120 partners being supported by the program, with more than $25 million invested to date. Investing in the sustainable economy is crucial to RBC’s Purpose – to help clients thrive and communities prosper, Craig says. Many RBC clients, he adds, see climate-related innovation as a growth opportunity and have adopted new business practices – or are eager to do so. “There’s not a lot of debate about the reality of climate change,” he says. “The debate is more about the pace and scale of the efforts required to address climate change and adapt to its effects. RBC is in a unique position to help our clients navigate the uncertainty and opportunity for clean economic growth.” RBC’s belief that capital can be a force for positive change also means everyone at the bank has a part to play in contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous future, Craig adds. It’s a value system, he says, that helps attract and retain top talent. That’s certainly true for Wazhma Wesa, manager, social impact, who joined RBC in 2019. With a background that includes graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Oxford, and experience in the international development sector, she was

 WAZHMA WESA, MANAGER, SOCIAL IMPACT AT ROYAL BANK OF CANADA looking for an opportunity to help others. “I wanted a job in the private sector with the capabilities and resources to have a positive impact on the world,” Wesa says. “This led me to RBC.” Her responsibilities have included tracking the progress of environmental and social initiatives, including Tech for Nature. In addition to providing funding, Wesa says, RBC is leveraging its capabilities in artificial intelligence, blockchain and app development to help partners scale up their activities. Tech for Nature is funding technology1ST CANADIAN FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO SIGN LONG-TERM RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASE POWER AGREEMENT

driven programs in three key areas: data, innovation ecosystem and behaviour change. In the program’s first year, RBC worked with community partners on everything from citizen science projects to ventures for efficiently collecting, analyzing and sharing data to better understand the natural ecosystem. And there’s been at least one spin-off benefit. Wesa says employees throughout RBC regularly ask about volunteer opportunities with those partners. “It’s rewarding to be part of a values-driven organization,” she says.  PROVIDED OVER $25 MILLION IN COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS THROUGH RBC TECH FOR NATURE, BENEFITING 124 PARTNERS

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CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

Surrey’s green vision is powered by its people

he City of Surrey is using people power and a “small is beautiful” approach to stay green despite the pandemic. Residents, employees and the city’s leadership have banded together to continue to build their sustainable community vision. When COVID-19 health protocols made it impossible to stage Surrey’s “Love Where You Live” campaign in the traditional format, it was shifted from big cleanup events to multiple small-scale activities across numerous neighbourhoods.

Surrey residents are awesome and it’s their commitment towards a sustainable future that has made us leaders in the waste management field.” — Harry Janda Contracts and Solid Waste Manager “We needed to make changes because of the pandemic, so we focused on smaller groups, having participants wear masks and social distance,” says Harry Janda, Surrey’s contracts and solid waste manager. “We organized 75 cleanups, significantly more than in prior years. It was highly successful despite the COVID-19 pandemic.” Surrey is the second-most populated city in Metro Vancouver and the largest city by land area in B.C. One of Canada’s fastest-growing, culturally diverse municipalities, it’s also a leader in building vibrant, sustainable communities through technology and innovation. One of those innovations is the City

of Surrey’s biofuel facility, the first and largest closed-loop organic waste facility in North America. It diverts tonnes of residential and commercial organic waste from the landfill annually. That waste is used to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) and tonnes of nutrient-rich compost. The RNG in turn fuels Surrey’s fleet of organic waste trucks, which emit 90 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel vehicles. Because of the pandemic, business is booming. With more people cooking at home, the City collected 75,000 metric tonnes of organic waste in 2020 – 10,000 tonnes above the yearly average. High-tech innovation is backed up by residents buying into the sustainable vision. Programs like the Pop Up Junk events collected over 3,500 tonnes of waste a year and recycled about 65 per cent of materials collected. Community partners like the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Salvation Army took part. The pandemic has put the program temporarily on hold, but the City is looking for ways to revive it as the COVID-19 crisis eases. Surrey’s ReThink Waste and Energy Shift education programs reach over 12,000 students to create awareness around water and energy conservation and waste disposal. The pandemic has shifted them from in-person workshops to largely online during the COVID-19, but they’ve expanded to meet the needs of residents. To create a green and sustainable city, you also need the buy-in of its leadership and employees. That’s something Surrey has in abundance. The City believes being green makes it a better employer. “We highlight the fact we’re a green employer as part of our career branding so people whose values are a match with the City are naturally drawn to work here,” says Joey Brar, director, human resources. In Surrey, being green starts at the top

 CITY OF SURREY PARKS STAFF HELPING AT A 'RELEAF' TREE PLANTING EVENT with its Sustainability Charter, an ambitious 40-year vision which maps a course to make it a thriving, green, inclusive city. Everyone at the City works together to make that vision a reality. City leadership ensures everyone’s on the same page. “We have a really strong leadership team that communicates daily with staff, letting them know we care and listen, and that goes a long way,” says Brar. “Communicating regularly makes all the HOSTS REGULAR POP UP JUNK COLLECTION EVENTS FOR ALL TYPES OF WASTE

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difference in the world.” But no municipal policy can succeed without the support of the citizens. Janda experiences that support firsthand every day. “None of this is possible without the commitment of the city’s residents,” he says. “Surrey residents are awesome and it’s their commitment towards a sustainable future that has made us leaders in the waste management field.”  BYLAW REQUIRES TWO TREES TO BE PLANTED FOR EVERY TREE REMOVED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY

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TD Bank Group looks towards nature for inspiration

he names make you smile: Straight Off the Couch; Waist Management; Donut Disturb; 2Fit2Quit. That playfulness may seem unexpected in banking, but at TD Bank Group, it’s part of the fun. These are just a few of the 179 teams, as well as 65 individuals participating solo, taking part in the Spring Fit Challenge, a TD Insurance (TDI) Green Teams national campaign to foster engagement. The initiative combines wellness with a Vibrant Planet, one of the drivers of the TD Ready Commitment, the bank’s global corporate citizenship platform focused on helping to create a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.

If people can experience the benefits of nature, it helps them feel connected to their communities and more motivated to care for the environment.” —Andrea Barrack Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship Louella Machado, an analyst with TDI’s environment, government and industry relations team and a volunteer TDI Green Team lead, says the response to Spring Fit has been beyond expectations. “We kept the ask very simple – a minimum of 20 minutes of physical activity every day, which could be walking, running, yoga, Pilates, even line dancing – whatever works for them,” says Machado. “It can be inside, outside, individually, with their immediate family or virtually

in teams. We have special prizes for those who show us how their physical activity connects with the environment, such as gardening or cycling to the store instead of taking your car.” Participants share pictures and videos on the bank’s intranet to show what they’re doing, which has boosted morale at a time in the pandemic when many may be feeling a bit fatigued or disengaged. “Work-life balance has become more challenging with most of us working virtually from home, especially for those with young kids,” says Machado. “So we’re looking at wellness and building engagement on green initiatives in a different way. The amazing response to Spring Fit made me realize people are looking for more opportunities to do something positive.” Andrea Barrack, global head of sustainability and corporate citizenship, says COVID-19 really turned the bank’s normal environmental programming on its ear and inspired change. For example, its long-standing TD Trees Day campaign with employees and volunteers planting trees and shrubs in communities across North America couldn’t be held. Instead, the bank launched a North American virtual campaign called Fall in Love with Nature, encouraging employees and their families to get outside with suggested activities to experience green spaces safely in their local communities while also promoting awareness of being environmentally responsible. “If people can experience the benefits of nature, it helps them feel connected to their communities and more motivated to care for the environment,” says Barrack. “So then, maybe they want to get involved locally to protect park space or think about how much gas they’re using. Becoming environmentally aware can spark all kinds of other positive behaviours.”

 AN EMPLOYEE AT A TD TREE DAYS EVENT (PRE-COVID) More broadly, together the four TD Ready Commitment drivers of change address the interconnection of what it takes to help create the types of conditions needed for people to be able to succeed and fully participate in a changing world. “I think COVID-19, followed shortly by the rising awareness of anti-Black racism, raised the bar across all of our stakeholder groups in terms of their expectations for what companies should be doing,” says Barrack. “We not only looked at our environmental programming and support TARGET TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2050

TD is proud to be one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. jobs.td.com

for programs in the community, but also how we can help have a positive impact through our business. “So, as an example, our decision to prohibit oil and gas development in the Arctic and for us to align with the Paris Accord and say, yes, we'll target net-zero carbon emissions commitments by 2050. We were the first Canadian bank to do that. “We recognize there’s a real interplay between health, the environment, our communities and financial security,” adds Barrack. “They don’t exist in a vacuum.” HAS SUPPORTED PLANTING OF MORE THAN 659,000 TREES AND SHRUBS TO DATE

CANADA’S GREENEST EMPLOYERS 2021

TransLink commits to making green easier for all

ransLink is committed to making it easy for residents and visitors in Metro Vancouver to choose sustainable ways to travel – as did the federal government’s announcement in early 2021 of an eightyear, $14.9-billion public transit plan that includes $400 million to support active transportation to and from transit. “There is momentum, and there are a lot more people who are finding it safer and more comfortable to walk and cycle,” says Renate Sitch, a senior TravelSmart specialist for the Vancouver-based transportation authority. “And there is senior-level government support.”

We’re making sure we’re a full, complementary, multimodal transit authority.” — Renate Sitch Senior TravelSmart Specialist While TransLink, along with its operating companies Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) and BC Rapid Transit Company (BCRTC), is responsible for all the buses, SeaBuses, SkyTrains, commuter trains, five bridges and the Major Road Network, its mandate goes beyond transit to integrate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure into its communities so that people can get to and from transit stations easily. “We’re making sure we’re a full, complementary, multimodal transit authority,” Sitch adds. Sitch works with municipal partners to determine what kinds of programs, resources, information or data is needed. TransLink supports cycling education for

students and adults and runs educational campaigns and events such as Bike to Work Week. “It’s more than building infrastructure or putting in a cycling lane that is a direct route to our SkyTrain stations,” she says. “If that neighbourhood isn’t aware that it’s there or they don’t feel comfortable cycling, then they’re not going to use it.” In addition to providing secure bike parking in SkyTrain stations, TransLink and BCRTC are also rolling out new bike lockers. Bicycles can also be taken on trains and buses. “You can combine pretty much every trip with cycling,” Sitch says. The transportation authority has also updated all the regional cycling routes and put them together in a 2021 map. “While we can say, ‘Get outside and ride your bike,’” she adds, “we have to provide really safe, comfortable cycling routes that suit the needs of all ages and abilities.” During the pandemic, the need for more public space has intensified. As businesses have expanded outdoor patios at the expense of parking areas, for example, TransLink has created temporary pedestrian and cycling areas in response. It also supports carpooling and car-sharing programs as well as trip-reduction strategies, though Sitch acknowledges that congestion is still a problem. Supporting these initiatives contributes to TransLink’s corporate goal of prioritizing climate action. Emissions reduction is very much part of TransLink’s culture. TransLink’s head office is located beside a SkyTrain station, and employees are given a free transit pass to encourage them to leave the cars at home. “It just makes sense for us to use that service,” says CMBC service planner Cici Chen, “and also keep an eye on what the customers are experiencing just by being customers ourselves.” TransLink, CMBC and SkyTrain have

 A TRANSLINK ELECTRIC BUS AND CHARGER OPERATING IN METRO VANCOUVER bold goals when it comes to sustainability. As part of its Low Carbon Fleet Strategy, TransLink and CMBC are piloting four battery-electric buses on one of its routes, with an additional 15 more planned. Electrification is a critical step in achieving its bold goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and ALL 80 KM OF FULLY AUTONOMOUS SKYTRAIN RUNS ON ELECTRICITY WITH NO OPERATING EMISSIONS

transitioning to a fleet operating entirely on renewable energy by 2050. “This is definitely a big transformation for us,” says Chen. While electrification is complex, and requires significant funding, she adds, “it’s so exciting that electric vehicles are the future that we’re looking at.”  HAS THE MOST TRANSITINTEGRATED INDOOR BIKE PARKADES IN CANADA, WITH 11 SKYTRAIN LOCATIONS

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2021

Tell us your story If you are an exceptional employer with progressive human resources programs and initiatives, consider applying for next year’s edition of Canada’s Greenest Employers. Now entering its 22nd year, our national project is Canada’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers. For information on next year’s application process, visit:

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