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Dr. Ron Dembo, CEO of Zerofootprint, and other industry experts speak on the importance of accountability
LEADERS IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt FROM MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
easy green tipsterracycle breaks it down
Ocean healthStepping up for sustainability
panel of expertsA reality without corporate social responsibility
LEADERS IN CORPORATE FACTS3
December 2010
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt2 · deceMbeR 2010
challEngEs
Today’s balancing act
Today’s employers are upheld to new expectations of responsibility—to the wellness of their employees and the environmental impact of their practices.
The irony of modern life is that despite all of our modern conve-niences, we are some-how busier than ever. This is partly because we’re living out the
eff ects of a massive social shift in which the vast majority of women have entered the workforce.
In Canada, women now outnumber men at work and in universities. Most households are dual-income and nei-ther partner stays home to manage the domestic front. Yet, those duties haven’t disappeared, and the total sum of work to be done has left both women and men frazzled.
An archaic approachUnfortunately, workplaces and sched-ules are still designed as if people had no responsibilities outside of work. Parents struggle to fulfi ll their many obligations, especially single parents. Work-family tensions have risen in just about every demographic and occupation.
Complicating things is our trans-formation into a knowledge-based economy. Employees are expected to be available 24/7, and yet, job secu-rity has vanished. The fear of getting laid off forces workers to work longer hours and constantly update their skills and networks in an eff ort to maintain employability.
The most conspicuous eff ect of our busy lives is a plummeting birth rate. Among Canadian workers, 53 percent have fewer children, delay having a
family or have none because of work-life confl ict. The result is an aging population, with fewer workers to replace those who retire, and increas-ing eldercare responsibilities among employees.
Fear of changeOver 80 percent of workers would take a pay cut in exchange for better work-life balance, but many companies mistakenly fear that a shift toward family-responsible practices will damage their corporate culture; that employees won’t work as hard.
Research indicates the opposite to be true. Replacing a model governed by interminable working hours with one focused on objectives has powerful eff ects. Employees feel more account-able for their output and productivity actually jumps. Family-responsible practices also reduce absenteeism and turnover, while increasing corpo-rate citizenship behaviors and job sat-isfaction. The best impact of all is an increase in employee loyalty. Family-responsible companies have the clear advantage when it comes to attract-ing and retaining the best talent.
New generations, especially Millen-nials, are driving this renewal of the corporate culture. The most impor-tant job benefi t for workers in their 20s and 30s is a schedule that allows them to spend time with their fami-lies. It’s about ethics: they want to be treated like real people and not like resources. Once this happens, they are willing to give their best to a company.
Practices that help retain working
mothers can be strategic. Among For-tune 500 boards of directors, return on equity was a whopping 53 percent higher at companies with the most women on their boards compared to those with the fewest.
Support leads to successThe alternative to fl exibility is a work culture with rigid boundaries and fi erce internal competition, which creates serious long-term complica-tions. Employees who put in very long hours at work and neglect other life domains are more likely to report feel-ings of personal failure and burn out, and leave their jobs.
Work & Family Foundation Canada was created to address this growing problem of work-life confl ict. They are partnered with the International Cen-ter for Work and Family at IESE Busi-ness School, which has researched, developed and tested a work-life inte-gration model that is used in nineteen countries. WFFC conducts Canadian-based research with professors at York University, and facilitates change on an individual and corporate level.
The time has come for the corporate sector to realize the impact it is hav-ing on families through practices that prevent their employees from fulfi ll-ing duties outside of work. The fi rst principle of corporate social responsi-bility is to empower these employees to live complete lives, for the preser-vation of our society. The most astute organizations will recognize this as an opportunity to revitalize the work-place.
Eloise Cataudellaco-Founder,Work & Family Foundation canada (WFFc)
Tips for individuals ■ Set boundaries to distinguish
work from home, controlling your availability.
■ Protect personal and family time. ■ If you want children, don’t wait.
Statistics show earlier is better for advancing your career.
■ Couples: consider your situation as a whole. Arrangements should adapt as circumstances change.
Tips for organizations ■ Consider the families of your
employees as stakeholders; make decisions with them in mind.
■ Learn about the needs and prefer-ences of your employees, and maxi-mize the return on investment of your work-family program (WFFC off ers surveys to facilitate this task) .
MY BeSt tiPS
■
“this effort will help lead to conservation advancements that could drastically alter industry standards and better protect our oceans.”
Serving up sustainabilityLoblaws partners with WWF-canada to protect the oceans.
We reCoMMeNd
pAGe 7
Panel of experts p. 6How much of a difference does corporate social responsibility make?
Going green at the office p.7employees are expecting—and demanding—that their employers take initiative for the environment.
HeROeS1St editiON, deceMbeR 2010
Managing Director: Gustav [email protected] Manager: Jackie [email protected] Developer: david [email protected] Developer: Chris [email protected]
responsible for this issue:Publisher: Christianne [email protected]: Penelope [email protected]: Hadley Archer, debbie Baxter, eloise Cataudella, Monica da Ponte, dr. ron dembo, Marjo Johne, david Moran, Julie Stauffer, Kevin Warren, Albe Zakes
Distributed within:National Post, december 2010this section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve the National Post or its editorial departments.
Mediaplanet’s business is to create new cus-tomers for our advertisers by providing read-ers with high-quality editorial contentthat motivates them to act.
When LoyaltyOne started making plans to relocate its call centre, one of the first items that appeared on its must-have list was a green building that would represent the company’s commitment to the environment.
“Our call centre agents are our brand ambassadors who are the fi rst to talk to our customers, so we wanted to put them in an environment that really represents our brand,” says Debbie Baxter, Chief Sustainability Offi cer at LoyaltyOne, the company that devel-oped and operates the AIR MILES Reward Program and now provides marketing solutions for other loyalty programs, including DOTZ in Brazil.
LoyaltyOne was true to its word. Last year, its call centre agents moved into their new home—a 50,000-square foot facility in Mississauga that has
set a new standard in the country for green design.
The new centre is, literally, eco-friendly from top to bottom, with an extensive array of structural and design features that bring green into the workplace every day of the week. In fact, the building is so environ-mentally friendly that it has recently received double Gold certification from LEED Canada, part of the global Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design Green Building Rating System for measuring and promoting sustainable green building and devel-opment practices.
A shining examplePerhaps the most impressive—and conspicuous—green attribute of the new LoyaltyOne building is its roof. Made up of about 800 photovoltaic solar panels that generate 165 kilo-watts of power, LoyaltyOne’s roof is
the largest solar array in the country.“That’s 165 kilowatts that goes
back into the grid—enough to power roughly 16 homes in Mississauga,” explains Baxter. “We are expecting that that will exceed our own power needs in the building.”
Beyond its solar roof, the Loyalty-One building boasts a number of other environmentally friendly features, including low-emission, recycled material throughout. In addition to energy-effi cient light fi xtures, about 50 solar tubes funnel bright, natural light into the building, reducing the need for electrical lighting. A solar water heating system pre-heats water, again as a way to cut back on energy use.
A sustainable systemTo further encourage eco-friendly practices, LoyaltyOne set up a system of recycling bins for various wastes—
from leftover food to yoghurt contain-ers and other biodegradable material. The company also provided plenty of bicycle racks and allocated preferen-tial parking spots for employees who car pool or drive hybrid cars.
“We’ve seen a tremendous response from our associates who feel that what we’ve done in this building con-nects with their own values,” says Baxter. “In the end, this is really about doing the right thing.”
Building a greener brand with a leading edge facility
MARJO JOHNE
What is corporate social responsibility?
■ CSR is an evolving concept that refers to the way fi rms inte-grate social,environmental and economic concerns into their values, culture, decision mak-ing, strategy and operations in a transparent and accountable manner and thereby establish better practices within the fi rm, create wealth and improve society.
■ This is emphasized by programs such as The Certifi cate Program in CSR off ered at St. Michael’s Col-lege in the University of Toronto. For more information, visit http://ce.stmikes.utoronto.ca/csr/csr.asp.
did YoU KNoW?
PROVIDING BALANCEWWF finds creative ways to engage employees.PHOTO: ADRIENNE LO / WWF-CANADA
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
1TIP/STEP
EIGHTY SIX PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES
WANT TO WORK FOR A GREEN
COMPANY
FACT
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
challEngEs
As a world leading research-based pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline has a responsibility and a commitment to fight disease in the developing world. This is why we have adopted global initiatives that encourage research and development for diseases that disproportionately affect the world’s poorest countries, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. At GSK, we stay ahead by staying committed to global health. Discover more at GSK.ca
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Description: GSK National Post Dec 30 adGlaxoSmithKline
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GSK National Post Dec 30 Ad.indd 1 10-12-22 11:24 AM
Supported by GlaxoSmith-Kline and The GlaxoSmith-Kline Foundation, GSK employees across Canada are passionate in their commitment to helping those in need.
Whether by actively raising aware-ness for worthy causes, tirelessly volunteering their time within their community, or enthusias-tically collecting pledges for an event, these employees demon-strate their genuine compassion for the well being of others—in Canada and around the world.
GSK Canada’s Martin Lafon-taine is a PULSE volunteer who just returned from a five month assignment with Project HOPE
in the township of Munsieville, South Africa (near Johannesburg), where he applied his marketing and product launch skills towards the launch of the organization’s new signature program: “The Thoughtful Path: Munsieville,” designed to ensure that every child has the opportunity to emerge as a healthy, productive adult through a community mobi-lization approach. Most notably, Martin was instrumental in orga-nizing The Munsieville Interna-tional Children’s Cup—an actual replication of the 2010 FIFA World Cup played by the children of the Munsieville community.
“I value helping people and working to make positive change, so I saw the opportunity to be a
part of the PULSE program as the chance of a lifetime and I just knew I had to participate,” said Martin. “As a Canadian, I don’t consider myself to be a huge soc-cer expert; we are lot better with blades and a hockey stick! How-ever, the power team sport has to bring people together remains the same.” As he entered the small township in South Africa, he was surprised by the number of chil-dren out on the streets playing soccer. “Football is the centre of life for the children in the town-ship of Munsieville. One just needs to walk in the dusty streets for two minutes to observe children of all ages running barefoot and kicking homemade soccer balls with huge smiles on their faces.”
Throughout this assignment, Martin’s passion and desire to make a difference were greatly appreciated by the Munsieville community – he even received a letter of honour from the Mun-sieville community leaders for his hard work and dedication to the children. As he prepared to return to Canada, Martin reflected on how fortunate he feels to have had the opportunity to participate in the PULSE program: “What I am most proud of is that through the Chil-dren’s Cup, we were able to create a feeling of belief in the minds of the leaders of the Munsieville commu-nity. A belief that they can aim for and achieve a better future.”
PULSE is GlaxoSmithKline’s ini-tiative that empowers employees
to make a significant difference in impoverished communities, at home or abroad. Sustainable change can happen when employ-ees use, share and pass on their professional skills and knowl-edge during a three or six month immersion experience within a non-profit or non-governmental organization (NGO). Volunteers address a clear NGO need while developing their own leadership capabilities.
To-date, four GSK Canada employees have completed, or are currently completing, a PULSE assignment.
People with Passion—gsK canada’s Martin laFontaine
pAid FOR by GLAxOSMitHKLiNe iNc.
AdvertoriAl
Supported by GlaxoSmithKline and The GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, GSK employees across Canada are passionate in their commitment to helping those in need.
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt4 · deceMbeR 2010
a refreshing take on conservation
InsPIRaTIOn
Coke has global heft: 900 bot-tling plants around the globe, 1.6 billion drinks consumed each day and one of the world’s most recognized brands.
So when a corporation of this size takes conservation seriously, it makes an impact.
Grow the business, not the carbonClimate change is one of the issues The Coca-Cola Company has chosen to target, identifying greenhouse gas emissions as one of the aspects of its operations with the greatest environ-mental impact.
Globally, as a signatory to the Copen-hagen Communiqué, The Coca-Cola Company called on nations around the world to establish a strong and eff ective UN climate framework. The Company has also set out to become the beverage industry leader in energy effi ciency and climate protection. Its goal: shrink The Coca-Cola Company’s total global greenhouse gas emissions by fi ve percent from 2004 levels by 2015, despite expanding operations.
Coca-Cola Canada has succeeded in improving overall carbon footprint by 11 percent through measures like upgrading lighting and adding hybrid trucks to its fl eet. Even more broadly, Coca-Cola Canada is using the power of its brand to speak up on climate change. Through its “reduce your carbon footprint, grow your polar pawprint” campaign, the company is
inspiring consumers to take action on polar bear conservation eff orts and climate issues.
Keep the water flowingNot surprisingly, another of The Coca-Cola Company’s key environmental priorities is fresh water. That’s why Coca-Cola’s goal is to give back what they use. In its own operations, the company has set a global goal of improving water effi ciency by 20 per-cent by 2012, based on 2004 levels.
Water is fundamental to both WWF and The Coca-Cola Company. WWF’s mission is the conservation of nature and the protection of natu-ral resources for people and wildlife. Freshwater ecosystems are a top pri-ority in WWF’s work. Beverages are The Coca-Cola Company’s business and water is the main ingredient in
every product the Company makes. It also is used to produce the sugar, citrus, and other ingredients in The Coca-Cola Company products. WWF and The Coca-Cola Company have come together to conserve and pro-tect freshwater resources around the world. By uniting our networks and people, we believe we can achieve sig-nifi cant results.
Finally, The Coca-Cola Company is supporting healthy watersheds around the world through initiatives like its $20-million partnership with WWF to conserve critical freshwater river basins.
In Canada, that means funding WWF’s eff orts to change the way decision makers and ordinary Cana-dians alike think about fresh water. It also means pioneering a holistic approach to community steward-
ship in B.C.’s Skeena River by treating land and water as a whole living sys-tem and empowering local communi-ties to address the increasing pressure on this still-pristine river.
Making a differenceAccording to WWF-Canada President and CEO Gerald Butts, freshwater conservation and climate change are the two greatest environmental chal-lenges facing Canada and the world.
“We applaud Coca-Cola for its com-mitment to tackling these crucial conservation issues,” he says. “The transformative change our planet needs can’t happen without this kind of global corporate leadership.”
leAder to leAder
DAVID MORAN
As part of a global company with stores in 15 countries around the world, Walmart Canada is an unquestionable leader in Canada’s retail scene.
So it wasn’t much of a stretch for the company to take a leadership role in promoting sustainability within Can-ada’s business community.
Last February, just two days before the offi cial opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Walmart hosted a Green Business Summit at the Pan Pacifi c hotel in downtown Vancouver. About 400 business leaders from across Canada attended the event—includ-ing a few who represented Walmart’s competitors.
“Sustainability is a key focus of our business and part of our overall cor-porate social responsibility strategy,” explains Andrew Pelletier, Walmart Canada’s VP of corporate aff airs and sustainability. “Our view is that com-panies need to embrace sustainability as a business strategy and to drive it aggressively.”
Making sense of sustainabilityAt the summit, Walmart held day-long workshops that demystifi ed the business case of sustainability—a critical fi rst step to getting compa-nies to view environmentally friendly practices not as a profi t-eating cost but as a key driver of long-term busi-ness success.
1. Mountains and forests make up the coastline of the Skeena River near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada.2. TCCC is taking action on polar bear conservation.PHOTO: 1: © MIKE AMBACH / WWF-
CANADA
2: © STEVE MORELLO / WWF-CANON1 2
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOStAN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt deceMbeR 2010 · 5
InsPIRaTIOn
Slay vampires
1Unplug them, don’t just turn them off ! Just because something’s off doesn’t
mean it’s not still using electricity. Cell phone chargers are infamous for using nearly the same amount of electricity that’s used when charging a phone. You can even make a game out of “slaying the vampires” with your kids. They have fun and you save money.
Strip
2Does the thought of unplugging and replugging cords for so many things
make you think you’ll never stick to it? Easy—get a power strip for each cluster of things you have in the house (i.e., family room, offi ce, bed-room) and plug everything into strips, rather than each in its own plug. Then, you can easily turn sev-eral things off (and back on) at once.
Do the worm:
3Composting with worms is fun, easy and a great way to reduce waste and ensure
healthy houseplants. Building a worm box is a great craft project for kids and keeping the worms healthy teaches them environmen-tal responsibility and how to care for living things! Search “worm composting” to fi nd out how!
terrACYCle’S tiPS
As part of a global company with stores in 15 countries around the world, Walmart Canada is an unquestionable leader in Canada’s retail scene.
So it wasn’t much of a stretch for the company to take a leadership role in promoting sustainability within Can-ada’s business community.
Last February, just two days before the offi cial opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Walmart hosted a Green Business Summit at the Pan Pacifi c hotel in downtown Vancouver. About 400 business leaders from across Canada attended the event—includ-ing a few who represented Walmart’s competitors.
“Sustainability is a key focus of our business and part of our overall cor-porate social responsibility strategy,” explains Andrew Pelletier, Walmart Canada’s VP of corporate aff airs and sustainability. “Our view is that com-panies need to embrace sustainability as a business strategy and to drive it aggressively.”
Making sense of sustainabilityAt the summit, Walmart held day-long workshops that demystifi ed the business case of sustainability—a critical fi rst step to getting compa-nies to view environmentally friendly practices not as a profi t-eating cost but as a key driver of long-term busi-ness success.
The summit also provided a forum for delegates to exchange ideas and share their own experiences in imple-menting sustainability practices, says Pelletier.
It’s in the details“There’s enough work around sus-tainability being done now in Canada that we can start looking at what each other is doing and identify best prac-tices,” he says.
The Green Business Summit was only the beginning of Walmart Cana-da’s drive to promote sustainability in the business community. Last sum-mer, just a few months after the sum-mit, Walmart launched ShareGreen.ca, a website where companies can share their best sustainable business practices.
Since ShareGreen.ca went live, more than 80 sustainability case stud-ies have been posted on the site by organizations in various industries—from food and beverage to manufac-turing and transportation.
For example, Frito-Lay, which makes snacks such as potato chips, shares the story of how it reduced its fl eet of delivery trucks while growing sales. At the same time, it introduced zero-emission trucks in a number of regions in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.
Similarly, Canon Canada explains how it found a solution to a packag-ing problem and developed fully recy-clable packaging for ink cartridges for
its eco-friendly PIXMA printers. The new packages were not only environ-mentally friendly and easier to open, they were also 28 percent lighter, mak-ing it possible for Canon to put more cartridges in a container and decrease transportation costs.
Such examples, says Pelletier, clearly demonstrate how sustainable practices can lead to better business results.
Walmart shares its own best sus-tainability practices on ShareGreen.ca, but it’s also passing on its knowl-edge in other ways. For instance, Pelle-tier says Walmart has taken hundreds of business leaders on tours of its environmental demonstration store in Burlington, Ontario.
“It’s one of the biggest examples of geothermal heating and cool-ing technology in Canada,” he says. “We have toured hundreds of people through the store to look at how we are doing this, including many of our competitors.”
Walmart also recently opened one of the world’s most sustainable dis-tribution centre, just outside Calgary. Using innovative technologies such as hydro fuel cell, wind and solar, the distribution centre is 60 percent more effi cient than other Walmart distribu-tion centres, says Pelletier.
“We’ve already taken our competi-tors on tours of this new facility,” says Pelletier. “We think that the more retailers adopt these initiatives, the better we are all going to be as an
industry.”Walmart also holds regular pack-
aging summits that bring their sup-pliers together with packaging spe-cialists who can help them fi nd ways to reduce their product packaging. Walmart’s goal, says Pelletier, is to reduce overall packaging by fi ve per-cent.
“Sustainability has to be driven by altruism,” says Pelletier. “But the business case has to be the key dynamic and the business community has to take leadership.”
Easy ways to stay green
TRACKING GREEN
INITIATIVES INCREASES EMPLOYEE MORALE
TRACKING GREEN
2FACT
MARJO JOHNE
LEADING THE WAYDavid Cheesewright, CEO of Walmart Canada Corp.PHOTO: WALMART CANADA CORP.
a giant social conscience
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt6 · deceMbeR 2010
PanEl OF EXPERTs
Life on Earth began in salt wa-ter. Several billion years later, oceans remain as important to our planet as ever.
They supply at least half of the oxygen we breathe, sustain freshwater cycles that provide the water we drink, and help to slow the process of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmo-sphere. They also provide food and liveli-hoods for billions of people worldwide.
That’s why everyone on Earth has a stake in protecting ocean health. Today, however, marine ecosystems have been weakened by decades of unsustainable fi shing practices, while global climate change adds even more pressure.
To restore biodiversity, help fi sh stocks fl ourish and ensure marine ecosystems are as resilient as possible in the face of future threats, we need concerted action.
Creating sustainable fisheriesOverfishing, bycatch and habitat destruction have helped drive fi sh stocks to today’s all-time lows. Although the situation is urgent, consumer demand is beginning to turn things around.
As more and more people opt for sus-tainable seafood, processors and retailers are responding. In Canada, the U.S. and Europe, leading companies have com-mitted to ensuring all the seafood they sell comes from sustainable fi sheries.
What constitutes sustainable? That’s where the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) comes in. The largest and most
When you visit Loblaw Compa-nies stores and participating franchises, you’ll spot the Ma-rine Stewardship Council logo on numerous products across many stores, representing the global standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood.
You will also fi nd signs introducing new WiseSource™ salmon, which meets the standards currently being developed by the Aquaculture Dialogues for sus-tainably farmed salmon. Through the Dialogues, WWF is working with farm-ers, retailers (including Loblaw), Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists and other aquaculture indus-try stakeholders worldwide to develop standards for responsible aquaculture. The standards will minimize the envi-ronmental and social impacts associ-
Question 1:What is the importance of CSR? What impact does it hold on society?
Question 2:Organizations have shown an increase in their CSR e� orts, but what else can be done?
Question 3:What would the reality be without organizations engaging in CSR?
Hadley Archervice President, Strategic Partnerships WWF-Canada
Dr. Ron DemboCeoZerofootprint
Kevin WarrenPresidentCoca-Cola refreshments Canada
Debbie Baxtervice President, Corporate Sustainability and Facilities Management, loyaltyone
While many organizations have increased their CSR eff orts, there is still a signifi cant opportunity to drive sys-temic and transformative change. This is evident in the fact that despite tech-nological and product improvements, we continue to spend beyond the Earth’s ecological means. Our consumption of energy, water and materials is leading to an ecological defi cit which is creat-ing serious risk for wildlife, ecosystems, future generations, and businesses. Businesses can work with suppliers and customers to reduce their footprint and leverage their infl uence to help create the systems and governance structures necessary for a sustainable future.
In a Web 3.0, globalized world, orga-nizations play an even greater role in solving problems that transcend geographic boundaries. Some CEOs do more than governments—probably due to the growing infl uence of CSR and the fact that corporations now operate within a global model. Yet CSR is still an emerging function. It’s more integral than it used to be; just look at the incorporation of CSR into fi nan-cial reporting. We’re moving away from a focus on compliance towards one of change, but CSR still has a long way to go.
Now is the time for business, gov-ernment and civil society to take the lead in driving innovation and move the planet toward a lower carbon future that supports economic devel-opment. By working together, through sustainable partnerships, we can identify solutions centered on action and results. In order to be truly benefi cial, corpo-rate social responsibility has to be a social movement.It’s about creating a culture of sustainability—and con-tinuing to challenge ourselves about how we can improve and do more towards this goal.
CSR is a never ending project—there is always more to do and improve. At LoyaltyOne, we continue to review our business operations to align strategies with our commitment to sustainability. We continually challenge ourselves to improve our investments in the com-munity, whether through donations or an investment of time, and strive to be more effi cient with our resources and generate less waste. This relent-less pursuit of a CSR program that inspires staff is one facet of our com-pany operations that makes them proud and engaged to work here.
A world without CSR is one where we continue business as usual, with little or no regard to nature’s limi-tations. On the other hand, a world with CSR is one that provides eco-nomic value for businesses that will have access to a sustainable fl ow of resources, environmental benefits to all of us who enjoy clean water to drink, fresh fi sh to eat and beautiful parks to visit, as well as social benefi ts where all members of society are able to share in the collective value being created.
Just look back to large companies in the 50s, 60s, and 70s to know what the world would look like without CSR. Many corporations polluted with abandon, destroyed communities, or burned and buried toxins. Companies now feel a degree of accountability to the environment in a way they didn’t before.
Canadian consumers want to know about the values behind the brands they purchase. More and more consumers are choosing brands, not only for the quality but also for the character of the company that pro-duces them. Canadians tell us that it is important for companies to help improve the environment and posi-tively contribute to society.
We have lived through this reality in the past few decades and witnessed the impact it has had on our planet and our societies. Having a CSR pro-gram not only benefi ts charities and the environment, but also companies as consumers begin to demand a CSR commitment from organizations and seek to purchase products and services from organizations that best represent socially and environmen-tally conscious values. Corporations cannot aff ord to ignore the business value of a strong commitment to CSR any longer if they want to remain relevant to consumers.
CSR is a form of corporate self reg-ulation that works to ensure that the economic value created by a corpora-tion is joined by environmental and social value. It also helps businesses take advantage of new opportunities, mitigate risks and adjust their busi-ness models to ensure that they are viable both today and for decades to follow. For example, WWF Climate Saver partners have collectively decreased their CO2 emissions by 50 million tons (equivalent to taking three million cars off the road), while creating competitive advantage and increasing shareholder value.
Through CSR, corporations con-sider not only the impact of their activities on the shareholder, but the impact on society as a whole—the environment, the broader commu-nity, the world. If corporations were all to act as stewards of their envi-ronment they wouldn’t undertake activities that harm their commu-nity. Rather, through their CSR com-mitments, they would contribute to the greater well being of society and enhance the quality of life of the com-munities in which they operate.
At Coca-Cola Canada, we are com-mitted to making a positive impact in Canada and engaging with stake-holders, consumers and our associ-ates to achieve our sustainability goals. Coca-Cola has focused on areas where we can make a diff erence – water, packaging and energy use and the health of the communities and consumers we serve. We have taken a thoughtful, pragmatic approach to sustainability, focusing on creating long-term success for our business in connection with building sustainable communities.
People, especially in the younger demographics, want to shop at, work for, or do business with companies that have a “social license to operate”. The impact organizations make on our world, not just the product or ser-vice that they provide, is an emerging trend that companies will be judged more and more often on. Companies can inspire their clients by retaining the best talent and showing a strong commitment to sustainability, the community and innovative CSR programs.
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOStAN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt by MediApLANet tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt deceMbeR 2010 · 7
PanEl OF EXPERTs
stepping up for sustainability
REDUCING RISKNew standards for aqua-culture practices will help protect endangered species.PHOTO: © KEVIN SCHAFER / WWF-
CANON
It’s not just customers that are demanding green prod-ucts and processes from the companies they deal with.
According to an Ipsos MORI survey, 86 percent of Canadian employees would prefer to work for a company with a reputation for environmental responsibility.
“Employees want to do more and feel they can make a diff erence,” says WWF-Canada’s Employee Engage-ment Manager Adrienne Lo. “They are primed to take action if they’re given the space and the tools.”
Even small changes such as cutting back on paper use or switching off lights at the end of the day can make an impressive impact. “Consider the millions of decisions that are made every day by employees which then shape and infl uence the big corporate decisions,” says Lo. “Now imagine if every single one of these decisions were made through the lens of sus-tainability.”
WWF-Canada’s new Living Planet @ Work program, generously sup-ported by the Ontario Power Author-ity, helps companies do just that.
Lo works with businesses like Accenture Canada, Hydro One, Loy-altyOne, Ontario Lottery & Gam-ing, P&G Canada, Sears Canada and the Ontario Power Authority to set and reach sustainability goals. As well as one-on-one support, WWF provides communication tem-plates, online tracking tools, edu-cational resources and quarterly workshops to promote a culture of conservation.
LoyaltyOne’s Chief Sustainability Offi cer Debbie Baxter describes the program as “sustainability in a box.”
“It’s a very easy-to-implement, very straightforward process for engaging with your employees,” she says.
According to Lo, there are fi ve keys to successfully involving employees in workplace sustainability:
■ Demonstrate leadership and commitment: An eff ective pro-gram starts at the top, with visible support and encouragement from senior management. Tie the program into your overarching corporate goals to give it credibility.
■ Build capacity and create mechanisms for engagement: Pull together a grassroots “green team” to establish sustainability goals and create a plan for achieving them. Assigning an executive spon-sor will give the team the high-level support it needs, as well as access to resources. Finally, set up a company-wide mechanism that encourages all employees to suggest ways of shrink-ing your organization’s footprint.
■ Communicate: Let everyone in the organization know about your corporate sustainability goals, why you’ve set them, and what part they can play in helping to reach them.
■ Make it fun: Put sustainability on the radar with events that get em-ployees talking. Sears Canada, for ex-ample, threw a party when they got rid of old, energy-guzzling fridges from staff lunchrooms to make way for Energy Star accredited replacements.
■ Celebrate achievements: Success breeds success, so be sure to let everyone know how much they’ve achieved. Profile sus-tainability projects in your staff newsletter, track your energy and resource savings on the company intranet, and hand out awards to top sustainability champions. According to Lo, engaging employ-ees increases morale, creating a happier and more productive work-force, while green team members gain important leadership skills. To top it off , shrinking your corpo-rate footprint often means saving money as well. “It’s a classic win/win/win proposition,” she says.
doN’t MiSS!
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Life on Earth began in salt wa-ter. Several billion years later, oceans remain as important to our planet as ever.
They supply at least half of the oxygen we breathe, sustain freshwater cycles that provide the water we drink, and help to slow the process of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmo-sphere. They also provide food and liveli-hoods for billions of people worldwide.
That’s why everyone on Earth has a stake in protecting ocean health. Today, however, marine ecosystems have been weakened by decades of unsustainable fi shing practices, while global climate change adds even more pressure.
To restore biodiversity, help fi sh stocks fl ourish and ensure marine ecosystems are as resilient as possible in the face of future threats, we need concerted action.
Creating sustainable fisheriesOverfishing, bycatch and habitat destruction have helped drive fi sh stocks to today’s all-time lows. Although the situation is urgent, consumer demand is beginning to turn things around.
As more and more people opt for sus-tainable seafood, processors and retailers are responding. In Canada, the U.S. and Europe, leading companies have com-mitted to ensuring all the seafood they sell comes from sustainable fi sheries.
What constitutes sustainable? That’s where the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) comes in. The largest and most
credible fi sheries certifi er, this interna-tional organization works with fi sher-men, seafood companies, scientists and conservation groups to set strict stan-dards and promote the best environmen-tal choices.
Today, well over 6,000 products in 68 countries sport the blue MSC logo, while uncertifi ed seafood harvesters are facing greater marketplace pressure than ever to follow suit. Meanwhile, the Aquacul-ture Stewardship Council is currently developing a similar certifi cation pro-gram for responsibly farmed seafood.
Building resilience against climate changeGreenhouse gas emissions are driving dramatic changes around the globe. In the ocean, water levels, temperature and acidity are all rising. How big an impact that will have on marine biodi-versity remains an open question.
To deal with that uncertainty, we need smart, streamlined ocean management that establishes industry-wide rules for ocean users and takes a precautionary approach to protecting marine ecosys-tems. This includes creating networks of protected areas to preserve essen-tial habitats and provide a “breathing space” from the pressures of fi shing, shipping and oil and gas development.
The result will be healthier oceans that can better withstand climate-driven changes in the decades and cen-turies to come. Encouragingly, Canada took a signifi cant step towards that this
fall, committing to establish ecosystem-based fi sheries management under the UN Convention on Biodiversity.
We can’t restore our oceans overnight. But with the right actions now, we can lay the foundation for a healthier marine environment and a secure seafood supply.
What consumers can doUltimately, what drives better fi sher-ies management is the power of the pocketbook. By choosing seafood from sustainable sources, you are helping to protect our marine environment and, at the same time, ensuring the seafood you enjoy will be around for many years
to come. Look for products that carry the blue
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) “check fi sh” label. If you can’t fi nd MSC-certifi ed seafood at your favourite supermarket, fi sh store or restaurant, ask them to start stocking it. Beginning in 2011, watch for farmed seafood certi-fi ed by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The stronger the market for certifi ed products, the stronger the pressure for sustainability all the way down the line.
Tackling twin threats to ocean health
JULIE STAUFFER
WWF-canada
When you visit Loblaw Compa-nies stores and participating franchises, you’ll spot the Ma-rine Stewardship Council logo on numerous products across many stores, representing the global standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood.
You will also fi nd signs introducing new WiseSource™ salmon, which meets the standards currently being developed by the Aquaculture Dialogues for sus-tainably farmed salmon. Through the Dialogues, WWF is working with farm-ers, retailers (including Loblaw), Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists and other aquaculture indus-try stakeholders worldwide to develop standards for responsible aquaculture. The standards will minimize the envi-ronmental and social impacts associ-
ated with aquaculture. What you won’t fi nd are at-risk spe-
cies such as orange roughy, Chilean sea bass, shark or skate. Loblaw is working to fi nd more viable replacements.
Loblaw’s commitment is to ensure that every seafood item—fresh, frozen or canned—is 100 percent sustainable by the end of 2013. This represents the company’s action to help fulfi ll the vision of healthy oceans and a healthy supply of food for customers across the country.
This vision, combined with mean-ingful, ambitious and transparent commitments as well as investment in resources, demonstrates true leader-ship. Loblaw is leveraging its power as one of Canada’s leading corporations to literally transform markets. This eff ort will help lead to conservation advance-
ments that could drastically alter indus-try standards and better protect our oceans.
Small actions add upRobust as the seafood initiative is, it represents one part of an even big-ger eff ort that has seen Loblaw sup-port WWF-Canada’s eff orts to engage individuals in helping to shrink Can-ada’s environmental footprint.
The company’s pledge of three million dollars over three years—the biggest corporate donation WWF-Canada has ever received—is funding WWF-Canada’s eff orts to mobilize Canadians to take simple but mean-ingful actions towards sustainable living. Through a series of public campaigns and a school granting program, WWF is demonstrating to
Canadians that small environmental actions add up to planet-sized results.
Last spring, WWF’s National Sweater Day encouraged people to put on an extra layer and turn down their thermostats, while last fall over 47,000 Canadians participated in The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, collecting over 98,000 kg of litter. Also, through the Green CommUnity School Grants program, students have been developing new projects ranging from butterfl y gardens to rainwater collection systems.
Fittingly, the Loblaw funding comes from a five-cent charge for plastic bags the company intro-duced nationally across its corpo-rate and participating franchise stores in April 2009. Already, the initiative has diverted more than 1.3 billion plastic bags from land-fills and the company is on track to reach a 2.5 billion diversion of plas-tic bags by the end of 2013.
“Loblaw is showing consum-ers and corporations alike that big environmental issues can be tackled,” says WWF-Canada’s Ger-ald Butts. “The depth and breadth of the company’s commitment to sustainability sets a world-class example.”
“the standards will minimize the environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture.”Monica Da Pontedirector, Strategic partnershipsWWF-canada
Question: How are large companies such as loblaw taking action to reduce their environmental footprint?Answer: By combining their ef-forts with WWF-Canada, they are ensuring the seafood products they sell are sustainably caught.
SHoWCASe
JULIE STAUFFER
WWF-canada
going green at the offi ce
A WORLDWIDE STAKE Oceans provide food and livelihoods for billions of people. PHOTO: © GILBERT VAN RYCKEVORSEL / WWF-CANADA
OCEANS SUPPLY HALF THE EARTH’S
OXYGEN
OCEANS
3TIP/STEPFACT
® Coca-Cola Ltd., used under license.
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