Business

Jantzi-Macleans 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations 2009

Exclusive report: These top companies are making Canada a better place

Jantzi-Macleans 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations

Click on a company name for more details:

5N Plus Inc.
ARISE Technologies Corp.
Ballard Power
Bank of Montreal
Bank of Nova Scotia
BCE Inc.
BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc.
BMW
Brookfield Properties Corporation
Canadian Hydro Developers
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.
Cascades Inc.
Catalyst Paper
Dell Inc.
Gap Inc.
General Mills Inc.
Gildan Activewear
Great-West Lifeco Inc.
H.J. Heinz Company
Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)
Hewlett-Packard Company
Honda
HSBC Holdings
IBM Corp.
ING Group
Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.
Johnson Controls Inc.
Kinross Gold Corp.
Loblaw Companies Ltd.
Manulife Financial
Nexen Inc.
Nike Inc.
Novelis Inc.
Petro-Canada
Plutonic Power Corp.
Rio Tinto Alcan
Royal Bank of Canada
Stantec Inc.
Starbucks Corporation
Sun Life Financial
Sun Microsystems Inc.
Suncor Energy Inc.
Talisman Energy Inc.
Telus Corporation
Toronto-Dominion Bank
Transalta Corp.
Transcontinental Inc.
Westport Innovations Inc.
Xerox Corporation
Zenn Motor Co.

For the related article and methodology, click here.

5N Plus Inc.

  • Specializes in the purification of metals for suppliers in the solar energy sector. The company’s primary product, high purity cadmium telluride (CdTe), is important for the production of thin-film solar PV, which is used to convert sunlight into electricity.
  • 5N Plus is exploring opportunities to recover metals, such as tellurium, cadmium or selenium, that would otherwise be sent to landfills.


ARISE Technologies Corp.

  • Founded in 1996, ARISE Technologies Corporation is a solar technology company focused on becoming a leader in high-performance, cost-effective solar technology. The company’s businesses include a photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing plant in Germany, a silicon refining facility in Canada, and a PV systems design/consulting operation in Ontario.


Ballard Power

  • Develops and manufactures proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, which combine hydrogen fuel with oxygen to produce environmentally friendly electricity.
  • Developed clean energy fuel cells, which BC Transit is currently using in 20 buses. Just in time for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, each bus will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 62 per cent compared to a conventional diesel bus.
  • Creates a life-cycle plan during the product development process, outlining the cradle-to-grave management of the entire product, including recycling options.


Bank of Montreal

  • Women are well-represented among board members and senior officers.
  • BMO has a strong presence in Aboriginal and multicultural communities, and is a gold member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business’s Progressive Aboriginal Relations program, meaning it has demonstrated leadership in advancing the interests of Aboriginal employees, customers, partners and suppliers.
  • Purchases green electricity, and has committed to achieving green building certification for new and existing buildings.


Bank of Nova Scotia

  • One of the few banks providing access to credit for underserved communities. Has microfinance initiatives in Chile, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Jamaica and Peru.
  • Partners with governments, unions, trade organizations and educational institutions to target the issue of HIV/AIDS among community members and Scotiabank’s workforce. Such efforts have included year-round initiatives designed to raise awareness, finance HIV/AIDS agencies, and reduce stigma and discrimination.


BCE Inc.

  • The only telecommunications company in Canada to obtain ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for environmental management.
  • Built three new building campuses according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance sustainable buildings.
  • Launched the Women@Bell network to provide support and professional development for women as they move into executive positions at the company.


BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc.

  • An industrial waste-water treatment firm, BioteQ has developed a proprietary system that removes acid and heavy metals from runoff water at mines. Mining companies around the world use water treatment plants designed and operated by the company.
  • Heavy metals that are separated in the process, such as copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt and selenium, can then be sold on the market, diverting them from tailings ponds.


BMW

  • Has already introduced Advanced Diesel engines to Canada, and will launch its ActiveHybrid vehicles this year.
  • Currently developing hydrogen technology as a long-term source of automotive energy, and has an action plan to reach zero emissions.
  • Through its “Design for Recycling” concept, new BMW vehicles contain 15 per cent recycled materials and customers are able to return used vehicles free of charge for safe disassembly, recycling and reuse.
  • Implemented an HIV/AIDS program in South Africa, which will be expanded to China, Russia and Thailand.


Brookfield Properties Corporation

  • Published one of the first stand-alone Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports in the Canadian real estate sector this year.
  • Pledged that all future developments will be built to a LEED gold standard, a best-in-class standard for green buildings.
  • For existing buildings, the company has detailed waste diversion and energy efficiency initiatives. It projects that 65 per cent of its U.S. properties will be Energy Star certified by the end of 2009.


Canadian Hydro Developers

  • Operates three types of EcoPower Centres: wind, hydro and biomass.
  • Will open Canada’s second-largest wind facility, the Wolfe Island Wind Project, this month.
  • Its Grande Prairie, Alta., EcoPower Centre will cut particulate emissions by 80 per cent by removing the need for existing wood waste incinerators at two adjacent lumber mills.
  • Steam from the project will be used to power the lumber drying kilns at the mills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17,000 tonnes per year.


Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.

  • CP is replacing its locomotive fleet with newer efficient vehicles that meet stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards and upgrading existing vehicles with anti-idling technology. Such efforts support greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and fuel conservation efforts.
  • Offers customers concerned with managing their indirect GHG emissions an online calculator to estimate the amount of GHG emitted per freight shipment.
  • Has the strongest environmental management system among Canadian rail companies, based on ISO 14001’s international certification standard.


Cascades Inc.

  • Uses methane captured from landfill, locally sourced wet-lap pulp and hydro power to produce 100 per cent recycled paper with 85 per cent less carbon emissions than the average North American recycled paper.
  • Launched Bioxo, the first line of containers made from 100 per cent oxo-biodegradable polystyrene foam. The containers are designed to degrade into a fine powder within three years in landfill sites, unlike containers made of conventional polystyrene foam, which require hundreds of years.


Catalyst Paper

  • Each of its divisions has multi-stakeholder community advisory forums, and Catalyst has developed formal partnerships with First Nations. The company sells its surplus land and assets to Aboriginal communities for community development.
  • Produces 100 per cent recycled newsprint at its recently acquired Snowflake mill in Arizona. The mill is powered by its own by-products, which are used in an on-site biomass facility. The facility also sells any excess “green energy” back to the power grid.


Dell Inc.

  • Dell is designing all of its desktop and laptop computers to consume up to 25 per cent less energy than current models by 2010.
  • Offers unconditional, free take-back and recycling of any Dell-branded products worldwide.
  • Provides technological access and training in underprivileged communities in India, Mexico and Brazil though the Dell YouthConnect program. Through its TechKnow program, Dell teaches low-income students to install and repair computers, providing each student with a new computer.


Gap Inc.

  • Gap is striving to address the root causes of labour rights violations in the supply chain and collaborating with key stakeholders to examine the effects of its purchasing practices.
  • Works to establish long-term relationships with suppliers and is committed to ongoing training.
  • In partnership with U.K.-based Historic Futures, Gap is implementing a Web-based “traceability” system to track fibres to their country of origin. This pilot project represents an effort to supplement its responsibility for textile production with accountability for the raw materials used in its clothing.


General Mills Inc.

  • Donated nearly five per cent of 2008 pre-tax profits (US$87 million) toward “nourishing communities” through activities such as hunger relief and disaster response initiatives. This support includes corporate donations, foundation grants and in-kind support.
  • Women at General Mills hold almost 40 per cent of management positions. Progressive employee benefits include extended personal leave, parental leave and a range of alternative work arrangements.
  • Through its Applied Sustainability Team, the company aims to reduce its environmental footprint, leverage its expertise in sustainable agriculture, and develop an environmental compliance program for suppliers.


Gildan Activewear

  • Recently surveyed 8,000 Central Americans to identify their most pressing community needs, allowing it to better support economic development in the regions where it operates.
  • The only Canadian apparel manufacturer accredited by the Fair Labor Association.
  • Has implemented a health and safety scorecard and an ergonomics program at its sewing facilities.
  • Developed its own biological system, the Biotop, to treat waste water from its manufacturing processes in Honduras and the Dominican Republic.


Great-West Lifeco Inc.

  • Offers progressive work-life balance programs to many employees in Canada and the U.S., such as flex-time, job sharing, telecommuting, an in-house child care referral service, and on-site or subsidized daycare.
  • Has launched innovative resources for employers to accommodate mental health issues in the workplace, including the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace and Guarding Minds @ Work.


H.J. Heinz Company

  • The company’s Global Operating Principles include a statement of recognition and respect for freedom of association. More than 60 per cent of Heinz’s U.S. employees are unionized.
  • Heinz has been at the forefront of testing micronutrient powders and has developed two formulations that are being used in developing countries. Its goal is to provide free micronutrient assistance to 10 million children by 2010.
  • Through the HeinzSeed program, the company supplies six billion hybrid tomato seeds to its farmers annually, which conserve water and reduce reliance on pesticides and fertilizers without genetic modification.


Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)

  • The only apparel company in this ranking without a controversial history.
  • Dedicated to transparency, the company’s 2008 Sustainability Report provides a detailed account of audit findings and an analysis of trends, targets and progress. The report also features candid stakeholder feedback on H&M’s CSR performance.
  • More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of H&M employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements.


Hewlett-Packard Company

  • Operates one of the world’s largest recycling facilities in California. In addition to the one billion pounds of electronic products already recycled, the company plans to recycle an additional one billion pounds by 2010.
  • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing renewable energy, shifting from air cargo to ocean freight, and increasing fuel efficiency for the company’s fleet.
  • Accommodates employees with disabilities through various initiatives including telephones for the hearing impaired, interpretative services and adaptive software.


Honda

  • This spring Honda introduced the 2010 Insight, the most affordable hybrid currently available in North America. Its FCX Clarity vehicle, which is propelled by an electric motor and emits only water, earned the “2009 World Green Car” award.
  • Honda’s new “Eco Assist” dashboard computer was designed to help drivers optimize fuel efficiency by providing related feedback on driving techniques.
  • Honda Soltec Co. Ltd., a Japan-based subsidiary spun off from Honda, is developing its own line of non-silicon solar cells for home and vehicle use.


HSBC Holdings

  • HSBC incorporates sustainability considerations into its lending and investment practices. It follows stringent sustainability criteria for financing projects or companies involved in chemicals, defence, energy, forestry, freshwater infrastructure, and mining and metals.
  • The first major international bank to achieve net zero carbon emissions. Its carbon management strategy extends into its core financial services business by assisting clients in understanding climate change-related risks and opportunities.


IBM Corp.

  • Modelled after the Peace Corps, IBM’s Corporate Service Corps trains staff and sends them to teach computer and business courses in poor communities in Ghana, the Philippines, Romania, Tanzania and Vietnam.
  • Supports businesses owned by women, Aboriginals and visible minorities through its Supply Chain Social Responsibility initiative.
  • More than eight per cent of IBM’s current electrical usage is now powered by renewables.


ING Group

  • Achieved carbon neutrality through energy efficiency measures, renewable energy purchases and emissions offsets.
  • Investment policies exclude operations in Burma and Sudan, animal testing for cosmetic purposes and fur production.
  • Offers its customers a wide range of sustainable products, such as sustainable investment funds and an EcoLease for leasing energy efficient cars.


Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

  • One of Canada’s most active independent developers and operators of hydroelectric and wind power generating facilities. Since 1990, the company has brought 11 hydroelectric and two wind power facilities to commercial operation, representing a total capacity of 348 MW.
  • As part of the approval process for its lower Ashlu project, Innergex struck a deal with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to compensate for its impact on the stream by creating 5,000 sq. m of new fish habitat. During the construction process, the company voluntarily increased this habitat quota to over 60,000 sq. m.


Johnson Controls Inc.

  • Develops energy efficient automotive and building components, such as solar energy systems and lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles.
  • Created “Green Compass,” a software solution designed to simplify and expedite the LEED certification process for companies, in addition to providing estimates on related energy and cost savings.
  • Was acknowledged by the Billion Dollar Roundtable organization as one of 14 companies that spends more than $1 billion on business with women- and minority-owned suppliers.


Kinross Gold Corp.

  • Modified the Buckhorn mining project in Washington state to minimize its environmental footprint. Reached an agreement with the Okanogan Highlands Alliance, an environmental group focused on protecting Buckhorn Mountain, to fund additional monitoring and mitigation measures.
  • Five of its eight mines are certified as compliant with the International Cyanide Management Code, which focuses on the safe management of cyanide, cyanidation mill tailings and leach solutions.


Loblaw Companies Ltd.

  • Offers environmentally preferable product lines such as PC Organics and PC Green Line products. Loblaw’s goal is to expand its new line of fair trade products and increase local product sourcing by 10 per cent within the next three years.
  • Reduced the number of plastic bags it used by 328 million in the past year, with a one-billion-bag target by the end of 2009. The company has also pledged to divert 70 per cent of store-generated waste from landfill this year.


Manulife Financial

  • Has invested more than $1 billion in the renewable and alternative energy sectors, including a US$55-million loan to convert unused land in Nevada into a solar power generation centre—the largest of its kind in the U.S.
  • Timberlands managed by subsidiary Hancock Timber Resource Group are certified under various sustainable forestry management programs including the Forest Stewardship Council.


Nexen Inc.

  • Has developed a human rights policy based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Global Compact. The policy is consistent with international standards for security arrangements and law enforcement.
  • Partnered to develop a 70.5 MW wind power project, and is seeking approval for a second 80 MW project in southern Alberta.
  • Uses gasification, a high temperature process that extracts energy more efficiently from fossil fuels, at its Long Lake oil sands operations.


Nike Inc.

  • Has developed a proprietary “Considered Design” standard to reduce waste, use environmentally preferred materials, and eliminate toxins.
  • Since launching its Reuse-A-Shoe program, Nike has recycled more than 18 million pairs of shoes and used the material to build approximately 200 sports surfaces around the world.
  • Nike was the first major brand to publicly disclose its entire factory base in 2007 and issued its first country-specific report on China in 2008.


Novelis Inc.

  • Novelis, an aluminum producer, processes more than 36 billion used beverage cans per year, making it the world’s largest aluminum can recycler.
  • All manufacturing sites have received ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification for their environmental and health and safety management systems.
  • Donates one per cent of its pre-tax income annually and organizes volunteer opportunities for its employees in the communities where it operates, with the goal of achieving a 10 per cent annual increase in volunteer hours by 2010.


Petro-Canada

  • Supports employee work-life balance through progressive benefits, extended parental leave, job sharing, flexible work hours, and telecommuting, as well as an on-site day-care facility at its head office.
  • Has developed water conservation principles that have resulted in water storage facilities for its Athabasca River operations and a 90 per cent water recycling rate at its MacKay river oil sands site.
  • Conducts country risk reviews and has implemented a human rights management system for its international operations.


Plutonic Power Corp.

  • Currently developing several sustainable, low-impact hydroelectric projects, with a focus on southwest coastal B.C.
  • Has developed and adopted “10 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Relationships between Plutonic Power and First Nations.”
  • Engages local community members before beginning a project and chooses locations with minimal environmental, recreational and visual impacts.


Rio Tinto Alcan

  • The company’s CEO is a woman—an anomaly in the mining industry.
  • All sites acquired before 2005 have ISO 14001 certification for their environmental management systems and OHSAS 18001 certification for their health and safety management systems. Newly acquired or commissioned sites must achieve certification within two years.
  • Has a comprehensive climate change policy and is developing and implementing an energy efficient smelting technology.


Royal Bank of Canada

  • Promotes economic development through responsible procurement activities with the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, its U.S. affiliate (the National Minority Supplier Development Council), and Toronto-based TurnAround Couriers, which recruits at-risk youth.
  • Developed a Sourcing, Operations, Facilities and Travel (SOFT) system to collect environmental data that will enable RBC to set emissions reduction targets.
  • Provides investment banking, financing, and advisory services for run-of-river hydro projects (an environmentally friendly electricity source), wind farms, and a natural gas cogeneration facility.


Stantec Inc.

  • At the forefront of water treatment innovation, particularly in biological nutrient removal, membrane technology, and disinfection. Its Kamloops Centre for Water Quality in B.C. performs 66 per cent more efficiently than comparable facilities.
  • Has launched ecosystem restoration projects to help preserve endangered species, waterways and forests throughout Canada and the U.S.
  • Joined “Risk MAP,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood risk program. Stantec will develop digital flood data, providing more accurate flood warnings and planning.


Starbucks Corporation

  • Announced that 100 per cent of its coffee will be ethically sourced approved under Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices by 2015, compared to 77 per cent in 2008. The C.A.F.E. Practices scorecard includes 24 criteria supported by over 200 for suppliers, which are monitored through third-party verification.
  • To ensure that all of its single-use cups are recyclable by 2015, Starbucks is currently engaging key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive recyclable cup solution.
  • Established a Corporate Social Responsibility executive committee, which includes its CEO.


Sun Life Financial

  • Formed an International Sustainability Council comprised of senior representatives from across the company.
  • Has invested more than $1.2 billion in renewable energy and cogeneration projects.
  • Belongs to the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Sun Life’s international subsidiaries have supported disaster relief in China, education in Indonesia, child labourers in India and environmental initiatives in the Philippines.


Sun Microsystems Inc.

  • Reached its 2012 goal of a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions four years earlier than planned.
  • Joined the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, as a founding member, to lobby for aggressive legislation in 2009 to promote energy efficiency, greenhouse gas carbon caps and trading, renewable energy, and green jobs in low-income communities.
  • Provides subsidies for employees who participate in the Sun Microsystems Alternative Resources for Transportation (SMART) commuting program.


Suncor Energy Inc.

  • Despite its oil sands focus, the company is also a partner in wind power developments that produce 147 MW of power, and it produces 200 million litres of corn-based ethanol each year.
  • Has invested significantly in Aboriginal business suppliers.
  • Conducts research to develop new technologies that mitigate its environmental impact, such as carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy, and dry tailings.
  • Implements life-cycle value assessments to evaluate the environmental, social and economic impact of major projects.


Talisman Energy Inc.

  • Installed two of the largest wind turbines in the world in deep waters off the coast of Scotland.
  • Is currently funding an independent report to research the benefits of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of indigenous communities impacted by its operations, a best practice supported by the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  • One of only two Canadian company supporters of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which supports the verification and publication of company payments and government revenues from oil, gas and mining.

For the accompanying article click here

Telus Corporation

  • As a sponsor of Tree Canada, Telus plants a tree every time a customer returns an old cellphone.
  • Is currently investing $33 million to build its first low carbon emitting Internet data centre in Laval, Que. The centre is designed according to LEED standards.
  • Developed an innovative national program of community investment boards, through which community leaders and local Telus executives identify community needs.
  • Matches eligible employee and alumni donations dollar for dollar.


Toronto-Dominion Bank

  • Adopted a sustainable investing policy for its Canadian and U.S. operations, pledging to incorporate environmental, social and corporate governance factors into its investment analysis.
  • Through the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, the company has given $46.7 million to more than 17,000 environmental projects in Canada since 1990. It also gives approximately one per cent of pre-tax profits in cash donations annually.
  • TD is the only bank in Canada to employ a chief environmental officer.


Transalta Corp.

  • Supplements its coal and hydro generation with wind and geothermal power.
  • Sells wind-generated power on a wholesale basis.
  • Announced an agreement with Alstom Canada to develop a carbon capture and storage facility in Alberta in 2008. The project is expected to deliver 20 per cent of the government of Alberta’s 2015 target of five megatonnes in annual CO2 reductions.


Transcontinental Inc.

  • Sources paper from forests that are independently certified as sustainably managed.
  • Has replaced the smog-producing volatile organic compound (VOC)-emitting solvents used to clean the presses at its Canadian plants with a product that is almost totally VOC-free. It also uses short cut-off presses, which save paper during the printing of advertising inserts.
  • Fifteen per cent of board directors and 38 per cent of senior officers are women, well above the average representation of women in corporate Canada.


Westport Innovations Inc.

  • Engaged in research and product development that reduces nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions. The company manufactures and sells a broad range of low-emissions alternative fuel engines for commercial transportation that run on liquefied or compressed natural gas.
  • As a “Power Smart Partner” with BC Hydro, Westport pledges to integrate sustainable energy conservation management into its business operations.
  • Established an employee leadership team, “IMPACT,” to drive community engagement and bring together various volunteer initiatives into one coordinated effort.


Xerox Corporation

  • Women or minorities fill seven of the 11 board positions, and more than half of the senior executive positions, including CEO.
  • Developed High Yield Business Paper, which uses half as many trees as standard paper. Xerox scientists are also developing self-erasing reusable paper, which could decrease overall paper consumption significantly.
  • Designed software aimed at measuring paper and energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and solid waste production, allowing customers to track use and help calculate the environmental impact of using Xerox equipment.


Zenn Motor Co.

  • Manufactures and supplies electric vehicles that produce zero emissions and no noise.
  • Powered by six batteries, the Zenn car costs roughly two cents per mile to operate and recharges using any standard electrical outlet.
  • Zenn plans to launch the “cityZENN” this fall. This will be a fully certified, highway capable vehicle with operating costs that are one-tenth of those for an internal combustion engine vehicle.

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