Top 50 socially responsible corporations: 2014

See more from our special feature on Canada’s top 50 socially responsible corporations:

• Risk and reputation: What the Rana Plaza collapse has taught companies in all industries about managing their supply chains

• Unloading on fossil fuels: Universities and other institutions are taking steps to rid their investment portfolios of companies that contribute to climate change

BANKS

PERSONAL, COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE, INVESTMENT BANKING, AND CREDIT UNIONS

In recent years, banks have been at the centre of a global economic upheaval that has changed the financial industry. As they continue to face scrutiny for their lending and investment activities, some banks are now using their market power to back high-impact sustainable projects and develop sustainability-related financial products and services, such as green mortgages and green bonds. Credit unions and co-operatives maintain their influence, thanks to prudent lending practices and their unique focus on local communities.

 Bank of Montreal

•   First Canadian bank to be awarded gold level for progressive Aboriginal relations by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

•   One of the few banks to state it will not finance companies that produce weapons subject to bans by Canada or the U.S.

Royal Bank of Canada

•   Created the “RBC generator” fund, a $10-million pool of capital for investment in new business models that tackle social and environmental challenges, while generating long-term financial returns.

•   In 2013, announced a $100-million “believe in kids” pledge dedicated to supporting children’s growth through a range of arts, sports, mental health and education programs.

Toronto-Dominion Bank

•   First commercial bank in Canada to offer its own bond for funding green initiatives. The three-year, $500-million bond will be used solely for Canadian projects that contribute to a low-carbon economy.

•   First of its kind among Canadian banks, TD’s new “sustainable energy-efficient design” concept branch is expected to be 45 per cent more energy-efficient than a traditional branch of its size, and includes sustainably sourced wood, a public garden and solar power.

Vancouver City Savings
Credit Union (Vancity)

•   Canada’s first financial institution to determine its impact on “people, planet and profit” via non-financial metrics, such as membership resilience and client well-being, alongside financial metrics.

•   In 2013, Vancity supported 23 farmers’ markets through its granting program, “Growing farmers’ markets,” which aims to bring local and organic food to communities throughout Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas.

The Co-operators Group Ltd.

•   In 2014, it began supplying six of its offices with 100 per cent renewable energy purchased through Bullfrog Power, a Canadian clean-energy provider.

•   Initiated a study with the University of Waterloo to survey the leaders at Canadian insurance companies about the risks and challenges related to extreme weather events. Through the study, the Co-operators Group aims to improve Canadians’ access to insurance against overland flooding.

Desjardins Group

•   In 2013, Desjardins Financial Security, the Desjardins Group Pension Plan and Desjardins General Insurance Group teamed up to invest more than $60 million in the construction of Ontario’s Grand Renewable Solar Project, the largest solar farm in Canada.

•   Desjardins and Visa Desjardins Affinity credit cards allow cardholders to donate a portion of every purchase to social or environmental organizations, such as Amnesty International and Oxfam-Quebec, through their purchases.

 

ENERGY & UTILITIES

OIL & GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, POWER GENERATORS

As major producers of carbon-based products, energy and utility companies are significant emitters of air pollutants that contribute to climate change, acid rain and smog. Leading companies are reducing their environmental impact by implementing company-wide, time-bound reduction targets that go beyond existing regulatory obligations. As these companies expand their operations to higher-risk and remote areas, health and safety issues and community relations present ongoing challenges.

TransAlta Corp.

•   After a major investment in mercury-capture technology, TransAlta is implementing a mercury-optimization plan for its Alberta coal operations to increase its mercury capture rate from 70 to 80 per cent. From 2011 to 2012, the company reduced its mercury emissions by over one-third.

•   Due in part to the retirement of its older coal-fired plants, TransAlta has reduced its total greenhouse gas emissions by 36 per cent, and its CO₂-emissions intensity by 10.5 per cent, from 2005 to 2012.

Cenovus Energy Inc.

•   As part of an effort to restore 4,500 hectares of caribou habitat by 2015, Cenovus installed cameras surrounding three Alberta operations to monitor caribou habitat and to limit its activities during sensitive migration and mating periods.

•   At its Weyburn oilfield, CO₂ that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere is sequestered underground. This “CO₂ flooding” initiative serves as the world’s largest geological CO₂-storage project, with more than 20 million tonnes of CO₂ stored between 2000 and 2012.

Talisman Energy Inc.

•   Aligns its global community-relations policy with principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

•   Adopted a “publish what you pay” approach to tax reporting that includes a breakdown of all payments made by the company to governments around the world. This is of particular importance, given Talisman’s operations in high-risk countries.

Suncor Energy Inc.

•   As of 2012, spent more than $1.3 billion on the development and implementation of a new tailings-reclamation management process, whereby mine tailings are dried into a soil-like deposit that can be re-vegetated, helping to speed the pace of land reclamation.

•   As a member of the Boreal Leadership Council and a signatory to the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, Suncor’s boreal-forest action plan recognizes the need to balance its business development with best-practice land management techniques within the boreal zone.

 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

SOFT DRINKS, PACKAGED FOODS, RESTAURANTS

Driven by evolving demographics, consumer preferences and regulatory environments, food and beverage companies are focusing on product innovation and education to launch healthier and more sustainable foods. As demand increases in emerging markets, leading companies aim to provide greater access to healthy food, at affordable prices. Natural resource shortages, supply- chain safety and waste management remain critical issues.

PepsiCo Inc.

•   Met its target to provide access to safe water to three million people in developing countries via its partnerships—three years ahead of its 2015 goal.

•   PepsiCo’s Sustainable Farming Initiative provides a robust framework to measure its environmental and local economic impacts across its agricultural supply chain, in developed and emerging markets.

Molson Coors Brewing Co.

•   Partnered with 12 major beer and spirits companies to reduce harmful drinking around the world. The group’s global commitments will be implemented over a five-year period, focusing on underage drinking, responsible marketing and reduced drinking and driving.

•   One of only a few Canadian companies to be featured on the Carbon Disclosure Project’s leadership index, indicating the company’s transparency, examination of risks related to climate change and good internal data practices for understanding its emissions.

Danone

•   As part of its core business, Danone commits to making its healthy products easily accessible to low-income consumers, while developing and distributing nutritionally fortified foods to regions suffering from under-nutrition.

•   Supporting research aimed at reducing the amount of CO₂ emissions from cattle by introducing flax seed in their diets. Through this project, Danone Canada hopes to create milk that reduces CO₂ emissions while ensuring product quality and animal welfare.

Kellogg Co.

•   In 2014, it announced a global commitment to use only palm oil that is fully traceable through its supply chain to ensure it is sourced from plantations that uphold the company’s commitment to protect natural resources and human and community rights.

•   Since 2009, it has ensured its products advertised to children under 12 meet the Kellogg Global Nutrient Criteria, containing no more than 200 calories and 12 grams of sugar. The company does not market any products to children under six years.

Tim Hortons Inc.

•   Hosted an industry-wide animal welfare summit, sharing new research on animal welfare, alternative animal housing systems, and consumer expectations. Tim Hortons has set a goal to source all its pork from suppliers who use alternative group housing by 2022.

•   Registered three Tim Hortons restaurants for LEED certification in 2013, bringing its total to 17 registered restaurants, with a goal to have 30 new restaurants registered to LEED standards by the end of 2016.

Starbucks

•   Starbucks’ reclamation drive-through pilot project converts end-of-life shipping containers to small drive-through and walk-up stores, featuring rainwater collection and low-impact assembly.

•  Awarded an initial $1-million grant for the development of LeadersUp, a new non-profit group that will harness community resources to create employment opportunities for job-ready, disengaged youth.

INDUSTRIALS

INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATES, MACHINERY, AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE

Many industrial companies are involved in intensive manufacturing processes where employee health and safety is paramount. Additionally, the manufacturing supply chain involves chemical coatings, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds resulting in intensive greenhouse gas emissions and hazardous waste generation. Across the sector, companies are increasingly devoting research and development resources to industrial water-saving technologies and sustainable urban infrastructure projects.

Bombardier Inc.

•   Developed the aerospace industry’s first environmental product declaration (EPD) to publicly disclose the environmental profile of its CSeries commercial aircraft. Bombardier plans to release EPDs for all new products by 2020.

•   With its consortium partners, it designed Portugal’s Metro do Porto light-rail system, a 2013 winner of the Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design from Harvard University. Among other issues, the prize recognizes the quality-of-life improvements made by connecting previously segregated communities.

3M Co.

•   As part of its company-wide life-cycle management assessment, 3M conducts an evaluation of environmental and energy impacts across the entire value chain of many of its products, from raw-material acquisition through manufacturing, use and disposal.

•   Developed the first “clean” fire-suppression agent, Novec 1230, which ensures highly effective fire-extinguishing performance with zero ozone-depletion potential and a large margin of safety around people.

General Electric Co.

•   Through its Ecomagination initiative, GE has invested $12 billion since 2005 in clean technologies, on track with its goal to invest $25 billion by 2020.

•   Developed a new membrane to purify and reuse tough-to-treat water in industries and in water-scarce regions throughout the world. The new membrane can reduce the time between water treatments by as much as 50 per cent.

Philips Electronics

•   Received the 2013 responsible supply-chain management award from VBDO, a Dutch association of sustainable investors. The company was recognized for its extensive and transparent reporting and its dedication to improving its suppliers’ sustainability performance.

•   The first patron sponsor of International Year of Light, a 2015 UNESCO initiative to raise awareness of sustainable light-based technologies and solutions to global energy challenges.

Siemens AG

•   A signatory to the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, Siemens has developed different water-related goals, depending on the water risks in a given region. In doing so, the company is adapting its approach to unique local risks, such as flooding, drought or poor infrastructure.

•   In partnership with NB Power, Siemens’s facility in Fredericton houses a smart-grid “centre of competence” that offers Canadian businesses and residents more control over their energy consumption.

 

MATERIALS

GOLD, PRECIOUS AND DIVERSIFIED METALS, MINING, PACKAGING

Mining and materials companies continue to face considerable exposure to a broad scope of environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous waste, biodiversity and land protection. To avoid reputational and financial losses, these companies must also work closely with local communities by adopting comprehensive community consultation mechanisms throughout the life cycle of a project.

Teck Resources

•   The company’s mine smelter in Trail, B.C., recycles electronic waste such as batteries, televisions and stereos, and reuses the gas produced from the waste for fuel.

•   Embedding its core sustainability principles throughout the company by integrating social and environmental considerations into employee-training programs and employee goal-setting.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc.

•   One of few companies to have members of its executive team, including its chief financial officer and chief operating officer, participate in its sustainability committee.

•   To minimize the impact of its phosphate operations, the company restores up to two acres of wetlands for every acre disturbed at its Aurora mine, and a minimum of one acre restored per acre mined at its White Springs operation.

IamGold Corp.

•   Unlike many of its peers, IamGold is not involved in any significant community relations controversies, despite operating in high-risk countries. This favourable track record is largely due to the company’s strong community consultation and human rights programs.

•   At its Rosebel mine in Suriname, the company is engaging community members to participate in its environmental monitoring processes. Two local representatives accompany IamGold’s team for quarterly environmental assessments to identify non-compliance and corrective actions.

Yamana Gold Inc.

•   Yamana’s Supplier Development Program helps local suppliers understand the company’s health and safety requirements and works with them to harness clean technologies that maximize environmental protection.

•   Yamana’s “citizen meetings” provide community members an opportunity to voice concerns relating to the mine and its surrounding area. Approximately 55 meetings were held across the company’s operation in 2012, attracting close to 950 participants.

New Gold

•   New Gold’s mines operate in a closed circuit, with no water discharges to the surrounding environment. In 2012, the company recycled 27.3 million cubic metres of water—almost five times the amount of raw water the company withdrew from natural sources.

•   Has strong participation and exploration agreements in place with First Nations communities. At its New Afton mine and its Blackwater exploration project, New Gold’s workforce is almost one-quarter Aboriginal.

RETAILING

FOOD, SPECIALTY, GENERAL MERCHANDISE, HOME IMPROVEMENT

Across a variety of sectors, retailers continue to face significant exposure to employee rights and supply chain issues. Companies effectively managing these aspects are extending sustainability programs and goals throughout their network of contract workers and suppliers. Greenhouse gas emissions from retail facilities, transportation and logistics and waste management are key environmental challenges.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd.

•   In response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse, Loblaw become the only Canadian company to sign on to the Bangladesh accord on fire and safety, a program to protect Bangladeshi workers from accidents and building collapses.

•   With the support of its customers, Loblaw has reduced the number of plastic shopping bags in its stores nationally by more than six billion since 2008.

Best Buy Co. Inc.

•   Best Buy’s in-store recycling program gives customers the ability to safely recycle their end-of-life electronic products. In the last year, this program has kept more than 2,700 tonnes of waste electronics out of Canadian landfills.

•   Best Buy’s community-investment programs focus on connecting youth with technology, for education. In the last three years, Best Buy has donated more than $1 million in grants and technology to organizations that support youth education and development in Canada.

Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd.

•   By the end of 2013, 32 Canadian Tire stores had rooftop solar systems installed, with two more to be completed in 2014. The total renewable energy generated will produce enough electricity to power 1,000 average-sized Canadian homes each year.

•   From 2010 to 2013, it has eliminated or recycled more than 6,600 tonnes of waste, in addition to roughly 16,300 tonnes of lead-acid batteries, in 2013 alone.

Rona Inc.

•   Member of the Boreal Business Forum, a roundtable composed of Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) signatories, leading corporations and investors tasked with monitoring and progressing the CBFA in an effort to protect the boreal forest.

•   Offers its own Rona Eco line of products, which include an algae-based fertilizer, a rainwater collector and reconditioned tools. All Rona Eco products have undergone extensive life-cycle assessments and have features that reduce the impact of key environmental problems.

TECHNOLOGY

HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE SERVICES, SEMICONDUCTORS

As consumers continue to demand improved digital connectivity and mobility, technology companies are under increasing pressure to innovate quickly. In turn, these companies are exposed to major supply chain risks, including worker safety, serious environmental impacts and human rights violations relating to conflict mineral sourcing and freedom of expression. Leading companies involve their suppliers throughout the value chain to minimize negative impacts over the course of a product’s life cycle.

SAP

•   To support social investment, SAP’s social sabbatical program encourages high-potential employees to participate in development projects with NGOs to build capacity and solve new challenges.

•   Strongly advocates for women in leadership positions. Roughly 25 per cent of its supervisory board positions are held by women—a leading figure for its industry.

Accenture plc

•   In 2012, Accenture directed almost one-third of its procurement spending to small, minority- and women-owned businesses, as part of its diverse supplier development program.

•   Launched My Travel Summary, a dashboard on the personal Accenture portal home page of every travelling employee, detailing the employee’s travel-related carbon output.

Cisco Systems Inc.

•   Working with USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance to implement DadaabNet, a high-speed, reliable Internet network to connect NGO agencies, refugees and communities throughout Dadaab, Kenya, at dramatically lower costs.

•   One of the few companies to disclose a conflict minerals policy. Among other commitments, the policy states that Cisco suppliers must commit to the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition’s code of conduct, requiring reasonable assurance that tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold used in manufacturing are sourced from conflict-free mines.

Intel Corp.

•   Launched the She Will Connect digital literacy program, focused on women throughout Africa, India and Latin America. Working with NGOs throughout these regions, Intel aims to reach five million women.

•   By 2020, Intel aims to reduce water used in its operations, on a per chip basis, below its 2010 levels. To date, the company has invested more than $100 million in water conservation programs throughout its facilities, saving more than 170 billion litres of water.

Oracle Corp.

•   Developed the Oracle Environmental Accounting and Reporting tool, which enables organizations to track and assess their environmental data against reduction targets. The tool can also generate on-the-spot environmental reporting for both voluntary and legislated emissions-reporting schemes.

•   Many of Oracle’s European facilities are powered entirely by renewable energy sources, including those in Norway, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands.

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM)

•   IBM’s $50-million “smarter cities challenge” deploys teams of IBM experts across 100 cities around the world, to gather and assess key data and then advise city leaders on strategies to improve health care, education, public safety, education and energy efficiency.

•   IBM’s “on-demand community” is an online tool allowing employees to match local volunteer opportunities with their unique professional skills. Since 2003, more than 235,000 IBM employees and retirees have registered at the site and logged 15 million hours of service.

 

TELECOM/ELECTRONICS

TELEPHONY SERVICES, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Similar to the technology industry, complex supply-chain risks present challenges to telecom and electronics companies, particularly the sourcing of conflict minerals. Water use, emissions and waste generation account for much of the industry’s environmental footprint. Today, many companies are participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives to encourage the responsible disposal of e-waste.

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.

•   Encourages year-round green commuting via the ride-exchange carpool program, and by offering subsidized public transit passes to employees. Last year, 6,000 company-subsidized public transit passes were issued.

•   The MTS wireless-devices recycling program allows MTS customers to responsibly dispose of their wireless products at all MTS Connect Manitoba stores. Collected devices are recycled or refurbished, with all proceeds channelled to the MTS Future First community investment program focused on bettering the lives of youth in Manitoba.

Bell Canada

•   Joining with Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes on her 110-day bike tour to increase awareness of, and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness.

•   Partnered with Écotech Québec, a clean-tech cluster focused on accelerating Quebec’s green economy. Through the partnership, Bell aims to support local innovation and liaise with clean-tech entrepreneurs to improve its environmental performance.

Telus Corp.

•   A strict animal-advertising code requires that Telus only work with reputable owners, accredited zoos and sanctuaries when filming animals for its advertisements. Telus also requires that a professional advocacy representative oversee the ethical treatment of animals during its productions.

•   Telus’s new data centres in Rimouski, Que., and Kamloops, B.C., are built to LEED Gold standards and will consume 80 per cent less power than a typical data centre of the same size.

Sony Corp.

•   Set an ambitious goal to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions throughout its plants, offices and the life cycle of its products, by 2050. Sony aims to do this by continuing to reduce its energy consumption while drawing on greater renewable sources.

•   To help relief efforts in communities affected by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the company donated roughly $150,000, in addition to matching employee contributions and delivering 400 emergency radios for aid efforts.

 

TEXTILES, FOOTWEAR & APPAREL

APPAREL, ACCESSORIES, FOOTWEAR, SPORTSWEAR

Apparel and footwear companies remain under close scrutiny following several high-profile controversies surrounding supplier working conditions. Throughout the supply chain, poor labour conditions threaten basic human rights and present reputational risks to consumer-sensitive companies. The sector is also known for its high levels of water consumption and wastewater discharge. Increasingly, companies are integrating sustainable design elements and processes into their core product offerings.

(Zara) Industria de Diseño Textil S.A.

•   Since 2008, has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), providing more than $16 million in funding to support MSF’s projects across developing countries. Most recently, the partnership has worked to provide urgent medical and humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees.

•   Initiated a project with the Textile Exchange to support agricultural co-operatives in Odisha, India, by training female farmers to build and conserve organic cotton-seed banks, thereby reducing farm operating costs and improving profitability.

Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M)


•   Strongly committed to animal welfare, H&M is a Fur Free Alliance retailer, banning the use of real fur in any of its products. Its own-brand cosmetics are made without animal testing.

•   The first fashion company to launch a global garment collection initiative, allowing customers to hand in unwanted garments—from any brand and in any condition—to be recycled. As of 2013, H&M stores have collected 3,047 tonnes of garments, the equivalent of 15 million T-shirts.

Adidas AG

•    To ensure the environmental stewardship practices of its leather manufacturers, Adidas sources 96 per cent of its non-European leather from tanneries that are either silver- or gold-certified by the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group that promotes environmental business practices within the leather industry.

•   Adidas’s GreenEnergy Fund is an internal sustainability venture capital fund, invested strictly in the company’s global energy projects, with the intent to accelerate companywide carbon reduction while realizing a return on investment.

Gildan Activewear Inc.

•   Provides health care to all of its employees in Central America, the Dominican Republic and Bangladesh through medical clinics at each of its manufacturing facilities. Gildan’s 24-hour medical team provides basic on-site services, such as prenatal care and vaccinations.

•   To decrease its reliance on fossil fuels, Gildan transitioned its manufacturing plants in Central America and in the Caribbean basin from fossil-fuel-generated steam to biomass-generated steam. In 2013, 52 per cent of Gildan’s total energy was powered by renewable sources.

Nike Inc.

•   Opened its first ColorDry facility, featuring an innovative process that eliminates the use of water and process chemicals from fabric dyeing. Compared to traditional dyeing methods, the ColorDry process reduces dyeing time by 40 per cent and energy use by around 60 per cent.

•   Nike’s Materials Sustainability Index is a publicly available database of fabric and material assessments, allowing apparel-industry designers to select materials with improved energy, chemical, water and waste profiles.

 

TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

AUTOMOBILES, RAILROADS, SHIPPING

High fuel costs and increasingly stringent emission regulations are driving some companies to make important improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency and to pursue innovative design. Social concerns such as employee safety and union relations remain highly relevant.

Volkswagen

•   As part of its ecological restructuring, committed $52 billion, by 2016, to energy-efficient vehicles, powertrains and environmentally compatible production facilities. Every new generation of vehicle will be 10 to 15 per cent more efficient than its predecessor.

•   VW’s “Think Blue. Nature” allocates more than $350,000 to protect Mexico’s eastern Sierra Madre ecological corridor, a four-million-hectare area that provides habitat for roughly 650 endangered species. The company will also train 300 youth as local ambassadors of the “Think Blue. Nature” program.

BMW

•   BMW’s i8 plug-in hybrid will be the first vehicle to incorporate laser-light technology, an improved vehicle headlight that contributes to better nighttime visibility and 30 per cent greater energy efficiency, compared to already highly efficient LED headlights.

•   Signatory to the Automotive Industry Action Group’s 2014 guiding principles to enhance sustainability performance in the supply chain. The guidelines set minimum industry standards for business ethics, working conditions, human rights and environmental impact throughout a company’s entire supply chain.

Ford Motor Co.

•   Having cut its global water use by 62 per cent from 2000 to 2010, Ford now aims to further reduce the amount of water it takes to build a car by another 30 per cent by 2015.

•   A principal investor in the International Finance Corp.’s $1-billion green bond, launched in 2013, to support “climate smart” investments in emerging markets.

Canadian National Railway Co.

•   Conducts a range of measures to protect and stimulate regional ecosystems, including monitoring and assessment programs for new and existing track developments to gauge the impact of its projects on surrounding fish, wildlife and vegetation.

•   Surveyed more than 250 of its stakeholders, including employees, government officials and Aboriginal communities, to gain insight into its critical sustainability impacts. The results of this survey are now being used to shape the company’s sustainability initiatives.

United Parcel Service Inc.

•   Rolled out a new software system, ORION, to optimize its delivery routes and fuel efficiency. By the end of 2013, ORION was deployed on 10,000 routes, saving more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel, and 14,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

•   Operates a fleet with more than 3,150 alternative-fuel vehicles. By the end of 2017, UPS aims to have 1.6 billion km driven in alternative-fuel vehicles.

 

 

2014 Methodology:

The Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies in Canada were selected on the basis of their performance across a broad range of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators tracked by Sustainalytics. The companies selected rank at the top of their respective industries in Sustainalytics’ Global Platform. These companies have demonstrated strong performance in areas such as environmental initiatives, impact on local communities, treatment of employees and supply chain management. Some are notable for their development of products or services that contribute directly to sustainability. Companies must also demonstrate strong public disclosure on ESG management and performance. Using Sustainalytics’ rigorous controversy-assessment framework, the companies have also been screened for their level of complicity in major controversies to determine their degree of severity and accountability.

Each of the companies featured is either Canadian-listed or a wholly owned subsidiary of a foreign-listed company with significant operations or brand presence in Canada.  Each of the companies has a significant market capitalization or brand presence in Canada and is featured on at least one of the following lists: the ROB Top 1000, the ROB Top 350, Globe and Mail’s 20 Largest Co-Ops and Credit Unions or Interbrand’s Best Canadian or Best Global Brands lists. Given that Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies are inextricably linked to their parent companies, the evaluation is based on the performance of the foreign corporate entities. The Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies are categorized across 10 diverse industries, distinguished as consumer-facing, garnering significant public interest and demonstrating a diversity of sustainability challenges and approaches.

Sustainalytics’ research process includes a thorough examination of company documents, media sources, online databases, government sources and NGO research, as well as direct communication with key stakeholders. Analysts use a Best-of-Sector™ methodology to compare companies within a given peer group to industry best practices.

Sustainalytics’ research is used by some of the world’s largest institutional and individual investors who consider environmental, social and governance performance, in addition to financial performance, in the management of their investments.

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By Sustainalytics analysts Alberto Serna Martin, Alina Huza, Annie White, Arne Klug, Bobby Chiu, Bowen Gu, Esther Tsang, Florentina Onisor, Hardik Sanjay Shah, Heather Lang, Irene Sosa, Jennifer Penikett, Jungho Park, Kate Marshall, Kyuwon Kim, Luke Raftis, Matthew Barg, Melissa Chase, Philip MacKellar, Roxana Dobre, Sheila Oviedo, Sophia Burress