10 Green Business Leaders from Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2013

CSR business values are very important to Miratel and the operation of our Canadian call centre, eBusiness and letter shop mail house. Our commitment to sustainability extends to the promotion of other like-minded businesses as we have done in posts like the  50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada 2012, the 30 Top Green Organizations in Canada According to Employee Engagement, the 55 Greenest Canadian Employers, the 50 Top Diversity Employers in Canada, the Top 50 Canadian CSR Business List, Canada’s Top Employers for 2013,  the top 10 Canadian boards according to gender representation, the Top Canadian Boards According to Visible Minority and Aboriginal Representation, the 10 Top Sustainable Companies from the 2013 Global 100 List, the 2013 100 best corporate citizens list and the  12 top countries represented in the Global 100: World Leaders in Clean Capitalism report. Today I’m pleased to feature 10 organizations from the 7th edition of the Greenest Employers in Canada 2013 compiled by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

Formerly known as Canada’s Most Earth-Friendly Employers, this list recognizes companies evaluated on 4 main criteria: (1) unique environmental initiatives and programs at each organization; (2) how successful they’ve been at reducing their organization’s environmental footprint; (3) the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any specialized skills; and (4) the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the organization’s public identity, bringing new employees and clients to the organization. Based on this criteria, the following companies represent 10 entries from this impressive list of 55 green employers (listed in alphabetical order):

1. Hewlett-Packard Canada Co. Industry: Electronic Computer Manufacturing. Location: Mississauga, ON – One of their standout initiatives is their “Planet Partners” program where they: recycle original inkjet and laser cartridges; recycle any brand of computer hardware and rechargeable batteries; and ensure all equipment is properly and safely recycled.
2. Home Depot. Industry: Hardware Stores. Location: Toronto, ON – A key reason Home Depot made the list was by committing to “installing rooftop solar systems at 63 of its Ontario store locations through the province’s feed-in-tariff program — with 40 installations completed the undertaking will be able to generate a minimum of 14 megawatts of clean electricity.”
3. IKEA Canada Limited Partnership. Industry: All Other Home Furnishings Stores. Location: Burlington, ON – Ikea made this list because they offer preferred green parking spaces to customers who drive “hybrid, fuel-efficient or electric vehicles, and offers a shuttle bus service at its Toronto store locations.”
4. Loblaw Companies Limited. Industry: Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores. Location: Brampton, ON – The President’s Choice GREEN line, with over 80 products, offers “the longstanding product line makes it easy for individual Canadians to reduce their own environmental impact” is one of the reasons they made this list.
5. RBC / Royal Bank of Canada. Industry: Commercial Banking. Location: Toronto, ON – RBC made the list due to its “$20 million commitment to new social and environmental initiatives.”
6. Rogers Communications Inc. Industry: Cable and Other Subscription Programming. Location: Toronto, ON – One of the reasons Rogers made the list is because of its annual Green Fair where “suppliers showcase green products for employees – the fair also gives employees the opportunity to bring in their used electronics for recycling.”
7. TD Bank Group. Industry: Commercial Banking. Location: Toronto, ON – One reason TD made the list is because of its “Green Nation” web program that encourages employees to implement environmental action at home, work and in their communities.
8. TELUS Corporation. Industry: Wired Telecommunications Carriers. Location: Vancouver, BC – TELUS is well known for its sustainability but its new “Work Styles” program that encourages flexible work arrangements for employees (thus decreasing travel emissions) is one of the reasons they made this list.
9. Toronto Hydro Corporation. Industry: Electric Power Distribution. Location: Toronto, ON – One of the reasons they made the list was because they maintain “one of the city’s first solar panel arrays” which features “over 189 panels that are capable of offsetting over 37 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere each year. They are even installing a rainwater collection system for use on its grounds.”
10. YMCA of Greater Toronto. Industry: Other Individual and Family Services. Location: Toronto, ON – YMCA “maintains hundreds of recycling bins, utilizes a stationary supplier that provides 100% recycled paper products (and vegetable-based inks for printing)” amongst other initiatives.

These 10 companies highlight how businesses in every industry are able to hold themselves to higher standards and implement green business practices. Read the Greenest Employers in Canada 2013 for the full contributions of all 55 winners. Congrats to all!

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.