Alouette becomes the first aluminum smelter to earn Élite certification - Entreprise en santé

SEPT-ÎLES, QC, July 3, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Having met the requirements of the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ – Québec standards bureau), Aluminerie Alouette, a forerunner in its field, becomes the first aluminum industry business to obtain the BNQ's Entreprise en santé – Élite ("Healthy Enterprise – Elite") certification. The only organization in the North Shore region to hold this certification, Alouette is one of just 25 Elite enterprises across Quebec.

The BNQ 9700-800 standard recognizes enterprises that focus on prevention, promotion and organizational practices with a positive impact on health and wellbeing in the workplace. Obtained following an extensive audit, Alouette's certification confirms the company's commitment to a healthy work environment, a management approach that promotes health and work/life balance, and promotion of healthy lifestyles at work and at home. The company's Elite ranking shows that health and wellbeing are an integral part of the corporate culture, and obtaining this status is an important milestone in Alouette's history.

According to Jules Côté, Vice President, Business Improvement and Asset Management, "This new certification illustrates our commitment to being an employer of choice, day after day, for hundreds of North Shore residents. Our employees are the pillars of our organization, and their health and wellbeing are crucial in a context where retaining specialized manpower is essential for us to maintain our leadership in primary aluminum production."

Since its beginnings over 20 years ago, Alouette has put forward a system of participative management designed to involve employees and provide them with an environment where they can achieve their potential, both professional and personal. Numerous initiatives have been deployed over the years. Since 2010, a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Committee, made up of employees and management representatives, has offered an annual Health and Wellbeing Program featuring a variety of awareness and promotion activities. A trained ergonomics team, an impressive salad bar in the cafeteria, stop-smoking initiatives and financial support for active employees through physical activity memberships are just a few examples of the means that the company deploys. The committee is led by Katy Langlais, Superintendent, Training and Organizational Development. She is pleased with Alouette's performance: "Our continuous improvement culture comes through in our health and wellbeing approach, and leads us to innovate constantly so that our employees opt for healthy lifestyles. We are convinced that this recognition will have a significant snowball effect, both internally and throughout the community."

About Aluminerie Alouette
Established in 1992, Aluminerie Alouette is an independent aluminum producer. With close to 1,000 employees and an annual production capacity of 600,000 tonnes of primary aluminum, Alouette is the largest employer in Sept-Îles and the largest aluminum smelter in the Americas. The state-of-the-art Sept-Îles facility is a world reference in terms of energy efficiency and meets all government environmental standards.

SOURCE: Aluminerie Alouette

Marie-Claude Guimond, Manager, Communications, Aluminerie Alouette, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]