Sustainability Made Simple: 'Canada's Greenest Employers' for 2023 engage their employees to create an environmentally conscious culture

TORONTO, April 18, 2023 /CNW/ - As organizations across the country put increasing emphasis on sustainable operations, the country's leading employers are developing practical environmental programs and initiatives that engage their employees to create positive environmental change. That's the message from this year's Canada's Greenest Employers, announced this morning by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project.

"This year's winners are leaders in their fields, creating unique and practical green initiatives that engage employees and address the very human desire to be good stewards of our environment" says Richard Yerema, executive editor of the project "These engaging and unique initiatives are what set the winners apart from other organizations and make their employees – and prospective employees – proud to be a part of driving tangible change in the environmental space."

One of the factors that sets Canada's Greenest Employers apart from others is their commitment to engaging employees in their environmental programs, tapping into their teams' skills and passions to drive initiatives forward. From goats and sheep who graze on weeds in lieu of harsh chemicals and harmful pesticides to apiaries on site that have been built in partnership with local beekeepers, winning employers are the driving force behind a vast array of innovative ideas that inspire and entertain their staff. As a result, employees are eager to learn more and want to feel like they too are making a difference towards protecting the environment.

"Employees believe in the environmental initiatives led by their workplace and are more likely to get involved in a hands-on way," adds Chantel Watkins, assistant editor at Mediacorp. "This year's winners leverage their teams' interest and skills, while offering hands-on learning opportunities to keep staff connected and engaged. These opportunities — like learning about sustainable lawn management from a local shepherd, with a flock of sheep in tow — leave a lasting impression on employees and can be more effective than traditional training programs."

The editors singled out several initiatives at this year's winners as examples:

• Mississauga-based seating manufacturer Nightingale Corporation follows a time-honoured tradition of focusing on durability, ensuring all its products have a longer lifespan than the industry average. Its chairs come with a remarkable ten-year warranty so that parts can be easily repaired; when the useful life is complete, the company accepts returns and dismantles components for reuse or proper recycling.
• MEC Mountain Equipment Company was one of the first retailers to eliminate single-use shopping bags for customers and introduced the use of a 'sushi-roll' packaging technique for its MEC-branded gear, eliminating tonnes of plastic waste since 2010.
• Calgary-based BluEarth Renewables partnered with local shepherds to use grazing sheep to manage grass and vegetation growth at five solar-cell installations in southern Alberta, instead of using gas-powered mowers.
• Along with its rooftop patio and green roof, EDC partnered with a local beekeeping firm to introduce two rooftop beehives above its Ottawa head office, now home to 50,000 bees. In their first season, the hives produced 180 jars of honey that were purchased by employees, with funds donated to the United Way.
• CIBC cultivates a culture of environmental sustainability, encouraging employees to connect and engage on environmental topics through a formal online group ('Workplace Environment'), where conversations range from sustainable finance and energy/waste reduction to green technology and more.

Now in its 16th year, Canada's Greenest Employers is an editorial competition organized by the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. These employers have developed exceptional sustainability initiatives – and are attracting people to their organizations because of their environmental leadership. Prior to 2009, this award was called "Canada's Most Earth-Friendly Employers". Each employer is evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers in terms of: (1) the unique environmental initiatives and programs they have developed; (2) the extent to which they have been successful in reducing the organization's own environmental footprint; (3) the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any unique skills; and (4) the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the employer's public identity, attracting new employees and clients to the organization.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation's largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada's Top 100 Employers project, which includes 18 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada's largest job search engines, which reaches over two million job-seekers annually and features exclusive editorial reviews from the Canada's Top 100 Employers project.

The full list of Canada's Greenest Employers (2023) was announced today in a special magazine co-published with the Globe and Mail. Detailed reasons for selection for each of this year's winners, as well as additional stories and photos, were released today by the editors and are accessible via the competition homepage.

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Stephanie Leung, Editor, [email protected]