Union Gas named one of Canada's Greenest Employers

Prestigious award recognizes company's environmental leadership

CHATHAM, ON, April 20, 2012 /CNW/ - Union Gas is proud to be named one of Canada's Greenest Employers. This honour, awarded today by Mediacorp Canada Inc., recognizes the company as a leading organization in the nation for creating a culture of environmental awareness.

Union Gas captured the attention of the award's editors because of the energy conservation programs it delivers to its customers, its internal energy conservation and waste management programs, its pipeline construction and operation practices, its engagement of employees in environment-friendly initiatives and its support for community environmental programs.

"Being recognized as one of Canada's Greenest Employers is a great honour and an affirmation of our steadfast commitment to environmental responsibility, whether we are building a pipeline, constructing a new Union Gas office building, or supporting important ecological programs in the communities where we live and work," said Steve Baker, president of Union Gas. "I'd like to congratulate all the other companies that made the list. All sectors and each of us as individuals must do our part to contribute to a better environment and a better planet."

Union Gas has dozens of internal and external initiatives that focus on green or environmental issues:

• The company's energy conservation measures, for example, have included introducing conservation measures in 60 Union Gas buildings across Ontario including a retrofit of existing lighting which has reduced the associated electricity consumption by up to 58 per cent, installation of water saving devices that use up to 40 per cent less water, an anti-idling program for company vehicles and an automated system that places all personal computers on low-power mode after business hours.
  
  
• On the waste management side the company has reduced office paper use by more than 10 per cent through the use of two-sided printing and advocating the use of paperless alternatives. Further, the company has recently constructed three new office buildings that have achieved Gold Standard Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, and whenever the company builds a pipeline it makes every effort to avoid disrupting or removing trees. If a tree is removed or damaged, Union Gas works closely with the local conservation authority or the landowner depending on the circumstance, to replant two trees for every tree removed.
  
  
• Union Gas employees are actively engaged in environment-friendly initiatives through participation in Green Teams at seven of the company's offices across Ontario. Recent Green Team projects which were implemented based on employee suggestions, include the installation of organic waste bins and the elimination of Styrofoam takeout containers, a spent battery collection, preferred parking for car-pool and hybrid vehicles, and the construction of a 3,000 square foot community garden.
  
  
• Union Gas also promotes and provides financial support for employee and retiree-led volunteer initiatives benefiting community organizations. Last year, almost sixty percent of the 160 volunteer projects undertaken by employees had an environmental focus such as tree-planting at community parks and conservation areas and river clean-ups. Further, in 2011 the company provided over $250,000 in funding for important ecological programs in the communities it serves.
  
  
• For customers, Union Gas has been a pioneer in designing and delivering demand side management programs for our residential, commercial and industrial customers aimed at encouraging energy conservation. These programs have helped our customers avoid 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. That's equivalent to removing about 329,000 cars from Ontario roads each year.

The Canada's Greenest Employer awards were started in 2007 by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. The designation recognizes employers that lead Canada in creating a culture of environmental awareness within their organizations, and who have developed "exceptional" earth-friendly initiatives.

For the last two years, Union Gas has been named as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers.

About Union Gas

Union Gas Limited, a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers, assets of $5.8 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across Ontario. Union Gas is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2011 and 2012 and one of Canada's Greenest Employers for 2012. For more information, visit uniongas.com.

CONTACT:
Andrea Stass
Manager, External Communications and Media Relations
Union Gas Limited
Ph: 519 436-5490 or 1-800-571-8446 ext. 5490
Cell: 519 365-1010
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]