We demonstrate our commitment to supporting the communities in which we live and work through various initiatives and volunteer programs. Our community investment strategy focuses on three priorities: international business and trade education, micro-financing and enterprise development, and employee-led initiatives on diverse social causes.
International Business and Trade Education
In partnership with Canadian educational institutions and key stakeholders, our Youth Education Program creates learning opportunities for young Canadians on the importance of international business and trade.
For more information, please see Youth Education Program.
Micro-financing and Enterprise Development
Partnership with CARE Canada
Outside Canada, we have engaged in a partnership with CARE Canada to assist small, business development projects around the world through a joint global community investment initiative: Beyond Exports. In each year of this four-year program, we invest $170,000 and assign staff to various CARE enterprise development projects around the world.
In 2009, our first two volunteers were assigned to Peru where they lent their expertise to several local agricultural businesses. See the video below.
Since then, we have sent another volunteer to Peru and extended the program to Zambia and India, where five more volunteers have continued the work on small business development projects.
In the next video, Kate Parker talks about volunteering in Zambia.
Employee-led Initiatives
Employee Volunteer Charitable Donations
Through our Charitable Donations Policy we provide financial donations to charitable organizations where our employees demonstrate ongoing involvement.
In 2011, we provided donations to the following charitable
organizations
Barrhaven United Church (Food Cupboard)
Canadian Association for Access to Professional Education
Canadian Canoe Foundation
Canadian Diabetes Association
Canadian Liver Foundation
Centre Artisanal pour la Déficience-Intellectuelle de l’Outaouais (Le
C.A.D.O.)
Centretown Community Health Centre
Children’s Aid Foundation for Ottawa (CAFO) (formerly Champions for
Children)
Club des Petits Déjeuners du Québec
Daybreak Non-Profit Shelter (Ecumenical) Corporation
Development and Peace
Dress for Success Ottawa National Capital Region
Family Services à la famille Ottawa
L’Arche Ottawa
Lanark County Interval House
Nepean Concert Band
Ottawa St. Anthony Italia Soccer Club/Daffodil Gala Committee-
Endowment Fund
Ottawa Youth Orchestra
Ottawa-Carleton Citizen Advocacy
Parkinson Society Ottawa
Perth & District Food Bank and Friendship Centre
Quail Quebec Association for Independent Living
Savoy Society of Ottawa
Scouts Canada (96th Ottawa Group)
Sears Canada Charitable Foundation
Stephen Lewis Foundation (Greater Van Gogos Chapter)
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation (The Enbridge Ride to
Conquer Cancer)
We also provide a community service leave for permanent employees, where they can receive up to two days of paid time to dedicate to an eligible charity of their choice.
United Way
The United Way’s annual charitable campaign is where we focus our donation efforts each year: In 2010, our final total reached close to $294,000 and we won the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign’s (GCWCC) Chair’s Cup, the top prize among 107 government departments and agencies that exemplify campaign excellence in the National Capital Region. We also support the United Way’s Community Action Days™ and nominate one employee each year to help with the campaign for four months.