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Canada’s Greenest Employers 2024 are in a green state of mind, leading the way with exceptional sustainability initiatives and innovative technology. It starts with developing a comprehensive sustainability policy that can serve as a guiding principle for all decisions and actions that a company might take.
That’s exactly what Hatch Inc. has done by committing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in pursuit of a better world through positive change. The employee-owned company, headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., provides professional engineering, technology and consulting services to clients mainly in the mining, infrastructure and energy sectors. The company’s ambitious sustainability goals are embedded throughout the organization into daily work and embraced by employees and clients alike.
“Professionally, we’re all working towards the objectives of our sustainability policy that applies to every project we work on,” says Robert Young, senior environmental planner at Hatch. “Our clients are asking us for those sustainability solutions now. We’re committed not only to improving our own footprint and position, but to helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals and coming up with solutions to help them still be economically successful, but doing it in the best, least impactful manner possible.”
Young says that working with clients right at the beginning of a project means you can get in early enough where they can make changes. Hatch has a number of long-term relationships with clients where sustainability is an ongoing process through multiple phases of projects.
“Our Climate Change Group has been doing a lot of assessments with clients to improve how they can decarbonize, such as using green steel which is more environmentally friendly,” says Young. “We have very strong research and technology teams here that are always looking at innovations in how they can make things better for our clients.”
Green steel is manufactured using renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels so it has a minimum carbon footprint compared to conventional steel. While it’s more expensive to produce, it’s critical to the planet because steel production accounts for around eight per cent of total global emissions, according to the World Economic Forum.
As employers work toward a greener future, continual improvement and innovation are key to making a difference in the environment. In its own operations at its Mississauga facilities, Hatch significantly reduced water consumption and printing, as well as switching to LED lighting, which is not only more efficient and economical, but much friendlier to the environment.
Another advantage Hatch has found is that a robust sustainability strategy can help in attracting top talent, particularly the next generation who want accountability concerning a company’s environmental practices and policies.
“We recruit a lot of new young professionals here and find they’re very interested in what we’re doing in terms of sustainability,” says Young. “It’s important for everybody.”
Employees at Sleeman Breweries Ltd. would agree. Sustainability initiatives and employee engagement go hand-in-hand at its distribution centres and breweries in Guelph, Ont., Vernon, B.C., Calgary, Alta. and Chambly, Qué. The company has an environmental steering committee that strategically oversees its sustainability efforts as well as green teams made up of representatives from each facility.
Green initiatives include large-scale waste reduction (currently at a diversion rate of at least 97 per cent), water conservation, energy-consumption measures and brewing by-product management, as well as sustaining the natural environment through employee and community engagement.
Linden Gossen, national environmental health & safety manager at Sleeman in Guelph, says the green team has really focused on education with a variety of challenges for employees, such as reducing food waste, eating local and choosing transportation alternatives.
“What’s been most successful is really challenging the mindset of over 1,000 employees to be reflecting on environmental sustainability and having lots and lots of ideas come through that process,” says Gossen. “Then acting on their suggestions is the biggest win of all.
“That line, ‘Think globally, act locally’ really is true. Local is where you make the difference and often it’s a collection of small things that create a bigger positive change.”
Community awareness and outreach are important at both the corporate and employee level.
“We’re always looking for opportunities for employees to get involved,” says Gossen. “Employees have donated produce to the local food bank from gardens that they planted on our grounds and volunteers did a group tree-planting activity in support of the City of Guelph, whose 2030 goal is to achieve a 40 per cent tree canopy. These are employee initiatives that come up through the green teams, and then we share them across the country to see who else can do it.”
Sleeman also partners with the City of Guelph through the Water Smart Business Program to minimize the load on municipal systems. Additionally, Sleeman Breweries recently launched the Sleeman Better Water Fund, an annual endowment to support Canadian water conservation and clean water accessibility.
Ultimately, the world still has a long way to go in protecting the planet and transitioning away from carbon. Canada’s Greenest Employers may not all be there yet, but they’re trying. Kudos to the winning organizations recognized here as they set an example for all Canadian employers in the drive for true sustainability.
Methodology 2024:
Canada’s Greenest Employers, selected by Mediacorp Canada Inc., is an editorial competition recognizing employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. Applicants for the award are compared to other employers in their industry and must pay a fee to enter the contest.
Winning employers, selected by editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, are evaluated using four main criteria: (1) unique environmental initiatives or programs they have developed; (2) whether they have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint; (3) whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute unique skills; and (4) whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees or customers.
Any employer operating in Canada may apply for the Canada’s Greenest Employers competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.
More detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, are published on the competition’s website, Canada’s Greenest Employers.
Canada’s Greenest Employers: 2024 Winners
The following organizations have been chosen as Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2024 (employee count refers to full-time staff):
Accenture Inc., Toronto. Professional services; 6,207 employees. Eco Team employee volunteers organize numerous initiatives at offices across the company, from Earth Day events to promoting alternative travel options.
AET Group Inc., Kitchener, Ont. Environmental consulting services; 25 employees. Celebrated Earth Day by working with the 1% For The Trees program and other volunteer groups, planting over 2,500 trees last year.
Aramark Canada Ltd., Mississauga, Ont. Food service contractors; 5,217 employees. Introduced the Be Well Do Well sustainability plan to guide responsible sourcing, minimizing food waste and reducing packaging.
BC Housing Management Commission, Burnaby, B.C. Provincial government, housing programs; 1,154 employees. Along with work-from-home options, encourages sustainable transportation through a bike purchase program and discounted transit passes.
BC Hydro, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 7,050 employees. Participates in Compugen’s Green4Good program to ensure the proper disposal, refurbishment or resale of dated technology.
BC Public Service, Victoria. Provincial governments; 34,366 employees. Building portfolio includes LEED-certified Gold and Platinum structures and has set LEED Gold as the minimum standard for new building construction.
Bell Canada, Montréal. Communications; 36,561 employees. Longstanding e-waste collection program diverts approximately 1,900 tonnes of e-waste from landfills annually.
BlackBerry Limited, Waterloo, Ont. Secure software and services; 1,681 employees. Conducts annual waste audits with the primary goals of reducing waste generated per employee and constantly improving waste diversion rates.
BluEarth Renewables Inc., Calgary. Renewable power generation; 118 employees. Partnered with local shepherds as part of a sheep grazing program at solar facilities in southern Alberta, reducing demand for gas mowers and pesticides.
Boston Consulting Group of Canada Limited, Toronto. Management consulting; 542 employees. Numerous in-house waste reduction initiatives, from paper reduction programs to stocking all lounges with reusable mugs, cups, plates and utensils.
British Columbia Institute of Technology / BCIT, Burnaby, B.C. Post secondary schools, college; 2,224 employees. Partners with the “Clear Skies” initiative to ensure that Indigenous knowledge is integrated in understanding the impacts of marine shipping on coastal communities.
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited, Toronto. Real estate management; 1,275 employees. Incorporates environmental design into all new construction activities and has introduced formal Energy Smart Operations programs at its properties.
Canada Life Assurance Company, The, Winnipeg. Direct life insurance carriers; 10,982 employees. Worked with MicroHabitat to create a 500 square foot urban farm rooftop garden at its historic 330 University Avenue location in Toronto.
Canon Canada Inc., Brampton, Ont. Imaging equipment and information services; 822 employees. Partners with community initiatives and groups every year, including local school programs, the National Wildlife Centre, Credit Valley Conservation and Trout Unlimited Canada.
Capital Regional District, The / CRD, Victoria. Municipal governments; 670 employees. Hosts educational workshops and programs for residents and businesses, with programs ranging from water and energy use to transportation planning.
Centennial College, Toronto. Post secondary schools, college; 1,396 employees. Manages pollinator gardens on three campus locations along with a honeybee apiary that produces honey for sale at the school’s café and restaurant.
CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 42,951 employees. Offers customers discounted financing rates through its green vehicle program and donates $25 to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for each financed vehicle.
Concordia University, Montréal. Post secondary schools, university; 2,934 employees. Developing a themed Energy Transition campus program in partnership with the City of Shawinigan and the Centre National en électrochimie et en Technologies Environnementales.
Co-operators Group Limited, The, Guelph, Ont. Insurance; 6,916 employees. Manages dedicated impact investing programs that provide positive returns alongside positive environmental or social impacts.
Credit Valley Conservation Authority / CVC, Mississauga, Ont. Environment, conservation and wildlife organizations; 236 employees. Manages the Meadowvale Conservation Corps program, with employees volunteering to plant native trees and shrubs along with conducting regular garbage clean-ups.
Crombie REIT, New Glasgow, N.S. Property management and development; 274 employees. Ensures property developments and renovations are designed to meet LEED and at least one other industry certification program.
Crown Property Management Inc., Toronto. Property management; 169 employees. Formal water conservation policy to reduce the amount of water consumed at each of its major buildings, targeting 2.5 per cent annual reductions.
Danone Canada, Boucherville, Que. Food manufacturing; 543 employees. Partnership with Nutrinor Cooperative for regenerative agriculture practices in support of more sustainable farming practices.
Desjardins Group / Mouvement Desjardins, Lévis, Que. Financial institutions; 52,952 employees. Introduced a commuting program back in 2010 and continues to encourage employees to consider alternative ways of getting to work, from transit to cycling.
Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc., Toronto. Architecture; 279 employees. Project portfolio includes six Net Zero certified projects and is a leading advocate for the integration of living walls and wood timber in major construction projects.
Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology, Oshawa, Ont. Post secondary schools, college; 815 employees. Extensive waste management programs capture e-waste, batteries, light bulbs, air filters, construction waste and even used textbooks.
EfficiencyOne, Dartmouth, N.S. Energy conservation advocacy; 164 employees. Encourages employees to share a ride to work by offering free onsite parking for carpoolers and maintains a car-sharing partnership for short-term rentals.
Emterra Group, Oakville, Ont. Recycling and waste management services; 989 employees. Reduced its fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions through the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks and opens its refuelling stations to other companies.
ENMAX Corporation, Calgary. Electric power distribution; 1,626 employees. Works with a number of community groups such as Green Calgary, which hosts energy workshops for homeowners, apartment residents and newcomers to Canada.
Evolugen, Gatineau, Que. Renewable energy generation and services; 253 employees. Procurement program includes FSC-certified papers, green cleaning products, energy efficient appliances, and also encourages their suppliers down the same green path.
Export Development Canada, Ottawa. International trade financing and support services; 2,128 employees. Manages a comprehensive recycling program that includes paper, metals, plastics and has phased out out all disposable cutlery from the head office.
Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan Inc. / Farm Mutual Re, Cambridge, Ont. Direct property and casualty insurance carriers; 99 employees. Introduced three honeybee apiaries and manages an onsite community garden, where employees harvest the fall bounty and donate to a local food bank.
Fleming College, Peterborough, Ont. Post secondary schools, college; 533 employees. Numerous and varies green initiatives, from reduced grass cutting and eliminating non-recyclable cutlery to installing a green roof at the Lindsay Frost campus.
FortisAlberta Inc., Calgary. Electric power distribution; 1,184 employees. Introduced numerous green building features, including a rainwater collection system, solar power systems, and the construction of its first Net Zero certified building.
Geotab Inc., Oakville, Ont. Fleet management software; 1,399 employees. Hires outside consultants to audit its recycling and waste diversion programs that are designed to move beyond municipal minimums.
GlaxoSmithKline Inc. / GSK, Mississauga, Ont. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,728 employees. Hosts a variety of awareness events across the company, from an employee walking challenge in Sainte-Foy to celebrating Earth Day by picking up litter in Mississauga.
Green Infrastructure Partners, Toronto. Infrastructure construction; 3,869 employees. Has reduced paper use by increasing online communications and implemented shredding and recycling initiatives to divert paper from general waste.
G&W Electric, Brampton, Ont. Switchgear manufacturing; 207 employees. In partnership with the City of Brampton, the company and its employees helped to organize and volunteer as part of a communtiy clean-up day to celebrate Earth Day.
Hatch Ltd., Mississauga, Ont. Engineering services; 3,941 employees. Introduced the unique “It’s Cool to Be in the Dark” awareness program that focuses on reducing air conditioning and lighting usage in the summer months.
Home Depot Canada Inc., Toronto. Retail; 16,983 employees. Manages the longstanding “EcoOptions” product line that includes a variety of products with lower environmental impacts, as assessed by third-party organizations.
HP Canada Co., Mississauga, Ont. Computer technology and services; 600 employees. Longstanding partnership with WWF Canada, providing support and employee volunteers for many initiatives across the country, such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
Humber College, Toronto. Post secondary schools, college; 1,922 employees. Reaches out to the community through environmental awareness and outdoor education programs at the Humber Arboretum and Centre for Urban Ecology.
Hydro Ottawa, Ottawa. Electric power distribution; 681 employees. Along with conservation initiatives at its head office, has partnered with the City of Ottawa to install solar panels on eight municipal buildings.
Ice River Sustainable Solutions, Shelburne, Ont. Bottled water manufacturing; 704 employees. Hosts “Up-cycle Days,” encouraging employees to bring in their small appliances, decor and equipment that is no longer needed for reuse by other employees.
IGM Financial Inc., Winnipeg. Financial services; 4,018 employees. Supports the Green BRG employee volunteer group that works to raise environmental awareness through a range of employee volunteer initiatives.
IKEA Canada Limited Partnership, Burlington, Ont. Home furnishings retail; 3,801 employees. Offers customers a range of sustainable-certified food products, from vegetarian items and salmon to coffee in its onsite food kiosks and restaurants.
Keilhauer Ltd., Toronto. Furniture manufacturing; 245 employees. Introduced the first carbon-neutral chair by tracking reduced emissions at all stages of production and offsetting subsequent emissions with carbon credits where required.
KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 11,114 employees. Provides sustainability consulting services through its professional service offerings to help clients address and improve their own environmental and social impacts.
Labatt Breweries of Canada, Toronto. Breweries; 3,547 employees. Through its formal “Sister Brewery” program the company exchanges environmentally focused practices (and other good ideas) across its many brewery locations.
Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 32,441 employees. Over 100 initiatives to address plastic use such as ensuring the Life Brand and President’s Choice household, beauty and cosmetic products are free of triclosan, phthalates or plastic microbeads.
Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 4,950 employees. The Commuting Options Committee manages carpooling programs and a Cycle Buddies program to pair seasoned bicycle commuters with beginners.
MEC Mountain Equipment Company Ltd., Vancouver. Retail stores; 679 employees. Has many longstanding environmentally focused community partnerships, hosting numerous workshops and in-house training initiatives for employees and customers.
Medtronic Canada ULC, Brampton, Ont. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 658 employees. Employee volunteers head out to clean up public parks and form office clean-up crews to pick up litter around the office and local neighbourhood.
Metrolinx, Toronto. Public transit; 5,675 employees. Partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority helps ensure that any trees removed are replaced through an “ecological compensation” approach.
Mohawk College, Hamilton. Post secondary schools, college; 1,136 employees. Over 300 members maintain a community garden and a fruit orchard, along with a campus farm stand that features produce for sale from July to November.
Mott MacDonald Canada Limited, Vancouver. Engineering services; 317 employees. Shares its engineering expertise as a member of the Power Past Coal Alliance that helps energy providers move from coal-generated power to cleaner energy production.
Nature’s Path Foods Inc., Richmond, B.C. Food manufacturing; 224 employees. Longstanding “Envirobox” and “EcoPac” programs have helped reduced overall packaging by 66 per cent on average, when compared to boxed cereal products.
Nightingale Corporation, Mississauga. Furniture manufacturing; 113 employees. Maintains a focus on quality to ensure its products have a long lifespan, with all chairs backed by ten-year warranties and returnable for proper recycling and disposal.
NovAtel Inc., Calgary. Satellite communications systems; 447 employees. Employee personal spending account may be used for green living expenses, from rain barrels and solar energy equipment to energy efficient appliances.
OpenText Corporation, Waterloo, Ont. Software publishers; 2,790 employees. Encourages two-wheeled commuting with secure bicycle parking, bicycle repair stations along with shower and changing facilities.
PCL Construction, Edmonton. Industrial, commercial and institutional building construction; 2,953 employees. Employees can develop expertise and volunteer to work with the PCL Solar division, which manages some of the country’s largest solar installations.
Perkins&Will Canada Architects Co., Vancouver. Architectural services; 227 employees. Encourages employees to leave the car at home with a dedicated health and transit subsidy (to $1,260 annually) to help offset alternative transportation costs.
Pomerleau Inc., Montréal. Construction services; 3,322 employees. Recently launched the Go Electric program that offers a $2,000 incentive to employees wishing to make the jump to electric or hybrid vehicles.
Printing House Ltd., The, Toronto. Commercial printing services; 467 employees. Launched its in-house CARE Program (Concerned about Recycling and the Environment) back in the 1980′s ensuring that all paper waste is recycled properly.
RONA Inc., Boucherville, Que. Retail; 13,154 employees. Longstanding ECO-branded items include over 5,000 products that are designed and manufactured to ensure they have lower environmental impacts than similar products.
RTS Canada Inc., Richmond, BC. Waste management and recycling services; 81 employees. Monitors its own waste management practices at the head office and publishes a monthly waste diversion report that shows up-to-date waste generation and recycling rates.
Sanofi Canada, Toronto. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 2,085 employees. Recently created an employee eco-garden and has housed “Plan Bee” apiaries since 2018, which produce honey for sale to employees with all proceeds donated to charity.
SAP Canada Inc., Vancouver. Custom computer programming services; 3,110 employees. Hosted a two-day Sustainability Summit for employees with subject matter experts and technology leaders addressing a range of sustainability topics.
SaskPower, Regina. Electric power generation; 3,264 employees. Has introduced the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program in support of the installation of fast-charging stations along the province’s busiest highways.
SaskTel, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,713 employees. Formal waste management program ensures the capture of all waste paper, batteries, e-waste, light bulbs, wire and cabling, office furniture and equipment.
Siemens Canada Limited, Oakville, Ont. Engineering services; 2,342 employees. Employees can use their personal spending account for green living expenses, such as transit passes, car and bike-sharing services, solar equipment, window upgrades, and much more.
Sleeman Breweries Ltd., Guelph, Ont. Breweries; 1,081 employees. Green Teams capture employee ideas, help organize local and national events, and team leaders meet monthly to share ideas across all locations.
Sodexo Canada Ltd., Montréal. Food service contractors; 4,575 employees. Partnership with Tree Canada to plant 2,400 trees where there is a need for reforestation and also ensures a tree is planted for every new employee hired.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto. Hospitals; 6,754 employees. Home to an early solar photovoltaic array that’s architecturally integrated on an existing parking structure along with LED lighting retrofits throughout.
Surrey, City of, Surrey, B.C. Municipal governments; 2,155 employees. Hosts unique “pop-up” waste collection events throughout the year to ensure proper disposal of all types of waste, such as construction materials.
Symcor Inc., Mississauga, Ont. Data processing and support services; 1,265 employees. Employees volunteer to help plant trees at the Toronto Zoo as well as volunteering in Calgary’s annual Pathway and River Clean Up picking up garbage.
Sysco Canada Inc., Toronto. Food service contractors; 5,194 employees. New solar farm installation at its Edmonton location is designed to produce 75 per cent of the site’s annual electricity use.
TD Bank Group, Toronto. Banking; 64,507 employees. Over the past year, the bank worked with over 2,000 volunteers and over 70 community organizations planting approximately 25,000 trees and shrubs.
TELUS Communications Inc., Vancouver. Telecommunications; 26,162 employees. Manages a number of programs to extend the life of and ensure proper disposal of electronic devices, capturing thousands of devices every year.
Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Toronto. Administration of housing programs; 2,302 employees. Partnership with the LEAF organization and the City of Toronto in the planting and care for native trees and shrubs on its properties.
Toronto Zoo, Toronto. Zoos and botanical gardens; 288 employees. Manages the “PhoneApes” program to collect cellphones and e-waste to raise funds and awareness about the impact of electronics on the environment.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. / TMMC, Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 9,214 employees. For over a decade, green-thumbed employees have managed the onsite organic “TMMC Teaching Garden” with the annual harvest donated to local charities.
TransLink (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority), New Westminster, B.C. Public transit; 7,878 employees. Continues to expand its electric bus fleet as part of a focus to reduce fuel emissions across the region.
Tru Earth Environmental Products Inc., Port Moody, B.C. Detergent manufacturing; 92 employees. Introduced an initiative to refrain from purchasing new items for the warehouse and head office, asking employees to reuse, re-purpose, build and purchase used items where possible.
UBC / University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Post secondary schools, university; 16,308 employees. Manages the Sustainability Coordinator Program, comprised of over 100 members who help implement sustainable practices across all university departments.
Unilever Canada, Inc., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing and distribution; 978 employees. The employee-led Sustainable Living Team organizes a range of activities every year, from beach, park and river clean-ups to clothing collection drives.
University Health Network, Toronto. Hospitals; 13,607 employees. Manages community gardens at a number of hospital sites, including a rooftop garden and a fully wheelchair accessible vegetable garden.
University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, B.C. Post secondary schools, university; 606 employees. Manages the longstanding “Green Fund” from campus parking revenues and makes $50,000 available each year for sustainability projects across the campus.
University of Toronto, Toronto. Post secondary schools, university; 11,369 employees. Downtown campus is home to one of Canada’s largest urban geo-exchange systems that will save an estimated 15,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
University of Victoria, Victoria. Post secondary schools, university; 3,185 employees. Supports a Cycling Advisory Committee and a unique BikeHub that offers secure bike parking, a bike kitchen, gear lockers, benches, bike repair and a bicycle loan program.
Vancouver, City of, Vancouver, BC. Municipal governments; 8,375 employees. Supports a number of formal healthy ecosystem initiatives ranging from reducing water use in parks, stormwater runoff mitigation initiatives and native habitat plantings.
WalterFedy Inc., Kitchener, Ont. Architectural and engineering services; 284 employees. In-house Sustainable Advisory Committee was founded in 2009 and is comprised of members from across the organization who spearhead in-house programs.
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ont. Post secondary schools, universities; 1,821 employees. Sustainability Office organizes the spring Move Out program every year, setting up stations where students can donate used books, furniture, clothing and non-perishable food items.
YMCA of Greater Toronto, Toronto. Individual and family services; 3,366 employees. At its Cedar Glen location, green educational opportunities abound with a large certified organic garden, two honeybee apiaries, maple syrup production, and more.
York University, Toronto. Post secondary schools, university; 5,237 employees. ZeroWaste program captures household recyclables, batteries, e-waste, appliances, ink cartridges and more, achieving a 70 per cent of waste from landfill diversion rate.
More from Canada’s Greenest Employers
Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.