2016-2017 sustainable development plan/media/site corporatif/fichiers pdf cent… · – encourage...

2016-2017 SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTPLAN

PREAMBLEThe Fonds de solidarité FTQ incorporates principles of sustainable development into its mission, and in so doing sets itself apart from traditional financial institutions.

The Fonds:

– Views investing in businesses as a way to create jobs and support the regional and local economies;

– Performs a social audit of prospective partner companies before investing to ensure they employ sound management practices;

– Believes reasonable profitability is essential to a company’s health but at the same time seekssocial profitability;

– Invests in most sectors of the economy, supports the governments’ sector development policies, and is intent on growing the economy;

– Encourages saving, particularly in segments of the population that most need to do so;

– Is solidly entrenched in the regions, communities and workplaces.

THE FONDS’ SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

– Québec’s sustainable development policy and strategy, which set out fundamental orientations for society and enlist the participation of the main social actors, including businesses and financial institutions;

– The Fonds’ strategic plan, which defines a vision for the type of organization the Fonds aspires to become by 2025 and which sets out orientations to make this vision a reality.

1 Sustainable Development Plan

Sustainable Development Plan 2

FONDS DE SOLIDARITÉ FTQ SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICYGENERAL PRINCIPLES

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is committed to applying the principles of sustainable development and responsible investment to its activities and to encourage its stakeholders to do the same.

By placing people at the centre of economic development, working to further the Québec economy and striving to reduce its environmental footprint, the Fonds is showing that the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development are inseparable.

The Fonds applies these principles by:

– Offering patient capital to Québec businesses in need of funding to further their growth in order to help to create, maintain and protect quality jobs;

– Educating Quebecers on the importance of saving for retirement and making it easier for them to do so;

– Providing economic training to workers;

– Respecting human rights and the societal values applicable to labour relations, and adhering to best practices in their regard;

– Sourcing locally whenever possible;

– Supporting non-profit organizations with a social mission;

– Developing an environmental action plan with targets and the means and resources for their achievement.

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVOLVES AROUND FOUR BROAD ORIENTATIONS:

DEVELOP A PROSPEROUS, SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY WHERE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES COME FIRST

The first orientation concerns the Fonds’ impact on society and expresses the organization’s raison d’être, which is to promote economic development centred on the needs of people and communities and where the economic imperative does not overlook social and environmental considerations.

REDUCE THE FONDS’ ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

The third orientation concerns the Fonds as a responsible organization that manages the environmental impact of its activities.

FOSTER A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND STRENGTHEN GOVERNANCE IN THIS REGARD

The fourth orientation stems from the Fonds’ need to apply and promote sustainable development principles, not only within the organization but also in its actions so that it can continually move forward and remain at the vanguard of social and economic progress.

PROVIDE A HEALTHY, STIMULATING WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES

The second orientation concerns the Fonds as an employer.

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ORIENTATIONS OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIONS FOR 2016 - 2017


ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO SAVE, PARTICULARLY THOSE UNDER AGE 40

Reach the public and shareholders in the workplace:

– Encourage Quebecers to save more for retirement (aggregate target: $800 million annually);

– Continue focusing on promoting the Fonds to the 40 and under age group;

– Continue eff orts to convert shareholders to systematic saving, in particular, payroll deduction (target: 45% of all Fonds infl ows).

Regularly communicate with shareholders and the public:

– Send each shareholder a personalized booklet containing a statement of their holdings and encouraging them to save;

– Stress the importance of saving throughout the year, with added emphasis during the RRSP campaign in Januaryand February;

– Organize four public events on the importance of savings;

– Step up eff orts to educate shareholders about the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) and the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP);

– Increase eff orts to inform shareholders about the retirement planning guidance available from the Fonds for shareholders aged 50 and over;

– Repeat the Facebook campaign and make greater use of social media;

– Open about 50 temporary fi eld offi ces across Québec during the January and February RRSP campaign.

Local Representatives (LRs): 1

– Maintain the number of blitzes in the workplace to educate workers on the importance of saving;

– Train approximately 200 new LRs;

– Provide the roughly 2,000 LRs in the workplace with continuing education through local and regional meetings and the national meeting in September.

1 LRs are volunteers in unionized workplaces who receive training from the Fonds on how to spread the word in their workplace about the Fonds and its mission.

ORIENTATION 1DEVELOP A PROSPEROUS, SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY WHERE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES COME FIRST



VRSP:

– Inform companies that offering the Fonds’ systematic savings product in the workplace is a permitted method for complying with VRSP legislation:

• Strengthen the Fonds’ presence among the 6,500 employers offering the Fonds’ payroll deduction plan as a way to save;

• Recruit 350 new companies to offer payroll deduction.

Others:

– Continue enhancing the saver’s experience at the Fonds, in particular:

• By conducting surveys to find out how to improve satisfaction (target: a satisfaction rate of at least 80%);

• By working to make improvements at all points of contact (website, telephone, point of service, workplace by the LRs), particularly by using technology that supports multiplatform access (mobility);

• By contributing to the initiatives of Question Retraite, a non-profit organization of which the Fonds is a member and whose mission is to educate workers under 45 on the importance of financial planning for retirement so they can be financially secure when they stop working:

• Financial contribution to the organization;

• Contribution in time by the Fonds’ employees serving on work committees.

– Deploy the aspect of the donation and sponsorship policy pertaining to the importance of saving and sustainable consumption.



– In keeping with the overall target of investing $3 billion by 2020, invest in all sectors of the Québec economy in response to the needs expressed by businesses and in projects that will create quality jobs and wealth.

– Deploy the investments provided for in the strategic plan:

• In the four sectors of excellence (life sciences, aerospace, forestry products and agri-food);

• To stimulate innovation;

• To build social infrastructures;

• To ensure the survival of publicly traded Québec flagship companies.

– Maintain the Fonds’ partnerships with the leading business associations and collaborative and networking organizations that contribute to business development and growth.

Regions:

– Raise the profile and impact of the Fonds régionaux (FRS), the Fonds locaux de solidarité FTQ (FLS) and the Fonds immobilier FTQ across Québec:

• By raising the annual overall investment target of the FRS and FLS;

• By increasing the average investment made by the FRS;

• By extending the geographic coverage of the FLS;

• By building greater synergy between the Fonds, the FRS, the FLS and the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ in order to increase the number of joint investments and inter-fund referrals;

• By having the FRS and the Fonds continue investing in business transfers in order to support succession;

• By maintaining the partnerships of the FRS and the Fonds with Adrénalys, Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) and Anges Québec.

INCREASE THE FONDS’ IMPACT ON THE CREATION OF QUALITY JOBS AND RESPONSIBLE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT


Others:

– Manage the procurement activities of the Fonds and its network so as to encourage the purchase of Québec-made goods and services delivered by Québec firms (by respecting the sustainable procurement policy).

– Deploy the aspects of the donation and sponsorship policy pertaining to:

• Supporting employability and integration into the workplace;

• Donations of IT equipment to non-profits;

• Financial support for non-profits where employees volunteer;

• Support for Centraide all across Québec.

– Monitor developments in sustainable development: tax, legal and market aspects, as well as new mechanisms such as carbon exchanges.

– Input the information gathered into a tool for the investment professionals of the Fonds and its network to enable them to open a dialogue with partner companies on what steps they can take towards sustainable development.

– Identify and analyze tools and suppliers that would allow the Fonds to measure the carbon footprint of partner companies.

– Launch a pilot project to measure a partner company’s carbon footprint.


ENSURE THAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAYS A MORE IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE FONDS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH PARTNER COMPANIES



– Incorporate organizational diagnosis into the social audit of partner companies so that the Fonds’ multidisciplinary team can propose, where relevant, training tailored to the needs of the company and its workers.

– Add sustainable development clauses to the investment authorization document submitted to the Fonds’ bodies.

– With respect to the two aforementioned points and the steps that companies could take towards sustainable development, organize a training/awareness-raising/information activity for the Investment teams and the individuals appointed by the Fonds to the boards of directors of partner companies.

– Update the charters of the Board of Director’s committees to ensure they always reflect best industry practices and develop tools to monitor their responsibilities.

– Review the employee Code of Ethics and Conduct to ensure it always reflects best industry practices.

– Update the integrated risk management policy to ensure it always reflects best industry practices.

– Continue efforts to improve the financial compliance program.

– Maintain an ongoing dialogue with the two levels of government through meetings, written communications and by informing them of events with a view to participating in Québec’s socio-economic development.

– Keep the channels of communication open with our stakeholders by creating printed matter (for example, the annual sustainable development report) and posting content in social media and on our Web site.

– Use press releases to disseminate information about the Fonds’ impact in the community.

– Develop and launch a province-wide corporate campaign to make the public aware of the Fonds’ socioeconomic mission.

– Take the pulse of the general public and the business community regarding their expectations of the Fonds.

ENSURE THE FONDS MAINTAINS SOUND GOVERNANCE AND CONSTANTLY DEMONSTRATES ITS COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL CONDUCT AND UTMOST COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES BY WHICH IT IS BOUND

CONTINUOUSLY COMMUNICATE WITH EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS (GENERAL PUBLIC, GOVERNMENTS, MEDIA, ETC.)

ENRICH THE FONDS’ TWO UNIQUE APPROACHES IN THE AREA OF RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT: THE SOCIAL AUDIT2 AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION IN THE WORKPLACE

2 The social audit is a tool used by the Fonds de solidarité FTQ to assess a company’s management and internal communication in order to tailor the support to the latter’s needs.



DEEPEN THE FONDS’ COMMITMENT TO SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING (SRI)

– Continue monitoring the shift to renewable energy and the foreseeable consequences for the Fonds and its partner companies.

– Analyze the carbon calculation tools available to determine the feasibility of measuring the carbon footprint of all investment portfolio companies.

– Exercise all voting rights attached to the equities held in the Fonds’ portfolios, in accordance with the orientations document adopted by the Fonds and that includes social responsibility, ethics and good business governance aspects.

– Have the Fonds’ portfolios reviewed by a firm specializing in responsible investing to identify companies with which a shareholder dialogue regarding social, environmental and/or governance is appropriate.

– Renew the agreement with the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE) under which SHARE engages, on behalf of the Fonds, in dialogue with publicly traded companies in Canada on environmental, social and governance issues.

– Continue advocating for global SRI, in particular, by participating in the activities of the Québec PRI network, which adheres to the six United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), of which the Fonds is a signatory.



– Review the training program for LRs to ensure their roles are aligned with the Fonds’ strategic orientations.

– Redevelop the Fonds’ training program for partner companies in order to respond to their individual needs so that each company can achieve its full growth potential while respecting the principles of sustainable development.

– Drawing on the principles of sustainable development, enrich the local and regional socioeconomic development training offered to the FRS and FLS networks and union structures, and in particular, organize a tour of at least six regions, as well as a national meeting.

– Update the training offered to pension committee members to include a portrait of the current group savings situation.

– Organize or participate in at least 10 information-sharing, training and orientation activities with entities that promote socially responsible practices such as the Chantier d’économie sociale, Territoires innovants en économie sociale (TIESS), the Institut de recherche en économie contemporaine (IREC), and the Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS).

STEP UP EDUCATION EFFORTS TO INCREASE WORKERS’ INFLUENCE ON QUÉBEC’S DEVELOPMENT AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT



ENSURE COMPETITIVE WORKING CONDITIONS

MANAGE CHANGE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THEHUMAN DIMENSION

FOSTER TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION WITH INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

– Maintain overall competitive compensation.

– Continue offering conditions conducive to work-life balance.

– Continue supporting professional development.

– Promote employee health and wellness tools.

– Improve performance recognition by introducing a performance management and recognition program.

– Work with the union representing the Fonds’ employees in a spirit of partnership and continuous dialogue.

– Continue offering retirement planning workshops for employees aged 55 and over.

– Continue offering the mandatory economic education toall employees.

– Based on the orientations in the strategic plan, plan for changes in Fonds staffing and certain positions, offer training, mentoring, coaching and other programs with a view to helping employees keep their knowledge andskills current.

– Deploy the activities provided in the organizational communication plan based on the following priorities:

• Inform and obtain employee buy-in on the strategic action plan concerning the Fonds’ vision and changes in organizational culture;

• Recognize success stories through collective andindividual recognition;

• Improve the flow of information between sectors, members of the Fonds network and senior management;

• Help the Fonds’ main sectors and network members resolve communication issues;

• Work in synergy with the Vice-President of Human Resources, in particular on performance and recognition management objectives.

ORIENTATION 2PROVIDE A HEALTHY, STIMULATING WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES



MAINTAIN THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE LAST 5 YEARS REGARDING THE REDUCTION IN RESOURCE CONSUMPTION AND INCREASE IN RECYCLING

BECOME A REFERENCE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEES TO USE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

– Maintain improvements in terms of water and energy consumption by not exceeding the following levels:

• Water: 383 litres/m2/year

• Energy intensity: 16.1 (ekWh/ft2/year).

– Maintain and improve, if possible, the 66% recycling rate, excluding construction waste.

– Monitor changes in best practices and identify possible future improvements.

– Maintain BOMA BEST® Platinum (existing building) for the Fonds’ head offi ce and the Gold level for LEED® certifi cation.

– Continue eff orts to convert shareholders from print to electronic statements and other documents.

– Fonds events held outside head offi ce:

• Continue organizing carbon-neutral annual general meetings and the national LR meetings;

• Compile a list of all outside events organized by the Fonds to identify the steps already taken to reduce their carbon footprint and to calculate the eff orts required to achieve carbon neutrality.

– Reduce the Fonds’ environmental footprint by adopting a strategy for secure cloud computing.

– Enhance incentives to encourage employees to usepublic transit:

• Reimburse 50% of the monthly public transit pass;

• Poll employees to fi nd out who would be interested in switching to public transit and off er to reimburse 50% of the pass price.

– Maintain and introduce new active transportation incentives:

• Reimburse 25% of the cost of an annual Bixi membership;

• Make bike racks available;

• Off er shower facilities to employees who bike to work;

• Organize an annual bike day with bike mechanics demonstrations and access to Vélo Québec experts;

• Reimburse the cost of one bike tune-up per year;

• Consider adding more shower facilities AND making them available to building tenants;

• Consider guaranteeing transportation to work in case of a major incident.

ORIENTATION 3REDUCE THE FONDS’ ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT



– Maintain and increase incentives to reduce individual car trips:

• A special site for employees interesting in signing up for carpooling;

• Offer financial compensation to employees who carpool or who give up their parking space at the Fonds for two years;

• Provide free public transit passes for business travel;

• Consider setting up videoconferencing rooms.

– Electric or hybrid vehicles:

• Consider opening a corporate account with a taxi company for business travel;

• Poll employees to find out how many have or are interested in buying an electric or hybrid vehicle;

• Consider installing charging stations for electric vehicles.



INFORM AND EDUCATE EMPLOYEES

DEPLOY THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICY

ENSURE THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE EXECUTES ITS MANDATE IN KEEPING WITH THE FONDS’ SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICY

– Organize a Lunch & Learn to educate employees about the Fonds’ Sustainable Development Policy, the positive and negative economic and fi nancial consequences of climate change, and the economic opportunities in a context of sustainable development.

– Inform and educate (intranet, newsletter) all Fonds employees as well as tenants at the head offi cebuilding about:

• Sustainable transportation;

• Recycling, excessive consumption (water, energy, paper, etc.) and waste production;

• SRI topics such as environmental legislation, carbon and Fonds policies and programs.

– Monitor sustainable development trends and prepare an annual report to enable the Fonds to continually improve its practices in this regard.

– Continue reporting to stakeholders using the GRI method.

– The Committee will have the following responsibilities:

• Continue interfacing with the Management Committee on all matters pertaining to sustainable development;

• Hold monthly steering committee meetings and sub-committee meetings based on their work plans;

• Prepare an annual work schedule;

• Translate the sustainable development plan into specifi c objectives for each unit and regularly monitortheir progress;

• Provide input into the Fonds’ Annual andSustainability Report.

ORIENTATION 4FOSTER A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND STRENGTHEN GOVERNANCE IN THIS REGARD

2016-2017 sustainable development plan/media/site corporatif/fichiers pdf cent… · – encourage...

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