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Maclean’s – Nov 30‚ 2007 | 11:43 am EST

ENERGY

A Petro–Canada
Petro–Canada is a strong performer across a range of CSR issues‚ recently demonstrating leadership in the area of water conservation. During a conversion of its Edmonton refinery‚ the company redesigned the facility to use five million litres of recycled water per day (equivalent to the volume of six Olympic–size swimming pools) from the municipal waste–water treatment plant‚ rather than drawing fresh water from the North Saskatchewan River.

Petro–Canada also has a community investment program that rewards and encourages employee giving and volunteerism. For example‚ the company’s Volunteer Energy Program provides a $500 grant to organizations with which employees volunteer.

With various programs in place to assist employees in balancing family and work responsibilities‚ the company is a leader in this area. Along with providing expanded parental leave‚ job sharing‚ flexible work hours‚ telecommuting‚ and paid days off for family care‚ the company also has an on–site daycare facility at its Calgary headquarters and a child/eldercare referral service. Petro–Canada is also a leader in the area of diversity and currently has three women on its 11–member board of directors.

A– Enbridge
• A leader in energy efficiency programs and technologies‚ the company is involved in several wind energy projects and recently announced its Pipeline to Ultra–Clean Generation project‚ which converts waste pressure from natural gas pipelines to produce clean electricity.
• To assist its employees with family demands‚ Enbridge collaborated with several other companies in Calgary to open a facility designed to provide care for aging parents during the day.

A– Nexen
• Nexen has shown a serious commitment to protecting human rights around the world‚ and has been instrumental in developing the International Code of Ethics for Canadian Business‚ and more recently‚ an industry–wide human rights training tool kit. It also has a strong policy to address rights issues at its operations in Nigeria and Colombia.
• With a strong focus on ethics‚ Nexen has implemented a company–wide integrity program to train and assist employees in integrating ethical conduct into their everyday business decisions.

A– Suncor Energy
• Suncor has emerged as a leader in the area of climate change‚ and in 1997 adopted a comprehensive action plan to manage its greenhouse gas emissions. Despite being one of Canada’s highest industrial greenhouse gas emitters‚ it continues to examine all aspects of its operations with a view to developing a new climate change strategy.
• Suncor has committed to develop a new wind farm every 12 to 18 months‚ and has reduced its energy intensity by 26 per cent over the last 16 years.

B+ Talisman Energy
• In the years since its exposure to significant human rights issues while in Sudan‚ Talisman has emerged as a leading company in terms of human rights policies and management.
• A strong CSR reporter‚ Talisman provides excellent transparency with respect to its operations in developing countries on issues regarding payment of taxes and royalties.

B+ TransAlta Corporation
• TransAlta is striving for significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions‚ and currently derives four per cent of its energy from wind and geothermal sources. Its Vision Quest Windelectric subsidiary is Canada’s largest wind power producer.
• Overall emissions of sulphur dioxide‚ nitrogen oxides and mercury have decreased over the past five years‚ and TransAlta continues to invest in new technologies and systems to manage its emissions.

B+ TransCanada
• TransCanada ranks highly with regard to workplace diversity‚ and has implemented strong diversity management programs.
• In November 2006‚ the company’s first wind farm began producing power in Quebec‚ and five other wind farm projects are under development. The company is also involved in nuclear power‚ which concerns some.

B Canadian Oil Sands
• Syncrude Canada‚ in which Canadian Oil Sands has a 36.7 per cent stake‚ focuses on Aboriginal employment‚ business development‚ education‚ training and community development. Over the past 15 years‚ the company has spent more than $1 billion with Aboriginal businesses.
• The company also has a strong safety record and‚ in 2006‚ posted some of the lowest lost–time injury rates in the sector.

B Northland Power
• With investments in cogeneration and wind power‚ Northland is carving out its niche in the field of alternative energy. At its Ontario Iroquois Falls facility‚ six times less nitric oxide and three times less carbon dioxide per megawatt hour of electricity are produced compared to coal–fired plants.
• The fund also owns one wind–power project in Quebec and two in Germany.

B– EnCana
• EnCana has established a department specifically tasked with implementing the company’s Aboriginal relations program‚ and has in excess of $140 million worth of direct contracts with over 60 native groups.
• The company is also an industry leader in employee benefits and work/life balance. A revised schedule provides North American office employees with an additional 24 days off per year. EnCana is one of the few companies that provides a six-week maternity supplement following childbirth.

Company to Watch
Plutonic Power Corp.
An emerging renewable energy producer‚ the company is developing non–storage (run–of–river) hydroelectric energy projects in the Green Power Corridor of southwestern B.C. Considered one of the most environmentally friendly sources of electricity‚ these projects divert water from a naturally flowing river‚ avoiding impacts on fish‚ greenhouse gas emissions‚ and other ecological problems.

Plutonic’s first project‚ presently under construction‚ is a model for how companies can work with First Nations partners in promoting sustainable development. The $660-million‚ 196–megawatt East Toba River/Montrose Creek run–of–river hydroelectric project‚ which crosses the traditional territories of three First Nations‚ includes agreements that will provide economic‚ social‚ and environmental benefits to each community.
– Nancy Palardy and Naeema Bhyat