Exciting adventure trips for everyday heroes

The Huma Challenge: A positive social impact adventure from World Expeditions. A new series of travel packages has been created for those who value positive social impact along with adventure. The HUMA Challenge series of adventure trips is a unique hybrid of fundraising initiatives and trekking tours. This initiative was launched as a separate division of World Expeditions, a travel company with an exemplary approach to environmental and social responsibility. World Expeditions has already put in place a concrete code of conduct for low-impact travel and initiated a Community Project Travel program where travelers spend time in disadvantaged villages upgrading basic facilities such as health, education and water access.

 

The HUMA Challenge works like this: You accept a fundraising challenge for a charitable cause and set out to raise the target amount from friends and colleagues. Once you have achieved your fundraising goal, you set out on an overseas adventure, in places like Peru, China, India or Vietnam, with a small group of people who, like you, have raised money for a cause. In so doing, you've added a valuable social dimension to your trip and you'll enjoy it with people who share the same passions.

To see the full list of available adventures and the charitable causes that are supported, visit

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www.humachallenge.com

Helping the environment with “eco-friendly lunch boxes”

Learn how a caterer made the switch to compostable packaging on ethipedia.net

Summary: 

Founded in 2001, Avec Plaisirs is a corporate catering company with over 60 employees that delivers business meals throughout the greater Montréal area. The company is affiliated with La Maison Traiteurs, a food services business group whose members include Agnus Dei Inc., a special events caterer, and Origine Bistro.

Thanks to owner David Carrier’s concern for environmental issues, Avec Plaisirs has introduced a number of measures to reduce the company’s environmental footprint and do more for the community. One of these measures, launched in 2008, is the “Ecofriendly Lunch Box”, which is made from 100% recycled cardboard and vegetable dyes. Not only is the box itself recyclable, but all utensils and food containers (the latter made from corn starch) can be composted.

The Ecofriendly Lunch box is based on the principles of “eco-design”, whereby the life-cycle of all the box’s components are taken into account: choice of materials, method of manufacture, transport, lifespan, waste disposal, etc. As mentioned above, the lunch box consists of biodegradable containers, dishware and cutlery; furthermore, contrary to most disposable and compostable packaging, the containers furnished by Avec Plaisirs are more solid and last longer. The company also offers biodegradable bags in which to dispose of the box, containers and utensils after the meal is finished.
Hoping to cut down on garbage and avoid wasting food, Avec Plaisirs tries to determine exactly how much food its customers require. In terms of nutrition, the company’s lunch box is aimed at providing healthy and balanced meals. Overall, sustainability is a primary concern for the company, and the lunch box has been designed with the following criteria in mind:
-Social sustainability: high-quality food = better health;
-Environmental sustainability: minimizing the lunch box’s environmental footprint and any waste produced;
-Economic sustainability: the product will help the company move into new markets.

Implementation: 

After months of research and development, Avec Plaisirs was at last able to get its Ecofriendly Lunch Box off the ground. Doing so was difficult, but the company’s employees are proud to have overcome this challenge; if anything, working to make the lunch box a reality has brought them closer together.
When the company decided to move ahead with the project, it hired Pierre Morency of Nova Envirocom, a firm that specializes in environmental programs and waste management.
Avec Plaisirs also worked closely with renowned nutritional expert Isabelle Huot; this partnership has enabled the company to offer a menu full of nutritious and seasonal dishes all year long.

In undertaking its lunch box project, Avec Plaisirs decided to take a gradual approach, without cutting any corners. Carrier speaks of a philosophy that consists of “moving quickly at our own pace”, meaning that environmental initiatives are undertaken in keeping with the company’s rhythm and objectives.

By doing so, Avec Plaisirs has ensured that environmental concerns are integrated into the economic equation. In fact, it is with this philosophy in mind that all of its sustainability initiatives are implemented. Carrier and his team first check to see if a project is feasible and whether it will be beneficial to the environment and society. They also try to determine what returns the company will see on its investment (e.g., costs, employee involvement, improved brand visibility, etc.).

Challenges and Solutions: 

During a presentation to the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal on June 12, 2009, Carrier highlighted the importance of having sufficient “room for error” when implementing sustainable development initiatives. By this he means that a company planning to introduce a sustainable practice has to develop an organisational structure or corporate culture that allows for flexibility. Given that such practices are often innovative and the first of their kind, it is only through trial and error that a high-value and viable product or service can be developed. This is often easier to do for a company the size of Avec Plaisirs than it is for large corporations or government bodies.

However, this process has not always gone smoothly for Avec Plaisirs, and maintaining “room for error” has been crucial. For example, Carrier says the company at one point failed to meet one of the organic decomposition criteria for a certain certification it was seeking, and was therefore forced to begin all over again. He says it was important for him to obtain sufficient certification to ensure that the project was legitimate. It is likely that this episode was rather costly for the company.

In terms of production expenses, some items (such as utensils) cost approximately the same as those made of plastic or styrofoam, but others may be 10-15% more expensive. Everything depends on the volume ordered. The company says that it did not think customers would be willing to pay more, but it believed that the product would be sufficiently appealing to attract new customers.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

Avec Plaisirs claims that its practice will prevent tens of thousands of plastic containers being thrown away over the next few years. However, we could find no figures to back up this claim, aside from the publicly available information provided by the company.

Results: 

The lunch box project has created a strong sense of belonging amongst the employees at Avec Plaisirs. The initiative has also bolstered its reputation and that of its sister companies. Customers appreciate being able to purchase a product with a low environmental footprint. Avec Plaisirs says in a press release that this initiative has even become one of its trademark products. The company has also become more prominent in Québec’s environmental community, which will no doubt lead to increased business.

Other Examples: 

It seems that the practice’s component of rigorous life-cycle analysis has not been adopted by other businesses, which will thus allow Avec Plaisirs to position itself in Québec as a true leader in terms of sustainable growth. Other lunch box products on the market are often worthwhile with regard to the products they contain, but not necessarily in terms of packaging or manufacturing.

Other companies in Québec’s food and beverage industry that provide catering services, such as Capital Traiteur (Montréal) and Traiteur Fine Bouche (Estrie), now offer compostable dishware.

Java Green Organic Eco-Café, based in Washington, D.C., offers an “Eco Lunch Box Meal”.

In Vancouver, Savoury City Catering offers a range of services that are environmentally-friendly. The company supplies ceramic serving dishes, wicker baskets and utensils made of birch, the latter of which will biodegrade within 45 to 60 days. The same is true for the utensils provided by Avec Plaisirs, but they are not made of wood, which is more solid and appears to be of better quality than standard plastic cutlery.

Savoury City Catering is a member of Vancouver’s Green Table Network, an association of restaurant professionals working together with food producers to develop practical and concrete environmental strategies.

In response to growing demand from consumers, many caterers are now becoming socially responsible. One example is Buffet Insère-Jeunes Montréal, a catering company and bakery that also provides social and professional reintegration services. A member of the Collectif des Entreprises d’Insertion du Québec (CEIQ), Buffet Insère-Jeunes also offers a lunch box product. Another such company is Cuisine Collective Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, also based in Montréal.

Canada Goose – A Local Hero Gives Back to Northern Communities

When an already ethical employer goes one step further, we're happy to write about it!

Since our beginnings in 2005, ethiquette has been following the developments at Canada Goose Inc., an extreme outerwear company that had bravely decided to go against the grain and to keep making its products locally when the overwhelming trend was to de-localize to cheap production sites overseas where worker conditions often take a back seat. 

The success of this company, distributed in over 40 countries and named one of Canada’s fastest growing companies in 2006, blasted the accepted business wisdom that locally-produced goods could never compete with those made in places like China. As American Apparel had proved in the light cotton sector, a company can pay its workers decent wages, make a profit and grow its markets. Canada Goose makes the same case in the outerwear sector, where materials are more costly and the assembly is more complex.
 
We were pleased to learn recently that, beyond being a conscientious local employer, Canada Goose had decided to help improve conditions of those outside the company. The recent CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative launched by the brand is directed at residents of the Canadian Arctic, where the company’s jackets are widely used. Living with low incomes and skilled at making a lot with a little, northern sewers have traditionally made jackets and clothing for members of the community with any fabric that was close at hand. Seeing the need for good quality materials when visiting the Arctic, Canada Goose employees realized that their own excess fabrics, buttons, zippers, Velcro and other accessories would be very valuable to the traditional northern sewers and their communities who could use them to make parkas and jackets with high-quality fabrications suited to their extreme climate. This initiative also reduces waste of materials at Canada Goose, which is concerned with the company’s overall sustainability record.

To distribute these materials to these remote populations, Canada Goose partnered with First Air, an airline company that flies to Arctic destinations and The North West Company, a leading retailer in the north. In all, three distribution points, named “Canada Goose Resource Centres”, are being established at Nunavut, at Northern in Pond Inlet on and at Northmart in Iqaluit. 

For more information on Canada Goose, visit www.canada-goose.com and our evaluation of the company’s products onethiquette.ca here and their business practices on ethipedia.net here.

ethipedia is born!

“ethipedia” is an online database of concrete practices adopted by organizations seeking to incorporate greater social and environmental responsibility into their operations.

www.ethipedia.net/len

The goal is to offer a library of replicable strategies for applying sustainability principles to one's organization. By making this information accessible, this site hopes to accelerate the market shift towards sustainable operations.

This is also a showcase for good strategies implemented worldwide. Business and organization reps, researchers, students and consultants are all invited to submit accounts of best sustainable practices instituted worldwide.

To ensure a high degree of credibility, the site Administrators monitor and vet submitted practices according to a set of concrete social and environmental criteria (which will soon be published on the site).

This is a meritocracy: The more practices that an organization can publish to its name on the site, the greater its visibility.

This resource is free and accessible to all businesses and institutions wishing to move towards greater sustainability.

People and Planet Friendly Travel

People and Planet-Friendly Vacations

The time of year has come when many of us would like to get away from the office for a week or so to escape the winter blues. Whether you're thinking of an escape to a winter wonderland or a few days in the sun, there are ways to ensure your vacation goes easy on the planet and benefits the communities you visit.

 
Local Travel is Eco Travel

Choosing to stay and play in your neck of the woods for your vacation is by far the most socially and environmentally responsible option as you save the planet a large amount of CO2 emissions and plug your money back into the local economy. For Quebec residents choosing to travel local, here are some lodging options to go with your eco-friendly lifestyle.

Les Jardins de L’Achillée Millefeuille
This beautiful inn and its cabins are situated alongside the "Le P’*$# Train du Nord"  bike and cross country ski path, ten minutes from Mont Tremblant. This is the only Québec inn to be certified organic for every meal it serves.

L'Autre Jardin Inn
If your visiting Québec City, why not stay in the region's first social economy hotel? L'Autre Jardin boasts 27 attractive rooms and serves a buffet breakfast with organic and Fair Trade foods included in the price of a night's stay.

Solidarity and Ethical Tours Abroad

Can't resist going to warmer climes to melt the inner chill ? There are still options we can choose to make out trip benefit the communities we visit. Solidarity tourism, an emerging new practice, helps bring about more genuine interaction between tourists and the cultures they visit while ensuring that the money spent in a less fortunate country helps to enrich the people of the region.

Mercure Solidarity Tours
A pioneer in the field of Solidarity Tours, Mercure and its host-country partners offer a variety of travel packages to destinations in Mexico. All travel packages respect the principles of fair and solidarity-based tourism. 

Some adventure tour companies, which operate overseas, have come out with policies that ensure there is fair dealing with local hosts and that their tour activities do not negatively impact the ecosystems of their destinations.

Karavaniers'  Ethical Adventure Packages
Karavaniers’ outdoor activity packages include include cycling, kayaking, trekking and mountain in destinations covering the America’s, Europe, Africa and Asia. This travel company distinguishes itself by its concern for the natural environment of its destinations and well-being of the host cultures.

World Expeditions Eco Travel Packages
World Expeditions offers over 200 eco adventure packages including sailing, trekking, biking, canoeing, photography, cooking tutorials, diving and camel riding packages in remote regions of the world. Through a wide variety of concrete initiatives, some of which are highlighted below, World Expeditions practices environmentally sustainable and socially responsible travel.

Going Carbon Neutral 

Finally, travellers now have means to compensate for emissions created during plane travel. To help the earth breathe easier after each trip, individuals can turn to emerging organizations like the ones we have reviewed below, which will help calculate the greenhouse gas emissions created during your flight and, with your purchase of credits, offset your emissions by funding projects that work to fight climate change. To read our full article on the subject, click here.

www.planetair.ca  - Offers credits for emissions caused by car and plane travel, home energy use and corporate events. In both English and French.

Planetair is a non-profit initiative created by the Unisféra International Centre, based in Québec. Funds generated by the sale of offset credits are used to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that meet the Gold Standard.

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www.greenmyflight.com - Offers credits for air travel. In English only.

At present, Green My Flight is the only carbon offsetter certified by the Ecologo program, which evaluates such organisations in their entirety and not merely the projects they fund. Green My Flight is currently funding the Creststreet Kettles Hill Wind Energy Project, located in southern Alberta.

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www.offsetters.ca  - Offers credits for air travel. In English only.

Offsetters is a non-profit organisation based at the University of British Columbia that funds local and international carbon offsetting projects. Their work in Canada focuses on renewable energy and energy efficiency, while the organisation’s international projects are managed by ClimateCare and meet the Gold Standard.

Ethical Investing for Nitwit Investors (The Rest of Us)

It’s 10PM, do you know what your money is doing?

You may not think of yourself as an investor but, unless your savings are kept under your mattress, you money is being invested in something, somewhere. If you aren’t selective about your banking and investing, your cash may be helping set up a sweatshop overseas, padding a dictator’s pockets or financing the development of deadly new weaponry

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is all about making sure your money is being used to do things you are comfortable with, whatever your values are. Even if the sums you move around are small, your savings are possibly your most powerful tool you possess for changing the way business is done worldwide and changing it for the better!

If you’re new to the investment process and could use some basic guidance, check out our user-friendly “Nitwit’s Guide” by clicking the link below. We have prepared this guide for printing or download so that you can bring it with you when you visit your bank or financial advisor.

>>Click here to view and download 

 

Below you will find a range of responsible finance options—all of which can help you save for the future without compromising your values.

RRSP-ELIGIBLE FUNDS 

It will soon be time to make your annual contribution to a Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP). We have found a number of RRSP-eligible investment options that bring social and environmental considerations into the traditional investment process.

Mutual Funds

There are a number of mutual funds that use social and environmental criteria in the selection and management of the funds. The criteria for selection vary from one fund to the other but they all aim to have a positive impact on corporate behaviour. For example, Ethical Funds and Meritas Funds use a strategy called shareholder engagement where they exercise their leverage as shareholders in large corporations to raise social and environmental issues. Using this strategy, they successfully influence corporate policy in areas such as executive compensation, worker rights, climate change and renewable energies.

Quebec’s own cooperative financial service provider, Desjardins, offers a couple of RRSP-eligible responsible mutual funds: Desjardins Environment Fund which invests in Canadian companies that meet environmental requirements as determined by a qualified advisory committee, and the Canadian Ethical Balanced Fund which invests in a variety of ethical mutual funds.

Labour-Sponsored Venture Capital Funds

If you want to concentrate your investments closer to home, consider Fondaction and the Fonds de Solidarité. Fondaction’s is the first investment body in Quebec to report on the social, environmental and financial performance of their fund – see  www.reervert.com (French only). One of the greatest draws of these products is that with an RRSP investment in a Labour Fund, you can receive tax credits equal to 30% of the amount invested, making the initial layout significantly less than a conventional RRSP investment. 

Note that, although these are similar to mutual funds, there are a number of differences. More detailed information is available on their websites.

Alternative RRSP-Eligible Savings Products

The Caisse d’économie solidaire also offers financial products that invest in sustainable development and vibrant local economies, like the the Social Returns Deposit which is a term deposit that supports ventures such as the construction of cooperative housing units, integration of youth into the workforce, recycling, cultural creations, fair trade and more.

For a complete list of all the responsible funds currently available in Quebec, search “SRI selection” in ethiquette’s search engine.

Financial Advisors

Some financial advisors have expertise in the field of socially responsible investment. For example, all advisors at the Caisse d’économie solidaire are trained to help you align your financial needs with your values. Elaine Bissonnette is also reviewed on our site as a financial advisor who is savvy in the world of socially responsible investment.  

OTHER INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Group Retirement Plans 

If you work in a community organization or a worker cooperative and are looking for a responsible group retirement plan, you may consider contacting Bâtirente . This pension fund was established to meet the needs of workers in Québec. Bâtirente uses its influence as an institutional investor to improve the social and environmental performance of the corporations in its portfolio.

Community Development Investing

This form of investment aims to improve the economic health of communities by making capital available to local entrepreneurs who might not otherwise have access to it. The Montreal Community Loan Association (Association communautaire d’emprunt de Montréal), for example, provides loans for small business start-up and expansion, primarily to primarily to low-income people, prioritizing women (single-mothers), youth, minority populations and new immigrants. As an individual, you can invest in these initiatives and expect a small return (1-4%) on your investment.

Search ‘community investing’ to find the community credit institution in your community. Note, however, that these funds are not RRSP eligible.

Useful Resources

The Social Investment Organisation, the national association for the promotion of socially responsible investment, hosts a complete directory financial advisors, a directory of institutional service providers, as well as publications on industry trends.

 

Tags: social justice, fair trade, money, banks, investing, funds, workers
posted by ethiquette on Tuesday, February 05 2008 permalink | comments (1)