Nature’s Path, Cowbell Brewing Co., Labatts among ‘Canada’s Greenest Employers’

‘Canada’s Greenest Employers’ for 2021 have been announced by Mediacorp Canada, organizer of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “The strength of this competition has always been in providing practical examples of what’s possible,” says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “We can all play a role in building sustainable futures, both for ourselves and the generations to come. This year’s winners demonstrate the importance of individual action as well as the greater impact of collective contributions.”

Now in its 14th year, Canada’s Greenest Employers is a special designation that recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. Winning employers, selected by editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, are evaluated using four main criteria: (1) the unique environmental initiatives and programs they have developed; (2) the extent to which they have been successful in reducing the organization’s own environmental footprint; (3) the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any unique skills; and (4) the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees and clients to the organization.

Some highlights…

Blyth, Ontario-based Cowbell Brewing Co:

• Cowbell Brewing has creatively worked around small-town infrastructure limitations by drawing water from its own on-site well, using state-of-art technology to reduce water consumption, and treating effluent through its own wastewater treatment facility — ensuring minimal impacts on the local environment and the municipal systems
• Located on over 48 hectares of land, Cowbell Brewing’s unique “Grand Old Barn”-style brewery and restaurant was designed to incorporate sustainable operating practices throughout, helping to minimize the environmental impacts of its operation — including LED lighting systems and use of Douglas fir wood sourced from sustainably managed forests — achieving recognition through the Canadian Wood Council’s Wood Design & Building Awards program with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Award
• Cowbell Brewing has worked with Maitland Valley Conservation Authority to plant over 12,000 native trees and pollinator plants (with more planned) on over 9.3 hectares of its land, helping to ensure its brewing operations remain carbon neutral

Nature’s Path of BC:

• Actively supports a number of charitable organizations each year and encourages employee involvement through a paid day off to volunteer and matching employee donations (to a maximum of $2,000 per year) — additionally, the company recognizes employees who donate their time through a Community Champion Award, donating $100 to a charity of their choice
• Hosts an annual health and wellness week, featuring yoga classes, holistic nutritionists and biometric screenings — and offers a “Get Fit” subsidy of $500 which can be used for related fitness activities as well as the purchase of home fitness equipment
• Nature’s Path lets everyone share in the company’s success with profit-sharing and offers referral bonuses for employees who help recruit candidates from their personal networks (up to $1,000)