The responsible business practices of Canadian high-tech companies such as HP, IBM, Microsoft, Xerox and Bell contribute to this sector's glowing reputation for CSR leadership. Imagine if more Canadian tech companies did the same? One thing’s for sure, Bell’s Community Investment Team – represented here by Nathalie Nahmiash, Pamela McDonald, Serge Audet, Sophie Belanger and Lisa Banks – means business.
HIGH TECH'S OTHER LEADING EDGE
By Randall Anthony Mang
When it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance, Canada’s high-tech sector gets a better-than-passing grade. The leaders tend to score well for social reporting and commitments to their employees, communities and the environment, says Rob Gross, a managing partner at Jantzi Research Inc., a Toronto-based firm that tracks the CSR performance of companies worldwide.
While that news is good, the vast majority of these companies are domestic operations of global entities such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Siemens and Xerox. Indigenous corporations at the forefront of CSR, such as Bell Canada, are fewer in numbers. That’s where Rob Gross says Canada’s tech sector needs to pull up its socks.
“There is a balance between remaining profitable, providing good return for shareholders and being accountable to society and the environment,” said Mr. Gross. “More Canadian tech companies need to understand that it is their responsibility to balance these factors, and that these factors are not necessarily in opposition.”
Bell Canada president and CEO Michael Sabia says, “A corporation’s CSR practices collectively define the character of the corporation. We view CSR as a critical management discipline, a practice that covers economic, environmental and social responsibility, employee health and safety, corporate governance, human resource management and stake-holder rights.”
Among its priorities, Bell has placed emphasis on supporting communities in which it operates. It is expanding its social reach across Canada – from its traditional strongholds in Quebec and Ontario to Alberta and British Columbia.
“Bell believes in being connected with communities,” said Mr. Sabia. “As a corporate citizen, one of our fundamental roles is to actively contribute to building stronger communities; to enable more people, especially young people, to connect in a meaningful way with their communities. Because dynamic communities are at the heart of creativity, innovation and growth.”
Among Bell’s cornerstone endeavours is its longstanding involvement with Imagine, a national program that encourages community investment. In its first 10 years, Imagine helped increase corporate charitable giving in Canada by more than one billion dollars and encouraged hundreds of corporations to embrace social responsibility.
Recently, Bell made a significant commitment to a community economic development program administered by Carleton University that provides grants to community-based organizations across Canada, helping them access technical assistance, technology and consulting expertise.
It is clear, however, that a dedication to CSR requires more than philanthropy. At times, CSR is expressed when a tech company faces the unintentional, negative impacts of its activities, including those on the environment.
“In many cases, carcinogenic chemicals and other hazardous materials are used to make high-tech products. This has implications for both production and disposal,” said Jantzi’s Rob Gross. “As well, computers and their peripheral devices use a lot of energy. Leading companies are addressing these issues.”
Few companies deserve more recognition for environmental stewardship than Hewlett-Packard (HP). “We believe that environmental sustainability is not an option, it’s an imperative,” said Frances Edmonds, HP Canada director of Environmental Pro-grams.
In Canada, e-waste today represents about one to two per cent of the solid waste stream, “But it’s solid waste,” said Ms. Edmonds.
In 1992, HP established Design for Environment (DfE) – an engineering perspective that optimizes environmentally related characteristics of HP products, processes and facilities.
“DfE challenges our people to use energy and materials wisely to make products that are energy efficient and which can be easily upgraded or recycled,” said Ms. Edmonds.
As a result, over 400 HP products today are Energy Star certified. HP also operates its own recycling plants, the only company of its kind in Canada to do so.
“We developed a system for recycling our own waste more than 10 years ago that assures our customers that it’s being done properly,” said Ms. Edmonds. HP recycles its brand name inkjet cartridges free of charge and used HP electronics on a cost recovery basis.
Unfortunately, high-tech products can also have undesirable effects on society. For example, while the Internet has revolutionized communications, it has also opened a new door exploited by child predators. Microsoft Canada and Bell are among the companies helping combat such abuse.
“Naturally, Microsoft outwardly celebrates the benefits of technology, but we also have a responsibility to acknowledge the risks,” said Paula Knight, Microsoft director, Public Affairs. “Statistics show that 25 per cent of children have been asked to meet in person people they have been introduced to online. Some of those requests may be innocent, but there is risk.”
To help address this concern, Bell and Microsoft joined forces to support the Media Awareness Network in the creation and promotion of its www.bewebaware.ca website. Launched last year, Be Web Aware educates parents about Internet use in the home and how to mitigate potential risks associated with going online.
Be Web Aware is just one way that Microsoft lends its expertise and financial resources to help make a difference. “We find that if we can help worthy organizations in areas where we can engage our employees, their passion and expertise, the success is far greater than if we were to just cut a cheque,” she said.
Microsoft Canada has earned praise for helping the Canadian National Institute for the Blind create an online digital library, and Canada’s law enforcement community develop an online Child Exploitation Tracking System.
In a recent speech Michael Sabia said, “Our role is to apply our capabilities to build progressive communities, filled with opportunity for the people who live there. We are committed to use our capacity and our reach to do the job. In the end, we’re going to be more deeply engaged, not just financially, but also as partners with the people who are doing the community building.”
Chris Coulter, president of GlobeScan, a research firm known for its annual CSR Monitor national opinion poll, says data indicates that matching corporate performance with employee values and societal expectations is “a valid business case.”
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