At CIMA+, we engineer for future generations, placing people at the heart of our solutions. We prioritize decarbonization in our corporate operations and projects, recognizing the economic, social, and environmental impacts of our activities. We are committed to leading the development of innovative and sustainable projects that meet our business partners' needs while preserving the environment and leaving a positive impact on local communities.
In 2022, CIMA+ published its first ESG Report and concluded its transition from a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy to an ESG Strategy with a commitment to become a leader in sustainable and responsible engineering by embedding ESG into the fabric of our firm, setting ambitious targets and taking strong actions to reach them.
Our commitment is further manifested in the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Sustainability (CES) and the development of a Sustainable and Responsible Engineering Guide that is applicable to all sectors of activity. Stemming from our materiality assessment, our ESG Strategy prioritizes eight focus areas grouped under three strategic pillars.
Sustainable engineering
for future generations
We aim to build a resilient world where future generations can thrive by supporting our clients reduce their environmental impact, while contributing to achieving the SDGs through innovation and excellent delivery.
Engaging our people and
communities
We aspire to empower our employees and communities by creating healthy, safe, inclusive and stimulating work environments; and strengthening our partnerships and collaborations with the communities in which we serve.
Leading
a responsible business
We strive to maintain and build trust of our stakeholders through robust and leading responsible business practices with integrity, transparency and accountability.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Although our activities align with all of the UN’s 17 SDGs, we have chosen to concentrate our short- and medium-term efforts on the following nine goals.
These SDGs guide us in developing our action plan, and our key performance indicators will be featured in our annual ESG report. They will also be used in our internal and external communications to demonstrate that our ESG strategy is fully integrated into all aspects of our firm's activities.
ENVIRONNEMENT - Sustainable engineering for future generations
Climate change
Objective: Net-zero
To fulfill Canada’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a number of initiatives are outlined over the coming years, including the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan that provides a roadmap for how Canada can achieve GHG-emission reductions of 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030. In perfect alignment with the overarching federal mandate, CIMA+ has set forth an ambitious decarbonization objective of attaining net-zero status, meaning the cessation of emitting any GHGs, by the year 2040. This objective is underscored by an interim target of achieving a notable 50% reduction in GHG emissions from 2019 levels by the year 2027.
Our decarbonization initiatives at CIMA+
The decarbonization journey at CIMA+ is not merely confined to internal measures. It extends beyond, encompassing a holistic approach that seeks to eliminate not only the GHG emissions originating from within the organization itself, but also strives to influence and advise clients, suppliers and stakeholders with respect to the adoption of sustainable development practices. These practices are intended to yield positive impacts on their respective carbon footprints and mitigation measures.
Integral to the success of this journey is a concerted effort toward enhancing knowledge, fostering education and raising awareness among CIMA+ staff, partners and clients alike. Central to this endeavor is the implementation of rigorous training programs, with all new employees mandated to undergo training sessions aimed at embedding sustainability principles into the projects. The overarching goal is to empower clients to embrace sustainability practices while maintaining competitiveness in their respective industries. In essence, it’s about striking a delicate balance between generating economic value and minimizing ecological impact through the prism of eco-efficiency principles.
CIMA+ is steadily advancing toward its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, driven by initiatives such as the establishment of the CES, annual GHG emissions inventories, ESG strategies and robust financial planning earmarked for decarbonization efforts. One key target is transitioning our vehicle fleet to electric by 2030.
Reduction of GHG emissions
GHG emissions inventories are conducted annually in order to provide a comprehensive assessment, with 2019 serving as the base year, precluding the disruptive effects of the pandemic. This consistent framework aids in evaluating the impact of subsequent years, thus ensuring a reliable comparison. GHG emissions are categorized into three scopes in order to differentiate between direct and indirect emissions and minimize the risk of duplication across companies:
- Scope 1 encompasses direct emissions from activities directly owned or controlled by CIMA+, primarily from the operation of the vehicle fleet.
- Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from electricity acquisition for CIMA+ operations.
- Scope 3 encompasses other indirect emissions, such as business air and train travel, employee business mileage and commuting emissions.
In 2022, CIMA+ focused on including significant Scope 3 emissions in its inventory, gradually developing internal data collection procedures to capture additional categories over time. Notably, Scope 1 emissions primarily stem from vehicle usage, with no significant emissions from natural gas or air conditioning due to tenancy arrangements. Scope 2 emissions currently consist solely of electricity consumption from owned electric vehicles, which is temporarily grouped with building consumption.
Sustainable engineering for future generations
CIMA+: a firm committed to sustainable development and climate resilience
At CIMA+, we are firm believers in the imperative of integrating sustainable development principles into our engineering endeavors. In 2020, to ensure that this ethos permeates every facet of our projects, CIMA+ CES spearheaded the development of a Sustainable and Responsible Engineering Guide.
This Guide serves as a foundational resource, equipping our entire workforce with the knowledge and tools needed to seamlessly integrate sustainable practices into their work. The basic principles underlying our approach are to innovate, collaborate, educate, influence and enhance our service offering.
The Guide emphasizes an integrated and proactive design approach that stimulates innovation during the early stages of a project with the goal of ensuring that the project will have a positive impact on the environment and on society. This proactive approach empowers us to serve as agents of change.
SOCIAL - Engaging our employees and communities
Communities and Partnerships
Since the inception of CIMA+, philanthropy has been integral to our values, manifesting prominently in our engagements within the realms of health and well-being, education and environmental stewardship. Noteworthy beneficiaries of our philanthropic endeavors include:
- United Way
- The Red Cross, particularly for wildfire relief efforts spanning British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia and the Abitibi region of Québec
- Various hospital foundations
- Breakfast Club of Canada
- Operation Enfant-Soleil for Sick Children
- Scholarships at numerous educational institutions
Beyond financial contributions, CIMA+ employees actively participated in initiatives that collectively raised funds, such as Movember, the 24h Tremblant fundraiser, the Leucan Ski Challenge and the Montée des Sommets. A significant milestone in our commitment to community engagement is the Volunteer Days, which are held in sping and summer. Employees from various offices across Canada dedicate their time to give back to the community.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
We have been actively engaged in ongoing enhancements to ensure equal opportunities for all of our employees and candidates. Our approach to EDI is structured around a three-pillar framework:
- Increasing fairness: Recognizing the significance of addressing systemic barriers, we have implemented a range of initiatives aimed at promoting fairness. These include forging partnerships with communities, enhancing benefits and well-being and refining our recruitment practices, all geared toward fostering a more equitable and inclusive work environment for everyone.
- Diversifying talent: We are committed to ensuring that all levels of our organization reflect the diversity of our communities, and creating an inclusive environment where individuals are valued for their unique identities. Beyond numerical representation, we prioritize understanding the lived experiences of our employees. This includes promoting awareness and investing in training and development opportunities aimed at empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Creating an affirming culture: At CIMA+, our commitment to EDI is evident in our continuous efforts to nurture a culture of acceptance, where diverse perspectives are not only embraced but celebrated. We prioritize listening and learning from our employees, ensuring that their voices guide the positive transformations we seek within our organization. Our aim is to cultivate environments where every employee feels appreciated and empowered, with a specific emphasis on addressing discrimination faced by marginalized groups.
Indigenous communities
CIMA+ has been collaborating with Indigenous communities for over 20 years, contributing to more than 1,000 projects. We deeply respect the needs and expectations of these communities, ensuring our designs honor their cultural elements and uphold their rights. We also recognize the rich history and diversity of Indigenous peoples, their significant contributions to Canada, and their status as rights holders.
To prioritize Indigenous perspectives in our work, we have formed a dedicated working group composed of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees. This group actively oversees the implementation of our corporate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), recognizing that true progress toward reconciliation requires the meaningful participation of Indigenous voices in all our initiatives.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HOW CIMA+ COLLABORATES WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Reconciliation action plan
In 2022, we published our formal Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), reflecting our commitment to rethinking our approach and enhancing our support for Indigenous communities. We believe this plan will help us identify how we can do more to understand and collaborate with Indigenous peoples. Through the RAP, we aim to drive meaningful change by fostering relationships, respect, and opportunities.
The implementation of our first RAP will help us achieve the following goals:
- Foster a Safe and Ethical Workplace: Create an environment that honors the history, culture, and traditions of Indigenous peoples.
- Advance Economic Reconciliation: Promote entrepreneurship by partnering with Indigenous businesses and communities.
- Embed Reconciliation Principles: Integrate reconciliation throughout CIMA+, ensuring every employee is committed to advancing these efforts.
- Build Stronger Relationships: Develop innovative training, partnerships, and professional development programs to strengthen connections with Indigenous peoples.
- Enhance Corporate Citizenship: Further involve Indigenous peoples in our projects, processes, and policies, fulfilling our commitment to responsible corporate citizenship.
Employee Health and Safety
CIMA+ has made significant progress in developing and implementing its Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS), which is driven by evolving legal requirements, client emphasis on contractor safety, the need for new certifications and integrating safety into daily operations, particularly in field locations. Key enhancements include adopting the Intelex platform to expand due diligence capabilities and growing the CIMA+ HSE Team’s expertise in system improvement, incident management, training and auditing. These developments enhance competitiveness in project bidding and aim to embed safety into project planning and execution, reduce incidents, minimize lost time and improve efficiency. The HSE for Managers training program and HSE Project Verification process further reinforce safety practices. CIMA+ is deeply committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of its people. Our Safety Strategy, anchored within ESG principles, focuses on four key pillars:
- Leading by example: Our leaders actively participate in safety initiatives, inspiring a culture of safety throughout the organization.
- Mobilizing our people: Employees are actively involved in decision-making processes and empowered to prioritize safety.
- Measuring our performance: We rigorously track Key Performance Indicators to drive continuous improvement in safety outcomes.
- Managing our risks: We employ a systematic approach to identifying, assessing and mitigating workplace hazards to minimize incidents.
For each part of our strategy, objectives and performance indicators are identified, approved and monitored by the company’s Executive Committee. Through these efforts, we aim for zero harm, embedding safety into our culture and fulfilling our responsibility to employees, stakeholders and communities.
GOVERNANCE - Leading a responsible business
We have established robust governance mechanisms to ensure oversight and accountability throughout our organization, specifically regarding our ESG Strategy. ESG considerations are deeply embedded across various levels of our company to ensure effective implementation.
Transparency and accountability
Process for selecting and appointing members of senior management
As per the CIMA+ Shareholders’ Agreement and Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors comprises an odd number of directors (ranging from five to nine) with at least two independent directors. Directors serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms, with the exception of the President and CEO, who serves ex-officio for the duration of their tenure. Vacancies on the Board are filled by shareholder election at the Annual General Meeting, with proposed candidates vetted and approved by the Board. The Board members elect a Chair from among their number.
In accordance with its mandate, the Board ensures a balance of skills among its members to foster robust interaction, and consequently, to drive management excellence. The Human Resources and Compensation Committee oversees the selection and recommendation of new directors, with a focus on establishing criteria that promote diversity in experience, skills and gender representation.
Role of senior management in ESG governance
CIMA+'s Board of Directors regularly addresses ESG issues, guided by dedicated committees including the Ethics & ESG Committee. The President and CEO, along with the COO as the ESG Executive Champion, ensure the ESG Strategy’s performance and integration firm-wide, reporting to the Board and Executive Committee respectively. The COO-led ESG operational committee, comprising executive members, oversees the strategy’s execution. The ESG Director, reporting to the COO, facilitates daily ESG operations in collaboration with the National Director of Sustainable Development (Pillar 1), Senior Director of Human Resources (Pillar 2) and Director of Legal Affairs and Compliance (Pillar 3).
Compliance, Ethics and Integrity
In recent years, we have directed significant efforts toward establishing robust mechanisms for governing and upholding exemplary ethical standards. Ethics are seamlessly woven into our contribution assessment process, underscoring the value that we place on ethical conduct.
Our employees engage with the Code of Ethics and Conduct on an annual basis, reaffirming their commitment to its principles. New hires undergo comprehensive training to ensure a deep understanding of the Code’s content.
We broadened the Code’s scope to include ESG principles and provided employees with a more user-friendly situational awareness document alongside a revamped training program tailored to our evolving needs. These tools are meticulously designed to foster an ethical culture across our organization and to equip our managers with the skills to lead ethically.
We also mandate an annual Declaration of Interest from members of CIMA+ leadership, ensuring that their independence in decision-making aligns with our organization’s interests.
Evaluation of ethics
Our ongoing ethics evaluation encompasses various aspects, including continuously updating our Code of Ethics, maintaining an ethical risk dashboard, assessing awareness, judgment and ethical actions across all levels of the organization, identifying and analyzing priority ethical issues unique to CIMA+, monitoring and disclosing conflicts of interest, addressing recurring ethical dilemmas and evaluating the adequacy of our ethical procedures.
Cybersecurity
At CIMA+, safeguarding sensitive information is paramount, and we have embarked on the implementation of the ISO 27001 standard to fortify our defenses. This internationally acclaimed framework serves as our cornerstone for managing information security, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of crucial data assets. Our endeavor includes comprehensive measures spanning various fronts including:
- Training and awareness programs
- Comprehensive IT risk analysis
- Privacy and data protection measures
- Client data security
Responsible procurement
In 2021, we initiated a thorough evaluation of our supply chain, with the collaboration of ECPAR (Québec Space for Consultation on Responsible Procurement Practices). This comprehensive reflection led to the creation of our Procurement Department in 2023.
We further solidified our commitment to responsible sourcing by publishing our Supplier Code of Conduct. Our goal is to implement new policies related to sustainable travel and sustainable procurement, reinforcing our dedication to eco-responsibility.