Implementing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy is an important consideration for many organizations today as it provides the framework for ethical business conduct. The following outlines the guiding principles of the Canadian Commercial Corporation’s (CCC) commitment to CSR and illustrates how these principles are incorporated in the way we do business. Moreover, it reflects the fact that CCC has implemented a number of CSR policies and practices and forms the basis for future policy development.
At CCC, we commit to operating in an environmentally, socially, and ethically responsible manner, and to respect Canada’s international commitments, while upholding the Corporation’s public policy mandate and acting within its resources. To this end, CCC employees annually sign a Code of Conduct and Code of Business Ethics.
Social responsibility
Describing the world as a global village rings especially true for CCC, as the Corporation does business with foreign governments on behalf of Canadian exporters in many countries around the world. Representing both the Government of Canada and Canadian exporters means that CCC must carefully consider all the implications of business activities not only here at home but also abroad.
CCC's vision in the area of CSR is to operate in an environmentally, socially and ethically responsible manner and respect Canada's international commitments, while upholding the Corporation's public policy mandate within its resources. CCC is taking various steps to make Corporate Social Responsibility an integral part of its governance, planning and operations, and to strengthen its capacity in CSR.
Bribery and corruption
CCC is subject to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, which stipulates that bribing foreign government employees is a criminal activity. The Corporation has therefore included in all its domestic contracts with Canadian suppliers a clause prohibiting the bribery and corruption of government officials. Should a Canadian supplier be caught bribing a government official while under a contract with the CCC, the Corporation reserves the right to apply various sanctions, including the termination of the contract with the supplier.
The Department of Justice also issued a guide to explain the Act which can be found on
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/cfpoa-lcape/guide.pdf
Environmental review framework
CCC recognizes the importance of fostering trade competitiveness consistent with environmental conservation, while also remaining sensitive to concerns of extraterritoriality. Accordingly, CCC has decided to voluntarily establish an Environmental Review Framework in respect to capital projects for which CCC support is sought. In 2002-03, CCC's Board of Directors formalized its environmental review process by adopting the interim corporate environmental review framework. During that period, CCC voluntarily sought the advice of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency on conducting an environmental assessment review of one of its capital projects.
The Act to Amend the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (the CEAA) has made most Crown corporations (with limited exceptions) subject to the CEAA and CCC remains committed to working with federal government departments and agencies to develop a satisfactory regulatory framework that will allow it to fulfill its mandate of helping Canadian companies export their goods and services in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
|
