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2014Our report to you
Commitment to well-being
Public
Accountability
Statement
Great-West Life
London Life
Canada Life
Corporate profiles
Great-West Life
Founded in Winnipeg in 1891, Great-West Life is a leading Canadian insurer. Together with our subsidiaries, London Life and Canada Life, we serve the financial security needs of more than 12 million people across Canada with financial and benefit plan solutions.
London Life
Founded in London, Ontario in 1874, London Life has been helping Canadians meet their financial security needs for over 140 years. We offer financial security advice and planning as well as insurance and wealth management products and services through our Freedom 55 Financial™ division.
Canada Life
Founded in 1847, Canada Life was Canada’s first domestic life insurance company. In Canada, we serve individuals, families and business owners from coast to coast with insurance and wealth management products and services.
Great-West Lifeco is an international financial services holding company. Our business interests include life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management and reinsurance. We operate in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia through our companies – Great-West Life, London Life, Canada Life, Irish Life, Great-West Financial and Putnam Investments. Great-West Lifeco and our companies are members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.
In Canada, as an Imagine Caring Company we support the principles of corporate citizenship and benchmarks for community investment established by Imagine Canada. We donate a minimum of one per cent of average pre-tax profits to non-profit, charitable and community organizations each year.
As an Imagine Caring Company for more than two decades, we have contributed more than $162 million to Canadian communities. This includes $11.9 million in charitable contributions in 2014.
This Public Accountability Statement relates to the Canadian operations of The Great-West Life Assurance Company and its subsidiaries, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company; and to Canada Life Financial Corporation and The Canada Life Insurance Company of Canada. It also describes the corporate social responsibility activities of GLC Asset Management Group Ltd. and GWL Realty Advisors Inc.
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What you’ll find inside President’s Report .........................................................................................4
Our Core Values ...........................................................................................5
Commitment to well-being – 2014 at a glance.............................................6
Delivering for Canadians
Making sound financial decisions ......................................................8
Long-term savings made easier ................................................9
One-on-one advice and consultation........................................9
Making sound health decisions .......................................................10
Focus on mental health in the workplace ........................................11
Helping organizations implement the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace ..........12
Supporting Employee Success: a shared effort .......................12
The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace ...............................................................13
Economic impact ............................................................................14
Impact through products and services ....................................14
Employment, salaries and commissions across Canada ...........14
Investments ...........................................................................15
Taxes .....................................................................................15
Operational Integrity
Board of Directors, Governance and CSR oversight .........................16
Codes and policies ..........................................................................16
Ombudsman service ........................................................................17
Vendor relations ..............................................................................17
Our Workplaces
Building careers ...............................................................................18
Reaching out for a talented workforce ............................................19
Resources for staying healthy and well ............................................20
Community engagement ................................................................21
Environment
CDP participation and results ..........................................................22
Emission reductions ........................................................................22
Printing and paper ..........................................................................23
Recycling, composting and repurposing ..........................................24
Sustainability in our real estate portfolio ..........................................26
Community Support
Imagine Canada’s Standards Program ..............................................28
Literacy: more than reading .............................................................29
Helping youth reach their potential .................................................30
Mental health diagnosis and treatment ...........................................31
Social innovation .............................................................................31
Reaching more people, changing behaviours through technology ...33
Investing in our neighbourhoods .....................................................33
Enabling engagement: corporate teams ..........................................34
Addressing local and regional needs ................................................35
British Columbia ....................................................................35
Alberta ..................................................................................37
Saskatchewan........................................................................38
Manitoba ..............................................................................39
Ontario .................................................................................40
Quebec .................................................................................42
Atlantic Canada .....................................................................43
Each summary includes our total United Way contribution for the region
Appendix
Who we support .............................................................................44
Scholarship, bursaries and awards ...................................................51
Team events ....................................................................................52
You can search a PDF of this Public Accountability Statement and order free printed copies on:
greatwestlife.com londonlife.com canadalife.com
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President’s Report Encouraging well-being
“I’m doing well, thanks.”
It’s a response we’ve all made with little thought, to a question that deserves a thoughtful response.
Achieving and maintaining well-being is a challenge for many individuals and families. Four out of five Canadians are at risk of developing a chronic disease at some point in their lives. Mental illness directly or indirectly affects all Canadians at some time, through a family member, friend or colleague. And while research shows that a majority of Canadians are on track to maintain their standard of living in retirement, there remains a significant segment of Canadian households (17 per cent) who risk seeing their standard of living decline when they retire.1
The road to well-being is unique for each of us. It reflects our family circumstances, our work, our environment and our personal health. That is part of the challenge. With so many factors at play, where do we start to help people make a positive difference in their financial, physical and mental well-being?
For our companies, the starting point is the nature of our business: working each day with customers to provide financial protection and help them achieve their financial goals now and far into the future. An important part of that is helping individuals make financially healthier choices – through one-on-one advice, user-friendly financial tools and by fostering greater financial literacy.
Along with financial security, factors such as good physical and mental health, safe workplaces, and abundant opportunities for social engagement and leisure are also fundamental. Workplaces are a natural avenue for supporting these various aspects of well-being. Smart use of data and digital tools by employers is making it easier for employees to access the information and supports to make choices that are healthier financially, physically and mentally.
By looking beyond the traditional role of a business enterprise, we can build relationships with diverse organizations to help deliver lasting solutions on a variety of fronts. One way is by working with various stakeholders on important public issues such as financing retirement and affordable healthcare. We also help by supporting charitable organizations, many of which are challenging themselves to find new ways of looking at issues and creating more sustainable results. By offering support, facilitating action, or providing leadership, we’re helping address needs from basic shelter and facilities for recreation and wellness, to a fuller understanding of depression.
We also promote well-being of communities by supporting the overall well-being of Canada’s charitable sector. As an Imagine Caring Company, we contribute directly to hundreds of organizations. Perhaps just as importantly, we’ve provided longstanding support for Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. This comprehensive program gives the country’s charitable sector a framework for achieving excellence across a spectrum of essential organizational needs. Good governance, sound financial management and effective human resources management and training all contribute to sustainable organizations that remain in a better position to meet their mission and serve their communities.
We’re able to add to the impact of these organizations through the generous spirit of individuals within our own organization. More than 11,000 staff members and thousands of our distribution associates across Canada not only help us deliver on our promises – they also help define how we connect with our local communities throughout the year. They donate to local food banks, collect backpacks stuffed with school supplies, and deliver toys during the holiday season and warm coats in winter. These individuals also step up as volunteers and fundraisers for important causes. They serve on professional organizations, volunteering their time and talents to issues from estate planning to environmental sustainability.
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Paul Mahon
A healthy environment is an essential aspect of community and personal well-being. We operate with our environmental impact in mind and we’re reporting on our results with a focus on transparency, measurement and improvement. Our impacts, including printing and paper usage, energy and water usage, and landfill waste are also our opportunities to perform better.
This capacity to share our time, expertise and resources also reflects our own well-being. To help our staff be at their best, we continue to improve our workplaces, through new opportunities to learn and grow, and new supports for health and wellness. Our focus on staff health and wellness in the workplace, our commitment to professional development and our support for staff involvement in the community earned us recognition in 2014 as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers.
In this report you’ll find many more examples of how we’re working with caring individuals and groups across the country to create value and improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians.
President and Chief Executive Officer
1. Statistics on:
• Canadians saving for retirement from Building on Canada’s Strong Retirement Readiness. McKinsey & Company, 2014.
• Chronic disease from Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013.
• Mental illness from Canadian Mental Health Association, 2013.
Our Commitment to Social Responsibility Responsible and ethical management has long been an intrinsic value of the company and is essential to long-term profitability and value creation. In addition to meeting the ethical standards set out in the company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the company strives to:
• support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;
• meet its responsibilities to minimize its environmental impact; and
• make a positive contribution in the communities where the company is established.
Core Values We conduct ourselves with integrity and ethical behaviour in all we do.
We value the trust placed in us by clients to help them achieve financial security, whether today, next year or decades into the future.
We value the relationships we have with advisors and the advice and service they provide for clients.
We value the trust placed in us by our shareholders to manage our affairs to achieve profitable and sustainable growth.
We value staff for their commitment to providing the highest quality service for advisors and clients, and for helping to build stronger communities.
We value the communities where we live and work and we help to make them stronger, as corporate citizens and as volunteers.
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Commitment to well-being 2014 at a glance
What does well-being look like? From vibrant communities and a healthy environment to financial security and protection against loss for individuals and families, here are some of the ways we contributed in 2014 to the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians.
Community funding across Canada $ 11.9
million donated for current needs and lasting change in our communities
900+opportunities
to support education, health and wellness, arts, social services and community development
More than
$2.1million raised through United Way campaigns, corporate teams and other staff support
Ontario 30%
National 23%
Manitoba 18%
Quebec 13%
British Columbia 6%
Alberta 3%
Saskatchewan 4%
Atlantic Canada 3%
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11,000+ staff
27,000+distribution associates supporting our clients
34.2% reduction GHG emissions at our corporate campuses 2007-2014
26.5 %reduction water consumption at our corporate campuses 2007-2014
$ 2.9billion in salaries, commissions and taxes
$ 93 billion
in retirement and other investment holdings for Canadians
$ 8.3 billion
in benefits paid
Delivering for Canadians In 2014, we:
• Launched a video series and provided tools to
help Canadians to make sound financial decisions
• Engaged with other healthcare stakeholders to
manage costs and help patients get better
• Continued to help expand awareness and action
around workplace mental health
Every day, people make decisions that affect their well-being. They may be financial decisions or those influencing health outcomes. Collectively, the impact of these decisions stretches beyond individuals and families to affect organizations, our social safety net and healthcare system and, ultimately, the Canadian economy.
Our approach to providing products and services emphasizes expert advice and consultation for individuals and employers alike, supported by a broad network of advisors, brokers and consultants in communities across Canada. We also focus on developing new tools, services and collaborations to help employers and individuals become more knowledgeable participants in national and personal discussions affecting their financial, physical and mental well-being.
Making sound financial decisions Financing retirement continues to be a national public issue. The decisions employers and plan members make today can profoundly impact the funds available for retirement. With the trend away from defined benefits plans toward defined contribution and voluntary plans, it’s often the personal decisions that will make the difference in the disposable income individuals have available in retirement.
In 2014, we introduced a plan sponsor resource centre to help employers use their plan data to spot trends within their plan and identify what steps to consider. Aggregate plan data can offer clues to help close gaps in plan member knowledge. For example, are older plan members moving away from higher-risk investments? If not, an employer might consider employee education seminars on managing investments as individuals approach retirement. The resource centre also helps employers assess the overall health of their plan and even ensure their plan is in compliance with regulations.
Nationally, we continue to sponsor the Capital Accumulation Plan (CAP) Benchmark Report to contribute to the national discussion around helping Canadians achieve their retirement goals. It also helps highlight areas of opportunity for educating plan members to better understand financial concepts. Great-West Life is the exclusive sponsor of this report, which is based on responses to the Benefits Canada/Canadian Institutional Investment Network survey of CAP sponsors.
Financial literacy is an important skill. Please see page 29 for information on our commitment to help the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada expand their Financial Decisions Matter programming and help equip more Canadians to make decisions for financial well-being.
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Long-term savings made easier
To help plan members with their long-term savings decisions, we introduced Simply speaking, an educational video series publicly available on Great-West Life’s Group Retirement Services YouTube channel. Simply speaking delivers complex financial concepts – like the value of diversification and implications of early withdrawal from savings – in an easy-to-understand, entertaining fashion.It’s about helping all Canadians better grasp key concepts that influence their financial well-being.
The Simply speaking series is also included in smartPATH 2.0, our interactive online retirement education, planning and saving resource for group retirement plan members, launched in 2013. SmartPATH 2.0’s immersive virtual neighbourhood can be customized to educate members about their specific group retirement and savings plan, while encouraging and facilitating enrolment. Responsive design makes the website accessible from desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices.
Part of Canada’s changing retirement savings landscape are the new pooled registered pension plans (PRPP) or voluntary retirement savings plan (VRSP) in Quebec. Enabled through provincial legislation, these plans are intended to bridge the pension gap for small and mid-size businesses and the self-employed.
In 2014, we introduced a VRSP that’s simple for smaller employers to set up and maintain, and for employees to participate in. Employees choose from clearly defined, understandable investment options. If they don’t make an investment choice, their contributions will be directed into a target-date fund that automatically diversifies and rebalances as employees approach their anticipated retirement dates. This offering builds on our VRSP website launched in 2012, where employers can access our
learning centre or speak with a VRSP specialist who can help them take the first step in setting up a VRSP.
We also introduced federal pooled registered pension plans (PRPPs) to help provide increased access to group savings plans to employees of federally regulated employers. Businesses and self-employed individuals in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut are also eligible to participate. The PRPP is intended to be a framework for provinces that must enact their own legislation in order to offer a PRPP, which can help Canadians achieve adequate retirement income.
One-on-one advice and consultation
Advisors build long-term relationships with their clients, working with them throughout their personal, family or business life cycle. Access to financial advice makes a difference; research shows that Canadians who work with an advisor have accumulated close to three times more assets after 15 years than those who do not work with an advisor.1
1. Econometric Models on the Value of Advice of a Financial Advisor, CIRANO, 2012. Page 9.
Our individual and group products and services are available through more than 27,000 advisors, brokers and consultants in hundreds of communities across Canada. Supported by an extensive network of sales and service staff, these advisors help provide individuals, families and businesses with access to financial security advice and solutions, most often right in their communities.
We’re also working with other stakeholders to help ensure consumers have access to sound advice. Through Quadrus Investment Services, we’re closely involved with the Investment Funds Institute of Canada’s (IFIC) vulnerable investor initiative. According to IFIC, seniors and near-seniors are by far the majority of mutual fund holders. IFIC
recognizes the need to develop best practices to help protect aging Canadians who may face diminished capacity to receive advice and make sound decisions about their finances.
Ensuring access to financial advice also involves helping clients when their advisor chooses to slow down or exit their business. We introduced an online guide for transition plans between generations of advisors. Our advisor succession support model helps ensure a smooth transition for all clients as advisors choose their own path to retirement and exit the business – thus ensuring consistent access to financial advice for all clients.
In 2014, Canada Life joined Life Happens, a not-for-profit industry organization dedicated to educating people about taking financial responsibility through ownership of life insurance and related products, including disability and long-term care insurance. Life Happens doesn’t endorse any product, organization or financial advisor. Its focus is helping people understand what they need to know to make sound decisions about protection for themselves and their families.
Our Simply speaking video series delivers complex financial concepts – like diversification and early withdrawal from savings – in an easy-to-understand, entertaining fashion.
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Making sound health decisions A major issue in Canada is healthcare. Along with other stakeholders – patient advocacy groups, physicians, pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy chains – we recognize that managing costs and helping patients get better is a collaborative effort. No single stakeholder can address all the issues.
In 2014, we continued to work with other insurers and pharmacy associations on the Pharmacy Health Insurance Steering Committee. This group aims to better connect Canadians with the medication expertise pharmacists can offer. This can help improve health outcomes for patients, including preventative care and helping individuals manage chronic diseases. The committee arose from the 2013 policy paper, Ensuring the Accessibility, Affordability and Sustainability of Prescription Drugs in Canada, from the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association.
An example of the value of collaboration is our Diabetes Support Program for plan members. In 2013, we pioneered this program in collaboration with a major pharmacy chain with support of the Canadian Diabetes Association. The results are
encouraging. After a 30-minute intervention with a pharmacist, approximately half of all patients with a follow-up appointment showed a clinically significant improvement. That number increased fourfold after pharmacists consulted with their patient’s physician. This can help the patients reduce the risk of future complications, reduce trips to the emergency room, and reduce absenteeism and short-term and long-term disability claims.
Managing costs and helping patients get better is a collaborative effort. No single stakeholder can address all the issues.
As with retirement savings programs, sound decision making is also critical to the sustainability of other benefits plans, and prescription drug plans in particular. For many Canadians, their employer’s drug plan is their main, and sometimes only, source of prescription drug coverage. Balancing the health needs of plan members with the need for plan sustainability is a complex issue.
• Our Drug Plan Performance Report offers strong data and analytics to help plan sponsors understand what’s happening with their drug plans and identify opportunities to save costs while maintaining coverage to support employee health. The report anticipates questions sponsors may have as they seek to make sound decisions in drug plan design. Advisors are now able to run these reports for their clients, allowing them to better support sponsors in considering plan design options.
• Our Health & Wellness Site for plan members offers information to help them manage their physical and mental health plus an interactive Health Risk Assessment (HRA). In 2015, we’ll update the HRA to offer a more in-depth assessment, providing plan members with a more targeted action plan and the ability to track changes in their personal health risk factors over time.
• Aggregate data gathered from the HRA will help plan sponsors understand the risk factors among their members, target wellness programs, measure the total cost of absenteeism and presenteeism, and monitor progress. With extensive sections on work-life balance and depression, this tool will provide insight into both physical and mental wellness.
• DrugHub is our free app that gives Canadians a virtual medicine cabinet in their pocket. It provides a searchable database of information on thousands of medications and prescription drugs. As well as learning about ingredients, possible side effects and interactions, users can set reminders to take their medication and refill prescriptions. An updated version of DrugHub released mid-year includes automatic drug database updates and colour coding of prescriptions by family member to help caregivers manage drug adherence.
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Providing access where you live and work
• Clients have access to one-on-one advice through 27,000+ advisors, brokers and consultants in hundreds of communities across Canada.
• Mobile technology allows plan members to look up benefit plan information and submit claims through their smartphones.
• A free smartphone app, DrugHub, allows Canadians to research and manage prescription drugs for themselves and their families, wherever they are.
• The Great-West Life Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube spaces give Canadians another way to connect with us about insurance and financial topics that matter to them, to learn more about our company and to reach out when they need help.
• Secure websites offer employers online access to plan data, as well as tools and resources to better understand and manage their benefit and pension plans.
Focus on mental health in the workplace With half a million Canadians missing work any given week due to mental health issues,2 managing workplace mental health is a vital, but still not well understood, issue. Employers are seeking evidence-based resources to help increase understanding and take action.
2. Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2014.
As a large employer and a provider of group disability benefits, we see first-hand the significant impact mental health issues have on absence and disability, and as well on presenteeism and decreased productivity.
Since 2007, we’ve worked to make helpful information and practical resources freely available to employers across Canada through the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace (the Centre). They can use these resources to support employee success when mental health is a factor.
On a larger scale, workplace psychological health and safety has emerged as an important priority for government and employers. The Centre has responded with organizational tools to improve psychological health and safety in the workplace.
The Centre has always supported collaboration between stakeholders to achieve a greater impact. In 2014, the Centre again worked to foster collaboration and provide support.
“With over 23,000 downloads of the Standard in the first two years, it’s clear that the issue of psychological health and safety in the workplace is at the forefront for a growing number of Canadian and international organizations.”
– Mary Ann Baynton, Program Director for the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace
The Centre’s Executive Director, Mike Schwartz, Senior Vice-President of Group Benefits, Great-West Life, took part in a mental health roundtable hosted by the Economic Club of Canada. He joined the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Status of Women; Dr. Karen R. Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Psychological Association; and Chris Anderson, President of Medaca Health Group, in discussing approaches to addressing workplace mental health and ways that employers can foster a psychologically healthy and inclusive work environment.
The Centre’s Program Director, Mary Ann Baynton, had the opportunity to share insights with Ministers of Labour from across Canada at their gathering in Halifax this year.
A national step forward
In early 2014, the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard) marked its first anniversary. The voluntary Standard provides a process organizations can use to support a psychologically healthy and safe workplace for all employees. Establishing the Standard was a significant step forward for Canada, and the Centre played an instrumental role in its initiation and development.
The Centre has continued its support, working with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) and the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) to release a comprehensive implementation guide to help Canadian employers fully adopt the Standard. The handbook, entitled Assembling the Pieces: An Implementation Guide to the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, is available at no cost through a download link on the Centre’s website, Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (see sidebar on page 13).
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The Centre is also helping to support the MHCC’s three-year case study into the experiences of more than 40 organizations across Canada working towards implementing the Standard, including Great-West Life. The purpose of the project is to implement and evaluate the Standard, openly share results and facilitate future adoption. As a participant, we’ve committed to adopting the Standard within the three years and sharing our experiences with the MHCC.
Helping all organizations implement the Standard
Complementing the focus of the Centre, we’re also helping Mindful Employer Canada expand its reach. Mindful Employer is a forum for organizations and individuals including executives, managers, union reps, human resources and occupational health professionals to make a public commitment toward positive workplace mental health. The organization’s Mindful Employer Charter is free and open to any employer in Canada. Mindful Employer regards its charter as a complementary starting point toward adoption of the Standard.
Our funding supports a video-based webinar, Managing Complex Accommodation in the Workplace, and chapter materials for an associated discussion in 2015.
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has been active in workplace mental health issues for more than 15 years, raising awareness and providing resources and training for corporate Canada. CMHA has been developing solutions at both the individual and organizational levels and influencing policies and practices across governments, labour and business.
Our funding as National Development Sponsor enabled CMHA to hire a National Director for their Workforce Mental Health Collaborative. This position is driving cross-Canada co-ordination and Standard-based unified resources and tools. As a result, local CMHA chapters will be better able to help a wider range of organizations adhere to the Standard and improve mental health in their workplaces.
The Centre is providing consultation and promotional support for the University of Fredericton’s Certificate in Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. This program aims at helping workforce leaders plan for, implement and address issues of psychological health and safety in the workplace. This is Canada’s first fully online certificate program focused on the Standard. Courses cover psychological health and safety concepts, guiding principles of the Standard, creating and evaluating effective programs, and keeping them at the forefront.
Supporting Employee Success: a shared effort
In 2013, a group of Canada’s top occupational health and safety professionals recognized the disconnect in return-to-work and accommodation planning between employees, their healthcare professionals and employers when mental health is a factor. They set out to develop a resource that would facilitate greater collaboration. The result was Supporting Employee Success, a new accommodation resource aimed at helping bridge the gap between the ability of healthcare professionals to support employee well-being, and that of a manager to support workplace success.
Launched in June 2014 at the Ontario Occupational Health Nurses Association’s annual conference, Supporting Employee Success – A Tool to Plan Accommodations that Support Success at Work is a process that:
• Helps assess work-related triggers for emotional or cognitive issues.
• Supports a thoughtful approach to finding accommodations that may best support the employee to be successful.
• Facilitates the employee’s well-being while meeting the requirement for a safe and productive workplace.
Supporting Employee Success was supported and funded by the Centre and is available at no cost on the Centre’s website, Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.
The first national Psychological Safety Award
The Centre joined Canadian Occupational Safety magazine in the development of the first national award for protecting the psychological safety of employees. The Psychological Safety Award focuses exclusively on efforts to identify and reduce or eliminate psychological hazards in the workplace such as bullying, harassment and chronic pressure. The recipient of the award was Wellington County, ON, for integrating protection from psychological injury as part of their overall health and safety approach. The Centre presented the Psychological Safety Award at Canada’s Safest Employers Awards in October in Toronto.
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The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace
The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace (the Centre) is a leading source of free, practical tools and resources designed to help Canadian employers with prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
Our website at www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com is the primary vehicle through which we make these resources available to employers and organizations, at no cost.
Resources include:
• Guarding Minds @ Work (psychological health and safety assessment tools).
• Working Through It (videos from real people who struggled with mental health issues at work).
• Take Your Break (email subscription: workplace daily break activity ideas).
• On the Agenda (videos and presentations on factors that impact psychological health and safety): in 2014, together with the University of Waterloo, the Centre completed a free On the Agenda video series that can be used to help employers pave the way for discussions and development of action plans to create healthier work teams.
• Managing Mental Health Matters (management training, video modules).
• Psychological Health and Safety Management System (organizational framework to help develop a psychological safety program).
• Supporting Employee Success, an accommodation resource to bridge the gap between healthcare professionals to support employee well-being, and that of a manager to support workplace success.
• Free Training and Tools (posters, brochures, booklets, reports, all free and ready to print).
There are also articles to read, links to news releases and items related to mental health in the workplace, lists of third-party resources in the field, and more.
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Economic impact From investment activities to purchasing supplies and services, to paying salaries and commissions and taxes, our operations and services contribute to a stronger Canadian economy.
Impact through service to Canadians
Our customers rely on us to deliver on our promises. The products we provide also contribute to a strong Canadian economy.
In 2014, we:
• Helped more than 40,000 families cope with loss, paying out more than $2 billion in life insurance claims.
• Provided income for over 75,000 people who became disabled and could no longer work.
• Paid over 50 million claims representing more than $4 billion in health and dental benefits for plan members.
• Made over $800 million of payout annuity payments, helping Canadians fund their retirement with a secure income stream.
Employment across Canada
In 2014, we employed more than 11,000 people, and paid more than $914 million in total compensation. We also paid out $1.4 billion in commissions to our distribution associates. These funds flow through to hundreds of communities across Canada in which our employees live and work.
Province Regular Full-time
Staff
Regular Part-time
Staff
Temporary & Casual
Staff
2014 Total
British Columbia 522 13 13 548
Alberta 537 15 11 563
Saskatchewan 590 9 48 647
Manitoba 2,990 200 119 3,309
Ontario 4,875 122 216 5,213
Quebec 857 42 31 930
New Brunswick 39 1 0 40
Nova Scotia 136 1 3 140
Prince Edward Island 4 0 1 5
Newfoundland and Labrador 17 0 1 18
Total 10,567 403 443 11,413
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Investments to spur growth
We make long-term investments which support growth in the Canadian economy while helping Canadians reach their financial goals.
Our commercial mortgages, public bond and private placement investments provide opportunities for businesses and governments to help create employment, fund research and development, and support infrastructure, healthcare and renewable energy projects. As seen in the table to the right, in 2014, we funded more than $2 billion in new private debt and commercial mortgages across Canada.
In 2014, we invested $25 million in the Province of Ontario’s inaugural Green Bonds, which are designed to help finance transit and other environmentally friendly projects across the province. Green Bonds raise awareness of climate and environmental challenges and allow investors to support green initiatives. We also invested more than $200 million in solar power projects.
We offer a broad range of investment offerings including socially responsible investing mandates which give clients a meaningful way to help ensure their investments promote a higher level of environmental sustainability, social responsibility and corporate governance. Clients benefit from professional portfolio management services as well as screening and review processes for socially responsible investing.
These unique investment opportunities are available to our individual, group, and institutional clients. Our subsidiary GLC Asset Management Group Ltd. has provided strong and consistent professional investment management services for socially responsible investing mandates for over a decade.
In addition to our conservative credit and underwriting standards, each commercial property is reviewed to ensure it meets important environmental criteria.
New Private Debt and Commercial Mortgage Fundings January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014
In $ Thousands $100 - 249 $250 - 499 $500 - 999 $1,000 - 4,999 $5,000 & greater Total
$ # Of
Accts $
# Of Accts
$ # Of
Accts $
# Of Accts
$ # Of
Accts $
# Of Accts
British Columbia - - - - - - 7,738 3 463,617 23 471,355 26
Alberta - - - - - - 22,350 8 449,588 14 471,938 22
Saskatchewan - - - - - - - - 23,534 1 23,534 1
Manitoba - - - - - - 12,603 4 165,518 6 178,121 10
Ontario 1,256 7 1,245 4 8,967 12 108,035 37 837,116 38 956,619 98
Quebec - - - - - - - - 237,866 7 237,866 7
New Brunswick - - 441 1 - - - - - - 441 1
Nova Scotia - - - - - - - - 17,500 1 17,500 1
Prince Edward Island - - - - - - - - - - - -
Newfoundland and Labrador - - - - - - - - - - - -
Territories - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total $1,256 7 $1,686 5 $8,967 12 $150,726 52 $2,194,739 90 $2,357,374 166
Income, Capital, Premium and Other Taxes* (In $ Thousands)
*Other Taxes includes GST/HST, provincial sales tax, payroll tax, business tax, and property tax.
Federal Government 200,250
British Columbia 40,932
Alberta 37,398
Saskatchewan 15,987
Manitoba 29,895
Ontario 209,973
Quebec 68,257
New Brunswick 6,265
Nova Scotia 11,303
Prince Edward Island 2,063
Newfoundland and Labrador 10,416
Territories 1,786
Total $634,525
Impact through taxes In 2014, we paid more than $634 million in taxes to municipal, provincial and federal governments through our operations across Canada.
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Operational Integrity
In planning for their future well-being, individuals, families and organizations count on us to deliver on the promises we make. In our business, those promises can extend decades into the future.
The people we serve can count on a very strong culture of governance ingrained throughout our organization to ensure we deliver on our promises. That culture is supported by a governance and oversight structure that has been developed over decades of successful performance.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides the highest level of oversight for management of the diverse businesses of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. The Board discharges its duties directly or through one of its seven committees: Audit, Conduct Review, Compensation, Governance and Nominating, Risk, Executive, and Investment.
Our Board includes Directors who are knowledgeable about the affairs of our affiliated companies, which allows them to offer insight at both the holding company and operating company levels. Our governance structure is further strengthened by an executive management team that includes highly experienced leaders in oversight functions.
The Board believes diversity is important to ensure the necessary range of perspectives, experience and expertise required to achieve effective stewardship and management. This is formalized through a Board and Senior Management Diversity Policy.
This governance structure has been key to our company’s strong track record of consistently providing solid returns for our shareholders and policyholders, and of financial strength and security for our staff and clients.
Responsible oversight
We have rigorous standards and processes in place throughout our organization supporting operational integrity. Our business operations are fully accountable for ensuring the decisions they make meet these standards. Management of risk, finance, actuarial and compliance matters is built into reporting, monitoring, business planning and operations, product design, and distribution activities.
In addition, our governance structure includes a robust oversight framework independent of our business operations. Under this framework, central functions – including Risk Management, Compliance, Financial, Actuarial and Internal Audit – provide independent validation of our business processes and policies. As well, these central functions stay abreast of emerging issues through activities such as environmental scans, participation in industry and regulatory forums, engagement in industry market research to identify key emerging trends, and dialogue with federal and provincial regulators.
These oversight functions report directly to the relevant Board committees on oversight matters. Internal reviews of their mandate and effectiveness are conducted annually, along with periodic effectiveness reviews by an independent external advisory firm.
Our corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities are overseen by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. This important area, which includes our annual Public Accountability Statement, is led by the Chief Financial Officer, Canada.
Codes and policies
Ultimately it is individuals who, throughout their daily activities, must act with integrity and a clear understanding of their role. We have codes and policies in place to guide employees at all levels and advisors in their interactions with customers and other stakeholders. All employees and advisors are expected to know and follow the relevant policies in their day-to-day work.
These policies and procedures include:
• Code of Business Conduct and Ethics – Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors, Officers and Employees must be reviewed and acknowledged each year by all Board members and staff of our organization. Through a communication program and an online ethics quiz, we help staff increase their level of knowledge about the Code and its application in day-to-day business. Advisors and brokers must comply with specialized Codes of Business Conduct and Ethics in all their interactions on behalf of our companies.
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• Privacy – Our business operations are responsible for protecting the privacy of customer information they receive. They work with our Compliance area to maintain consistent policies and practices to protect privacy. As well, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics includes privacy guidelines. These guidelines describe our commitment to privacy and explain the principles that guide us in protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information. All staff and advisors are expected to know and meet these requirements in their daily interactions with clients.
• Data security – Our Information Security Policy reinforces that data security is the responsibility of everyone in our organization. It sets standards for protecting information such as appointing information owners, classifying information, conducting reference checks and ensuring security measures are in place.
• Business continuity – All business areas are required to maintain current business continuity plans, to help ensure we can maintain essential customer services in the event of a disaster or unplanned interruption of business anywhere in Canada where we operate. We periodically conduct reviews and tests of these plans to ensure they stay current.
• Accessibility – The company supports the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and is working to apply the principles in all our locations across Canada. We have established policies and procedures supporting accessibility, which are posted on our websites. In 2014, all employees across Canada were provided with online training on accessibility. Accessibility training is part of the orientation for new employees.
In addition, we have policies and procedures in place to help staff in a variety of roles:
• Ensure financial information is accurate, timely, informative and understandable. Our Accounting Complaints Handling Procedures encourage staff to report any concerns about accounting, internal financial controls or auditing matters.
• Detect and prevent potential claims fraud on behalf of plan sponsors.
• Detect and deter potential money laundering activities.
• Comply with anti-spam legislation.
New Canadian anti-spam legislation (CASL) took effect on July 1, 2014, placing restrictions on sending commercial electronic messages.
We have undertaken a campaign of education and training for our business units and staff, including our sales offices and distribution associates, to help ensure a clear understanding of how to comply with the legislation.
Ombudsman service
Across our businesses, we work to foster a culture that focuses on the needs of our clients. This means understanding their point of view and presenting solutions that take into account their interests. It also means we strive to be prompt and fair in our decisions and actions.
Our goal is to address client concerns through channels and processes we have established for resolving complaints, discrepancies and other issues.
Clients can address their concerns directly to their usual business contact or to management. Should the business unit be unable to resolve a concern, we have an internal Ombudsman’s Office to respond to client concerns.
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life are members of the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance. This independent service provides guidance to consumers regarding their complaints through the industry-wide complaints resolution process, and assists consumers with questions and concerns about life and health insurance products and services.
Vendor relations
Annually we purchase more than $400 million in products and services across Canada. This ranges from office supplies, computers and cellphones to courier services, fresh produce for our cafeterias, cleaning supplies and janitorial services.
When determining suitability to work with us, we review the organizational strength and financial strength of potential vendors. As part of our process, we also ask them to describe their strategy and activities relating to the environment, sustainability, and other facets of corporate social responsibility. In addition to this, vendors must also agree to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or allow us to review their Code to ensure it satisfies our organizational standards.
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Our Workplaces In 2014, we:
• Enhanced our benefits program to better
support the health and wellness of staff
• Introduced a core training program supporting
leadership development
• Supported our staff and distribution associates
in their efforts to give back to the communities
where they live and work
Inviting workplaces People with a strong connection to their workplace are better able to develop their skills, perform well and put their talents and expertise to use. A balance between work and home, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and supports for health and well-being all help make this connection. As job seekers and employees alike look for more than a paycheque, we’ve put a focus on building strong communities within our organization and in the neighbourhoods around us.
Building careers
In our 2013 employee engagement survey, staff expressed the desire for enhanced professional development opportunities. In 2014, we launched the Take the Lead leadership development program. The program consists of a series of five core leadership courses that are required training for all leaders. The program is designed to enhance the support leaders provide staff in their current roles and in preparing for future roles in our organization. By year-end, more than 650 leaders had participated in Take the Lead courses. The next phase will offer additional development opportunities to leaders in various levels throughout the organization.
For all staff, we offer online and in-person training and cover the cost of relevant external education, to a maximum of $2,000 annually. In 2014, more than 7,000 staff took advantage of this training support. In 2015, we will continue to look at ways to support staff in developing themselves and their careers within our organization, including
helping staff prepare for future roles and continue to develop in their current role or department.
We offer specific career development support to those seeking further training in actuarial or accounting disciplines. Our Actuarial
Program supports staff actively pursuing the Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA) designation. The
program is designed to motivate and reward participants as they work toward this designation, while helping them
develop leadership and interpersonal skills. Candidates rotate among departments approximately every two years to gain exposure to new development and professional growth opportunities. We currently have close to 170 FCIAs and actuarial students on staff and an additional 64 university students were hired for term positions this year.
In 2014, we were selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and Manitoba’s Top 25 Employers based on our focus on staff health and wellness in the workplace, our commitment to professional development, and our support for staff involvement in the community.
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In 2007, we became one of the first organizations in Western Canada to establish a Chartered Accountant (CA) Training Office outside of public practice. With the creation of the new Chartered Professional Accountant designation, we became a CPA training office and launched a second CPA training office in our London head office in 2014. Through 2014, 10 CA students have completed the program and are employed with us. A further 10 students are working to achieve their CPA designation.
We are proud supporters of the new CPA designation. The CPA Training provides candidates with the opportunity to see our organization from many different perspectives within rotational departments. Students receive mentorship throughout the program that strengthens the foundation for their future in our organization.
Staff are encouraged to contribute their time and expertise to industry-related projects as members of boards of directors and committees or through volunteering at events. Staff also contribute to industry standards and best practices and gain professional knowledge through professional associations and with local chambers of commerce.
The United Way Loaned Representative Sponsored Employee Program is also an excellent way to enhance leadership skills while working for the community. In 2014, we loaned a staff member to United Way in each of Winnipeg, Toronto and London. The successful applicants each received a 14- to 16-week paid leave from their role with our organization to provide support to workplace United Way fundraising campaigns with other employers.
Reaching out for a talented workforce As our business environment and customer expectations change, the range of skills and professions we need in our business is changing as well. In addition to more traditional job postings and career fairs, we are actively forming new relationships with organizations that help us reach out to an increasingly diverse range of talent. For example, in Manitoba, we regularly conduct career presentations and take part in employer panels with Manitoba Start – an organization that specializes in employment support and training for those immigrating to Manitoba. We sponsor and participate in a career symposium with Ability Axis, a special initiative to increase workforce participation by Manitobans with disabilities.
We recognize the value that diversity in our staff and management group offers for our business and the community. We are committed to offering an inclusive work environment that supports career development and opportunities for all staff.
The growing diversity in jobs and professionals also makes it even more important to have effective processes in place to ensure fair and competitive compensation. Our job description and evaluation process helps ensure that jobs are assessed fairly, based on factors such as skill set, level of supervision required and impact on our customers and our organization. This also helps us meet our commitment to transparency and equity in compensation.
Students gaining practical experience
We work collaboratively with a variety of educational institutions and organizations to offer students the opportunity to gain work experience and get a start on a career.
We offer work experience opportunities in our major offices in Winnipeg, Toronto, London and Regina. In 2014, we hosted students from programs such as business economics, human resource management, office administration and information services. Some of those students gained permanent employment in our human resources, group insurance and information services areas.
In addition to working with education institutions, we also work with organizations such as Saskatchewan Abilities and the Regina Immigrant Women Centre to offer work experience placements, which can lead to employment.
These work experience programs are in addition to the career development support we provide through our actuarial program and chartered accountant training offices.
A snapshot of our workforce in 2014
• We hired 1,550 staff across Canada
• 1,361 staff moved to new roles in our organization
• Our voluntary turnover rate was 6.6 per cent (not including retirements)
• 69.1% of our workforce was female
• 40.7% of our management group was female0 20 40 60 80 100
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Onsite supports for health and wellness
Staff can access a range of supports to help them manage their well-being, including:
• Onsite fitness centres, for a nominal monthly fee, in some of our major locations.
• Cafeterias in some major locations, offering healthy food options.
• Special events and promotions, such as Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month (see right) and Commuter Challenge (see page 25).
• Staff clubs and other organized activities offering social connections and, for those who convene, leadership skill development.
• Confidential health services provided by Registered Nurses, with related services for field offices. In 2014, Health Services handled approximately 23,000 staff requests including:
• Nursing assessments
• Assistance with personal medical issues, including mental health issues
• Support with workplace ergonomics
• Attendance at wellness initiatives like “lunch and learns”, meditation sessions and immunization clinics
• Assistance with requesting accommodation in the workplace for medical reasons.
Resources for staying healthy and well We made enhancements to our benefits program in 2014, keeping our program competitive and responding to staff feedback from our 2013 employee engagement survey.
• We enhanced paramedical coverage and eliminated some deductibles in our health and dental plan.
• We introduced a company-funded, flexible wellness account, effective January 1, 2015. Staff can use funds from the wellness account for a wide range of products and services that improve health and well-being such as fitness and sports equipment and fees, alternative healing therapies, nutritional counseling and items or courses that support continuous learning in areas of personal interest.
• Also effective January 1, we introduced company-paid personal days. Permanent staff are eligible for two personal days per calendar year that can be used for any number of reasons including attending appointments, staying home with sick family members, and running errands.
Additionally, we enhanced our share ownership plan (SOP) for staff, to help them access their funds more readily. The company-subsidized SOP is a voluntary plan that gives eligible staff members the opportunity to invest in the company and share in its performance. For every $2 a staff member contributes to the SOP, the company contributes $1.
These new offerings are in addition to the comprehensive, flexible benefits plan we already offer staff.
Employee benefits are designed so staff can choose the coverage that best meets their needs and the needs of their family.
These benefits include:
• Life insurance for employees, their partner and children, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability benefit options.
• Healthcare and dentalcare.
• Employee and family assistance program.
• Best Doctors® medical referral service.
• Maternity and parental leave salary top-up.
• Pension plan and Group Registered Retirement Savings Plans with a broad spectrum of investment options.
• Access to our Group Retirement Services portal, GRS Access, for account information and retirement planning resources.
• Access to home and tenant insurance and home mortgages.
In October, as in years past, we supported staff activities for Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month (CHWM). This year, more than 1,200 staff in 33 teams competed for the Healthy Office Achievement Award. Departments were encouraged to form an office team and participate in wellness activities during the month using CHWM weekly themes as a guide. Staff also took part in individual initiatives, like a recipe challenge – which called on participants to give an original recipe a healthy makeover by reducing or substituting unhealthy ingredients – and stair-climbing trivia challenges. The idea is to encourage habits that will stick well beyond a single month.
As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting healthy workplaces across the country, Great-West Life was again the presenting sponsor of Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month.
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Mental health resources for staff
In addition to financial and physical well-being, we continue to add resources to help support the mental well-being of employees.
In 2014, we introduced Not Myself Today, a program to help open up dialogue and reduce stigma about mental health in our workplaces. Leaders across our organization are asked to host team meetings to start the discussion and dispel misconceptions that might prevent staff from talking about their illness or seeking support that can help them be more successful at work. Resources, including a guide for hosting meetings, were made available to leaders.
In 2013, we were one of 40 companies in Canada to sign an agreement to participate in a three-year case study to monitor the implementation of elements of the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard), openly share results and facilitate future adoption. Now in our second year of participation, we’ve continued working toward our commitment of adopting the Standard and sharing our experiences with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. See page 11 for more information.
Lunch-and-learn sessions through the year also put a focus on mental health. These efforts complement the training that our leaders, along with all staff, receive on respect, office safety and accessibility – key elements in how we aim to make ourworkplaces appealing for staff at every level of responsibility.
Community engagement Inside and outside of our offices, in communities across the country, our people are making a positive impact through their volunteer efforts. Through financial support and a range of programs for volunteer activities, we support staff involved in the causes they care about, whether on their own time or through the workplace.
Our annual national United Way workplace campaign engaged our staff through various initiatives planned by volunteer United Way committees across the country. Our people took part in stair climbs, speakers series, breakfasts, prize draws, jeans days and more. Staff raised $1.4 million for United Way in their communities. Thirty-nine per cent of staff donated to 54 campaigns in the communities where we live and work. Find out more about our involvement with the United Way in regions across Canada on pages –36-43.
United Way’s Day of Caring initiative has added an extra dimension to our engagement and support. In October, a record 37 teams of staff took on the challenge of a Day of Caring project in their city. This was the second year staff had the opportunity to help with United Way affiliated projects in Regina, Winnipeg, London, Toronto and Montreal. From sorting food and clothing donations to landscaping and cleaning facilities, staff worked as a team while learning more about services in their own communities.
Another example is the hundreds of volunteer hours our staff and advisors have committed toward Habitat for Humanity builds. This year, staff from our Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Burlington/ Hamilton and Winnipeg centres built eight homes for qualifying families. For the past 10 years, staff members – including Dave Johnston, President and COO, who took part in the 2014 Habitat for Humanity Manitoba CEO Build – have participated in builds, adding the hands and the
heart to our organization’s more than 20 years of financial support for Habitat.
For the past six years, we’ve held an annual national corporate food drive in connection with our support for Food Banks Canada. This year, staff from our five major centres and 38 of our field offices collected more than 67,000 lbs of food to help feed the many Canadians who rely on local food banks every month in communities across the country. Through passion, team spirit, department challenges and city rivalries, staff have made grocery gathering a friendly competition, donating 252,000 pounds of food toward the initiative since 2009.
Across Canada, staff donated approximately 1,100 units of blood to Canadian Blood Services (CBS). We’ve been supporters of CBS for some time and we strengthened this connection by introducing a National Partnership with their Partners for Life program. Through this initiative, we’ll be able to set an annual pledge amount and track the amount of blood staff members donate right across Canada.
“This commitment gives us the opportunity to build on our existing local partnerships and ongoing success. By encouraging more staff to give blood, we’ll save more lives and do more for our communities.” – Annastasia Lambert, Health Services
In 2014, we donated $52,000 to organizations through 57 Community Volunteer Grants. The grants are in recognition of the individual volunteer commitments of staff, adding to the impact of their generous donation of time.
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Environment In 2014, we:
• Participated in the CDP (Carbon Disclosure
Project), earning a Canadian leadership
designation
• Reduced our internal printing by
9.5 per cent over 2013
• Reduced emissions across our managed
real estate portfolio by 21 per cent
(2007-2014)
Sustaining our commitment to the environment Measurement, transparency and continuous improvement are all cornerstones of our approach to environmental management. With the environment as a factor for everyone’s well-being, minimizing our environmental footprint is a key element of how we operate responsibly.
For a second consecutive year, our Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Canadian operations took part in the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) to publicly report on the impact we have on the environment, and to take an independent measure of our progress in reducing it.
A CDP submission includes data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from electricity consumption, fossil fuel use, waste to landfill, and water utilization. The submission further outlines our perspective on the risks and opportunities presented by climate change, our governance and strategic response to climate change, and our GHG emissions targets and reduction initiatives across the organization.
Our score of 98B for 2014 improved compared to our 67B score for 2013. The two-part score measures how we factor climate change into planning, and how thoroughly we report on our operations. The 98B score earned us a place on CDP’s Canada 200 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index, reflecting a high level of transparency in the disclosure of climate-related information.
In 2015, we will formalize our Environmental Sustainability Policy. It will be available through our company websites.
Reducing emissions at our corporate campuses
We track the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for our corporate campuses in Winnipeg, London, Toronto and Regina:
• From 2007-2014, our corporate campuses recorded a 34.2 per cent decrease in GHG emissions.
• For the past year (2013-2014), our corporate campuses recorded a 3.9 per cent decrease in GHG emissions.
• By volume, our GHG emissions reductions in 2014 compared to 2007 were 4,755 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). This is the equivalent of taking 1,001 cars off the road for one year or planting approximately 121,923 seedlings and growing them for 10 years.
In addition, we’re working to reduce our emissions in the properties we manage on behalf of our real estate clients. See page 26 for more information.
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Environmental footprint: our corporate campuses GHG Emissions Intensity Energy Intensity
Water Consumption Landfill Waste
In accordance with industry best practices, all historical data has been updated to reflect the most current conversion and emission factors at the time of publishing.
Energy, water, and landfill waste data for 2012 through 2014 includes an additional property, the Winnipeg Data Centre, which became operational in June 2012.
Printing and paper
In 2014, we continued an organization-wide initiative to reduce printing, and realized significant reductions in the amount of paper we use in our operations. All of our business areas are providing more data electronically and digitally to our clients. For our small business group benefits customers, for example, we’ve reduced production of printed materials by 50 per cent.
• Multi-function devices (MFDs), which replace older and less-efficient printers, copiers, fax machines and scanners into one high-capacity, energy-efficient device, are now in more than a quarter of our offices. We plan to use MFDs exclusively in our five head offices and all of our field offices by the end of 2016. These devices include options to facilitate less printing – for example, faxes can be forwarded to email, instead of printing. Because we’re using less than half the number of individual devices than previously, MFDs are also helping us reduce our energy use.
• Our in-house print facility in London, ON holds Chain-of-Custody certification (SW-COC-003666) from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada. Under FSC certification, forests are certified against a set of strict environmental and social standards, and fibre from certified forests is tracked all the way to the consumer through the Chain-of-Custody certification system. Most of our print marketing materials are printed on FSC-certified paper.
• Overall, our in-house print facility printed approximately 7.8 million fewer pages in 2014 than in 2013, a reduction of 9.5 per cent. We expect to continue achieving reductions as we pursue digital alternatives to printing internally and externally.
• Our major vendor of paper, along with the mills that provide the vendor with most of the paper we use, certifies their commitment to offering products that meet stringent environmental criteria. The vendor, for example, supports forestry certifications that are socially beneficial and economically viable through its own Chain-of-Custody certifications.
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Reducing waste by recycling, composting and repurposing
Recycling programs and services are in place across our operations and staff are encouraged to recycle. In our head offices, containers on each floor at all properties help us separate garbage from recyclable paper, cardboard, glass, tin and electronic components. There are also organic waste bins for food waste.
In 2014, our corporate offices recycled a total of 75 tonnes of cardboard, 117 tonnes of organics (compost), and 587 tonnes of paper.
Our recycling efforts include a compost program for our cafeterias. Across our corporate campuses, approximately 117 tonnes of organic waste have been taken away annually in recent years. These materials become fertilizing soil rather than landfill.
In Toronto, in addition to having containers on each floor at all properties that separate garbage from
recyclable paper, cardboard, glass, tin and electronic components, there are also
organic waste bins for food waste.
Go Green with GroupNet
Our Group Insurance division’s Go Green with GroupNet for Plan Members contest encouraged plan members to use our free secure website to reduce paper use and waste. By enrolling for this service, plan members can submit electronic claims and sign up for direct deposit instead of submitting paper claims and receiving paper cheques and statements.
More than 80,000 of our plan members signed up for direct deposit in 2014, an increase of 65 per cent by comparison to the previous year.
Staff at our Canada Life campus in Toronto took Waste Reduction Week (October 20-26) to heart. Cafeteria management created a greener dining experience by introducing new recycling stations with signage outlining what can be disposed of in each bin, as well as more environmentally friendly napkins and napkin dispensers, and recyclable takeout containers. Building tenants dining in the cafeteria are now encouraged to use available china dinnerware for a zero-waste lunch. Coffee and tea drinkers can now purchase a reusable cup.
Meanwhile, our Mackenzie Investments facilities team at the campus set out to remind staff that the use of a reusable coffee cup or thermos can prevent waste, one cup at a time. They built a pyramid of 544 used cups collected from staff over two weeks to show what ends up in a landfill.
We also engage in co-operative projects to repurpose property assets, including office furniture and equipment, that we no longer need.
Since December 2009, we have completed 68 sustainability projects with Green Standards, a vendor that collects and redistributes these items. Through our 2014 projects, we diverted 81 tons of refuse from landfill, resulting in more than $93,000 of in-kind donations to charitable organizations. In turn, these charities are best able to direct our donated items within their communities where they are needed most.
This 81-ton landfill diversion has resulted in a reduction of 275 tonnes of CO2e. This is equal to:
• Reducing gasoline consumption by 30,820 gallons.
• Growing 7,045 tree seedlings for 10 years.
• Offsetting electricity use from 38 homes for one year.
Making our London Life Centre more sustainable
Our London Life campus has undergone numerous lighting retrofits to improve operational efficiency and tenant comfort. Among ongoing improvements, we have swapped out old, inefficient boilers for newer energy-efficient natural-gas-fired boilers. These efforts have contributed to the 10 per cent energy reduction at these facilities between 2012 and 2014.
In 2014, we replaced a significant portion of the roof on campus buildings with more thermally efficient materials, with work continuing into 2015. We’ve also completed numerous lighting retrofits across our London facilities. The lighting retrofits have helped achieve energy savings of more than 170,000 kWh, as estimated from the Ontario Power Authority’s saveONenergy program.
While energy efficiency has been a priority, we have also focused on increasing water-use efficiency with the installation of low-flow fixtures in washrooms. These retrofits will continue over the next several years, along with upgrades to a more water-efficient irrigation system, to further reduce on-site water use.
In addition to these infrastructure improvements, we reconfigured the design of work areas within our London head office. This is allowing us to efficiently situate more staff within the same location, eliminating the need for additional real estate, and the associated emissions of additional energy use.
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Big and small steps for a better environment
• Over the last five years, our staff and their guests have planted more than 2,165 trees and shrubs and adopted 585 trees for their own homes and yards. It’s all part of our engagement with ReForest London. As lead sponsor of ReForest London since 2009, London Life was the first corporation to step up for the Million Tree Challenge, a program encouraging Londoners to plant one million trees in 10 years.
• With limited public spaces available for new trees, ReForest London asked property owners to look for tree planting opportunities on their own land. We offered our Sovereign Road property, which provides a large area for planting, and contributes to the Veterans Memorial Parkway Community Program’s efforts to “green up” the area.
• In our Regina and Winnipeg offices, staff marked Canadian Environment Week (June 1-7) by participating in the Commuter Challenge. The friendly competition between Canadian workplaces asks staff to bus, carpool, cycle, walk or jog to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions on their daily trek to work.
• As staff travel for work, we are looking for ways to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. We have invested in video conferencing technology in our Winnipeg, London and Toronto offices to help us conduct more of our business without need for travel, and by extension, reduce travel-associated emissions.
Canada Life earns Building Engagement awards
In Toronto, CivicAction’s Race to Reduce awards recognize landlords and tenants for their energy reduction efforts and results, and reinforce the need for active and sustained efforts by the office sector. The awards celebrate the collective reduction results for the year. The initiative continues to gain momentum, with landlords and tenants delivering a 7.9 per cent collective energy reduction over three years toward an overall four-year collective reduction goal of 10 per cent.
In 2014, two of our Canada Life buildings won Building Engagement awards for outstanding landlord and tenant participation.
Data Centre wins Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) 2014 Earth Award
Our Data Centre in Winnipeg earned a BOMA Earth Award, which recognizes resource preservation and environmentally sound commercial building management.
All buildings considered for the BOMA Earth Awards have BOMA BESt certification, the Canadian industry standard for commercial building sustainability.
The Winnipeg Data Centre was built specifically with energy efficiency in mind. Completed in 2012, the 52,800 square foot facility integrates best practices to limit our environmental footprint while maintaining stringent data security and availability standards.
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Sustaining a commitment to the environment through GWL Realty Advisors Our subsidiary GWL Realty Advisors Inc. is one of Canada’s leading real estate investment advisors. At December 31, 2014, GWL Realty Advisors managed 288 properties across Canada and the approximate value of assets under its management was $16.6 billion.
Their focus on delivering stable, long-term returns for clients includes improving the performance and sustainability of the buildings they manage and operate. Since 2007, GWL Realty Advisors has reported the following decreases in GHG emissions across its managed office and multi-residential portfolios:
• Overall portfolio: 21 per cent
• Office portfolio: 23 per cent
• Multi-residential portfolio: 18 per cent
By setting targets, driving performance and measuring results, GWL Realty Advisors continues to demonstrate that sustainability is good business.
Green building certifications
Green building certifications such as BOMA BESt and LEED® are industry designations that signal a commitment to environmentally responsible building design and operations. Greater awareness and technical expertise in building operations helps drive efficiencies and better building performance. Across the portfolio that GWL Realty Advisors manages, it is pursuing these certifications.
BOMA Building Environmental Standards (BESt), developed and maintained by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada, is an industry environmental assessment platform and certification program. It provides property owners and managers with the framework to assess and improve a building’s environmental performance.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system recognized as the international mark of excellence for green buildings in 150 countries. The LEED system provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
For owners and tenants, such green ratings and certifications provide credibility, instill confidence, promote comparability, and help qualify and quantify the benefits of green buildings for tenants and occupants.
Green Building Certification Activity in 2014:
• Nine buildings under GWL Realty Advisors’ management received LEED® Gold certification in 2014. Another seven buildings are pursuing certification.
• Seventy-three buildings under GWL Realty Advisors’ management were actively in pursuit of BOMA BESt certification and 215 were fully certified in 2014.
Water is the new carbon
In 2014, GWL Realty Advisors launched its Water Benchmarking and Conservation Program.
GWL Realty Advisors set five-year water reduction targets (relative to a 2013 baseline) at 81 of the office properties it manages, including our head office campuses for Great-West Life, Canada Life and London Life.
Through June 2014, water-use intensity decreased by more than three per cent.
The Water Benchmarking and Conservation Program has helped us:
• Gain a better understanding of the water usage of each office property in our managed portfolio.
• Set property-level reduction targets through 2018.
• Identify reduction opportunities for both water use and costs.
• Deploy effective conservation strategies to manage this important resource.
At the building level, examples of improvements in water-use efficiency include the introduction of low-flow fixtures, intelligent landscape sprinkler systems, and enhanced control systems for rooftop cooling towers. Greater occupant awareness and changes in occupant behaviour have also helped properties realize reductions.
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A Gold-certified launch for the James Michael Flaherty Building (Ottawa)
The James Michael Flaherty building on historic Elgin Street in Ottawa achieved LEED Gold (Core & Shell) status in November 2014. The new building at 90 Elgin, developed and managed by GWL Realty Advisors, is the home of the Finance and Treasury Department of the Federal Government in downtown Ottawa and accommodates approximately 2,600 employees.
Our GWL Realty Advisors team implemented a water-use reduction plan that included the use of low-flow faucets and water-efficient landscaping. For heating, the property houses an innovative heat recovery system, designed to use excess heat from the on-site data centre to help warm the building in the winter months. The building also has multiple green roofs, a “living” green wall, preferential parking for carpoolers, and more than 180 secured and covered bicycle storage spaces.
Promoting environmental leadership, skills and mindsets
• Through a new three-year scholarship – the GWL Realty Advisors Building Operator Award – we’ll be financially supporting the education of a second-year student in the Building Environmental Systems Technician Program at Seneca College who has exhibited leadership and an interest in sustainability.
• As part of GWL Realty Advisors’ commitment to supporting the development of employee skills, it organized in-house training for 41 staff to participate in the Building Operator Certification Program. The program is an internationally recognized, nine-day training and certification program offered by the Canadian Institute for Energy Training. It offers facilities professionals training and skills development to improve the comfort, energy efficiency and overall operational performance of the buildings GWL Realty Advisors manages. Through 2014, GWL Realty Advisors had more staff complete this training than any organization across Canada.
• The SHAD Entrepreneurship Challenge, focusing on science, technology, engineering and math innovation, is Canada’s only national, project-based entrepreneurship and innovation experience for high school youth. As part of SHAD’s national programming, which we have supported for many years, the annual SHAD Entrepreneurship Cup asks students to address significant societal issues. Working with the 2014 theme, Living Large with a Small Footprint, students presented their environmental innovations ranging from compact greenhouses for urban settings, to radio-frequency identification systems that eliminate wasted electricity.
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Community Support In 2014, we:
• Supported best practices for charities, outreach through technology, and social innovation
• Provided new funding to advance the financial literacy of under-served Canadians
• Supported innovation in mental healthcare and engagement in social issues
• Responded to local and regional priorities from British Columbia to Atlantic Canada
Imagine Canada’s Standards Program provides framework for charities to earn trust On the path to greater well-being among Canadians, one of the major ways we can make a positive impact is by helping ensure the vitality and sustainability of the country’s charitable sector.
Imagine Canada (Imagine), the national umbrella and voice for Canada’s charitable sector, is providing charities and non-profits with a framework to demonstrate their sustainability, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability.
Established with our funding and encouragement as Founding and Presenting Sponsor, Imagine’s national Standards Program is designed to increase the transparency and capacity of charities and non-profits, and strengthen public confidence in individual organizations and the sector as a whole.
“The great strength of this program is its relevance to vastly different organizations, from a large university to a small charity serving a single community,” says Bruce MacDonald, President and CEO of Imagine Canada. “And as much as charities are motivated to demonstrate excellence for funders and supporters, they’re also saying the process itself is making them better at what they do. They’re raising their own bar.”
Through 2014, 126 organizations had earned their accreditation. Another 260 were engaged in the process, a self-directed journey which includes a rigorous peer review of governance, transparency, stewardship and accountability.
“Trust is foundational in the relationship between charities and Canadians,” adds MacDonald. “The Standards Program can be a badge of trust for the organization that wears it. They’ve earned it. ”
We have long sustained a commitment as an Imagine Caring Company, supporting the principles of corporate citizenship and benchmarks for community investment established by Imagine. But our engagement with Imagine goes beyond this public commitment.
Along with multi-year funding for the Standards Program, we supported its precursor, the Ethical Code Program, which prescribed standards for charitable organizations to manage and report their financial affairs responsibly. Since 1987, we’ve contributed close to $1 million toward these programs and several more Imagine initiatives to help the charitable sector become stronger and more sustainable.
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Literacy: more than reading Once defined as reading and writing, today literacy refers to a spectrum of skills for well-being and employability, and is a driver for a stronger Canadian economy and society.
We’ve long supported thought leaders and innovators building a culture of improved literacy, toward the goal that more Canadians will be able to realize their potential at home, at work, and in the community.
One area of need is financial literacy. Major life decisions like saving for post-secondary education, buying a home, having children or retiring all require a clear understanding of money management.
We committed $518,000 to help the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) expand their Financial Decisions Matter programming and reach more Canadians. In these widely accessible sessions, CPA Canada members deliver objective financial literacy education and information, without any affiliation with specific financial services providers or financial products.
With our funding, CPA Canada will be able to develop new content, train more volunteers to deliver the programming across Canada more quickly, and focus on meeting the emerging financial literacy needs of small business, community organizations, new Canadians, post-secondary students, and people of all ages.
Working with CPA Canada, we’ll draw on the range of professional financial services expertise within our own organization to address the issue of financial literacy and contribute to their program, from content development to program delivery.
Literacy and social issues
Frontier College (Frontier) is an organization that sees at the grassroots how literacy intersects with poverty, crime, public health, civic engagement, and community development.
The theme of Frontier’s annual national forum in February was the impact of literacy on criminal justice and youth. The event took place concurrently in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Halifax. Participants including webcast viewers took part in a discussion around integrating literacy into youth services, and shared best practices.
As Presenting Sponsor, we welcomed teachers, politicians, law enforcement officials, community workers and other stakeholders to join in the discussion, with the belief that this kind of collaboration leads to solutions.
“Looking at literacy through the filter of a social issue opens up thinking,” says Sherry Campbell, President and CEO, Frontier College. “Bringing together the ‘unusual’ suspects prompts fresh dialogue. Through these forums, we’ve engaged a broader audience and created a new setting to explore the positive impact achieved through improvements in literacy.”
Looking forward: the skills agenda
A 2013 international survey of essential skills1 ranked Canada 11th among 24 countries in adult literacy skills and 14th in numeracy.
1. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills.
“These are skills a person can develop, but as a nation we are not where we want to be,” says Gillian Mason, President of ABC Life Literacy Canada (ABC).
Since 1999, we’ve been helping ABC advance its goals for greater national literacy awareness and actionable research toward a fully literate Canadian population.
By working alongside Frontier College and ABC Life Literacy Canada, we can focus on helping more Canadians build the essential skills used in nearly every job and in daily life.
“Canada’s skills gap is undermining our competitiveness. It’s about having the right skills for the jobs available. And in many cases, it’s about employees having the essential skills to learn and get trained on a job. Poor literacy creates risks in the workplace, including safety issues. It holds people back from gaining digital skills which are increasingly necessary to work. Without more attention to literacy and other essential skills, many Canadian workers will never realize better jobs, better pay or better health.”
– Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
The annual Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Literacy Innovation Awards, established through our commitment of $250,000 to ABC Life Literacy Canada, recognizes organizations that have developed, implemented and delivered an innovative literacy program.
Grassroots literacy organizations are eligible for a top award of $20,000, or one of up to four honourable mention awards of $5,000 each. The top award winner also receives an online platform to share the program with other community organizations.
The 2014 award recipient and four honourable mentions were drawn from a record 51 innovative submissions.
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Stronger Communities Together™ Sustainability and long-term growth are at the core of our approach to business – and at the heart of the relationships we build with Canadians and their communities.
Through Stronger Communities Together, our national policy for corporate citizenship, we engage in issues at a national level, while addressing many more regional and local concerns. Our people are ambassadors in this engagement, committing their time and expertise to a range of community priorities.
As community needs do not always present themselves in tidy categories, nor do their solutions. Recognizing this, we support projects that span arts and culture, community development, education, health and wellness, and social services.
Creative, co-ordinated efforts are essential in achieving lasting and positive change. By sharing knowledge, best practices, and diverse perspectives and resources, all stakeholders can advance the well-being of Canadians. We endorse this approach in all of our efforts to build stronger communities.
LEAVE A LEGACY™ (LAL) is the public awareness program of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP-ACPDP™) encouraging people to leave a gift, through their will or any other gift planning instrument, to a charity or non-profit organization of their choice. We have completed a 10-year history of support as the Founding National Development Sponsor of LAL, and in 2014, made a commitment of $75,000 to the Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Local LEAVE A LEGACY™ Grant program. These grants will help local LAL chapters promote the many benefits of planned giving.
Helping youth reach their potential We’re investing in the well-being of youth – whether at risk or in the classroom – as citizens and future leaders.
As young Canadians begin to make the decisions that will shape their lives and career paths, we’re investing in programs to help them achieve their potential. Since 2002, we’ve helped Junior Achievement affiliates across Canada deliver Economics for Success, a program for middle and high school students to recognize the value of education and the pursuit of longer-term career goals.
A positive path for youth
What began in 2003 as a high school project has become a registered charity that has empowered more than 30,000 Canadian youth.
Michael Prosserman founded UNITY Charity (UNITY) when he was just 16 years old, drawing on a passion for breakdancing and a desire to help other young people turn negative situations into positive opportunities for creative expression. Through UNITY, young people between the ages of 13 and 26 are learning to articulate their feelings through artistic expression and develop skills for success.
We’ve supported UNITY since 2008, and in 2014 made a new two-year commitment of $30,000 annually. Our support has grown from sponsoring a school assembly program to sponsoring the national UNITY Hub program in Halifax, Calgary and Toronto, with the group planning to expand to additional locations. We also hosted their annual awareness and fundraising event at our Canada Life building in Toronto.
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Transforming approaches to mental health diagnosis and treatment
At The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (The Royal), work is underway to gain a greater understanding of mental health and illness across the country and take research forward to transform the diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of mental health.
We’re a Founding Supporter of the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network (CDRIN). This cross-Canada network led by Dr. Zul Merali, Scientific Director of The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) affiliated with the University of Ottawa, links top researchers in depression research, people with depression, trainees, and care providers.
Through 2014, the CDRIN had established six hubs from British Columbia to Atlantic Canada. These clusters of experts and resources draw from each region’s universities, research institutes, and hospitals.
“The hubs set their own priorities for research,” Dr. Merali explains. “As the saying goes, ‘depression rarely walks alone; it’s co-morbid with many other disorders and health conditions, so we’re looking at different aspects of this disease and sharing the information and innovations.”
Each hub concentrates on some unique areas of interest and expertise in depression research; however some share common areas across the network. They are unified in wanting people to get better, faster.
The Royal’s IMHR leads the Central Canada hub and the development of what Dr. Merali believes will be an important tool – a standardized, patient-filled assessment and tool to measure depression and related conditions.
“Mental illness doesn’t yet have one scale, the way a doctor will read your blood pressure or temperature. When we can standardize our measures, we’ll be able to trend a patient’s well-being over time.”
In order to understand what goes awry in the brains of depressed individuals, researchers need a scanner combining two kinds of body imaging technologies: positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This equipment will provide visualization of where in the brain something has gone awry, and help clinicians determine the underpinning chemical disturbances, so treatments can be personalized.
Our longtime support to The Royal includes a further $700,000 commitment, announced in early 2014, toward accelerating the purchase of this highly specialized brain imaging technology dedicated exclusively to depression diagnosis and brain research. And to keep the momentum going on mental health research and care, through fellowships, we are also helping young researchers build their careers in depression research at The Royal.
With London one of our major centres of operation, we’re well aware of the city’s regional role in providing healthcare for Southwestern Ontario. The interest of two of the city’s major hospitals to approach mental healthcare in an integrated way was front and centre when London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHC) presented their plans to work together. We made a $600,000 commitment to help them provide what will be one of the largest hospital-based mental healthcare programs in Canada, combining acute and specialized care. Capital funding supports specially designed mental health and well-being facilities at SJHC, and is recognized through the location’s Great-West Life,
London Life and Canada Life Courtyard. Program funding for the Transition Age Project at LHSC supports mental health service delivery, with a focus on children and adolescents.
“Robust information empowers patients. So when they see a clinician, they can actually talk about how they are feeling with this objective frame of reference.”
– Dr. Zul Merali, Scientific Director of The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research
Promoting social innovation A sustainable society is an overarching goal for many charities and other non-profit institutions. While individual organizations are pursuing this goal in their own way, many are recognizing that new and lasting solutions require collaboration.
London’s Pillar Nonprofit Network (Pillar) provides a best-practice example. Pillar brings together a range of charities and grassroots groups under an umbrella. The goal is to raise their collective visibility, credibility, accountability, professionalism and the capacity of the voluntary sector in London and surrounding area.
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Pillar purchased a historic commercial building in the city’s downtown to create an inviting, dedicated shared space for these groups to gather and share ideas. As one of the first private funders, we committed $150,000 to establish London’s first Solutions Lab within the building.
The London Life Solutions Lab will be a place to gather for those who know creative thinking, risk-taking, and innovation will make a difference for the health and well-being of Londoners. The lab will be equipped with decision-making and collaboration tools and technology to leverage the expertise of participating organizations. Project teams recruited from business, non-profits, government and academia will soon have a user-centric process and place to address poverty, youth unemployment, mental health, and economic development.
Addressing social issues will always come back to the efforts of committed people. Some of our staff will help create a community database of volunteer business advisors, mentors and contacts, who will develop measurable approaches to civic issues.
By investing in an existing building in the city centre, Pillar is also contributing to renewal and economic prosperity for London. Pillar’s social innovation shared space will open in mid-2016, after completion of renovations to the building.
Safety in numbers
Three years ago, four separate non-profit organizations merged to achieve a stronger voice, sustainable programming, and national outreach for injury prevention awareness and expertise.
This past year marked our third year of support for the organization that emerged: Parachute – Leaders in Injury Prevention. Our $300,000 commitment is helping Parachute develop the capacity, resources and technology to achieve its goals. Learn more about their new online resource on page 33.
As Parachute executes plans to be the national leader for injury prevention knowledge, we shared their story with the Ivey School of Business at Western University (Ivey). Through our introduction and with our financial support, Ivey is presenting Parachute’s evolution as a case study. Future business leaders will gain insights from this example of how the non-profit sector can repurpose resources and build strong collaborative cultures and organizations, to realize measurable public-facing outcomes and broad reach. This marks the first time a non-profit case study has been added to the Ivey curriculum.
The case study will also highlight the importance of injury prevention in Canada through access, expertise and ability to provide credible solutions.
The Ivey Business Case is nearing completion and is scheduled to launch in February 2015.
Taking the lead to end homelessness
Hockey Helps the Homeless (HHTH) is dedicated to ending homelessness in Canada through fundraising, education and collaboration with local volunteers and outreach organizations. What started as a grassroots event in Toronto and Montreal has become a series of high-profile tournaments and activities in cities across Canada.
As their National Founding Sponsor, we’ve helped accelerate their impact – first through involvement with local tournaments, and then by providing the funding for HHTH to expand its reach. In addition to our national support and local tournament sponsorships, our staff and financial security advisors are volunteers, raise funds directly, and take to the ice alongside former pros. In these capacities we’ve contributed more than $1.2 million to HHTH to date.
HHTH Hat Trick: three winning achievements
Hockey Helps the Homeless has not only built local awareness, but also brought “home” for individual Canadians and a broader audience within corporate Canada that collective action makes a positive difference in ending homelessness.
• Exceeding expectations – In 2013/14, HHTH had a record year, resulting in $1.1 million going to local agencies helping the homeless – nearly double the previous year’s total. Tournaments took place in Calgary, Edmonton, London, Montreal, the Greater Toronto Area (Bay St. and Newmarket), and Vancouver.
• Rising to the challenge – In 2014, HHTH’s new Matching Goal for Goal program challenged tournament participants to raise $100,000 more in pledges over the previous season. In each city, participants broke records, and we added $125,000 in matching funding to strengthen awareness of homelessness and accelerate fundraising.
• Top teamwork and strategy – By marshalling a strong network of volunteer support, setting and topping ambitious fundraising targets, and making sure the events always focus on the cause, HHTH has raised more than $7 million since 1996, benefiting 35 partner homelessness support agencies across Canada.
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Reaching people, changing behaviour through technology Moving the needle on issues around health and public safety can be as much about behavioural change as about funding for organizations in these spheres. Engaging, high-quality and usable information can help transform behaviours.
AboutKidsHealth (AKH) is one of Canada’s most comprehensive and reliable web educational resources, promoting knowledge exchange and awareness among medical practitioners, patients, families and researchers. An initiative of SickKids Foundation, AKH received nearly seven million visitors in 2014 – half of this total being parents.
Our $500,000 commitment is helping the AKH website reach a larger audience and provide more evidence-based health knowledge. The enhancements in 2014 included:
• A Nutrition Resource Centre for families and children to increase their awareness about nutrition.
• A first stage of mental health content through an interactive game that helps children learn about emotional literacy.
• Brief, compelling videos to communicate the value of the site to healthcare providers and families.
• Custom pages for clinical departments (emergency departments, for example), allowing staff to quickly access handouts in any available language.
Parachute – Leaders in Injury Prevention continues to build its one-stop, web-based centre for mobilizing injury prevention knowledge and solutions in Canada. Parachute’s Horizon is a resource designed for ease of use regardless of age, role, or culture. The website approaches the serious topic of injury prevention from a range of perspectives and information needs, providing users with an engaging experience. This resource also makes strong ties to injury prevention partners in Canada and around the world.
Investing in our neighbourhoods In the cities where we operate, including the neighbourhoods around our head offices, we respond to the challenges we see by taking part in locally driven solutions.
In Winnipeg, for example, we’re part of the same urban neighbourhood as the University of Winnipeg (U of W). The U of W is a downtown hub where people of diverse cultures and backgrounds live, connect and interact.
In 2014, the U of W opened the UNITED Health and RecPlex, a 189,000 square foot complex housing a range of recreation and wellness facilities and resources. We contributed $500,000 to help bring this complex to life in a neighbourhood where many residents deal with socio-economic challenges, including access to health and wellness supports. Our funding established the Great-West Life Healthy Campus and Research Centre to encourage new wellness resources and research opportunities. We also provided catalyst funding for a new position — Executive Director, Wellness and Student Life — dedicated to the physical, emotional, and mental health of the student body.
While the new facility brings relief to a shortage of indoor recreational space in Winnipeg’s core, it is also a safe venue for community members of all social and economic backgrounds to focus on their health, well-being and cultural pursuits.
In downtown London, Museum London houses a collection of more than 5,000 Canadian works of art and 40,000 historical artifacts relating to the history of the city and region. Like many strong and well-established cultural institutions, it faces the challenge of staying accessible and relevant, especially for children and young adults. Building on our ongoing funding for two school-focused programs, we committed $300,000 to Museum London’s Creative Learning Centre capital campaign, which will provide a big, bright, colourful space for inviting, interactive learning. We made our early contribution to the campaign to signal the museum as an important contributor to the well-being of Londoners and the heart of their city.
Along with our support for standards for the charitable sector overall, we look to help local organizations build their operational capacity. Longtime supporters of Habitat for Humanity builds (see page 21 for more information), we’re also helping Habitat for Humanity Canada (Habitat) develop stronger leaders within its organization, knowing that this ultimately supports its affiliates’ goals for home ownership for many more Canadians.
We began a new three-year commitment of $25,000 annually as Founding Sponsor of Habitat’s National Leadership Education Program, to respond to its goal to better prepare the 63 affiliates for maximizing their local effectiveness and community impact.
Habitat anticipates the outcomes will include a stronger national core of volunteer leaders, improved risk management, and greater cohesion across the national Habitat system. At the affiliate level, these outcomes will translate into stronger leaders who increase operational effectiveness, resulting in a greater number of home builds.
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Enabling engagement: corporate teams
Complementing the support of our company for issues and needs across the country, our people are quick to take part, team up, and raise funds. Recognizing their leadership and commitment as ambassadors for our organization and caring members of communities across Canada, we provide financial support and contributions that add to the impact of their collective efforts. While these efforts differ by location, individual and community need, the common thread is an abiding regard for the well-being of others.
For a complete list of our corporate teams, see pages 52-54.
Teams that keep on rolling
Our staff have taken part in the Cerebral Palsy Stationary Bike Race in Winnipeg since its beginning. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the event and in recognition of this milestone we hosted the Prize Presentation event in our head office complex. The 2014 event raised close to $170,000 with $18,850 coming from our top fundraising team of 14.
Our staff and advisors in Edmonton have a long-term relationship with the MS Bike Tour, getting involved as a corporate team and organizing our specially themed checkpoint – a mainstay and favourite amongst old and new riders alike. This year a team of six participants raised $8,885 by cycling from Leduc to Camrose.
In Winnipeg, 17 staff and 16 of their guests participated in the MS Bike Tour. 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of the event and the 12th year of participation for our people, who raised nearly $32,000 at this year’s event. Our team’s total contribution since first getting involved has reached more than $300,000!
Going the distance
This year, 65 staff represented our companies in Défi Canderel Montréal, a fundraising run. For the past 11 years our teams have raised over $210,000 to support cancer research at the McGill Cancer Centre and l’Institut du cancer de Montréal, affiliated with the Université de Montréal. With 2014 marking the event’s 25th anniversary, our team raised $28,000.
Staff and advisors from our Peterborough Financial Centre participated in the Carl Oake Swimathon to raise pledges for Five Counties Children’s Centre for the sixth year. Since 2009, the team has raised over $38,000 to help maintain therapy for children, purchase equipment and fund various programs.
Our 59 corporate teams raised more than $417,000, with an additional $271,000 from the company adding impact.
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Region by region
Communities across Canada hold their own priorities, yet also share in common many of the same needs. From unique local projects to those that complement our efforts to address issues on a national level, we support a wide range of initiatives. Through their engagement in business and as involved citizens in the places where they live and work, it’s often our staff and distribution associates who bring forward these local and regional concerns, for additional funding and support.
The following pages survey how we took action in 2014 from British Columbia to Atlantic Canada to make our communities stronger.
British Columbia Enriching young lives through the arts With a focus on bringing new experiences to youth and their families and expanding their potential through exposure to the arts, we sponsored the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Tiny Tots Concert Series. This series for infants and children encourages early childhood development through entertaining music education.
From early learning to advanced pre-professional training, Arts Umbrella (AU) helps young people learn about creative expression. Our three-year commitment to AU’s Media Arts Bursary Program provides access for children to develop their grasp of fundamental visual arts and explore their own artistic voice.
Through our continued support of $10,000 to sponsor the Hospital Outreach Program of the Vancouver International Children’s Festival, we’re bringing the arts experience to children unable to leave medical facilities due to treatment. Children and their families benefit from the healing power of music, dance and laughter.
Leadership and recreation for all MoreSports provides sustainable physical activity opportunities for Vancouver children and families. By getting involved in recreational activities, kids can learn about sport development and youth leadership. MoreSports is available to all, but focuses on children who might not typically take part in sports – girls, children from diverse ethnic groups, and those facing financial barriers. We continued to help the organization expand to additional Eastside schools and reach a growing number of at-risk students. Our contribution supports a leadership program for students in grades five through seven to engage younger students in playground and sports activities.
Tabor Mountain Recreation Society is dedicated to maintaining and growing accessibility to Tabor Mountain, near Prince George, as a recreational and educational wilderness experience. Our funding is helping make the mountain trails more accessible for senior citizens and mobility-challenged individuals. The Great-West Life Mobility Nature Trail has been upgraded to include guard rails, a freshly levelled rough trail and benches, to ensure everyone can enjoy the area’s natural settings and feel safe doing so.
We contributed $25,000 to help Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver deliver a new after-school program, adapted from their existing teen mentorship program, to meet the needs of Aboriginal youth and children. In partnership with community service agencies, the program provides leadership and training for Aboriginal youth while encouraging social and emotional development for Aboriginal children through mentoring.
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Encouraging economic and community growth through support for family business The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE) helps families in business succeed by bringing them together to share knowledge and experiences. With our support, CAFE Vancouver’s Future Leaders Program connects future leaders from family businesses across the province’s Lower Mainland. Through custom workshops focusing on a range of development needs such as communication, better sources of professional advice, and experience, greater awareness is built around the value of family enterprise to the national economy, and support generated for families to build a legacy through their business.
Where better to receive inspiration, guidance and advice about family business than from other successful family business owners? We once again sponsored UBC Sauder School of Business’ Family Legacy Series Gala Dinner, addressing business challenges through research, education and outreach.
Fostering mental health and physical well-being The Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division promotes mental health for all British Columbians. For more than 10 years we’ve sponsored their Bottom Line Conference, bringing together business leaders, union representatives, policy-makers, researchers, and workers to improve mental health in Canadian workplaces. The 2014 event centred on helping employers respond to the voluntary National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – a standard we helped initiate and develop, and are working toward implementing in our own offices.
Through the annual Courage to Come Back Awards, Coast Mental Health Foundation (CMHF) honours ordinary people who have shown extraordinary courage recovering from injury, accident, illness and personal trauma, and have “come back” to make a difference in their communities. We’ve sponsored the event, which raises funds and awareness for CMHF programs and services, since 2000.
Our $100,000 commitment to Kelowna General Hospital Foundation’s Be a Lifesaver Campaign will help ensure the Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC) opens fully outfitted with the critical state-of-the-art equipment and support it needs to improve and save lives. Slated to open in 2015, the IHSC will provide timely, much needed surgeries to patients who in the past may have had to travel outside the region for this level of healthcare.
Our annual contribution of $10,000 to St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s Lights of Hope campaign in 2014 is helping to purchase a new 3D Echocardiography machine essential for the diagnosis and treatment of heart patients.
With an aging population, the need for medical equipment to help patients facing health concerns, including mental health issues, continues to grow. Our $100,000 commitment in 2013 continues to help Victoria Hospitals Foundation in providing SMART technology in the Geriatric Mental Health Unit at Royal Jubilee Hospital. SMART technology puts caregivers in constant contact with each other and their patients, to help deliver exceptional care.
Helping youth, newcomers stay in school, pursue their goals It’s never too early to start building the foundation for a successful future. Junior Achievement of British Columbia’s Economics For Success program encourages students to stay in school to gain the knowledge, skills, and motivation to pursue a successful career. Our $45,000 contribution helped more than 32,000 students across the province take part in business education workshops during the school year.
New Canadians often face barriers in post-secondary education. Recognized as a leader in English as a Second Language studies, Vancouver Community College serves the city’s diverse core through programs and services that prepare students for ongoing career education and greater community involvement. The Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Scholarship for New Canadians and the Adult Basic Education Program for Youth help newcomers to Canada and young people facing poverty and other barriers.
Our United Way support in British Columbia
Over $119,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
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Alberta Responding to urgent needs for shelter and food In Edmonton, as in other Canadian centres, poverty intersects with many other difficulties around housing, healthcare, nutrition and education. While Inner City Agencies Foundation is addressing poverty year-round, its annual Roast Beef Dinner feeds more than 800 inner-city residents in need. Members of our local staff are longtime volunteers at the event, which we also sponsor.
Calgary Drop-in & Rehab Centre Society offers 24-hour shelter, 3,500 prepared meals daily, life skills training and advancements, as well as other services to homeless and low-income men and women. More than 20 of our staff volunteer to serve a special spring and fall lunch, which we support through the Society’s Meal Sponsorship program.
Advancing healthcare excellence When it opened in 2006 the vision for the Alberta Children’s Hospital was to reduce stress and promote healing. Our $20,000 contribution toward a Minimally Invasive High-Definition Surgical Camera System will allow surgeons to perform major surgery through minor incisions. This approach results in less pain for the child, quicker recovery times, and fewer complications – and therefore, less stress for parents.
Our support for the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Foundation in Grande Prairie spans more than a decade. This busy hospital is the only Regional Secondary Referral Centre in Northern Alberta. In 2014, their main annual fundraiser – Festival of Trees – earned our continued support as Gala Sponsor. The event raises awareness and funds for essential hospital equipment and services.
Our United Way support in Alberta
Over $87,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
Broadening access to higher education, the arts and recreational sport We continue to support annual scholarships at Ambrose University College, Bow Valley College, Mount Royal University, Grant MacEwan University and University of Alberta. At NAIT Centre for Applied Technologies, we continued our $50,000 commitment to Essential: The NAIT Campaign, assisting the Institute in expanding its capacity and increasing enrollment.
Financial means shouldn’t be a barrier to the arts or to developing creative thought. Our funding for Citadel Theatre in Edmonton and Theatre Calgary provides financial backing for the presentation of student performances, development of study guides, and distribution of subsidized tickets.
Through KidSport Alberta’s Adopt-an-Athlete Funding Program, we contributed to two funds: the Provincial Fund covers areas of the province without a local chapter, while the Alberta Chapters Fund helps chapters that are facing higher-than-usual demand. This support enables children and youth to overcome the financial barriers that keep them from participating in organized sport. That way, all children have the ability to benefit from the exercise, leadership and teamwork development that comes with participating in sporting activities.
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Saskatchewan Enriching and expanding opportunities for learners Building Knowledge: The College Avenue Campus Renewal Project raises funds to refurbish the University of Regina, a 100-year-old heritage space. In 2014, we completed a $250,000 commitment to help the institution adapt to current instructional, learning and community needs. This initiative will help expand learning opportunities for students and enhance economic activity in downtown Regina by providing educational and arts programming for all ages and life stages.
With our support, Ignite Adult Learning Centre (Ignite) delivers programming to help at-risk and marginalized people build a better future. Ignite’s programs give students basic life skills and supplementary education, preparing them for employment or to further their training. The goal is to help clients gain more confidence by becoming self-sufficient and productive – contributing to their families and the wider community.
We continue to provide annual scholarships for students at campuses across Saskatchewan, including the University of Regina, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Helping more children take part in recreational sport KidSport Saskatchewan provides grants to cover the costs of sport registration fees for economically disadvantaged children. We highlighted and supported the need for equal access to sports and recreation by returning as Presenting Sponsor of the annual KidSport Month in May and its signature event, the Fun & Fitness Corporate Challenge in Regina.
Connecting all ages to arts and culture The oral tradition of sharing stories can be therapeutic. Benefits include greater social participation and improvement in the mental, emotional and physical health of the participants. That’s why we’ve supported Common Weal Community Arts as they develop partnership-based, participatory arts projects between communities and artists. This year we supported a new project that focuses on seniors. Hello In There/Hello Out There is a year-long interactive art program to engage seniors in care facilities to share their personal narratives, life stories, and memories.
We’ve supported Globe Theatre since 1999. In 2014, we helped bring in new audience members and encourage families to introduce their children to live theatre from a young age by supporting the holiday season production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The holiday show was performed 33 times with the help of more than 400 volunteers and the audience is three to four times greater than any other production in their season.
MacKenzie Art Gallery holds a family program every Sunday including storytelling, art-making and gallery tours. We support Sundays at the Gallery to encourage hands-on exploration of themes and connection of concepts in art for family audiences of diverse backgrounds.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan brings the plays of the Bard and his contemporaries to life in ways that resonate with modern audiences. We’ve sustained our support for 13 years now with an emphasis on subsidizing student attendance and providing complimentary tickets to at-risk youth through social arts groups.
Improving regional healthcare To help bring the best care possible to the Five Hills Health Region, we committed $50,000 to Moose Jaw Health Foundation’s campaign to equip the city’s regional hospital with state-of-the-art medical equipment. Saskatchewan’s newest hospital is slated for completion in March 2015.
Our United Way support in Saskatchewan
Over $95,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
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Manitoba New spaces for learning and reflection By summer 2015, visitors to Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo will be able to see Manitoba’s agricultural heritage brought to life. The McFeetors Heavy Horse Centre will be a 4.7 acre farming exhibit complete with a barn, pastures, paddocks, a carriage shed and four Percheron horses. The Centre was launched with a naming donation to Assiniboine Park Conservancy from Ray McFeetors, former CEO and Chairman of Great-West Lifeco. We committed an additional $250,000 to create the Great-West Life Paddock within the Heavy Horse Centre to add to this new exhibit.
Another landmark in Winnipeg is presenting history – as well as making it. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights opened in late 2014. We were an early contributor to this world-class facility and in 2014 we made an additional commitment of $250,000 to assist in completing its construction.
Advancing post-secondary education For several decades we’ve supported capital appeals, research and scholarships at the University of Manitoba, Université de Saint-Boniface, University of Winnipeg and Red River College. In 2014, we completed our $250,000 commitment to Université de Saint-Boniface’s new Health Sciences Pavilion and custom curriculum, The Transdisciplinary Community Health Project (TCHP), which pairs students with a local community agency to develop and co-ordinate a project over the course of the semester. Projects range from research and surveys to enhancing program delivery. TCHP is an example of how collaboration between academics and community groups can create innovative and comprehensive learning and results.
Our presence in Manitoba in 2014 also included support for the University of Winnipeg’s UNITED Health & RecPlex. See page 33 for more information.
Promoting healthy models to address chronic diseases Through their First Steps to Active Living Program, the Reh-Fit Centre in Winnipeg helps improve the long-term health of individuals for whom inactivity has become a risk factor for developing a chronic disease. Our funding will enable program expansion and ongoing evaluation to ensure the program remains relevant with up-to-date medical research.
Building the well-being of children and youth Proper nutrition is critical to leading active and healthy lives. In 2014, in addition to our corporate food drive, we completed our second year of funding to Winnipeg Harvest’s Hunger for Hope initiative, which focuses on infant formula and food for child hunger.
Specialized Services for Children & Youth co-ordinates services for Manitoba children and youth with disabilities and special needs. Currently, services are offered to families out of multiple locations, requiring extensive, inefficient and costly co-ordination for families and healthcare professionals alike. Responding to a regional health priority to offer improved health services, we committed $125,000 to develop an integrated health services facility in a centralized location for assessing and treating children.
Building capacity, expanding reach in arts and culture Our $45,000 commitment over three years helps Artspace deliver ArtSupport Manitoba, the first program of its kind in North America designed to generate revenue for arts, culture and heritage in Manitoba. The program will work with arts organizations to increase their fundraising capacity, and with philanthropists to increase their understanding of, and thoughtful investment in, arts, culture and heritage.
With our assistance, Shakespeare in the Ruins’ youth and education programming offers students significantly discounted tickets to its main stage production and popular annual Stripped-Down touring production. Also included is the Shakespeare in the City program, bringing creative opportunities directly to at-risk youth.
Renewing public space Our commitment of $25,000 over two years is helping the West Broadway Business Improvement Zone renew and beautify the West Broadway area in Winnipeg – our head office neighbourhood – with enhanced gateways, streetlight banners, landscaping, public kiosks, and public art.
Our United Way support in Manitoba
Over $908,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
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Ontario Contributing to advancement in healthcare resources, facilities In Ontario, as in other regions, we support efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment of the diseases most affecting Canadians. Our $100,000 commitment to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation and its Exceptional Cancer Care Campaign, for example, supports implementation of improved cancer care for the region.
Through our $100,000 commitment to the Building for Tomorrow’s Healthcare Today campaign at Timmins and District Hospital Foundation, we helped with the purchase of a breast coil, a diagnostic system that produces high-quality MRI images, which can lead to a better, sometimes earlier, diagnosis. Patients in the region will now be able to receive services closer to home.
In Kitchener, we were once again the Presenting Sponsor of MANEX, a unique men’s expo that raises awareness and supports services for men’s health at St. Mary’s General Hospital, including cardiac care and prostate cancer diagnosis and surgery.
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation marshalled resources to build the Centre for Patient-Oriented Research, a new clinical research support facility. We made a $50,000 commitment to this project, which will add nearly 25 per cent more capacity to Kingston General Hospital’s research space. Access to additional funding for research, more effective care, shorter hospital stays and greater efficiency in healthcare spending are among the anticipated outcomes.
Our long-time support of healthcare in the Chatham-Kent region continued in two important ways in 2014. First, we contributed $12,500 toward Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s Medical Student Learning Centre. As a space for students across medical disciplines to network with peers, mentors and residents, the centre is intended to enrich the student experience and lead to greater learning and collaboration.
We also provided funding for the Chatham-Kent Family Health Team to establish an Education Centre where patients can access health education programs like diabetes wellness, dietary counselling, and fall prevention. When not in use by the health teams, the Education Centre remains a valuable community resource available for use by non-profits.
Building a stronger infrastructure for hunger relief, shelter and safety Second Harvest is addressing hunger and food sustainability while looking out for Toronto’s most vulnerable and under-served populations. The non-profit recovers and distributes surplus fresh food to social agencies across the city. To help them do this more effectively, we contributed $10,000 for the agency to obtain new software to better manage food delivery, administration, communications and fundraising.
For close to a decade, we’ve supported Eva’s Initiatives in its mission to help homeless and at-risk youth reach their potential. In 2014, we made an additional $70,000 commitment to their National Initiatives Program, a centralized project to help member agencies share information on skills, approaches, program design, and management techniques. Participating organizations build more capacity on this issue by sharing best practices on community responses, strengthening networks and partnerships, and developing innovative and creative responses to improve outcomes in youth homelessness.
Funding is one part of a solid response to an issue, personal engagement is another. In September, staff from our London, Hamilton and Toronto offices volunteered their time to paint at the Women’s Place of South Niagara shelter for women and children. With a corporate contribution to cover the cost of the paint and the tools, they got the job done.
Celebrating civic heritage, treasured traditions In London, we are the Founding and Presenting Sponsor of Doors Open London, a free annual event to celebrate London’s special spaces, architecture and history – including our London Life building. We similarly sponsored London Culture Days, a two-day, city-wide event that runs in tandem with Doors Open London, promoting public participation and engagement in arts and culture, including a multicultural program.
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25 years and climbing!
A team of 54 staff members from Toronto and London raised $13,582 for World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF), through the Canada Life CN Tower Climb for WWF. In addition to augmenting the team’s fundraising through an additional $6,000 donation, we returned as lead sponsor of the event, continuing our 30-year relationship with WWF as they work to conserve Canada’s oceans, fresh water and the arctic. In 2015, the WWF will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Climb.
Our United Way support in Ontario
Over $514,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
Linking arts, youth and education We supported education and the arts via the renowned Stratford Festival’s Tools for Teachers program, which funds four initiatives that offer expertise to all classrooms – regardless of their distance from Stratford – by mail, online and on site.
As Education Partner Sponsor of the Shaw Festival, we’re supporting a program reaching thousands of students in junior and senior high schools across southern Ontario.
Continuing as Youth Theatre program and show sponsor of Theatre Sarnia, we supported their production of A Christmas Carol featuring a cast of more than 20 children. We also supported their ongoing youth program and a sponsorship for up to three youth to take part in a special summer theatre training program.
Hands-on learning and creating happen at Gardiner Museum, where the public can take part in artist-led clay workshops. Through our sponsorship of Family Days & Open Clay Studios, three family-friendly sessions introduce participants to ceramics.
Inspiring the next generation of leaders With the right support, learning starts early and continues through life. Future Possibilities for Kids offers Ready Set Goal!, a leadership development and life skills program. Guided by a personal KidCoach and a unique curriculum, children are inspired and empowered to contribute to their communities now and as they mature. Our three-year commitment of $60,000 supports program expansion into more schools, ensuring opportunity and accessibility for more children.
Our presence in Ontario in 2014 also included support for Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Pillar Nonprofit Network and Museum London, among other organizations. See pages 30-33 for more information.
At the Richard Ivey School of Business, Ivey Connects is a student-led initiative we’ve supported for more than 10 years. Ivey Connects inspires students to get involved in the not-for-profit sector and stay engaged in community issues as they grow in their professional careers. The program connects students with organizations in the community that can benefit from their time and talent. In 2014, we provided $30,000 to support six internships with organizations in London and Toronto.
We continue to support Junior Achievement in London and Southwestern Ontario (JA) as they offer Economics for Success. This initiative encourages students to stay in school and obtain the knowledge, skills and motivation to pursue a successful career. In London, we also support JA’s Company Program, which helps high school students understand the role of business in our society by creating an enterprise of their own. And now in Toronto (JA of Central Ontario), we’re helping make the Dollars With Sense Program possible so grade seven students can learn how to achieve their goals through planning, budgeting and knowledge of the tools for making sound financial decisions.
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Quebec Helping at-risk youth gain more stable footing, develop life skills Share the Warmth provides programs for young people between the ages of 5 and 13. Our sponsorship of the Creative Arts Program provides at-risk children and youth living in southwestern Montreal with access to positive programs and activities in a supportive environment.
Reducing high school drop-out rates continues to be an issue we address through Pathways to Education Canada (Pathways) as it delivers its successful model in Quebec and other parts of Canada. In addition, in 2014 we sponsored and attended the Graduation Gala for students at Pathways’ Verdun site, ‘Toujours Ensemble’. We also continued to support neighbourhood- based targeted learning and literacy skills programs in Montreal through HIPPY-Quebec and Je Passe Partout.
Le Groupe communautaire L’ltinéraire addresses homelessness and the risk of dropping out of school through unique programming that teaches transferable skills and encourages employment. For several years, we’ve supported their youth programming, so vulnerable Montreal youth can develop life and employment skills needed to create some stability and then return to school or find work.
Building wellness in the workplace Since launching the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace in 2007, we continue to support initiatives that promote psychologically healthy workplaces. In Quebec, we support the Healthy Enterprises Group, which encourages Quebec-based companies to integrate comprehensive employee health programs into their management practices, including programs that address workplace mental health.
Supporting advanced research, and greater resources for compassionate care We funded two renowned research programs in Quebec in 2014. The Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Doctoral Scholarship through Fondation universitaire Armand-Frappier de l’INRS supports promising young researchers in Quebec studying various health issues and diseases. Fondation de l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec gives cardiologists a chance to develop expertise and create first-rate research and clinical sites for cardiac care. Fellowship recipients train in ultra-specialized medical assessment centres outside of Quebec, returning home with new expertise and care methods.
The Wonderball gala celebrated the 90th anniversary of St. Mary’s Hospital. We joined them as Silver Sponsor, helping facilitate the creation of a new breast cancer module for the hospital’s healthcare website.
The Lighthouse, Children and Families – Quebec’s only network of round-the-clock critical care for children with a life-threatening illness – and Montreal Heart Institute – each continue to benefit from our multi-year funding commitments of $100,000 annually.
South of Quebec City, Grand Village provides a summer and respite experience to children, adolescents and adults living with physical and intellectual disabilities. In 2014, we contributed $15,000 toward their Multisensory Room Project, which provides an environment filled with visual effects, sounds, textures and aromas that will assist staff in stimulating, calming or energizing clients with chronic pain, mood and behaviour disorders or who are sensory deprived.
Expanding opportunities for youth to gain new experiences We continue to provide funding to arts programs to make tickets more affordable for youth or economically disadvantaged families. We’ve been supporting Les Grands Ballets since 1974, and once again our support was aimed at their Nutcracker Fund for Children and Education Matinees.
As Season Title Sponsor, we contributed $40,000 to I Musici Chamber Orchestra to help make tickets more affordable for youth and students. Similarly, through our sponsorship of Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, 100 tickets will be donated to economically challenged students and their families as part of The Youth Concert Series (Matinées Jeunesse).
Our United Way support in Quebec
Over $328,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
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Atlantic Canada Encouraging social enterprise, helping families of children with an intellectual disability
In the heart of a high-need neighbourhood in Saint John, we made a $50,000 commitment to Saint John Community Loan Fund to help build a three-storey mixed-use building to serve as a Social Enterprise Hub. The focus is to foster creativity and entrepreneurship for poverty reduction and deliver services that help people build skills, create income, build assets, and ultimately achieve greater self-reliance.
Our three-year commitment of $30,000 to The New Brunswick Association for Community Living (NBACL) will help families of children with an intellectual disability build their capacity to make decisions that best support their needs, and develop skills to mentor other families. This in turn will help NBACL to reach more new families in additional regions of New Brunswick.
Preserving, sharing the farming way of life
Ross Farm Museum is an authentic, living heritage site celebrating the rural Nova Scotia farming community. Our $10,000 contribution toward their Learning Centre Campaign is helping build a new multi-purpose facility for educational workshops and exhibits to further develop programs and contribute to the economic and cultural sustainability of this community.
Helping students learn, grow and build new skills through the arts
As sponsor of Theatre Nova Scotia’s Perform! program, we encourage enhanced learning for primary and high school students through the performing arts. The program helps students
build skills, creativity and self-esteem. It’s a strong enhancement to their overall educational experience, while their teachers receive professional development training to apply in the classroom.
We’ve supported Confederation Centre of the Arts for many years. Most recently, we made a three-year commitment of $5,000 annually toward Art Discovery Days. This program allows groups of school children to spend a full day at the Centre participating in workshops in movement (dance), theatre, and visual arts.
Building a stronger healthcare infrastructure
Many residents of Chester, Nova Scotia do not have a family physician. With some of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in the province and an aging population in need of geriatric and palliative care, the need for good medical care is acute. Our Health Centre was born when community members rallied together to find a sustainable solution. We’ve contributed $10,000 to help build this centre, which will house primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, provide space for visiting medical specialists, and co-ordinate public health services throughout the region.
Healthcare professionals also need support to advance their skills to improve care for the community. Our $25,000 commitment to QEII Health Sciences Centre Foundation’s simulation- based learning campaign will enhance simulation education capacity at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, increasing competency, reducing errors, and improving patient outcomes.
Our commitment of $500,000 in 2012 continues to fund an Education Specialist and a Research Associate at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick who work with the Chair in Occupational Medicine to advance occupational health issues and solutions specific to Atlantic Canada.
Since its inception in 2004, the Burin Peninsula Healthcare Foundation’s annual golf tournament has drawn the support of our staff and financial security advisors. To date, more than $115,000 has been raised to purchase specialized medical equipment. In 2014, proceeds went to the purchase of new digital boards for the main reception area.
Our United Way support in Atlantic Canada
Over $58,000 in 2014 workplace and corporate donations
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Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
176 Boeing of Canada Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron
30 Hour Telethon for Palliative Care Services
980 CJME’s Santa’s Anonymous
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Abilities Arts Festival
Abilities Centre
Across Languages Translation and Interpretation Service
Action Nouvelle Vie
The AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia
Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre
Alberta Cancer Foundation
The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation
Algoma University College Foundation
ALS Society of Canada
ALS Society of Ontario
Alzheimer Foundation London and Middlesex
Alzheimer Society of Manitoba
Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan
Amabile Choirs of London, Canada
Ambrose University College
Amcal Family Services
Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charities
Art City
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Art Starts Neighbourhood Cultural Centre
The Arthritis & Autoimmunity Research Centre Foundation
The Arthritis Society - Southwestern Ontario
Arts Club Theatre Company
Arts for Children and Youth
Arts Umbrella
Artspace Inc.
Assiniboine Park Conservancy
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Horseshoe Chapter
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Toronto Chapter
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Manitoba Chapter
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Regina Chapter
Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF)
Autism Ontario, London
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre Foundation
The Banff Centre
Beginning Experience of Winnipeg
Bethesda Home Foundation Inc.
Better Living Charitable Foundation
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Estrie
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Montreal
Big Brothers Big Sisters of London & Area
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Saint John
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg
Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver Foundation
Big Brothers of Regina
Border Crossings
Bow Valley College
Boys & Girls Club of London Foundation
Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
Brescia University College
Brigadoon Children’s Camp Society
Brock University
Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Society
Burin Peninsula Health Care Foundation
Burlington Art Centre
Burlington Community Foundation
Business and Professional Women - BPW Regina
Business Council of Manitoba
Business for the Arts
Cabbagetown Community Arts Centre
Caledonia Community Foundation
Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation
Camp Circle O’Friends
Camp Oochigeas
Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation Foundation
Canadian Association for Williams Syndrome
Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE) - Vancouver
Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP)
Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) – Manitoba
Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Ontario Chapter
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Prairies NWT
Canadian Cancer Society - Elgin-Middlesex Community Office
Canadian Cancer Society - Manitoba Division
Canadian Cancer Society - Nova Scotia Division
Canadian Cancer Society - Oxford County Unit
Canadian Cancer Society - Quebec Division
Canadian Cancer Society - Waterloo Region Community Office
Canadian Celiac Association - Manitoba Chapter
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Durham Region Chapter
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Peel & District Chapter
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Peterborough Chapter
Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network
Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR)
The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Canadian Mental Health Association - BC Division
Canadian Mental Health Association - Calgary Region
Canadian Mental Health Association - National
Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation (CMSF)
Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Progress Club - Halifax
Canadian Red Cross
Canadian Stage
Canadian Women’s Foundation
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation
The Cancer Research Society - Montreal
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
Cardiac Health Foundation of Canada
Carizon Family and Community Services
The Carpenter Hospice
Carrefour d’éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles
Casey House Foundation
Catholic Youth Organization - Marydale Park
CCSE Maisonneuve
Celebrate London
Centaur Theatre Company
Centraide du Grand Montréal
Centraide Estrie
Centraide Mauricie
Centraide Outaouais
Centraide Québec et Chaudière-Appalaches
Centraide Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean
Central Okanagan Hospice Association
Central Speech and Hearing Clinic Inc.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation
The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
Chatham Outreach for Hunger Inc.
Chatham-Kent Family Health Team
Chatham-Kent Hospice
The Cheshire Foundation (Quebec) Inc.
Children’s Aid Foundation of Halton
Children’s Health Foundation (London)
Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba
Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario
Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation
Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada - Nova Scotia Chapter
Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada - Prince Edward Island Chapter
Christmas & Winter Relief Association
The Citadel Theatre
CNIB - Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Winnipeg Office
CNIB - Ontario, National Office
Coast Mental Health Foundation
Common Weal Community Arts Incorporated
Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough
Community Foundation of Oakville
Community Living Chatham-Kent
Community Living Guelph Wellington
Community Living Mississauga
Community Living Oshawa/Clarington
The Concerned Kids
Conestoga College
Confederation Centre of the Arts
The Conference Board of Canada
Connect Legal: Advice for Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Cornwall Alternative School
Corporate Social Responsibility Society | CSRS Schulich
The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall
Covenant House
Creative Kids
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada - Manitoba/ Saskatchewan Region
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada - Ontario Region
Cruisers Sports for the Physically Disabled
Cystic Fibrosis Canada - Essex-Kent Chapter
Cystic Fibrosis Canada - Kitchener-Waterloo District Chapter
Dalhousie University
Dans la rue
D’Arcy’s A.R.C.
Dartmouth General Hospital Charitable Foundation
The David Suzuki Foundation
Dawson Community Centre
Défi Corporatif Canderel
Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ
Dr. Clown (Jovia)
The Dream Factory
Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation
Ducks Unlimited Canada
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Durham Children’s Aid Foundation
Durham Deaf Services
Durham Hospice
Earth Rangers
Easter Seals Ontario - Kingston
Easter Seals Ontario - Peterborough
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Edwards Business Students’ Society
Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board
Encounters with Canada
Eva’s Initiatives
Excellence Canada
La Fabrique de la Paroisse de Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes
Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Canada Society
Fanshawe College
Federation CJA
Festival du Voyageur
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences
Five Counties Children’s Centre
Fondation Centre de cancerologie Charles-Bruneau
Fondation CSSS Jeanne-Mance
Fondation de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Fondation des amis de l’enfance (Montréal) Inc.
Fondation du Cégep de l’Outaouais
Fondation Hôtel-Dieu d’Arthabaska
Fondation Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec
Fondation Jean-Monbourquette
Fondation Ressources-Jeunesse
Fondation Sourdine
Fondation Tel-jeunes
Fondation Tremplin Santé
Fondation universitaire Armand-Frappier de l’INRS
Fonds de développement du collège Édouard-Montpetit
Food Banks Canada
Forces AVENIR
The Forks Renewal Corporation
FortWhyte Alive
Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
Foundation of Stars
The Friends of Niagara National Historic Sites
Friends of Upper Fort Garry
Frontier College
Future Leaders of Manitoba Council
Future Possibilities Canada
Gardiner Museum
Generations Foundation
Glenbow Museum
Globe Theatre
Good Shepherd Centre
Goodwill Industries of Toronto, Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario
The Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference
Grace General Hospital Foundation
Grand River Hospital Foundation
The Grand Theatre
Grand Village
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal
Grandview Children’s Foundation
Grant MacEwan University Foundation
Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation
Green Action Centre
Groupe communautaire L’Itinéraire
Habitat for Humanity Canada
Habitat for Humanity Halton
Habitat for Humanity Manitoba
Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region
Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia
Habitat for Humanity Toronto
Halton Down Syndrome Association
The Hammer Band
Hats On For Awareness
Health Employers Association of BC - Vancouver
The Healthy Enterprises Group
Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario - Brockville
Heatwave Sports
Helping Hands Street Mission
Heritage Winnipeg
The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre
HIPPY - Quebec
Hockey Helps The Homeless
The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County
House of Hesed
The Human Resource Management Association of Manitoba (HRMAM)
Human Resources Professionals Association
Humber River Hospital Foundation
Huntington Society of Quebec
Huron House Boys’ Home
Ignite Adult Learning Corporation
Imagine Canada
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba
Indspire
Inn From the Cold
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba
International Symphony Orchestra
Jazz Winnipeg
Je Passe Partout
The Jewish Foundation of Manitoba
Jewish General Hospital
Jocelyn House
Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation
Junior Achievement of British Columbia
Junior Achievement of Canada
Junior Achievement of Central Ontario
Junior Achievement of London & District
Junior Achievement of Manitoba
Junior Achievement of Saskatchewan
Junior Achievement of South Western Ontario
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Montreal
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - North Eastern Ontario Region
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Windsor
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Winnipeg
Kelowna General Hospital Foundation
The Kidney Foundation of Canada - Ontario Branch
The Kidney Foundation of Canada - Saskatchewan
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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KidsAbility Foundation
KidSport Alberta
KidSport Canada
KidSport Manitoba (Sport Manitoba)
KidSport Saskatchewan
Kinesis Dance
Kiwanis Club of Wascana
Koats for Kids
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation
The Lambton College Foundation
L’Ancre des Jeunes
L’Arche Foundation of Greater Vancouver
L’Arche London
L’Arche Winnipeg, Inc.
The Laurel Centre Inc.
Leadership Windsor/Essex
LEAF Manitoba
Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba
L’Escale Chabad du Nord
Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts
Let’s Talk Science
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada - Greater Toronto Area Chapter
The Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Experience Program
The Lighthouse, Children and Families
Lily Lake Hatheway Pavilion
LITE
Literacy Unlimited
London and Middlesex Historical Society
London Arts Council
London Chamber of Commerce
London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Foundation - Gene Goodreau Patient Assistance Program
London Heritage Council
London Humane Society
London Regional Children’s Museum
London Santa Claus Parade Corporation
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Loyalist College
Luso Canadian Charitable Society
MacKenzie Art Gallery
La Maison d’Aurore
Make-A-Wish - Eastern Ontario
Make-A-Wish - Toronto & Central Ontario
Make-A-Wish - Southwestern Ontario
Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
Manitoba Children’s Museum
Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts
Manitoba Dragon Boat Festival
Manitoba Marathon
The Manitoba Museum
Manitoba Opera
Manitoba Riding for the Disabled Association Inc.
Manitoba Schizophrenia Society
Manitoba Schools Science Symposium
Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Manitoba Writers’ Guild Inc.
Mark Preece Family House
Maryvale
McCord Museum
McGill University
Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre
Merrymount Foundation Inc.
Metropolitan United Church of London’s Meal Program
Michael Cuccione Foundation
Middlesex-London Health Unit
The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem
Mindful Employer Canada
The Miracle League of Amherstburg
Misericordia Health Centre Foundation
Mission Services of London
Mississauga Camp Enterprise
Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Mixed Company Theatre
Mohawk College
Moisson Montreal
Montreal Cancer Institute
The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Montreal Chinese Hospital Foundation
Montreal Heart Institute
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba
Mood Disorders Society of Canada
Moorelands
Moose Jaw Health Foundation
The Mount Royal University Foundation
Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation
The Movement Centre of Manitoba
MukiBaum Treatment Centres
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Alberta Division
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Manitoba Division
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Ontario & Nunavut Division
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - South and Central Vancouver Island
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Southwestern Ontario
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Waterloo District
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Quebec
Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation
Musaico Inc.
Muscular Dystrophy Canada - Quebec Regional Office
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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Musée de Charlevoix
Museum London
My Sisters’ Place
National Arts Centre
Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Trust of British Columbia
Neighbourhood Link Support Services
Neil Squire Society
Neptune Theatre Foundation
The New Brunswick Association for Community Living
Niagara Community Foundation
The North Bay Symphony Society
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Northern Ontario Art Association
Oakville Humane Society
Old Brewery Mission Foundation
On Rock Ministries
Ontario Genealogical Society, London & Middlesex County Branch
Ontario Heritage Trust
Ontario Track 3 Ski Association for the Disabled
Opéra Atelier
L’Opéra de Montréal
Orchestra London
Orchestras Canada
L’orchestre de chambre I Musici de Montréal
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Original Kids Theatre Company
The Oshawa Hospital Foundation
The Ottawa Art Gallery
Our Health Centre
Ovarian Cancer Canada - Pacific-Yukon Regional Office
Parachute
Park House Inc.
The Parkwood Foundation
Partners for Mental Health Foundation
Partners for Youth
Pathways to Education Canada
Pause Famille
Peel Children’s Aid Foundation
People for Animals of Saskatchewan Inc.
Persephone Theatre
Peterborough Musicfest
Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation
Pets Friends for Life
Pillar Nonprofit Network
POGO - Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario
Pony Pals Therapeutic Riding Association
Prairie Theatre Exchange
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
Prostate Cancer Canada Atlantic Region
Prostate Cancer Centre
Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation
Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation
Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Foundation
Queen’s University
Rainbow Stage
Ranch Ehrlo Society
Ray-Cam Cooperative Centre
The RCMP Foundation
Reaching E-Quality Employment Services
READ Saskatoon
Red River College
Redeemer University College
ReForest London
Refuge des Jeunes de Montreal
Regina Early Learning Centre Inc.
Regina Symphony Orchestra
Reh-Fit Foundation
Rideau Hall Foundation
Riverview Health Centre Foundation
Ronald McDonald House - Atlantic Canada
Ronald McDonald House - British Columbia
Ronald McDonald House - Northern Alberta
Ronald McDonald House - Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
Ronald McDonald House - Southern Alberta
Ronald McDonald House - Toronto
Rose and Max Rady Jewish Community Centre
Rose Cherry’s Home for Kids
Ross Farm Museum Building Fund
Rouge Valley Health System Foundation
Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. (United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society)
Safety Services Manitoba
Saint Columba House
Saint John Community Loan Fund
The Salvation Army - Alberta and Northern Territories
The Salvation Army - Hamilton
The Salvation Army - Manitoba & Northwest Ontario
The Salvation Army – Nanaimo
The Salvation Army - Territorial Headquarters for Canada and Bermuda
SARI Therapeutic Riding
Saskatchewan Arts Board
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Saskatchewan Literacy Network
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Saskatchewan Science Centre
Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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SCEP Centre Early Intervention and Training Services
Scleredoma Quebec
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada - 80th London Scout Group
Scouts Canada - Greater Toronto Council
Scouts Canada - Komoka-Kilworth
Scouts Canada - Tri-Shores Area: 5th London Scout Group
Second Harvest
The Semiahmoo Foundation
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
Seniors’ & Elders’ Day Committee
Sexual Assault Centre London
Shad Valley International
Shakespeare in the Ruins
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival
Share the Warmth
ShareLife - Archdiocese of Toronto
Shaw Festival
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
Sherwood Park Manor
SickKids Foundation
Simon Fraser University
Sisters of St. Joseph Foundation
Sketch - Working Arts for Street-Involved and Homeless Youth
Skills Camp
Smile Theatre Company
The Society of Management Accountants of Manitoba
SOFIA House
SOS Children’s Village British Columbia (CANADA) Society
Soulpepper Theatre Company
South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre
South Temiskaming Activity Trails Organization
Special Olympics Canada
Special Olympics Manitoba
Special Olympics Manitoba- Interlake Region
Special Olympics Nova Scotia
Special Olympics Ontario
Special Olympics Ontario - Burlington
Special Olympics Ontario - Stratford & Area
Special Olympics Quebec
Specialized Services for Children & Youth
The Spirit of Giving
St. Amant Foundation
St. Anthony’s Hospital
St. Clair College Foundation
St. Francis Xavier University
St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation (London)
St. Lawrence College
St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation
St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation
St. Norbert Community Club
St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation (Vancouver)
St. Stephen’s Community House
The Stratford Festival
Sunshine Centres for Seniors
Tabor Mountain Recreation Society
Tafelmusik
Take Pride Winnipeg
Talisker Players Chamber Music
The Temiskaming Foundation
The Terry Fox Foundation Ontario
Thames Region Ecological Association
Thames Valley Children’s Centre
Thames Valley Education Foundation
Theatre Aquarius
Theatre Calgary
Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
Theatre New Brunswick
Theatre Nova Scotia
Theatre Sarnia
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra
Timmins and District Hospital Foundation
Toastmasters District 64 - Manitoba and NW Ontario
Toastmasters International
Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts
Toronto Arts Council Foundation
Toronto East General Hospital
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Transition to Betterness
Tremblant 24h Foundation
Trillium Health Partners Foundation
Trinity Western University
United Way Alberta Capital Region
United Way Brandon & District
United Way Burlington & Greater Hamilton
United Way Calgary and Area
United Way Cambridge and North Dumfries
United Way Cape Breton
United Way Centraide Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick Region
United Way Centraide Ottawa
United Way Centraide Sudbury and/et Nipissing Districts
United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex County
United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island
United Way Central and South Okanagan/Similkameen
United Way Central New Brunswick/Centraide Région du Centre du Nouveau Brunswick
United Way Chatham-Kent
United Way Cochrane-Timiskaming
United Way Durham Region
United Way Alberta Northwest
United Way Saint John, Kings and Charlotte
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United Way Greater Simcoe County
United Way Greater Victoria
United Way Halifax
United Way Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington
United Way Kitchener-Waterloo and Area
United Way Leeds and Grenville
United Way London & Middlesex
United Way Lower Mainland
United Way Newfoundland and Labrador
United Way Northern British Columbia
United Way Peel Region
United Way Peterborough & District
United Way Prince Edward Island
United Way Quinte
United Way Regina
United Way Sarnia-Lambton
United Way Saskatoon & Area
United Way Sault Ste. Marie & District
United Way St. Catharines & District
United Way Thunder Bay
United Way Toronto
United Way Winnipeg
United Way York Region
UNITY Charity
Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness in London
Université de Saint-Boniface
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
University of Alberta
The University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
University of Manitoba
University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation
University of Regina
University of Saskatchewan
University of Victoria
University of Western Ontario
The University of Winnipeg
Vancouver Chamber Choir
Vancouver Community College
Vancouver International Children’s Festival
Vancouver Island University Foundation
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Victoria General Hospital Foundation
Victoria Hospitals Foundation
Villa Rosa
Vintage Locomotive Society Inc.
Volunteer Manitoba
VON Middlesex-Elgin
Welcome Hall Mission
Wellspring London and Region
Wellwood Resource Centre of Hamilton
West Broadway BIZ
West Broadway Development Corporation
West Broadway Youth Outreach Inc.
The West Island Lyric Theatre
WestEnd Commons
Western Area Youth Services
Western University
Westminster Housing Society
Westover Treatment Centre
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation
Windsor & Essex County Cancer Centre Foundation
Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation
Windsor Symphony Orchestra
The Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg Arts Council
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
Winnipeg Folk Festival
The Winnipeg Foundation
The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival - Kids Fringe
Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club’s Community Zone Partnership
Winnipeg Harvest
The Winnipeg Humane Society
Winnipeg International Children’s Festival
Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation
Winnipeg Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC)
Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir
Winnipeg Police Association’s Fundraiser
The Winnipeg Rotary Club Community Service Fund Inc.
Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Women’s Community House
Women’s Place of South Niagara Inc.
Woodridge PREP Centre
World Wildlife Fund Canada
Wounded Warriors Canada
YMCA of Central East Ontario
YMCA of Regina (North West)
YMCA of Western Ontario
YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg
York Central Hospital Foundation
Young Adult Cancer Canada Inc.
Young Musicians of the World
Youth Central
Youth Opportunities Unlimited
YWCA Regina
YWCA Saskatoon
YWCA Toronto
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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Dues & Assessments We also support many professional, voluntary sector and business organizations. Many of our staff are involved in advisory or consultative capacities with industry organizations or working groups including members of private industry and regulatory agencies.
Better Business Bureau Serving Manitoba & N.W. Ontario
Boston College - Centre for Corporate Citizenship
Business for the Arts
Business Council of Manitoba
Canada Safety Council
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Council of Chief Executives
C. D. Howe Institute
Conference Board of Canada
Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec
Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance
Imagine Canada
The London Chamber of Commerce
Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Pacific Rim Actuaries’ Club of Toronto
Regina & District Chamber of Commerce
Toronto Region Board of Trade
Toronto Financial Services Alliance
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
2014 Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
The Arthritis Research Foundation (Toronto, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Fellowship
ABC Life Literacy Canada (Toronto, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Life Literacy Innovation Awards
Algoma University College (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) The Great-West Life Student Assistance Fund The Great-West Life Assistance Fund for Indigenous Students
Bow Valley College (Calgary, AB) Freedom 55 Financial Business Administration Program Scholarship
Brock University (St. Catharines, ON) The Great-West Life Scholarship in Business Administration
Business Council of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) Aboriginal Education Award Program
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (Toronto, ON) CIFAR - Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Global Scholar in Child & Brain Development
The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (London, ON) Great-West Life and London Life Scholarship Fund
Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation (CMSF) (Toronto, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Loran Awards
Carleton University (Ottawa, ON) The Great-West Life Assurance Company Award in Business Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Award in Business
Concordia University (Montreal, QC) Great-West Life Business Education Awards
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (Kitchener, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Awards
Delta Waterfowl Research Station (Portage la Prairie, MB) The Peter D. Curry Memorial Scholarship
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Ontario (Toronto, ON) Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Fanshawe College (London, ON) London Life Scholarship in Business Studies Merle Law Bursary in Administrative Studies London Life Student Awards in Communications Access to Opportunities Program: London Life Bursary
Fondation universitaire Armand-Frappier de l’INRS (Laval, QC) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Doctoral Scholarship
Fondation de l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (Ste-Foy, QC) The Great-West Life/Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec Fellowship The Freedom 55 Financial/Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec Fellowship
Fondation de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Trois-Rivières, QC) Freedom 55 Financial Business Program Scholarship
Fondation universitaire de l’Université du Québec (Québec, QC) Great-West Life Merit Scholarship in Management Science and related fields
Grant MacEwan University (Edmonton, AB) Freedom 55 Financial Awards
HEC Montréal (Montréal, QC) Great-West Life Scholarship
Huron University College (London, ON) London Life Fourth Year Scholarship
Indspire (Ntl) Foundation for the Advancement of Aboriginal Youth Scholarships and Bursaries
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) Great-West Life Leadership Award
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Surrey, BC) Great-West Life Award
Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarships
The Lambton College (Sarnia, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship in Business Administration
Laurentian University - Northern Ontario School of Medicine (Sudbury, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Award
Loyalist College (Belleville, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship
McGill University (Montreal, QC) Great-West Life and London Life Scholarship in Arts Great-West Life and London Life Scholarship in Management
McMaster University (Hamilton, ON) Centre for Health Promotion and Rehabilitation: The Great-West Life Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s, NL) Great-West Life Endowed Scholarship in Business Administration
Mount Allison University (Sackville, NB) London Life Business Education Scholarship
Mount Royal University (Calgary, AB) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship GWL Realty Advisors Inc. Business Scholarship The Great-West Life and London Life Scholarship Fund
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) (Edmonton, AB) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarships
Okanagan College (Kelowna, BC) The Canada Life Award - Bachelor of Business Administration Endowed Scholarship
Parkwood Hospital Foundation (London, ON) London Life Studentship in Stroke Rehabilitation Research
Queen’s University (Kingston, ON) Great-West Life Scholarship in Finance Great-West Life School of Medicine Studentship
Red River College (Winnipeg, MB) Great-West Life Scholarship and Bursary
Redeemer University College (Ancaster, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Business Scholarship
Royal University Hospital Foundation (Saskatoon, SK) The Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Medical Training Endowment
Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Regina, SK) Freedom 55 Financial Saskatchewan Advantage Opportunity and Innovation Scholarships for Business Financial Services
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (Markam, ON) GWL Realty Advisors Building Operator Award
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (Oakville, ON) Theatre Sheridan: Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Bursary
Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, BC) The Great-West Life Scholarship in Business Administration
St. Clair College (Windsor, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship, Chatham Campus Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship, Windsor Campus
St. Lawrence College (Kingston, ON) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship
Thames Valley Education Foundation (London, ON) London Life Award
Trinity Western University (Langley, BC) Great-West Life Endowed Scholarship - School of Business
Université de Moncton (Moncton, NB) Great-West Life Scholarship in Business Administration London Life Scholarship
Université de Saint-Boniface (Winnipeg, MB) Great-West Life Scholarship
Université du Quebéc en Outaouais (Gatineau, QC) The Great-West Life and London Life Scholarship Fund
University Health Network (Toronto, ON) The Charles H. Hollenberg Chair in Medicine
University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) The Great-West Life Bachelor of Commerce Scholarship The Great-West Life Bilingual Bachelor of Commerce Scholarship
University of Calgary (Calgary, AB) Great-West Life Business Education Scholarship Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Faculty Fellow in Personal Financial Planning
University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) Bison Sports Athletic Scholarship Fund G. Clarence Elliott Fellowship Great-West Life Actuarial Career Scholarship Lloyd A. H. Warren Chair in Actuarial Science
University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George, BC) Great-West Life Graduate Scholarship in Disability Management
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa, ON The Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Award
University of Regina (Regina, SK) Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship Great-West Life Scholarship
University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) Business Education Bursaries Freedom 55 Financial Scholarship in Business
University of Toronto (Toronto, ON) Woodsworth College - Peter Bronfman Woodsworth Scholarship
University of Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) Great-West Life Business Student Scholars Program The Tony Tascona Bursary Fund in Art History
Western University (London, ON) London Life Actuarial Career Scholarships
London Life Paul Desmarais Finance Fellowship Great-West Life MBA Continuing Scholarship
Vancouver Community College (Vancouver, BC) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Scholarship for New Canadians
Western Area Youth Services (London, ON) Youth Scholarship Program
York University (Toronto, ON) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Award in Financial Services
Team Events 2014
West Coast Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon Big Bike Corporate Challenge Vancouver Disability Management Office
Prairies Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Prairies, NWT CIBC Run for the Cure - Winnipeg Great-West Life Head Office
Canadian Women’s Foundation Move for Hope, Winnipeg Great-West Life Head Office
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation Inc. Challenge for Life Great-West Life Head Office
Cancercare Manitoba Manitoba Dragon Boat Festival Great-West Life Head Office
Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba Walmart Walk for Miracles Great-West Life Head Office
Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Canada Society Georgia’s Journey of Hope Great-West Life Head Office
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba Heart & Stroke Big Bike, Winnipeg Great-West Life Head Office Freedom 55 Financial, Manitoba
JDRF - Winnipeg Chapter Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes, Winnipeg Great-West Life Head Office
JDRF – Winnipeg Chapter Ride for the Cure, Winnipeg Great-West Life Head Office
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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KidSport Saskatchewan Fun & Fitness Corporate Challenge Regina Administration Centre
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Alberta Division Rona MS Bike Tour 150 – Leduc to Camrose Freedom 55 Financial, Edmonton
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Manitoba Division Rona MS Bike Tour - Biking to the Viking Great-West Life Head Office
Riverview Health Centre Foundation Cycle on Life Great-West Life Head Office
The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba Stationary Bike Race Great-West Life Head Office
The Movement Centre of Manitoba Inc. WinnStock Great-West Life Head Office
United Way of Winnipeg Plane Pull Great-West Life Head Office
The Winnipeg Humane Society Paws in Motion Great-West Life Head Office
Ontario ALS Canada, Durham Chapter Walk for ALS, Port Perry Freedom 55 Financial, Peterborough
ALS Canada, London Chapter Walk for ALS, London London Life Head Office
Autism Ontario London Bowling for Autism London Life Head Office
Big Brothers Big Sisters of London & Area Bowl for Kids’ Sake, London London Life Head Office
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Central Office CIBC Run for the Cure, London London Life Head Office
Canadian Cancer Society - Elgin-Middlesex Unit Relay for Life, London London Life Head Office
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis, London London Life Head Office
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis, Mississauga Freedom 55 Financial, Mississauga
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis, Strathroy London Life Head Office
Five Counties Children’s Centre Carl Oake Swimathon Freedom 55 Financial, Peterborough
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario - Brockville Heart & Stroke Big Bike, Brockville Freedom 55 Financial, Brockville
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Heart & Stroke Big Bike, Toronto Canada Life Head Office Toronto Group Sales Office
JDRF – Windsor Chapter Ride for Diabetes Research Freedom 55 Financial, Windsor
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada – Greater Toronto Area Chapter Light the Night, London London Life Head Office
London Health Sciences Foundation Walk of Champions for Myeloma Research London Life Head Office
London Health Sciences Foundation ONERUN London Life Head Office
London Health Sciences Foundation Hike for Happiness London Life Head Office
London Humane Society Bark in the Park Festival Dog Walk-a-thon London Life Head Office
Mackenzie Health Foundation Strides for Stroke 5K Run/Walk – Toronto Freedom 55 Financial, Toronto Northwest
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwestern Ontario Go Blue! Go Bald! Charity Head Shave London Life Head Office
Maryvale Tim Horton’s Night Run Freedom 55 Financial, Windsor
Mission Services of London Coldest Night of the Year Freedom 55 Financial, Forest City
Movember Canada Movember, London London Life Head Office
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Ontario Division, Southwestern Ontario Fund Raising Office MS Walk, London Mandarin London Life Head Office
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Ontario Division, Southwestern Ontario Fund Raising Office Rona MS Bike Tour, Grand Bend to London London Life Head Office
Run for Ovarian Cancer Run for Ovarian Cancer London Life Head Office
SARI Therapeutic Riding Bowling for Ponies London Life Head Office
SickKids Foundation Heatwave Peel Halton Corporate Challenge Canada Life Head Office
SickKids Foundation Indoor Beach Volleyball Challenge Canada Life Head Office
Thames Valley Children’s Centre Forest City Road Races London Life Head Office
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer Freedom 55 Financial, Mississauga
Appendix Contributions to communities in 2014
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The Terry Fox Foundation Ontario Terry Fox Run, Hamilton Freedom 55 Financial, Hamilton
The Terry Fox Foundation Ontario Terry Fox Run, London London Life Head Office
VON Middlesex-Elgin Great Community Run,Walk ‘n’ Roll London Life Head Office
World Wildlife Fund Canada WWF CN Tower Climb Canada Life Head Office London Life Head Office
Quebec McGill Cancer Centre and Insitut du cancer de Montreal Defi Corporatif Canderel Montreal Head Office
Societe de la sclerose en plaques, Division du Quebec MS Walk, Repentigny Montreal Administration Centre
Tremblant 24h Foundation Tremblant 24H of Skiing, Montreal London Life, Quebec
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2014Our report to you Conserving for our future
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life recognize the importance of environmental responsibility and take a balanced and sustainable approach to conducting business.
To help reduce our environmental footprint, this statement has been printed on paper containing 30 per cent post-consumer recycled fibre.
Arbor Plus paper by New Page is tri certified to the FSC, SFI and PEFC standards and contains 30% post-consumer recycled fibre. A large percentage of the energy used to manufacture Arbor is generated using biomass energy. Using this paper has helped save:
16
Trees
7,566
Gallons of waste water
7
Millions BTU net energy
506
Pounds of solid waste
1,395
Pounds of greenhouse gases
Environmental impact estimates for savings pertaining to the use of post-consumer recycled fibre are based on the Environmental Paper Network calculator.
When you are finished with this report, please consider recycling it. View the 2014 Public Accountability Statement or order free printed copies at www.greatwestlife.com, www.londonlife.com and www.canadalife.com.
E1227(14PAS)-4/15
Great-West Life and the key design and Stronger Communities Together are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company. The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace is a trademark of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.
London Life and design, and Freedom 55 Financial are trademarks of London Life Insurance Company. Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company.
Other trademarks which appear in this statement are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company or other owners, and are used under license or with permission, or for identification purposes only. ©2015 The Great-West Life Assurance Company. All rights reserved.
