Creating Change

WE

BELI

EVE

WE

CAN

CR

EATE

A

BET

TER

WO

RLD

Long before Cirque du Soleil became the company you know today, we were a group of young entertainers and dreamers who presented our acts in the streets. As time passed, our dream to stimulate the imagination of audiences all over the world became a reality because people with means and influence took a chance on us in spite of our youth, our image and our profession as itinerant acrobats. Since Cirque du Soleil has acquired the means to make our dreams a reality that we have spread a little all over the world, we have chosen to join with communities and a growing number of individuals to work together to build a better world. Until very recently, we sought little publicity for our citizenship activities, preferring to take a back seat to the achievements of our partners in social and cultural action. We are now taking a more prominent public role in an effort to inspire other companies and individuals to make a similar commitment to citizenship. When we think of the world of tomorrow we want to put the inspiration and energy that drive our shows at the service of the pursuit of our dream to improve the living conditions of all human beings, no matter where they may be. With this in mind I have personally chosen to commit myself to the cause of access to water. My hope is that Cirque du Soleil will be a shining example of taking collective responsibility for the worldwide water crisis. The values underpinning the creation of the ONE DROP Foundation are the same values that have inspired me since the start of my adventure with Cirque du Soleil—namely, the desire to share and the conviction that life pays you back what you’ve given to it and that even the smallest gesture on our part can make a huge difference. Cirque du Soleil wants above all to take its place in society as a good citizen, with all the duties and responsibilities that go with citizenship. Beyond philanthropic gestures, good citizenship consists of an attitude of social responsibility at the very heart of all our business strategies and management. Cirque therefore pays particular attention to its relationships with its employees, its interactions with its audience, its relationships with business partners, suppliers and community neighbors, and the environmental impact of its activities. Cirque du Soleil is an international company from Quebec dedicated to the creation, production and distribution of artistic works. Our mission is to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people throughout the world. Cirque du Soleil is a generator of new experiences, a laboratory and platform for creators. We are constantly researching new artistic avenues and innovating within our organization – and we intend to carry on taking such risks and inventing with audacity. As we pursue our dreams and grow our business it is also our intention to position ourselves in the community as an agent of change. We will, as a matter of policy, treat our employees, clients, partners and neighbors with respect, and willingly operate our business according to the laws of every jurisdiction we work in. In all our relationships – internal and external – we will always go the extra mile as proof of our daring and creativity.

FOUNDERGUY LALIBERTÉ

LETT

ER F

RO

M F

OU

ND

ER

P 5

P 42Creativity at WorkConnecting the Dots

P 6Our MissionCirque du MondeSocial CircusArtists of Tomorrow

TAB

LE O

F CO

NTE

NTS

CHAPTER

CREATING A GOOD WORKPLACE

CREATING POSSIBILITIES

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

CREATING GOOD PARTNERSHIPS

CREATING CONNECTIONS

CREATING A GREENER WORLD

CREATING A GREENER WORLD

CREATING NEW CHALLENGES


CREATING GOOD PARTNERSHIPS



P 32One Drop FoundationGreen Actions

P 54Partners and Suppliers

P 20The Touring CircusBuilding For The FutureWork in Las Vegas

P 60We Can Do Even More

CREATINGPOSSIBILITIES

POSSIBILITIES

Since 1989, Cirque has dedicated 1% of its yearly earnings to its outreach and cultural action programs, which reflect a social involvement extending far beyond the borders of its business markets. The figure for 2009 exceeded $7,500,000, and the total has now reached nearly $60 million. Rather than tackling a wide range of causes, Cirque du Soleil has chosen to commit itself to youth, particularly street kids. This cause lies very close to Cirque’s heart: the organization hopes to give these young people the opportunity to build new bridges with the community through their marginal status. Indeed, does Cirque du Soleil not owe its existence to the fact that one day, older people firmly believed in the potential of a group of young street performers, the original members of Cirque du Soleil? Now that it has the means to fulfill its dreams, it is Cirque’s turn to give back to young people. In tandem with its partners, Jeunesse du Monde, Oxfam International and many local youth organizations, Cirque du Soleil has developed programs designed to help young people in nearly 80 communities worldwide, in some 20 countries on five continents. The cause of youth at risk was a natural choice for Cirque du Soleil, given its origins, and the intervention approaches selected—like everything Cirque does—are equally innovative and original. We have chosen to use our artistic work as a means of helping young people. Because the circus arts require the participants to work together supportively, and pool their talents and strengths, they help young people develop a sense of belonging to a group. They also leave room for freedom and creativity, while demanding perseverance and discipline. The circus arts give at-risk youth a chance to spread their wings, to express themselves and use their marginal status as a tool to forge new links with a society that often excludes them. All of this explains how Cirque du Soleil came to develop expertise and leadership in the social circus field.

OURMISSION

P 10


EVER SINCE IT HAS HAD THE RESOURCES TO FOLLOW ITS DREAMS AND TO PRESENT SHOWS

AROUND THE WORLD,C IRQUE DU SOLEIL HAS

CHOSEN TO BE INVOLV ED IN COMMUNITIES, AND MORE PARTICULAR LY WITH YOUTH AT RISK.

IN COOPERATION W ITH ITS PARTNERS,

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IS INVOLVED IN NEARLY 80 COMMUNITIES WO RLDWIDE, IN SOME 20

COUNTRIES SPANNIN G FIVE CONTINENTS.

EVER SINCE IT HAS HAD THE RESOURCES TO FOLLOW ITS DREAMS AND TO PRESENT SHOWS

AROUND THE WORLD,C IRQUE DU SOLEIL HAS

CHOSEN TO BE INVOLV ED IN COMMUNITIES, AND MORE PARTICULAR LY WITH YOUTH AT RISK.

IN COOPERATION W ITH ITS PARTNERS,

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IS INVOLVED IN NEARLY 80 COMMUNITIES WO RLDWIDE, IN SOME 20

COUNTRIES SPANNIN G FIVE CONTINENTS.

Cirq

ue d

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test

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rces

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que

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in 1

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art

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ualit

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ir w

ork

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h yo

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oes

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o be

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es y

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ped

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Mon

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his

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tter

phy

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l con

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up

ave

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and

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sona

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impa

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rque

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Mon

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arn

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In 2

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ircu

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(IN

SCT)

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. IN

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en o

rga

niza

tion

s fr

om B

razi

l, C

hile

, Col

ombi

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ana

da

, Bur

kina

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so, A

ustr

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and

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th A

fric

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n a

dd

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que

du

Sole

il a

nd Je

unes

se d

u M

ond

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n in

tern

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pera

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embe

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ome

from

pr

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l cir

cus

scho

ols.

SOCI

AL

CIR

CUS

P 1

5

TICKETS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH TROUBLED YOUTH ENABLING THEM TO ORGANIZE BENEFIT SHOWS

TICKETS DONATED TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ENABLING THEIR BENEFICIARIES TO ENJOY OUR SHOWS

SOCIAL CIRCUS TRAINING SESSIONS

LATIN AMERICA

LATI

N A

MER

ICA

LATIN

AM

ERICA

2

8

1150

2800

25 organizations5 countries

LATINAMERICA

LATIN AMERICA

LATI

N A

MER

ICA

LATIN AMERICA

28

4

TOURING SHOWS UNDER BIG TOPS

CIRQUE DU MONDE SITES ACTIVE

CITIES VISITED IN 2009

IN 2009

QuidamAlegría

Mexico CholutecaSantiago 25 Brazilian communities

Cirque du Soleil has always fostered a relationship with the communities in which it operates. But we should not forget that the true global citizenship of Cirque du Soleil is first and foremost that of a creator and a producer of artistic content. Cirque is, and it probably always has been, a place for creators and performers to go beyond their wildest dreams. During the year, nearly $170,000 was donated to support innovative art projects, emerging artists and artistic companies in Montreal. In partnership with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, an art project was developed in 2008 with Yoshi Cooper, a rising artist from Las Vegas. Via amentoring approach, Cirque du Soleil has helped this young man create a work inspired by KÀ, assemble a portfolio and compose a brief artistic bio. In addition, Cirque du Soleil seeks to support creativity through its Access to the Arts programme, which buys works of art and other cultural expressions, and encourages the performing arts and visual arts milieu by purchasing tickets for events, exhibitions and performances. Our goal is therefore to support artists and arts companies that offer new, surprising, avant-garde or bold creative works. As part of this programme we have given more than $20,000 in support, through the purchase of tickets and cultural products provided to employees of Cirque du Soleil free of charge. Cirque du Soleil offers financial support to new and innovative works by emerging artists and arts companies. In 2009, 64 artists and arts companies benefited from such support. These artists and companies represent nine major artistic disciplines: the visual arts, film, circus arts, dance, literature, multimedia, music, theatre and variety. In all, 41 arts centres, organizations and venues also obtained support from the Cirque du Soleil cultural support program. Several prior agreements were renewed in 2009 and new ones established. Among these are new agreements with the Centre des auteurs dramatiques, a panel of playwrights who award the Gratien-Gélinas prize for budding dramatists, the Orford Arts Centre, for creative and instructional digital arts workshops, and Studio 303, which helps stage works created in the course of artistic apprenticeships.

ARTISTSOF TOMORROW

P 1

8

THE PRÉLUDE PROJECT IN THE SAINT-MICHEL DISTRICT: Prélude is a mentoring project for young creative spirits attempting to turn their passion into a profession as well as an artistic support initiative carried out in partnership with the TOHU and the Montreal Arts Council. Prélude’s primary goals are to: • enrich the career course of young artists through a personalized approach aimed at helping them develop, crystallize and fine-tune their creative work • foster open-mindedness among the young to a range of creators and disciplines • help artists secure the tools they need to fully develop their creative projects • urge young artists to attend at least two professional artistic performances on the Montreal scene • bridge the gap between young creators and Montreal’s artistic community • expose up-and-coming artists to professional works and creators. The mentoring takes place over a period of ten weeks. LA TABLÉE CIRQUE DU MONDE: As part of Quebec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations, close to 200 participants in the Cirque du Monde program ranging from 12 to 30 years of age came to the Old Capital from French-speaking countries around the world to take part in a three-week artistic and cultural jamboree. This gathering, organized by and for marginalized young people, concluded with a giant dinner show collectively prepared and presented by these same youths. This was an excellent opportunity to raise public awareness regarding the issues and difficulties facing at-risk youth, the positive impacts of outreach programs involving social circus, and the need to bring out all the talent and potential of these individuals who may have strayed from the beaten path. In the course of the gathering, these participants had the chance to talk about their common experiences, to develop and showcase their creative and artistic potential and, for many, to enjoy a first international experience—all in a spirit of discovery with respect to the culture, atmosphere and history of Quebec. La tablée Cirque du Monde gathered young people from Quebec, and from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Lebanon, Côte d’Ivoire and Haiti, as well as two Atikamekw communities (Manawan and Wemotaci).


CRE

ATI

NG

CON

NEC

TIO

NS

The week preceding the tear-down of Alegría in Rio de Janeiro, the crew heard some troubling news about Crescer e Viver (growing and living), an organization belonging to the Circo do Mundo Brasil network that takes in some 300 underprivileged kids from the favelas of Rio every day: the tropical rains and strong winds of the season had played havoc with their tent, which had already seen better days to begin with. Since the tent was

located close to the Sambódromo stadium, best known for hosting Rio’s Carnival, Crescer e Viver had intended to rent it out to one of the many samba schools taking part in the carnival for costume and equipment storage. Ironically, the rental revenue was earmarked for buying a new tent. This dark cloud had a silver lining because there happened to be a team of Cirque du Soleil specialists on hand at the time. A quickly assembled crew of eleven technicians volunteered to make the necessary repairs. They took the opportunity to enlist the other partners from the Circo do Mundo Brasil network to work under the tent as well, in order to take advantage of the displayed expertise and observe the work, thus acquiring some useful knowledge.

Employees of Cirque du Soleil who were posted in Macau in 2008 got together during the Holidays to help out local aid agencies, particularly the Cradle of Hope and Fountain of Hope foster homes, which are home to approximately sixty abandoned infants and children. These homes receive only partial funding from the Macau government and rely heavily on charitable donations. With the money raised by the ZAIA team, by the staff at the Asia-Pacific Resident Shows Division and of the Cirque du Soleil Macau costume workshop, enough money was raised to purchase several outfits and new shoes for every baby and child in both homes! A group of ZAIA volunteers took 20 of the older children (10 years of age or older) shopping in Macau’s market district so they could pick out their own clothes. Not many of them could speak English, but when it comes to teenagers shopping, it seems language is no barrier! To round out the day, the kids were treated to a hearty lunch. Also, since some of the older children at Fountain of Hope had started a band as part of their music studies, the ZAIA team was also able to donate two electric guitars and a bass guitar to the cause.

Last

spr

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in S

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Paul

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The very first nationally available training program for circus instructors from various Colombian organizations took place in Cali in February 2008. Organized jointly with Circo Para Todos (circus for everyone), this training enabled twenty participants from Cali, Medellín and Bogotá to improve their teaching practices and talk about their experiences. The Circo Para Todos school is a member of the International Network for Social Circus Training (INSCT). The social contribution of this school consists in offering circus workshops to young people from the underprivileged neighborhoods of Cali in a bid to improve quality of life in that community.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL WANTS ABOVE ALL TO TAKE ITS PLACE IN SOCIETY AS A GOOD CITIZEN, WITH ALL THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GO WITH CITIZENSHIP. BEYOND PHILANTHROPIC GESTURES, GOOD CITIZENSHIP CONSISTS OF AN ATTITUDE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT THE VERY HEART OF ALL OUR BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND MANAGEMENT. CIRQUE THEREFORE PAYS PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS EMPLOYEES, ITS INTERACTIONS WITH ITS AUDIENCE, ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS, SUPPLIERS AND COMMUNITY NEIGHBORS, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ITS ACTIVITIES.

MACAU, CHINA

CALI, COLOMBIA SÃO

PA

ULO

, BR

AZI

L

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

In the fall of 2008, the Dralion troupe played host to a group of teens in the course of an activity organized in partnership with Street Work, a Sydney centre that provides assistance to young people struggling with drugs or alcohol. This visit gave the kids a chance to discover all of the inner workings of Dralion, from the costume workshop to what goes on backstage. They took a turn on the trampoline and the drums, and tried their hands at juggling and improv.

At the various parties held on the occasion of the premiere of Varekai in Antwerp, London, Amsterdam and Berlin, guests were able to appreciate the public performances by dance and circus arts students of CODARTS, a university specializing in the performing arts based in Rotterdam. The result of close cooperation between the European Commercial Office of Cirque du Soleil and CODARTS, the students’ performances provided them not only with some extra tuition money but also with a unique opportunity to learn and develop within the circus community. This reflects the Cirque du Soleil commitment to new generations of performers.

When Quidam was presented in Lisbon in the spring of 2008, it was the first time Cirque du Soleil performed on Portuguese soil. In order to pay homage to Portugal’s rich circus tradition, Cirque du Soleil organized an event jointly with Chapitô, a circus school based in Lisbon. Some 25 Portuguese circus artists and members of circus families gathered festively to see what the fuss was about with the new visitor, Cirque du Soleil, which they greeted very warmly indeed. Just the act of “gathering” was a rare enough occasion, given the very heavy touring schedules in the circus community.

Cirque du Soleil has collaborated with Circus Cabuwazi for a few years, often organizing Cirque du Monde workshops when touring shows visit Berlin. This year, in addition to a clowning and juggling workshop given by Varekai artists to 24 youths from Cabuwazi, Cirque du Soleil graciously gave the organization some tickets enabling them to hold a benefit show, which in turn generated close to ¤20,000 in donations. Also, at a meeting organized with the Cirque du Soleil tent master, Cabuwazi’s management team benefitted from valuable technical tips and advice on how to properly waterproof their own tents and deal with all the leaks and other issues associated with rainy weather.

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, 37 youths undergoing anti-retroviral treatment and participating in Cirque du Monde workshops in collaboration with Zip Zap Circus staged a variety show before 2,000 spectators in the Oliver Tambo Community Centre in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s biggest township. In the audience were a hundred or so youths from various homes and centres in the region.

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ell

as

two

Cirq

ue d

u So

leil

tra

iner

s. T

his

cons

titu

ted

a g

rea

t op

port

unit

y fo

r Cir

que

du

Sole

il to

for

ge s

ome

stro

ng t

ies

wit

h th

e CA

RA

VAN

net

wor

k, w

hich

is c

urre

ntly

ma

de

up o

f se

ven

orga

niza

tion

s re

pres

enti

ng s

ome

of t

he b

est-

know

n ci

rcus

sch

ools

in E

urop

e w

ith

a s

ocia

l and

ed

uca

tion

al f

ocus

.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL WANTS ABOVE ALL TO TAKE ITS PLACE IN SOCIETY AS A GOOD CITIZEN, WITH ALL THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GO WITH CITIZENSHIP. BEYOND PHILANTHROPIC GESTURES, GOOD CITIZENSHIP CONSISTS OF AN ATTITUDE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT THE VERY HEART OF ALL OUR BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND MANAGEMENT. CIRQUE THEREFORE PAYS PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS EMPLOYEES, ITS INTERACTIONS WITH ITS AUDIENCE, ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS, SUPPLIERS AND COMMUNITY NEIGHBORS, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ITS ACTIVITIES.

SIDNEY, AUSTRALIAROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

LISBON, PORTUGAL

BERLIN, GERMANY

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

AM

STER

DA

M, N

ETH

ERLA

ND

S

P 26

CREA

TING

CON

NECTIO

NS

Nearly 15 years ago, when it was time for Cirque du Soleil to set up a permanent infrastructure, we wanted to pick a location where we could have maximal positive impact. By choosing one of Canada’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, the Saint-Michel sector of northern Montreal, we set ourselves a challenge to meet through meaningful action in the community. It is against this background that Cirque du Soleil became a founding member of TOHU, la Cité des arts du cirque, an NPO founded in 2003 with the threefold mission of making Montreal a world circus arts capital, participating actively in the rehabilitation of one of the biggest urban landfills in North America, and contributing to the development of the Saint-Michel neighborhood.In 2006, Cirque du Soleil sat on the board of directors of the trans-sectoral umbrella movement Vivre Saint-Michel en Santé, within which residents, community groups, and business people from across the Saint-Michel neighborhood work together to define and promote action priorities aimed at improving the quality of life in the neighborhood, and aiding the social and economic development of its residents. These action priorities gave Cirque a role in the work of the Club des Partenaires Culturels de Saint-Michel, the Club des Partenaires sports et Loisirs de Saint-Michel, the Groupe Action Jeunesse and Oser Jarry. From June to September, Cirque du Soleil took part in the “Classes Affaires” project run by Fonds Ville-Marie, an NPO supported by the City of Montreal. In this project, designed to fight the dropout phenomenon, 18 students aged 14 to 16 from high schools in the Saint-Michel neighborhood came to Cirque for internships varying in length from one to five weeks, under the guidance of employees from 12 different divisions of the organization. The Arts Nomades project, a Cirque du Soleil initiative, gives schoolchildren and preschoolers a chance to attend art workshops and cultural activities conducted by artist-teachers. Some 360 preschool- and school-aged children took part in Arts Nomades in 2008. The positive effects on the social and educational development of the students from the Bienville and Saint-Mathieu schools, not to mention their arts and cultural enrichment, encouraged Cirque du Soleil and its partners to extend the pilot phase of this project, which had been scheduled to end in June 2008. Thanks to the mobilization of players from educational, health care and community organizations, a new financial partnership was secured under which the Commission Scolaire de Montréal (the French-language school board) joined Cirque du Soleil as the principal financial backer of the Arts Nomades project. At the close of 2009, Cirque du Soleil, the school board and their partners decided to set a new course for Arts Nomades in order to reach a maximum number of elementary schools in the Saint-Michel district with an arts and culture component in their curriculum. Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil employees truly mobilized during the course of the year to organize team outings in aid of community organizations. These included serving meals at the Old Brewery Mission homeless shelter, sorting food donations at Moisson Montréal (HarvestMontreal), and helping to clean and renovate the premises of a number of organizations working with underprivileged populations— the Maison des Enfants de Montréal, the Colonie des Grèves and the Colonie Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc—as well as the Relais des Jeunes Familles, a non-profit agency in the Saint-Michel district which offers a nurturing, supportive environment for fourteen young families.

BUILDINGFOR THE FUTURE

IT USED TO BE THAT W HEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN, RESIDENTS WOULD FLOCK TO HELP

THE TROUPE SET UP THE BIG TOP IN A SPIRIT OF

CELEBRATION. BY THE V ERY NATURE OF THEIR

ART, STREET PERFORME RS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN

DRIVEN BY A PROFOUN D NEED TO FORGE TIES WITH OTHERS. WHILE EX EMPLIFYING MODERNITY, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL REM AINS FIRMLY ROOTED IN

THIS AGE-OLD CI RCUS TRADITION.

IT USED TO BE THAT W HEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN, RESIDENTS WOULD FLOCK TO HELP

THE TROUPE SET UP THE BIG TOP IN A SPIRIT OF

CELEBRATION. BY THE V ERY NATURE OF THEIR

ART, STREET PERFORME RS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN

DRIVEN BY A PROFOUN D NEED TO FORGE TIES WITH OTHERS. WHILE EX EMPLIFYING MODERNITY, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL REM AINS FIRMLY ROOTED IN

THIS AGE-OLD CI RCUS TRADITION.

For t

he la

st f

ew y

ears

, Cir

que

du

Sole

il ha

s be

en o

rga

nizi

ng t

he R

un A

wa

y w

ith

Cirq

ue d

u So

leil

even

t, w

here

eve

ryon

e in

the

com

mun

ity

is in

vite

d t

o ta

ke p

art

in a

5 k

ilom

eter

s ru

n or

one

-mile

wa

lk in

sup

port

of

Cirq

ue’s

pa

rtne

rs in

the

com

mun

ity

wor

king

wit

h a

t-ri

sk y

outh

. In

2008

, the

eve

nt t

ook

on

a w

hole

new

gui

se t

hank

s to

a n

ew p

art

ners

hip

wit

h th

e Sp

ring

s Pr

eser

ve, a

cul

tura

l, h

isto

rica

l and

env

iron

men

tal a

ttra

ctio

n a

t th

e or

igin

al o

asi

s of

La

s Ve

gas.

In a

dd

itio

n to

dis

cove

ring

a g

em o

f a

new

sit

e, e

vent

pa

rtic

ipa

nts—

bols

tere

d a

nd e

ncou

rage

d b

y Ci

rque

du

Sole

il a

rtis

ts a

nd v

olun

teer

s— h

elpe

d

colle

ct m

ore

tha

n $4

5,00

0 fo

r the

Cen

ter f

or In

dep

end

ent

Livi

ng, W

est

Care

and

the

And

re A

gass

i Cha

rita

ble

Foun

da

tion

. For

a s

econ

d c

onse

cuti

ve y

ear,

th

e N

eva

da

Ba

llet

Thea

tre

and

Cir

que

du

Sole

il ha

ve jo

ined

for

ces

to p

rese

nt t

he C

hore

ogra

pher

s’ S

how

case

, a p

roje

ct t

o st

imul

ate

and

enc

oura

ge

art

isti

c gr

owth

. Thi

s un

ique

col

labo

rati

on p

rem

iere

d t

en o

rigi

nal w

orks

cre

ate

d a

nd p

erfo

rmed

by

da

ncer

s fr

om t

he N

eva

da

Ba

llet

Thea

tre

and

Cir

que

d

u So

leil.

Aft

er t

he re

soun

din

g su

cces

s of

thi

s ev

ent

in 2

007,

an

ad

dit

iona

l per

form

anc

e w

as

ad

ded

in 2

008,

for

a t

ota

l of

two

publ

ic p

erfo

rma

nces

. In

ad

dit

ion,

as

in t

he p

revi

ous

yea

r, s

ome

1,10

0 st

uden

ts f

rom

14

scho

ols

in t

he C

lark

Cou

nty

scho

ol d

istr

ict

att

end

ed t

he f

ull d

ress

rehe

ars

al.

Som

e of

the

m b

elon

ged

to

the

Nev

ad

a B

alle

t Th

eatr

e’s

Futu

re D

anc

e pr

ogra

m, w

hich

rais

es a

wa

rene

ss in

sch

ools

to

brin

g th

e a

rt o

f d

anc

e to

chi

ldre

n fr

om

und

erpr

ivile

ged

nei

ghbo

rhoo

ds.

The

ma

in o

bjec

tive

of

this

eve

nt, w

hich

wa

s pr

iced

at

$20

or $

40, w

as

to m

ake

cul

ture

acc

essi

ble

to a

ll m

embe

rs o

f so

ciet

y. T

he m

ore

expe

nsiv

e ti

cket

s se

rved

to

subs

idiz

e th

e pr

ice

of t

icke

ts f

or s

tud

ents

att

end

ing

the

full

dre

ss re

hea

rsa

l. A

tot

al o

f ov

er 2

,600

tic

kets

w

ere

sold

for

the

eve

nt, w

hich

wa

s he

ld f

or a

sec

ond

yea

r in

the

Mys

tère

the

atr

e. A

ll of

the

pro

fits

fro

m t

he e

vent

—to

talli

ng m

ore

tha

n $3

0,00

0—w

ere

then

don

ate

d in

sup

port

of

the

Nev

ad

a B

alle

t Th

eatr

e.

WO

RK

INLA

S V

EGA

SP

31


2

1

23500

7

RESIDENT SHOWS


KÀOMystèreLa NoubaThe Beatles LOVE ZoomanityCriss Angel BeLIEve

NORTHAMERICA

NORTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA

NO

RTH

AM

ERICA

NORTH AMERICA

NO

RTH

AM

ERIC

A

IN 2009


Manawan WemotaciDrummondville Baie-Saint-PaulMontrealQuebec CitySherbrookeVictoriavilleAtlantaLas VegasLos AngelesNew YorkOrlando

7500

1

1

57 5


INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS

OvoKooza

In Montreal

In Las Vegas

NORTH AMERICA

SEASONAL SHOW

Wintuk




20 organizations in Canada and the US

13

CRE

ATI

NG

A

GR

EE

NE

R W

OR

LD

As

soon

as

Cirq

ue re

turn

ed s

ome

profi

t, w

e se

t ou

t to

giv

e ba

ck a

litt

le o

f w

hat

life

had

giv

en m

e. T

hat

wa

s ho

w C

irq

ue d

u M

ond

e w

as

born

. Thi

s so

cia

l a

ctio

n pr

ogra

m h

as

rest

ored

the

cou

rage

and

con

fid

ence

of

mill

ions

of

youn

g pe

ople

aro

und

the

wor

ld. T

oda

y, w

e co

ntin

ue t

o d

rea

m o

f a

fa

irer

, mor

e ju

st w

orld

. A w

orld

whe

re e

very

hum

an

bein

g ha

s a

cces

s to

cle

an

wa

ter a

nd c

an

live

in d

igni

ty a

nd h

ealt

h. T

he w

ildes

t d

rea

ms

can

com

e tr

ue w

hen

we

all

inve

st o

ur e

nerg

y, w

illpo

wer

and

cre

ati

vity

. One

dro

p a

t a

tim

e, o

ne s

tep

at

a t

ime,

we

can

do

it. O

UR

MIS

SIO

N:

To fi

ght

pove

rty

by p

rovi

din

g a

cces

s to

wa

ter a

nd ra

isin

g a

wa

rene

ss a

mon

g in

div

idua

ls a

nd c

omm

unit

ies

abo

ut t

he n

eed

for

mob

iliza

tion

in o

rder

to

ma

ke s

afe

wa

ter a

cces

sibl

e to

all,

in

suffi

cien

t q

uant

ity,

tod

ay

and

tom

orro

w. O

UR

GO

AL

: To

pla

y a

role

in c

hang

ing

and

infl

uenc

ing

how

sa

fe w

ate

r is

sha

red

and

ma

de

acc

essi

ble

aro

und

th

e w

orld

. VA

LUES

: W

ate

r: a

com

mon

her

ita

ge a

nd a

fun

da

men

tal h

uma

n ri

ght.

Wa

ter i

s es

sent

ial t

o lif

e. It

is a

sha

red

inhe

rent

righ

t to

be

pres

erve

d,

prot

ecte

d a

nd m

ad

e a

cces

sibl

e to

all,

tod

ay

and

tom

orro

w. •

Sol

ida

rity

and

sha

ring

the

wea

lth.

Wor

king

tog

ethe

r to

sha

re k

now

led

ge, e

xper

ienc

e a

nd

dre

am

s, a

s w

ell a

s m

ate

ria

l, fi

nanc

ial a

nd h

uma

n re

sour

ces

is t

he o

nly

wa

y to

gro

w t

oget

her a

nd fi

ght

pove

rty.

• C

rea

tivi

ty. D

ari

ng a

nd c

rea

tivi

ty g

ive

rise

to

proj

ects

tha

t in

spir

e ch

ang

e a

nd n

ew s

olut

ions

—id

eas

tha

t go

bey

ond

any

imm

edia

te im

pact

to

infl

uenc

e lo

ng-t

erm

suc

cess

. • T

rans

pare

ncy

and

Inte

grit

y. B

y m

ain

tain

ing

the

high

est

sta

nda

rds

of a

ccou

nta

bilit

y a

nd e

thic

al p

ract

ices

, we

wor

k to

ea

rn a

nd p

rese

rve

the

confi

den

ce a

nd re

spec

t of

our

don

ors,

pa

rtne

rs a

nd t

he p

ublic

. The

gui

din

g pr

inci

ples

of

ON

E D

RO

P™ a

re b

ase

d o

n th

e w

ill t

o en

sure

the

long

evit

y of

our

init

iati

ves.

1 U

se o

f a

rts

and

cul

ture

whe

n d

evel

opin

g in

itia

tive

s. 2

Dev

elop

men

t a

nd im

plem

enta

tion

of

its

own

proj

ects

3 P

art

icip

ati

on in

coo

pera

tive

ven

ture

s, w

hich

re

qui

res

tha

t th

e fo

llow

ing

crit

eria

exi

st 4

La

ck o

f a

cces

s to

wa

ter 5

Goo

d g

over

nanc

e 6

An

orga

nize

d c

ivil

soci

ety

7 P

ract

ica

l, m

easu

rabl

e re

sult

s 8

Pa

rtne

rshi

ps a

re m

ad

e w

ith

orga

niza

tion

s re

cogn

ized

for

the

ir s

ocia

l and

cul

tura

l acc

ompl

ishm

ents

, and

col

labo

rati

on w

ith

loca

l pop

ula

tion

s a

nd

nong

over

nmen

tal o

rga

niza

tion

s. 9

Utm

ost

resp

ect

for s

ocia

l and

cul

tura

l div

ersi

ty. 1

0 O

NE

DR

OP

is n

on-p

art

isa

n.

ON

E D

RO

PFO

UN

DA

TIO

N

P 36

CREA

TIN

G A

GR

EEN

ER W

OR

LD

CORTEO

KÀ

KO

OZA

DR

ALI

ON

ALEGRÍA

In keeping with its role as the environmental conscience on tour, the Alegría school installed a very simple water-recovery system using rain barrels during the show’s run in Brazil. Simple as can be, this initiative appreciably reduced the tour’s consumption of drinking water, as the rain-barrel water was used for the team’s housekeeping needs. When Alegría was running in Brazil, students from the touring school decided to raise funds and contribute to tree planting. They did this by designing rather unique T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Do Not Disturb Nature” and selling them to tour employees. Because the site of the big top in São Paulo was right in the middle of a park, the students took advantage of the situation to plant some trees themselves. That was the story behind the fact that on Earth Day, ten new trees sprouted in Villa Lobos park, compliments of the student body and with the help of tour personnel and members of their families

The Corteo team has instituted a series of initiatives to improve the management of water on tour. The first step was to considerably reduce staff consumption of single-use plastic bottles. This was achieved by giving personnel reusable bottles (with carabiners to hang them on), and by installing drinking water fountains throughout the site where employees could refill these bottles. To encourage compliance, Tour Services has been paying a special bonus to all permanent employees who procure their own reusable bottle or hydration pack. Corteo has also been chosen, with KOOZA, to host a pilot project on low-flow sanitation equipment. Since every little bit helps, even the water condensing on the air conditioning system is recovered to water the plants in the tour offices.

In addition to the recycling measures already after-meal waste themselves. in effect at KÀ, a new recycling project was put in place for cellular telephones. Employees can now drop off their old phones, batteries and chargers in a box to that effect, and these items will be properly recycled rather than dumped into a landfill. Given the highly technical environment that KÀ artists and technicians work in, they often own unused devices, so this initiative was just the ticket.

Sinc

e it

s ea

rly

da

ys, K

OO

ZA h

as

alw

ays

ma

de

a p

oint

of

recy

clin

g a

lum

inum

, gla

ss, p

last

ic a

nd p

ape

r. In

200

8 ca

me

the

cha

lleng

e of

a p

ilot

proj

ect

ad

din

g th

e co

mpo

stin

g of

kit

chen

wa

ste

to

thes

e a

lrea

dy

com

men

da

ble

pra

ctic

es. S

ince

90%

of

kitc

hen

refu

se is

foo

d w

ast

e, c

ompo

stin

g w

as

an

easy

cho

ice.

Whi

le t

hese

ef

fort

s w

ere

ongo

ing,

som

e w

ast

e-re

duc

tion

mea

sure

s w

ere

als

o in

stit

uted

. KO

OZA

per

sonn

el e

limin

ate

d s

tra

ws,

sti

r sti

cks

and

co

ffee

-cup

lid

s, a

s w

ell a

s in

div

idua

l por

tion

s of

whi

te s

uga

r and

bu

tter

. Ga

rba

ge b

ags

wer

e a

lso

pha

sed

out

, fur

ther

red

ucin

g th

e a

mou

nt o

f w

ast

e en

din

g up

as

land

fill.

The

com

post

col

lect

ed is

st

ored

in a

big

bin

pro

vid

ed b

y th

e co

mpo

stin

g co

mpa

ny, w

hich

co

mes

by

twic

e a

wee

k to

col

lect

it.

In M

ay,

the

Chi

nese

stu

den

ts in

the

Dra

lion

trou

pe

join

ed a

few

of

the

show

’s a

rtis

ts t

o ta

ke p

art

in a

ma

jor

bea

ch c

lea

n-up

in F

ukuo

ka, J

apa

n. T

his

wa

s a

n ex

celle

nt

wa

y to

va

lida

te a

ll of

the

aw

are

ness

-ra

isin

g a

bout

en

viro

nmen

tal i

ssue

s co

nduc

ted

wit

h th

ese

youn

g pe

ople

, a

nd t

o pu

t so

me

of t

he t

heor

y in

to p

ract

ice.

The

re w

as

a f

urth

er b

onus

in t

hat

thei

r ha

rd la

bour

did

mor

e th

an

bene

fit

the

envi

ronm

ent;

the

Chi

nese

tro

upe

mem

bers

w

ant

ed t

o a

lso

dem

onst

rate

the

ir g

rati

tud

e fo

r the

he

lp t

heir

cou

ntry

rece

ived

fro

m Ja

pan

in a

ll th

e a

rea

s d

eva

sta

ted

by

a s

erie

s of

na

tura

l dis

ast

ers

in 2

008.

SIN

CE T

HE

AD

OP

TIO

N O

F IT

S EN

VIR

ON

MEN

TAL

PO

LICY

IN 2

00

6, C

IRQ

UE

DU

SO

LEIL

HA

S CO

NTI

NU

ED T

O IM

PLE

MEN

T EN

VIR

ON

MEN

TAL

MA

NA

GEM

ENT

MEA

SUR

ES R

ELA

TIN

G T

O T

HE

MA

NA

GEM

ENT

OF

WA

TER

, AIR

QU

ALI

TY A

ND

CLI

MA

TE C

HA

NG

E, A

S W

ELL

AS

WA

STE

MA

NA

GEM

ENT

AN

D H

AZA

RD

OU

S M

ATE

RIA

LS. T

HE

INTE

RN

ATI

ON

AL

HEA

DQ

UA

RTE

RS

IN M

ON

TREA

L EX

PAN

DED

WIT

H T

HE

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BOTTLED WATER ON TOUR

Although Cirque du Soleil essentially phased out the sale of bottled water in its offices in 2007, an appropriate solution for touring operations remains elusive. That was the impetus behind the 2008 study to rate the different water sale and distribution alternatives. Conducted by an outside firm, the study focussed on analyzing life cycles from an environmental perspective. A life-cycle analysis makes it possible to assess the environmental impact of a product throughout its “life,” from the extraction of raw materials to production, use and, finally, disposal. A life-cycle analysis was also conducted to determine the impact of various reusable water bottles. Further knowledge of environmental issues associated with the different water sales and distribution alternatives will help establish decision-making parameters for the company’s future choices.

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An ambitious plan was instituted in 2006 to reduce the company’s water consumption. Since then, a number of additional initiatives were adopted, including the installation of dual-flush toilets (which use 71% less water than before), the installation of low-flow faucets with infrared sensors (86% less water), the replacement of shower heads with low-flow types (40% less water) and the addition of a filtration system to the outside decorative basin (95% less water), among other conservation measures. Continuing in this vein in 2008, Cirque du Soleil installed and commissioned a rain water collection basin with a 400,000 liters capacity. This recovery system collects rainwater from the roofs of certain buildings at Headquarters and the Végécol-paved parking lot next to the basin. The oils and solids in the runoff water from the parking lot thus get filtered out, which reduces the amount of contaminants that would otherwise end up in the municipal sewer system. The water recovered in this basin flushes all the toilets in the new Headquarters annex built in 2007. There will be enough left over to irrigate all of the lawns and gardens, and for any pressure cleaning as well. The basin was designed and installed in 2008 and 2009, and officially put into commission in December. Although it was only used during the last month of the year—including the Holidays when there are fewer people present— it resulted in savings of 57,400 liters of water in sanitation water alone. If the water used for irrigation is factored in, the results of which will only be known after the summer, water savings could add as much as two million liters to the amount of water saved through the earlier measures. When the IHQ cafeteria was renovated, new facilities were installed to make it easier to sort recyclable waste and compost. Employees now have the responsibility of sorting all their after-meal waste themselves. In 2007, Cirque du Soleil set up a new program to encourage employees to take public transit by paying 50% of the cost of their public transportation fees. In 2009, the program was going stronger than ever, and there were 25% more public transit users than the year before.

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REGIONAL HEAD OFFICE IN MACAU






OuagadoudouCape TownDurbanSingaporeUlaanbaatarDomodBroken Hill


With such extreme diversity right at its very heart, it is vitally important for the organization to welcome and value the differences between people and communities. And because creation is the essence of Cirque’s mission, values around our citizenship role are equally diverse. The work environment has a great impact on employees’ quality of life, family lives and health. For some years now, a set of original measures have been in place at Cirque du Soleil to establish an open, safe, creative and friendly work environment for its employees. Creativity is the driving force behind everything Cirque du Soleil does and must be central to the daily lives of all employees. It is vital for cirque du Soleil to maintain a healthy, stimulating, productive work environment, one that fosters creativity and fulfillment for all employees, and clearly reflects a sound, creative, committed organization. At the same time, the realities faced by all employees in the organization must be taken into consideration. Cirque du Soleil subscribes to the principle of equal opportunity employment without distinction, exclusion or preference, in particular in the following areas: race, color, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, sexual identity, marital status, age, status of life partnership, religion, beliefs, political convictions, language, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, social status, HIV-AIDS, weight, size, disability and the use of any means to offset any disability. Work Environment The company is committed to providing and maintaining a harassment-free climate in the workplace, to guarantee each individual employee’s physical and psychological integrity and to safeguard their dignity.In addition to salary Cirque du Soleil’s employee compensation packages include group insurance, a pension plan, paid holidays, etc. Cirque du Soleil also offers indirect benefits such as a subsidized cafeteria, free parking and no dress code requirements. PARADE: The Support Program for Employees’ Artistic Projects (PARADE) encourages and supports employees in their artistic endeavours, by providing them with advice and financial aid. The works are then performed or exhibited in the organization’s offices. In 2009 over 50 employees in Montreal and Las Vegas showed their work throughout the summer.

CREATIVITYAT WORK

P 46


WITH A WORK FORCE A LREADY NUMBERING OVER 4000, INCLUDIN G OVER 1000 ARTISTS,

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL C ONTINUES TO GROW. PEOPLE FROM OVER 40 COUNTRIES WORK

TOGETHER, IN THE SPE CIAL SPIRIT OF INTENSE

COOPERATION NEEDED BY THE SHOW CREATION

AND PERFORMANCE PR OCESS, AND A TOURING LIFESTYLE SPANNIN G FIVE CONTINENTS—

ALL IN 25 DIFFER ENT LANGUAGES.

WITH A WORK FORCE A LREADY NUMBERING OVER 4000, INCLUDIN G OVER 1000 ARTISTS,

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL C ONTINUES TO GROW. PEOPLE FROM OVER 40 COUNTRIES WORK

TOGETHER, IN THE SPE CIAL SPIRIT OF INTENSE

COOPERATION NEEDED BY THE SHOW CREATION

AND PERFORMANCE PR OCESS, AND A TOURING LIFESTYLE SPANNIN G FIVE CONTINENTS—

ALL IN 25 DIFFER ENT LANGUAGES.

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COMMERCIAL OFFICE IN AMSTERDAM

TOURING ARENA SHOW

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CRE

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Cirque du Soleil now has operations around the world, venturing beyond North America, Europe and Australia into South America, the Middle East and Asia. We are truly a global organization, interacting with a growing number of suppliers and business partners. Back in 2006, cirque considered this aspect of its Business strategies to assess the issues it raises in terms of social responsibility. There was consensus within the organization on the need to set up an ethical procurement program and establish dialogue with our partners and suppliers. By ethical procurement, we mean a series of measures designed to ensure that the products the organization markets (our merchandise) and the products we buy are manufactured in conditions where people and the environment are respected. Cirque du Soleil values are naturally attuned to the ethical issues surrounding procurement, but the organization still needs to work on extending its practical knowledge in this regard. In 2006, therefore, managers from key sectors participated in a training session on responsible procurement, which gave them tools to assess the main risks and issues around responsible procurement and set up a process to implement a responsible procurement program. To penetrate new markets, Cirque reaches agreements with local promoters. At present, we have such agreements with many partners. Our contracts with promoters cover aspects related to social responsibility: social outreach, conditions for temporary workers, a child labour clause for merchandise produced by local promoters. Our efforts in this area greatly improved our relationship with our South American promoter. We convinced our partner to lower its profits in order to give back to local communities, in particular by donating tickets for benefit performances and reserving 500 tickets to the dress rehearsal in each city for organizations that work with at-risk youth. We even had a direct positive impact on conditions for temporary workers. In fact, as a result of observations from Cirque du Soleil employees, we got the promoter to agree to provide meals for temporary workers depending on the hours they worked at our site.

OUR PARTNERSAND SUPPLIERS

In 2008, the company adopted a new procurement policy aiming at standardizing practices and providing a clear framework for all of procurement decisions. This policy aims to improve the financial longevity of Cirque du Soleil by optimizing the choice of goods and services it procures, controlling business risks Cirque may encounter in the procurement process, and guaranteeing that our procurement choices meet our social responsibility criteria by subscribing to sustainable development processes. The policy includes a section on the ethics and code of conduct for procurement that clarifies roles and responsibilities, defines desirable behavior, and establishes good business practices when it comes to procurement. Another section sets out social responsibility principles for suppliers. As Cirque du Soleil has dealings with a growing number of suppliers, the procurement policy defines the basic environmental and workers’ rights principles they are expected to follow. The company’s approach when applying this policy is based on dialogue and cooperation. The policy should be implemented in a spirit of commitment to continuous improvement from both Cirque du Soleil and its suppliers. A supplier evaluation questionnaire was devised and a pilot assessment was carried out among ten suppliers in the fall of 2009. The company called on an external consulting firm to provide a market overview of organic cotton. This study identified the environmental and social issues of this sector, and provided an evaluation of the different certifications relating to the harvesting and production of cotton that is grown organically. Based on the resulting study, discussions can take place with the company’s suppliers, and more ethical choices can be made with respect to cotton purchases. Cirque du Soleil plays an active role in associations that seek to give new impetus to corporate social responsibility and community relations. In 2002, we joined Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), an organization which represents many multinationals and most of North America’s major companies. Since 2004, we have also been a member of Business in the Community (BITC), to which most large businesses in the United Kingdom belong.

P 59

CREATING A GOOD PARTNERSHIPS

25

1000

200

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY CIRQUE’S EMPLOYEES

EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE

NATIONALITIES OF EMPLOYEES

CIR

QU

E’S

NU

MB

ERS

CIRQUE’S NUMBERS

CIRQUE’S NUMBERS

CIRQUE’S NUMBERS

PEOPLE SAW A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW IN 2009

15 MILLION

4000

40

CITIES VISITED AROUND THE WORLD

ARTISTS EMPLOYED

CIR

QU

E’S

NU

MB

ERS

CIRQUE’S NUMBERS

CIRQUE’SNUMBERS

1800

PEOPLE SAW A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW SINCE1984

90 MILLION

CRE

ATI

NG

N

EW

CH

ALL

EN

GE

S

Since adopting its environmental policy in 2006, Cirque du Soleil has implemented a series of steps to assess and reduce its ecological footprint, especially in terms of its management of water, its energy efficiency, and its handling of waste and hazardous materials. Cirque du Soleil would like to significantly reduce the environmental impact of its operations, particularly those related to its touring shows, which represent the greatest portion of the company’s ecological footprint. To do so, in 2010, Cirque du Soleil will continue to equip itself with effective measuring instruments so it has the means to assess the real impact of both current and future environmental initiatives and to set clear improvement goals for itself. Over the last few years, Cirque du Soleil has made good use of the tools at its disposal to open a dialogue with its business partners and suppliers regarding issues of social responsibility and sustainable development. These tools include the social responsibility clause included in Cirque’s contracts with its business partners since 2007 and the procurement policy the company adopted in 2008. Given the current economic situation, it is all the more incumbent on Cirque du Soleil to establish and maintain a fruitful dialogue with its business partners and suppliers with a view to transforming simple good intentions into actions that have a tangible impact on the areas of social responsibility and sustainable development.

WE CAN DO EVEN MORE

P 6

4


CIRQUE WANT S TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSMISSION

OF OUR CULTURE AND OUR VALUES.

WE ARE A MERCH ANT OF HAPPINESS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO WORK

TO CREATE A B ETTER WORLD.

THE SCOPE AND CR EDIBILITY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS WI LL DEPEND ON THE

CONSISTENCY O F OUR ACTIONS.

CIRQUE WANT S TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSMISSION

OF OUR CULTURE AND OUR VALUES.

WE ARE A MERCH ANT OF HAPPINESS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO WORK

TO CREATE A B ETTER WORLD.

THE SCOPE AND CR EDIBILITY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS WI LL DEPEND ON THE

CONSISTENCY O F OUR ACTIONS.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS8400, 2E AVENUEMONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC H4Z 1M6CANADAPHONE: 514-722-2324SECONDARY PHONE: 800-678-2119FAX: 514-722-3692

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IS A PRIVATELY HELD COMPANY

DANIEL LAMARRE: PRESIDENT AND CEO

WWW.CIRQUEDUSOLEIL.COM

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Creating Change