TC Transcontinental Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 13-Aug-2021
Time period
  • November 2019  –  October 2020
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer
  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • Montreal, August 16, 2021

    To our stakeholders:

    I am pleased to confirm that Transcontinental reaffirms its support of the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.

    In this annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations. We also commit to sharing this information with our stakeholders using our primary channels of communication.

    Sincerely yours,

    François Olivier
    President & Chief Executive Officer

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • TC Transcontinental seeks to ensure that every employee can perform their job functions under fair and reasonable working conditions, with respect for the employee's physical and psychological integrity and name, reputation and privacy.

    TC Transcontinental is committed to promoting gender diversity at all levels and strongly believes that gender diverse organizations, including at the Board of Directors level, contribute to financial performance and create value for all stakeholders. We strive to provide access to different perspectives and innovative approaches, as well as attracting and retaining top talent. It is our aim to progressively move to a more equal gender representation in the workplace.

    Our Code of Conduct was initially published in 2000. Since then, it has been updated as required in accordance with significant changes to legislation or regulations, or as TC Transcontinental’s business and practices have evolved. Our Code also reflects TC Transcontinental’s culture and brand, which are the product of decades of hard work, dedication, and loyalty from the members of TC Transcontinental’s team. To remain worthy of this reputation, we are determined to ensure compliance with our Code of Conduct; it is the cornerstone on which our conduct and actions are based in every circumstance, and it reflects a continued commitment from each of us to our customers, business partners, suppliers and shareholders.

    TC Transcontinental is committed to the prevention of workplace harassment and violence and to comply with relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes and health, safety and wellness practices. In this regard TC Transcontinental is committed to foster an environment that is free of any type of harassment and violence in the workplace. We have a workplace harassment and violence policy in place since 2010, updated in 2012 and 2016.

    TC Transcontinental values the health, safety and wellness of its employees and expects that its workplace(s) will be free of any type of workplace harassment and violence. TC Transcontinental will not tolerate threats of workplace violence perpetrated against or by any employee, customer, vendor, contractor, visitor or any other person at a Transcontinental workplace or involved in TC Transcontinental business and will enforce a zero-tolerance policy.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Respect for diversity is of paramount importance at TC Transcontinental. Diversity is an imperative that leads to better performance, a healthier balance sheet, greater talent retention and a competitive advantage. Our gender diversity policy is systematically integrated into our recruitment, talent promotion and performance evaluation processes. Our vision is also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to "ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life".

    In 2019, we renewed our Gender Diversity Steering Committee, supported by the Chair of the Board and senior management, and including representatives, both male and female, from each of our sectors. The committee members share a passion for advancing the representation of women across the company and have proposed a number of initiatives to further accelerate progress toward our goals. More than ever before, our businesses are integrating gender diversity into their talent management practices and have established the responsibility of managers in promoting this diversity, with targets now included in their individual objectives and in the variable compensation based on the achievement of these objectives. In our Printing sector, a mentoring program has been created to support the development of senior managers, both men and women: one of the objectives of this program is to ensure gender diversity within the talent succession path. Our educational publishing group has implemented work-life balance initiatives and has also increased the representation of women as vice-president and managers. In order to continue raising awareness of our commitment and objectives throughout the organization, we also implemented a new intranet platform on which we share communications on a regular basis and highlight the career path of women in the company as well as best practices. In addition, in 2019, the second edition of the Women@TC conference welcomed 120 women leaders from all of TC Transcontinental’s sectors and provided an opportunity to collectively reflect on future efforts to achieve our diversity objectives. Finally, we took part in McKinsey's Women Matter study published in June 2019, in which the policies of 110 major Canadian companies were analyzed. This report demonstrates our commitment and adherence to diversity best practices.

    In 2020, we continued our efforts to increase the representation of women in our leadership teams and are very proud to have surpassed our initial target by reaching 31% of women in leadership positions in our Packaging, Printing and Media Sectors.

    The results of a survey conducted by the company among its 120 key women executives have helped shape the Corporation’s strategy on gender diversity and implement specific programs in 2020, such as:
    •The expansion of our Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee representing all our business sectors with the addition of racial diversity and LGBTQ+ components.
    •The implementation of a short-term incentive program on diversity objectives, from the CEO to all senior executives for each of our business sectors for fiscal 2020 and 2021.
    •The establishment of the Women Leaders Sponsorship Program of our top female talent by the Executive Committee to accelerate the development of a select group of women leaders who demonstrate potential for career progression to executive, senior management or vice president positions.
    •Maintaining the annual Women@TC forums in a virtual version, including a master class entitled "How Women Rise. Breaking the habits that hold you back".
    •Developing a framework to expand our program in 2021 to include racial diversity and the LGBTQ+ community.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Our 2019-2021 plan contains 11 objectives along four axes: our people, our operations, our products and our communities. We have set ambitious goals with quantifiable targets that are reflective of our ever-evolving environment as we continue to transform and grow geographically.

    Our People:

    For over 40 years, TC Transcontinental has placed its employees first; our values of respect, teamwork, performance and innovation are at the core of its success. Throughout our network, we foster a safe, diverse and inclusive work environment. Additionally, we encourage our employees’ professional growth through engaging corporate training and development programs.

    TARGET 1 Maintain a safe and healthy work environment
    • Reduce the total incident rate (incidents per 200,000 worked hours) by 15% for our Printing and Packaging sectors
    TARGET 2 Move towards a more balanced gender representation in leadership
    • Ensure at least 30% of female representation on the Board of Directors
    • Have at least 3 women on the Executive Management Committee
    • Reach 30% of women in executive and management positions
    TARGET 3 Develop our talent
    • Annual performance reviews to be completed for 100% of salaried employees

    Our indicators to measure outcomes regarding our people:

    The health and safety of our employees, diversity and inclusion, and talent development are priorities for TC Transcontinental. We are very proud of the progress made on each of these targets. These priorities are firmly anchored in our values, our corporate strategy, and our operational processes.

    In 2020, we have reached our target to reduce the total incident rate. Indeed, the total incident rate (incidents per 200,000 hours worked) in our Printing and Packaging Sectors decreased by approximately 40% compared to 2019.

    In 2020, we continued our efforts to increase the representation of women in our leadership teams and are very proud to have surpassed our initial target by reaching 31% of women in leadership positions in our Packaging, Printing and Media Sectors. In addition, the Corporation’s Board of Directors has a female representation of 39%, including the Chair of the Board, the Lead Director and the Chair of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

    Annual performance reviews are part of the process of measuring individual employee results and allow for the implementation of personal development actions. In 2020, as in 2019, we conducted an annual performance review for 100% of employees.

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • TC Transcontinental’s success is based on our values – respect, teamwork, performance and innovation. Our values are strong, and they are fully integrated in our business practices. In this respect, our commitment to promoting these values extends not only to our own interactions but also to relationships with our customers, business partners, suppliers and shareholders. In keeping with our values, we are committed to ensuring that each and every one of our employees is treated with respect and dignity. This commitment is reflected in the policies and procedures put in place over the years to protect our employees and ensure a fair work environment. Thus, we rely, among other things, on our code of conduct, our equal employment opportunity policy and our policy on harassment and violence in the workplace. These practices are fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 to "ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including through eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and actions in this regard".

    We are committed to continuing our efforts in occupational health, safety and wellness and will continue to implement measures to ensure the identification and reduction of risks, the ongoing training of our employees and leaders and the updating of our policies and internal audit tools.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • The health and safety of our employees is a top priority, especially in our manufacturing environment. We are constantly seeking to do better by ensuring a healthy and safe environment that is conducive to their well-being. These priorities are also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which aims to "protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments".

    In order to maintain a safe and healthy work environment, several initiatives have been put in place:
    • New Health and Safety structure with a dedicated manager reporting directly to the President of each sector.
    • Expanded team of eight health, safety and wellness advisors to oversee our plants and administrative offices.
    • Training of executives and managers on subjects related to regulations and the engagement of their responsibility.
    • Implementation of Health and Safety Absolutes at each of our sites with a series of training sessions dedicated to our operators.
    • Complete audit of risks, implementation of preventive measures and definition of new performance indicators.

    In 2019 we have also put forward several programs to reduce the frequency of incidents and support our employees:
    •A new program entitled Everyone home, safe and healthy every day was launched, including a new vision for workplace health, safety and wellness that focuses on empowering everyone, employees and managers, throughout the company. A Wellness Month and several mental health campaigns were also implemented to better equip our employees.
    •TC Transcontinental's Health, Safety and Community Partners program is designed to reward excellence in occupational health and safety at all our sites, with a cash donation to a charity from each qualifying site. For the year 2019, 19 sites qualified (4 sites in the Printing Sector and 15 in the Packaging Sector), with no lost-time incidents. A total donation of $28,000 was made through this program.
    •The Big Top program recognizes business entities that have taken positive steps towards health, safety and wellness and allows for the sharing and dissemination of their best practices. A total of 65 projects were submitted in 2019 and six sites were awarded prizes: Transcontinental Saint-Hyacinthe, Transcontinental Guatemala, Transcontinental Lenexa, Transcontinental Capri, Premedia Québec and Transcontinental Ultra Flex.

    In 2020, in an effort to maintain the events that promote HSW engagement, we have slightly revised our two HSW engagement programs so that they can take place remotely:
    •Health, Safety and Community Partners Program: This program aims to reward excellence in occupational health and safety at all our sites, through a cash donation given to a charitable organization by each of the qualifying business units. In 2020, more stringent eligibility criteria were put in place to stimulate continuous improvement in our performance. Based on these new criteria, 9 sites qualified, as they had no lost production time, in addition to a 30% reduction in the total incident rate. Approximately $21,000 was awarded through this program.
    •Big Top Program: This program recognizes business units that have taken positive measures in HSW and enables the sharing and dissemination of their best practices. A total of 20 projects were submitted to the jury in 2020. Five sites were rewarded: Transcontinental Mexico, Transcontinental Transmag, Transcontinental Ecuador, Transcontinental Spartanburg and Transcontinental Saint-Hyacinthe. Four other sites received a special mention from the jury: Transcontinental Halifax, Transcontinental Ultra Flex, Transcontinental Vancouver and Transcontinental Menasha.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Our communities:

    Our commitment to communities is an integral part of our vision: we want to make an everyday difference where our people live and work, close to our customers and partners. TC Transcontinental has a long and rich history of highly engaged philanthropic activity. Each year, the Corporation and its employees support a multitude of causes in the communities where we operate, with a focus on education, health and the environment.

    TARGET 10 Invest in our communities
    • Over 3 years, donate $5M in financial contributions, goods and services to organizations, projects and programs that support the communities in which we operate
    TARGET 11 Foster employee engagement
    • All business units to participate annually in at least one initiative making a positive impact in their community

    Our indicators to measure outcomes regarding our communities:

    For more than 45 years and through two generations, social commitment has been deeply rooted in TC Transcontinental's DNA. The company's philanthropic mission is clear: to give back to society, to build for the future and to leave a legacy of a solid responsible corporate citizen.

    In 2020, TC Transcontinental granted more than $1.7 million in monetary donations or in the form of products and services to nearly 100 organizations, projects and programs that support the communities in which we operate. We focus most of our investments in the areas of healthcare, education, and local communities.

    In 2020, as of each year, all business units participated in at least one initiative making a positive impact in their community.

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • Climate change is one of the most important environmental issues of our time. It is caused by an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly attributed to human activities. As a good corporate citizen, TC Transcontinental is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with its operations, reduce its energy consumption and increase the use of sustainable energy sources. Our strategy to reduce and optimize our energy consumption is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 to “increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency”.

    We know that innovation is key to achieving our ambitious targets for sustainable packaging. This is why we are committed to investing at least 1% of our Packaging sector's annual revenues in research and development (R&D). This is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9, which states how important it is to "enhance scientific research and upgrade the technological capabilities of industry sectors, including encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers".

    Our sustainable development approach involves sound management of waste. We favour reduction at source, reuse, recycling and recovery, and we consider waste disposal as a last resort. Our approach is also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 aimed at "substantially reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse".

    Our practices are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15, which aims to "promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally". In that sense, for several years now, TC Transcontinental has been working with the non-governmental organization Canopy to encourage governments and the forest industry to support and promote the protection of old and endangered forests. In fact, TC Transcontinental's leadership was recognized in 2019 when Canopy named us in fourth position in their Blueline Report ranking of North America's most sustainable printers. Based on 41 criteria, this ranking comprehensively evaluates printers' commitments to forest conservation, fibre sourcing, transparent disclosure and sustainable development practices. The proportion of paper purchased that is FSC®, SFI® or PEFC certified or contains 100% recycled content reached 99% in 2020, up from 67% in 2012. Our in-house produced educational books are printed on 100% certified papers. We also hold FSC®, SFI® and PEFC chain-of-custody certifications, which allow us to track fibres directly from their origin all the way to our printed product.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • In 2020, we continued to implement initiatives to sustainably reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Our Packaging Sector developed a 2021-2024 Energy Conversation and GHG Reduction Plan. The objective of this plan is to promote a culture of energy awareness among our employees and to determine common energy-saving measures to be implemented throughout the network. To this end, energy audits of our business units will be carried out in the short term, and customized reduction plans will then be established to implement the improvements identified in the coming years.

    In the fall of 2020, our Transcontinental Mexico plant, located in San Luis Potosi, worked with a local energy provider to establish a partnership agreement. This agreement allows the plant to be powered 100% by renewable energy from a combination of solar and wind power. With this project, the plant will see a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – 4,000 tonnes of C02e per year.

    Our commitment to the circular economy and the ambitious objectives we have set ourselves required a strengthening of our research and development capabilities. With the arrival of new leadership and a renewed innovation strategy, we have been able to drive additional investments in R&D and to launch several research and development initiatives meeting the needs of our markets for ecoresponsible products. Numerous projects are underway to address the technical challenges associated with the development of products that are compostable, recyclable or made from recycled resins. Issues related to end-of-life packaging affect our entire value chain, and the contribution of our customers and suppliers is essential to our design process. This collaborative vision ensures not only the commercial viability of our products, but also our ability to stay ahead of market demands and cements our leadership position. The many awards received by TC Transcontinental Packaging for its innovative and sustainable packaging demonstrate the success of this strategy.

    In September 2019, TC Transcontinental Packaging, the Packaging Sector of TC Transcontinental, announced the launch of the vieVERTe sustainable product portfolio underscoring its dedication to contribute to a better environment and its commitment towards sustainability. The vieVERTe brand, which is always used in French across the markets served by the Corporation, is the equivalent of “green life” and is a tribute to the Québec roots of the organization. This launch is also completely in line with its pledge for all of its packaging products to be 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025. The vieVERTe, live green, thrive green, brand offering is comprised of award-winning, custom, proprietary structures that are engineered to provide an end-of-life solution for flexible packaging.

    In November 2020, TC Transcontinental Packaging announced the launch of Integritite™ 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) collation shrink film. The new packaging can be found in the AHA® Sparkling Water printed case wrap appearing on select Sam’s and BJ’s Club Store shelves this Fall in Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Delaware. Integritite™ PCR collation shrink film includes 30% of post-consumer plastic resin transformed into a recyclable resource. Our R&D team has crafted a collation shrink film that is itself recyclable at store drop off locations and contains PCR without sacrificing performance, strength and durability.

    Through meaningful actions and a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders, we intend to lead the way and accelerate the creation of a circular economy for plastic, a model where plastic is better managed from sourcing to end-of-life. In 2019, TC Transcontinental was the first Canadian manufacturer to join the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Setting out to build on its experience of being a key player in the creation of a circular economy for paper in Canada, TC Transcontinental also announced in early 2020 the creation of a new Recycling group within TC Transcontinental Packaging, marking yet another step towards the implementation of a circular economy strategy that supports the fulfillment of the Corporation’s objective as a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment. More recently, the Recycling Group announced the acquisition of the assets of Enviroplast inc., a company dedicated to the recycling of flexible plastics in Québec. The equipment acquired will be used to transform flexible plastics recovered from sorting facilities and other commercial, industrial and agricultural sources into recycled plastic granules.

    In 2020, various projects to optimize the waste management in our facilities were put on hold this year while our teams primarily focused on maintaining a healthy and safe work environment during the pandemic. Nevertheless, a project led by a multidisciplinary team of experts in information technology and manufacturing efficiency was launched this year, with the aim of supporting efforts to reduce operational waste generated in our packaging plants. Specifically, a new manufacturing execution system (MES) was installed on the presses at our Transcontinental Ultra Flex plant in Brooklyn. This system allows the monitoring of equipment performance at several stages of production and provides operators with quantitative data in real time. They can then make rapid adjustments to the equipment to reduce waste generation. In addition, comprehensive reports are generated by the system and enable in-depth performance analysis and identification of optimization solutions. After only 4 months, the system resulted in a 15% reduction in waste generated on the equipment on which it was installed, thus promoting a more efficient use of resources and reducing operating costs. These encouraging results will lead to the expansion of the project in 2021, not only to other types of production equipment, but also to several other plants in our network.

    Furthermore, eco-tips, internal communications, dedicated platforms are shared with all employees in order to facilitate and promote more eco-friendly ways to operate in our facilities and our day-to-day lives. The idea is to join our efforts and encourage each other to develop new behaviours. In response to COVID-19, TC Transcontinental researched the efficiency criteria of washable masks and aimed to use the most effective washable fabric mask models possible. Indeed, reusable and washable masks were distributed to the employees. If employees had to wear disposable masks, we provided a recycling option for those disposable masks and gloves. TC Transcontinental has collaborated with some recycling providers to install recycling stations in order to find a recycling solution for all our safety equipment and protective gear, therefore reducing the landfill waste generated by employees.

    Also, in February 2020, Cascades, Danone Canada, Dyne-a-pak, Keurig Dr Pepper Canada and TC Transcontinental joined forces and created the Circular Plastics Taskforce (Groupe d’action plastiques circulaires, or GAPC) to develop a circular economy for plastics, in partnership with the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) and with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Éco Entreprises Québec will also support the project as a consultant and financial partner.

    With this initiative, GAPC members are seeking to provide concrete solutions to the challenges currently facing the recycling industry in Québec and Canada. To that end, they will be fostering the expansion of existing markets and the creation of new dynamic local and national markets. These will be fueled by a high-performance industry that produces quality recycled materials, in order to lay the foundations for a truly circular plastics economy. This project, driven by industry leaders, is therefore fully in line with the Québec government’s recent announcement regarding its willingness to reinforce the responsibility of producers in the management of the recycling system.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • Our Operations:

    As a large-scale printer and packaging converter, TC Transcontinental has developed strong manufacturing capabilities. By combining our employees’ expertise, our state of-the-art equipment and our continuous improvement culture, we can make quality products in an efficient manner and always aim to improve our footprint. We continuously strive to identify opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

    TARGET 4 Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions
    • Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 5%
    TARGET 5 Optimize waste management
    • Aim for zero non-hazardous waste to landfill in our operating business units
    TARGET 6 Ensure food safety and quality
    • Obtain a GFSI-recognized food safety certification for all our direct-food contact packaging facilities

    Our indicators to measure outcomes regarding our operations:

    As a manufacturing company specializing in packaging and printing, we continually strive to reduce the environmental footprint of our activities. Our culture of continuous improvement, the expertise of our employees and our state-of-the-art equipment allow us to use resources in the most efficient way possible to manufacture our products and offer our services

    In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected our operations in 2020. This is reflected in our annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are down 9.0% compared to last year.

    As in 2019, TC Transcontinental achieved a 90% recovery rate for its non-hazardous operational waste in 2020. The Printing Sector maintained its good performance by recycling 97% of its generated waste while the Packaging Sector remained stable at 77%. This sector presents its own challenges, as there are few recovery solutions for laminated plastics composed of different materials, which are produced in several of our network's plants.

    As of 2020, 13 of our 17 plants producing direct food contact packaging had food safety certification recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Three of the four remaining plants are certified to AIB and ISO standards, also recognized for food safety.

    Our products:

    We create products and services that allow businesses to attract, reach and retain their target customers. Our packaging products serve a purpose: they contain, protect and facilitate the transport of the product they hold, and for applicable end markets, they also extend product shelf life. Our printing and media products inform, educate, entertain, help build brands and drive to action. Every day, our focus is on safety, performance, quality and sustainability: from sourcing to end-of-life, we make sure to use a circular approach in every step of our product design.

    TARGET 7 Promote the use of sustainable materials
    • 100% of our paper purchases to come from third-party certified or recycled sources
    • By 2025, achieve a 10% use of post-consumer recycled content on average by weight across all plastic packaging in our product offering
    TARGET 8 Design for end-of-life
    • By 2025, 100% of our plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable
    TARGET 9 Focus on product research and development
    • Invest at least 1% of our Packaging Sector’s annual revenues in research and development

    Our indicators to measure outcomes regarding our products:

    Across all our operating sectors, we seek to adopt a circular approach at every stage of our product design. From raw material sourcing to end-of-life management, we work to ensure that our packaging and printed products combine safety, performance, quality, innovation, and environmental awareness.

    In 2020, the proportion of our paper purchased that is certified FSC®, SFI® or PEFC or containing 100% recycled fibres remained at 99%.

    Also in 2020, we continued our efforts to achieve an average use rate of 10% PCR (post-consumer recycled) content by weight for all plastic packaging in our product portfolio by 2025. In addition to the Publisac made from 100% recycled plastic and distributed throughout Québec since January 2020, we launched the IntegrititeTM collation shrink film made from 30% PCR plastic. This new packaging is used for the printed case shrink wrap of AHA® Sparkling Water, a brand of The Coca-Cola Company, which are now available on the shelves of select Sam's and BJ's Club Stores in several U.S. states. Since then, we have developed and qualified a version of Integritite containing 50% PCR plastic, an industry first, leveraging the expertise of our new Recycling Group.

    Also in 2020, we have reached our target to Invest at least 1% of our Packaging Sector’s annual revenues in research and development.

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • Sound corporate governance principles are firmly rooted within our culture and within our Board of Directors’ oversight mandate. As such, they are already framed by our Corporation’s various policies such as the Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy, the Information Security Policy, as well as the Supplier Code of Conduct. These policies reflect our commitment to ethical, responsible, and honest practices in all of the Corporation’s activities.

    TC Transcontinental conducts its activities in compliance with applicable laws. Thus, making payments or providing goods and services to gain a competitive advantage is prohibited as this would be considered bribery or corruption. Before transacting any business with a governmental body, TC Transcontinental ensures it obtains all necessary authorizations.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • We encourage an environment of open and honest communication so that our employees feel comfortable in approaching their supervisor, a Human Resources representative, or the next level of management, in instances where there are grounds to believe that breaches TC Transcontinental’s Code of Conduct, to the policy regarding fraud, irregularity, corruption, misappropriation, non-compliant activities, theft, and any other acts that are criminal or unethical, or to the policy regarding workplace harassment and violence prevention have occurred.

    TC Transcontinental fully investigates any breaches of TC Transcontinental’s Code of Conduct, to the policy regarding fraud, irregularity, corruption, misappropriation, non-compliant activities, theft, and any other acts that are criminal or unethical, or to the policy regarding workplace harassment and violence prevention without regard to the alleged individual’s seniority, position/title, or the nature of his/her relationship with the Corporation.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • TC Transcontinental believes in the value of sound and responsible governance practices. The Irregularity, Fraud and Criminal Offense Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure, as well as other governance innovations, ensure that Transcontinental Inc. continues to exercise reasonable diligence in its operations. TC Transcontinental promotes honest and consistent conducts within its organization by setting clear guidelines and assigning responsibilities in order to properly oversee governance. Mandatory training is organized each year for all employees and a test is conducted at the end of the training to validate the acquired knowledge with a certificate attesting that the training has been successfully completed.

    In conclusion, as a responsible corporate citizen, our role has never been clearer: to make a difference in the lives of consumers by creating increasingly ecoresponsible packaging products, as well as print and digital products to inform and educate the public. We aim to conduct our operations in a way that is respectful of our environment and of people within a rigorous governance framework. The encouraging results towards our CSR objectives are a testament to the sound management of all of our activities. We are very proud to have exceeded our targets related to the health and safety of our employees as well as to gender diversity, and we are pursuing our innovation strategy with sustainable packaging in line with our commitments to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. We are firmly determined to continue reducing our environmental footprint and to create a sustainable future for all.