Air Canada Archives - SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine Insights on how you can protect the environment, maintain and increase the value of your company, through a structured CSR/Sustainability process with the use of the GRI Standards. Learn how Today's Best-Run Companies are achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success - and How You Can Too... Mon, 06 Mar 2023 10:47:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Case study: How Air Canada promotes sustainability across its supply chain https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-air-canada-promotes-sustainability-across-its-supply-chain/ Wed, 01 Jun 2022 06:08:38 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=13683 Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline and the largest provider of scheduled passenger services in the Canadian market, the Canada-U.S. transborder market and in the international market to and from Canada. Air Canada works with various suppliers worldwide and seeks to make sure, not least through its Supplier Code of Conduct, that its suppliers adhere to key sustainability principles. This case study is based on the 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report by Air Canada, prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done […]

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]]> Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline and the largest provider of scheduled passenger services in the Canadian market, the Canada-U.S. transborder market and in the international market to and from Canada. Air Canada works with various suppliers worldwide and seeks to make sure, not least through its Supplier Code of Conduct, that its suppliers adhere to key sustainability principles.

This case study is based on the 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report by Air Canada, prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.

Abstract

Air Canada is firmly committed to promoting sustainability among its more than 7,800 individual suppliers  Tweet This!, monitoring their environmental, ethical and social performance. In order to promote sustainability across its supply chain Air Canada took action to:

  • implement a Supplier Code of Conduct
  • reduce activities related to attractions involving dolphins
  • protect human rights

What are the material issues the company has identified? 

In its 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report Air Canada identified a range of material issues, such as economic performance, ethical business practices and policies, safety, data protection and privacy, energy consumption. Among these, promoting sustainability across its supply chain stands out as a key material issue for Air Canada.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Air Canada engages with:

Stakeholder Group
Shareholders
Customers
Employees
Suppliers
Communities

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Air Canada engaged with its stakeholders through interviews, workshops and surveys.

What actions were taken by Air Canada to promote sustainability across its supply chain?

In its 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report Air Canada reports that it took the following actions for promoting sustainability across its supply chain:

  • Implementing a Supplier Code of Conduct
  • Air Canada has developed a Supplier Code of Conduct (SCC), which forms an integral part of Air Canada’s material supplier contracts. The SCC is principle based and sets out Air Canada’s expectations of suppliers to ensure their behaviour aligns with Air Canada standards in the following key areas:
    • Business integrity
    • Responsible business practices
    • Responsible treatment of individuals
    • Respect for the environment
  • The SCC includes provisions relating to forced labour, child labour, non-discrimination and human rights, safe and healthy employment conditions and ethical behaviour. Air Canada is committed to working in partnership with its suppliers to help ensure adherence to the SCC. Suppliers may be asked periodically to confirm in writing that they meet Air Canada’s expectations as set out in it. Certain audit rights are also available. The SCC is reviewed regularly.
  • Reducing activities related to attractions involving dolphins
  • In 2019, Air Canada and subsidiaries (including Air Canada Vacations) made the commitment to no longer sell or promote packages to, or generate revenue from, attractions that involve the captivity of current or future generations of dolphins. In 2020, Air Canada Vacations further acted on these commitments, working with its suppliers and contracted hotels to continuously reduce the practice of keeping dolphins in captivity. In addition, and further to the SCC, Air Canada is looking to restate its Procurement Policy to integrate its ESG (environmental, social and governance) priorities and sustainability principles going forward.
  • Protecting human rights
  • Air Canada currently has two human rights components in its strategic procurement process, including clauses related to human rights within the Supplier Code of Conduct, which suppliers are expected to respect, and a one-time risk assessment inclusive of human rights screening, which is conducted prior to the execution of strategic procurement agreements.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria

2) Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria

 

Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria does not correspond to any SDG.

Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria corresponds to:

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

  • Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
  • Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
  • Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
  • Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.
References:

This case study is based on published information by Air Canada, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.aircanada.com/content/dam/aircanada/portal/documents/PDF/en/corporate-sustainability/2020-cs-report.pdf

Note to Air Canada: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

The post Case study: How Air Canada promotes sustainability across its supply chain appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> Case study: How Air Canada combats human trafficking https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-air-canada-combats-human-trafficking/ Wed, 20 May 2020 08:26:18 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=10214 Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline, serving more than 50 million customers every year, on six continents. As an increasingly growing global airline, Air Canada recognises it has an ongoing responsibility to make sure appropriate measures are implemented to mitigate the risk of slavery and human trafficking in its operations, either directly or through its service providers. This case study is based on the 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report by Air Canada published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ […]

The post Case study: How Air Canada combats human trafficking appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline, serving more than 50 million customers every year, on six continents. As an increasingly growing global airline, Air Canada recognises it has an ongoing responsibility to make sure appropriate measures are implemented to mitigate the risk of slavery and human trafficking in its operations, either directly or through its service providers.

This case study is based on the 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report by Air Canada published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.

Abstract

Air Canada has “zero tolerance” for any form of slavery or human trafficking in its operations and supply chain  Tweet This!, and is committed to acting responsibly and with integrity in all its business dealings, respecting and upholding the human rights of employees, suppliers and business partners. In order to combat human trafficking Air Canada took action to:

  • implement a Supplier Code of Conduct
  • provide training
  • partner with an advocacy organisation to raise awareness

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report Air Canada identified a range of material issues, such as data protection and privacy, economic performance, energy consumption, sustainable governance, labour relations and employee engagement. Among these, combatting human trafficking stands out as a key material issue for Air Canada.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards              

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Air Canada engages with: 

Stakeholder Group
Investors
Customers
Employees
Suppliers
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Governments

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Air Canada engaged with its stakeholders through interviews, workshops, targeted surveys and a feedback mechanism, available via email.

What actions were taken by Air Canada to combat human trafficking?

In its 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report Air Canada reports that it took the following actions for combatting human trafficking:

  • Implementing a Supplier Code of Conduct
  • Air Canada implements a Supplier Code of Conduct, which forms an integral part of its material supplier contracts. It sets out the standards Air Canada expects its suppliers to uphold at all times relating to various matters, including human trafficking, slavery, child labour, non-discrimination and human rights, employment conditions, ethical behaviour and much more. It also enables Air Canada to audit its suppliers for these concerns. Additionally, in selecting its suppliers, Air Canada carries out due diligence using up-to-date industry standard tools to identify legal and reputational issues. The reputational risk assessment encompasses human trafficking risk.
  • Providing training
  • All Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants are trained on modern slavery and human trafficking awareness and on how to recognise and report suspicious behaviour. Air Canada is planning to expand this form of training to all customer service agents in Canada and abroad, and has a “zero-tolerance” policy with respect to the sexual exploitation of children. Both Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations seek to make sure that partner hotels support this policy, and that their business practices do not compromise it in any manner. In addition, Air Canada assesses risks related to human trafficking and forced labour associated with its operations and supply base in relation to new routes and at new destinations.
  • Partnering with an advocacy organisation to raise awareness
  • In 2018, the Air Canada Foundation partnered with Beyond Borders to raise awareness about child sex tourism and trafficking. Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada is a bilingual national advocacy organisation advancing the rights of children everywhere to be free from sexual abuse and exploitation. A working group comprised of Air Canada senior management subject-matter experts is tasked with the identification and coordination of initiatives in this regard.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 409-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor

Disclosure 409-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor corresponds to:

  • Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
  • Business theme: Elimination of forced or compulsory labor

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

  • Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
  • Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
  • Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
  • Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.
References:

1) This case study is based on published information by Air Canada, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to Air Canada: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

The post Case study: How Air Canada combats human trafficking appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

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