The Co-operators, Canada

The Co-operators, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

The Co-operators invited The Natural Step Canada to help guide the integration of sustainability into top-level planning and engage its staff by committing to a bold vision in catalyzing our shift towards a sustainable society. The company, one of the largest insurance providers in Canada, had perceived the tremendous risks and opportunities associated with sustainability.

The Natural Step Canada addressed senior leadership and helped facilitate a session on the integration of sustainability into The Co-operators strategic planning process. With emphasis on training and engagement, The Co-operators charted a new strategic direction. Two annual meetings focused on sustainability helped communicate the importance of this new direction.

In 2007, a donation from The Co-operators allowed for The Natural Step Canada’s production of a one-hour, bilingual eCourse: Sustainability 101 which teaches employees about the fundamentals of sustainability. The course was customized to use some examples from The Co-operators and the insurance industry.

The Co-operators wanted to “get our own house in order” and to that end, The Natural Step Canada worked with a consultant, Coro Strandberg of Strandberg Consulting, to develop a sustainability strategy, including creating a sustainability analysis of the business using The Natural Step Framework. This led to a new sustainability policy for the organization, as well as updated statements of the company’s vision and values in order to reflect its commitment to sustainability.

Now, the organization wants to support movement toward sustainability for Canadians, fulfilling their vision to be a catalyst for advancing sustainability. Also, at the company’s headquarters in Guelph, Ontario, The Co-operators is getting involved with the municipality lending their support and involvement in efforts to move towards a vision of Guelph as a model sustainable community.

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