TCL CSR:Transition Plan

transition plan
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Presented to Trade Centre Limited

!2
C H A M P I O N S O F S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
Sasha Barnard
International Development,
Sustainability
Eliza Bethune
Sustainability
Kelsey Brasil
Community Design,
Sustainability
Tom Davison
History of Science &
Technology, Sustainability
Camille Dumulon-Lauziere
Environmental Science,
Sustainability
Maarika Farmer
Sustainability
Travis Fong
Political Science, Economics,
Sustainability
John Kennedy
Environmental Science,
Sustainability
Rebecca Laporte
Philosophy, Sustainability
Mackenzie Meens
Business Management,
Sustainability
Ashley Salvador
Sociology, Anthropology,
Sustainability
Kareem Wallace
Community Design,
Sustainability

!3
CURRENT & INDUSTRY
BEST PRACTICE
R E P O R T O V E R V I E W &
C O N T E X T
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Energy Conservation 8
Waste Management 9
Water Management 10
Food & Beverage Catering 11
Employee Benefits & Training 12
Certification & Reporting Framework 13
Community Engagement & Benefits 14
Online Communication 16
CSR Statement Suggestions 17
Green Event Options 18
Executive Summary 4
CSR Briefing 5
Report Introduction 6
The Time is Now 7
Recommendations 19
Acknowledgements 21
Glossary 21
Current Partnerships 22
References 23
R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S &
R E F E R E N C E S

!4
E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
This report was created to examine existing Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) practices at Trade Centre
Limited (TCL) and identify areas of opportunity during
TCL’s upcoming transition. TCL’s move to into the Nova
Centre offers the opportunity to re-define, shape, and
customize their internal and external operations. This will
help advance TCL’s position as an industry leader in North
America. Implementation of CSR enables TCL to host
conferences and events within the Halifax Convention
Centre in a socially responsible way. Research for this
report was conducted in collaboration with TCL and the
College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University.
Our team compares TCL’s position in relation to industry
best practices, and offers suggestions on how TCL may
effectively transition into their new facility.
Our team draws attention to the social, environmental,
and financial sustainability initiatives that currently exist at
TCL. TCL has developed connections with local suppliers
and charitable organizations. TCL’s willingness to comply
with clients requests is a key component of their success.
As demonstrated in the 2015 Canadian Medical
Association Conference (CMA), TCL has the capability to
host green events. The convention centre that TCL
operates has implemented outstanding kitchen protocols
which comply with industry established sustainability
measures. TCL has also outfitted the convention centre
with energy efficient appliances and is a leader in waste
management practices.
Based on the research conducted by our team, we
present four main recommendations to aid in TCL’s
corporate social responsibility advances:
• Form an Executive Committee for Managing CSR
• Adopt a CSR Monitoring Framework
• Establish a Coherent Online Presence
• Further Develop Partnerships for CSR
The report concludes that TCL currently employs a
number of sustainable initiatives. However, there are a
select number of areas that may be improved. The time
for change is now, and it is therefore recommended that
TCL use the findings from this report to position itself to
its potential clientele as a national and eventually North
American leader and attractive option for conferences,
conventions, and other events.

!5
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an accountability
and reporting framework for corporate businesses. This
framework helps businesses meet social, financial, and
environmental sustainability targets and will help TCL
engage with their stakeholders. CSR reporting results in a
competitive advantage for businesses who embrace the
initiative since adaptation has been proven to result in
cost savings, brand recognition, long-term goal setting,
and consumer and employee engagement. Adopting a
CSR strategy is becoming an industry-wide standard
across the corporate world.
Corporations around the world have adopted CSR to
increase transparency with their stakeholders. TCL has a
wide spectrum of stakeholders including local Halifax
businesses and communities, the Halifax Regional
Municipality, and government agencies throughout the
Province of Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Canada Region.
Stakeholders represent the different groups of people
that affect TCL’s business practices, and other influencing
factors on TCL’s operations. Ultimately, CSR can help TCL
increase their transparency, accountability, and
commitment to their stakeholders.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Environmental Sustainability
r e p r e s e n t s a c o m p a n y ’ s
commitment to reduce their
environmental footprint. Having
these standards allows companies
to stand out in the community and
attract environmentally-conscious
clients. Studies have shown that
companies that value sustainability
practices in their business
outperform those that do not hold
the same values.
Social Sustainability is related to all
private and public stakeholders,
a i m i n g t o f o s t e r a n d g r o w
relationships, communication, and
engagement with these communities.
Economic Sustainability entails
financial benefits to TCL through the
adoption of green initiatives in order
to create new market opportunities
and enhance its competitive standing
within the industry. Adopting this
framework will ultimately make TCL a
notable leader among other, similar
businesses. Sustainable development
can help TCL become a national
leader in corporate social and
environmental responsibility.
In a corporate context, sustainability has three main interconnected components: Social, Environmental, and Economic:

!6
R E P O R T I N T R O D U C T I O N
The report was designed as a consolidated document
with information from a multitude of different
departments within TCL. This report serves the following
purposes:
• Any employee from TCL can read this document and
have an understanding about the company’s position
in relation to CSR
• A transition roadmap for the management team at TCL
to build upon current CSR practices
• A baseline for a future full-scale CSR report
• An evaluation tool to measure TCL’s growth in relation
to CSR once full-scale CSR reporting has been
implemented
This report was prepared by the Champions of
Sustainability from the College of Sustainability at
Dalhousie University. The second report Sustainable
Practices, prepared by the Capstone TCL Catering Group,
focuses on TCL’s food and beverage catering operations.
Please refer to their report for greater detail in these
areas.
Trade Centre Limited (TCL) is in the midst of an important
and exciting transition. The Halifax Convention Centre
developed within the Nova Centre presents an
opportunity to enhance TCL’s public image. TCL has the
potential to showcase the benefits it brings to the local
community and province of Nova Scotia through its
commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
With improvements to energy efficiency and increased
community engagement, the new Halifax Convention
Centre can be viewed as a beacon to lead Halifax into a
better, more sustainable future.
This report outlines TCL’s current practices in regards to
CSR as well industry best practices. The report focuses on
nine elements related to CSR including:
• Energy Conservation
• Waste Management
• Water Management
• Food & Beverage Catering
• Employee Benefits & Training
• Certification & Reporting Framework
• Community Engagement & Benefits
• Online Communication
• CSR Statement Suggestions
• Green Event Options
The structure of this report outlines TCL’s current practices
in relation to these nine areas, which are presented
alongside industry best practices. Within each of the nine
CSR areas, suggestions for how TCL may improve their
operations are provided. It is our hope that this report
serves as a transition plan for the organization.

!7
Demands for socially and environmentally responsible
conferences and events have increased signiﬁcantly over
the past decade. In response to these demands,
convention centres around the world have adopted
various practices to align their organizations with the
move towards greater CSR.
With TCL already taking steps towards socially
responsible operations, TCL has the opportunity to not
only carry these existing practices forward, but to adopt
additional CSR practices that will help establish TCL as an
industry and community leader. The time is now for TCL
to step into the spotlight and demonstrate their
commitment to CSR.
T H E T I M E I S N O W

!8
Given TCL’s limited control over the physical
attributes of the new Nova Centre, TCL could
offset their carbon emission by purchasing
from external clean energy providers such as
Bullfrog Power. TCL may also choose to adopt
an energy and emissions tracking mechanism
so that emissions reductions and savings can
be communicated on an event-by-event basis
or for total operations. Utility management
programs or billing services are often used as
tools to track energy use9.
N E X T ST E P S FO R TC L
E N E R G Y C O N S U M P T I O N
In an effort to reduce the impact of their
energy consumption TCL has adopted
significant energy conservation practices in
their day-to-day operations. These current
practices demonstrate TCL’s commitment to
mitigating their impact on the environment by
reducing energy consumption in their
kitchens, conference spaces, meeting rooms,
and all other significant areas of their
operations. These conservation practices
include:
• Energy efficient appliances (such as
industrial combination ovens, high efficiency
boilers and refrigeration)
• Lighting systems to reduce total energy
consumption (occupancy sensors, LED
lighting)
• Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
(HVAC) systems through smart management
programs (such as variable frequency drives)
• Efficient and timely maintenance of
equipment through the use of software
programs
In anticipation of moving into the new Halifax
Convention Centre, TCL has consulted with
Argyle Developments in order to ensure that
green features and technology are being
implemented in the new building. It is
estimated that $400,000 will be saved
because of these improvements to efficiency5
Using clean energy and implementing energy-
efficient practices has become an accepted
norm across the conference industry6.
Renewable energy infrastructure is becoming
the standard in this industry, but other
organizations like TCL who do not have full
control over building design may displace
carbon emissions through purchases from
external renewable energy suppliers such as
Bullfrog Power7. Energy and emissions tracking
has also become an industry best practice as
this allows organizations to monitor, improve,
and communicate their energy use8.
Accepted practices for reducing energy
consumption also include:
• Using censored lighting
• Reducing the use of escalators or elevators
during event set up
• Installing energy efficient lighting
• Using energy efficient equipment
INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICEC U R R E N T P RAC T I C E S

!9
TCL reports on the total weight of waste by
type and disposal method. This includes
composting and garbage disposal, as well as
glass, paper, and bottle recycling. TCL also has
a specialized method for disposing of kitchen
greases and fats.
Waste is an unavoidable outcome of hosting
conferences and events. However, it has
become industry best practice to mitigate and
reduce the amount of waste generated
through recycling, reusing, or donating
materials that would otherwise end up in a
landfill. Waste diversion through smart waste
management programs has also become the
industry norm10. Convention centres have the
ability to either collaborate with clients to
implement waste diversion programs on an
event-by-event basis, or centres can
incorporate regular waste management
practices into their standard operations11.
Waste management strategies include:
• Recycling materials such as glass, paper,
cardboard, light bulbs, banners, or wood
pallets
• Diverting kitchen food waste through
composting, or donations of surplus
prepared food to charities and local partner
groups
• Having waste bins in proper locations in
public spaces, exhibit halls, and meeting
rooms that separate recyclables from
organics and waste
There may be opportunities for TCL to partner
with community organizations in Halifax.
These include local nonprofits, schools, or
community organizations to whom TCL can
donate excess food and materials. These
actions would contribute to building positive
relationships with the surrounding
community. TCL may wish to consider
outsourcing their waste management
practices to a private company. For example,
the company Waste Management®12 has a
wide range of capabilities and solutions that
can be tailored to fit TCL’s needs by providing
waste pickup, mixed recycling services,
security services, etc.
Given that waste management is a large focus
of TCL’s operations, an in-depth analysis of
TCL’s current waste management strategies
has been conducted by the Capstone
Catering group. Please refer to the report
Sustainable Practices for further information
on current as well as industry best practices
related to waste management.
INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE N E X T ST E P S FO R TC L
W A S T E M A N A G E M E N T
C U R R E N T P RAC T I C E S

!10
In an effort to conserve water and reduce
waste, TCL has low-flow toilets throughout the
facility, and installed Flushometers on the
urinals. Additionally, TCL has sensors on facility
sinks which are activated by motion, further
reducing the amount of water consumed.
Finally, TCL demonstrates water consciousness
through the use of in-house water jugs and
only provides bottled water during events
when it is specifically requested by clients.
K i t c h e n o p e r a t i o n s , c l e a n i n g a n d
maintenance, as well as any water required
during events contribute to convention
centre water consumption. Efficiency is one
of the main ways convention centres reduce
their water consumption13.
Examples of leading water management and
efficiency practices that have been
implemented by other convention centres
include:
• Having water bottle refill stations to replace
the use of plastic bottled water
• Tracking and monitoring water use
• Installing signage throughout facilities to
encourage water conservation
Although TCL has limited control over the
Nova Centre’s plumbing system, there are a
number of measures that can be taken to
reduce water consumption. TCL may choose
to conduct a water audit to ensure optimal
efficiency is being achieved. TCL may also
look to install additional water saving devices
and post signage to promote water
conservation to clients and employees. For
example, TCL may post reminder signs about
the importance of conscientious water use at
TCL.
W A T E R C O N S E R V A T I O N

!11
At any event food and beverage serves a key
purpose; it provides an opportunity for
attendees to be exposed to a diverse dining
experience featuring local cuisine. However,
excess waste in the form of packaging and
food waste can be an unavoidable outcome of
catering conferences and events.
Direct actions have been taken by TCL to
mitigate the waste produced through
catering, including:
• Self-catering by operating a scratch kitchen
• Reducing the amount of packaging and
waste produced by baking and cooking in-
house
• Purchasing from 79 local suppliers within
Nova Scotia, 4 of which are certiﬁed organic
• Offering a selection of 20 beverages
produced in Nova Scotia, and 11 from the
Atlantic region
• Reducing waste by using beverage
dispensers for both coffee and water
• Reducing packaging waste by reusable
tablewares such as cloth napkins, ceramic
plates and coffee mugs, and glasses
TCL has already adopted a number of
exemplary industry best practices related to
food and beverages. However, there is room
for improvement. An in-depth analysis of
industry best practices and TCL’s current
practices has been conducted by the
Capstone Catering group. Please refer to
their report, Sustainable Practices for further
information on current as well as industry
best practices related to food and beverage.
TCL may improve their already excellent food
and beverage service by pursuing the
following recommendations:
• Communicate with the public regarding the
effort TCL is making to supply local products
• Continue to create partnerships with local
beverage suppliers to expand local offerings
and support growth in the local wine and
beverage industry
• Work with food banks to decrease surplus
food waste
• Work with the province to improve
legislation on food waste
• Implement the use of non-toxic cleaners
such as those certiﬁed by EcoLogo14and
Green Seal15
F O O D & B E V E R A G E C A T E R I N G

!12
TCL currently offers a high-level of employee
benefits and training, and reports on the key
conclusions of customer satisfaction surveys. By
doing so, TCL is able to measure the
organization’s sensitivity to customer needs and
preferences. For example, of the clients who had
special requests or last minute changes, 99%
were satisfied. This reflects TCL’s employees
ability to improvise solutions for their clients.
Additionally, TCL records the percentage of total
workforce represented in formal joint
management-worker health and safety
committees that help monitor and advise on
occupational health and safety programs. Forty
percent of TCL’s full-time employees are
represented in Monthly Inspection Teams, which
help regulate the Occupational Health and
Safety programmes. Some TCL employees are
trained on human rights policies or procedures
concerning aspects of human rights that are
relevant to operations. Human rights training
programs include: Respect in the Workplace,
Supervisor Essentials, Ability Employers
Symposium, Ability/Eileen Pease, and Ability/
Tova. Each operational department at TCL is
required to engage in a recurring discussion,
“Tool Box Talk,” about safety in the workplace.
All employees at TCL are required to attend a
Respectful Workplace training session every two
years.
Most leading convention centres have
employees who are responsible for company-
wide sustainability and CSR initiatives. As
described in the 2015 Green Venue Report16
(The State of Convention and Exhibition
Centre Sustainability) :
Looking forward, TCL has the opportunity to
increase employee training associated with
sustainability and CSR. Our team suggests that
TCL delegates specific employees or
departments to share the responsibility of
implementing and monitoring CSR initiatives.
The Sustainability Learning Centre17 is an
online platform that can certify employees in
sustainability and CSR leadership practices.
This training service can offer employees the
opportunity to learn how to measure
greenhouse gas outputs and how to integrate
CSR reporting frameworks such as ISO18.
Training employees on sustainability and CSR
practices will increase company-wide
understanding of why these initiatives are
important to TCL’s operations.
• Venues have a dedicated
leadership team that works on
sustainability performance and
success
• Company green teams meet on
a quarterly basis
• Convention centres have
budgets that are specifically for
sustainability-related initiatives
77%
59%
47%
E M P L O Y E E B E N E F I T S & T R A I N I N G

!13
Although TCL does not have a formal CSR
reporting framework, they do report on a
variety of operations including waste
management, economic impact, as well as
community engagement efforts. TCL currently
has limited sustainability certifications,
however, once operations transition to the new
Nova Centre, TCL will be housed in a LEED
Gold Certified facility.
Our team has identified that some other
convention centres and corporations have
implemented sustainability reporting
frameworks. The most commonly used among
these reporting frameworks are GRI and ISO 19.
These reporting frameworks help corporations
monitor and track their operations. This makes
it easier to present CSR both internally to
members of the organization and externally to
the communities they impact.
Adopting a formal CSR monitoring and
reporting framework would allow TCL to track
their CSR practices. It would also allow TCL to
communicate their CSR initiatives to their
various stakeholders from local Halifax
businesses and communities, the Halifax
Regional Municipality, and government
agencies throughout the Province of Nova
Scotia and the Atlantic Canada Region.
Establishing a CSR monitoring and reporting
strategy also enables TCL to track baseline
measurements in order to set future goals.
T h i s r e p o r t i n g f r a m e w o r k m a y b e
progressively implemented through a system
such as GRI which would enable TCL to report
on their current capacities while allowing for a
more detailed and expansive report to
develop as TCL adopts additional CSR
practices.
INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE
C E R T I F I CAT I O N & R E P O R T I N G F R A M E W O R KS
C U R R E N T P RAC T I C E S N E X T ST E P S FO R TC L

!14
TCL has adopted an inclusive and positive
approach to community engagement
practices. TCL achieves this by attracting
economic opportunities to the Halifax area
through their events at the Convention Centre
as well as the Scotiabank Centre and
Exhibition Park. TCL is responsible for bringing
over 746,900 visitors to Halifax and had an
economic impact of $99.1 million dollars from
the 834 events hosted in 201520. Furthermore
13 community engagement sessions were
conducted during the planning process for the
new Halifax Convention Centre21.
TCL also prioritizes local suppliers wherever
possible. This has allowed TCL to establish
connections with 222 vendors within Nova
Scotia, making 62% of TCL’s vendors local in
2015. Additionally, TCL implements social
programs that directly benefit local citizens
such as offering not-for-profit groups access to
complimentary tickets to events and access to
their facilities free of charge. As a part of their
community donations program TCL provides
tickets to non-profits and charitable
organizations across Nova Scotia. In 2014 TCL
donated 126 tickets.
Outside of charitable contributions, convention
centres have begun to take steps towards
becoming leaders in community engagement.
Convention centres such as the Adelaide
Convention Centre22maintain partnerships
with community organizations and schools with
whom they donate leftover materials, food, and
office supplies. Providing free exhibition space
for local non-profit organizations is another
way that convention centres are providing
benefits to the surrounding community.
TCL can improve their community
contributions and engagement through:
•Prominently displaying current initiatives on
their website (refer to section ‘H’ on Online
Communications)
•Developing community outreach initiatives
with local cooperatives and youth
organizations by offering free space
•Increase the number of local vendors that
TCL provides space for showcasing
merchandise
C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T & B E N E F I T S

!15
TCL REGIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS 2015
62%
local
vendors
746,900
visitors to
Halifax
834
events
$99.1m
economic
impact

!16
Website design and online presence is key for
corporate communications strategies.
Successful strategies focus on clarity of vision
and communicate transparency, cohesion, and
community engagement. Speciﬁcally, these
strategies include:
• Sharing a corporate social responsibility
Statement
• Showcasing environmental goals and
initiatives, as well as awards and
achievements
• Offering a green meeting checklist for
potential clients’ consideration
• Providing examples of community
engagement and social initiatives
• Using consistent branding and user-friendly
navigation across all media platforms
• Providing accessible links to social media
platforms
TCL can improve their online presence by
creating a section dedicated to showcasing
CSR. Subsections should include:
• CSR Statement and company goals related
to sustainability
• Green meeting guide
• Successful green events (e.g. Canadian
Medical Association Conference)
• CSR from monitoring and tracking statistics
• Showcasing major awards and achievements
• A list of local business partnerships
World Trade Centre Atlantic Canada and the
Halifax Convention Centre are currently used
interchangeably online and these differences
may confuse web users. To ensure TCL’s values
and vision are easily accessible and clearly
displayed, our suggestion is to unify TCL’s
websites. This can be done by using the same
branding across all online platforms to create
consistency. Also, updating and maintaining
social media accounts on Facebook and
Instagram would allow TCL to better
communicate with a wider audience. Our
team also suggests that TCL list their
c h a r i t a b l e p a r t n e r s h i p s w i t h l o c a l
organizations and nonproﬁts. This list would
add value to the CSR section of your website.
O N L I N E C O M M U N I C A T I O N
N E X T ST E P S FO R TC L
Much of TCL’s online communication,
including web material and social media,
currently focuses on the transition to the new
convention centre. TCL operates three
websites:
• www.tradecentrelimited.com,
• www.wtcchalifax.com
• www.halifaxconventioncentre.com
The websites currently cover many important
aspects required for effective online
communication, including:
• Company mission, goals, and values
• News and current events
• New building status
• Past projects
• Social media accounts

!17
Our team suggests that TCL create a CSR
statement that speaks to their commitment to
the community, the environment, and the local
economy.
An example of a strong CSR statement for TCL
may be:
Trade Centre Limited is in the business of
bringing people together. We are committed
to hosting world-class conferences, spreading
k n o w l e d g e , a n d f o s t e r i n g p o s i t i v e
relationships between all sectors of society. By
adopting and prioritizing sustainable business
practices, we strive to fulfill our commitment to
social and environmental responsibility.
While Trade Centre Limited operates on a
global scale, our mission is to create economic
and community benefits in Halifax, Nova
Scotia. We choose to buy from local producers,
offer donations to community groups, and
improve the local business by bringing a
growing number of visitors to Halifax every
year.
At Trade Centre Limited, we recognize our a
responsibility to the environment and are
committed to ensuring our operations are as
green as possible. By transitioning to a LEED
certified building, Trade Centre Limited will be
able to better align its environmental values
with its physical operations. By continuously
improving our social, environmental, and
economic sustainability initiatives, Trade Centre
Limited strives to demonstrate leadership in
the conference and event industry.
Although TCL has a mission statement and
corporate values on their website, there is
currently no section designated to Corporate
Social Responsibility.
C S R S T A T E M E N T S U G G E S T I O N S
It is industry best practice to display current
CSR practices and make them accessible to all
stakeholders through a company’s website.
Most organizations include a designated
section that highlights CSR practices and
encourages positive relationships between the
company and the local community,
municipality, province, and prospective clients.
It is most effective when key categories are
summarized and displayed in an engaging
way to the reader and then expanded upon
within the website.

!18
TCL has demonstrated their willingness to
work with clients to create sustainable and
socially responsible conventions. For example,
TCL worked in collaboration with the Canadian
Medical Association to create a Green event
by providing amenities such as locally sourced
food.
Below are specific figures of sustainability
highlights from the 2015 CMA Conference:
Many convention centres have a designated
sustainability coordinator or team of
coordinators to oversee an organization’s
internal sustainability practices and
certifications22. Coordinators can work to
provide clients with options for sustainable and
socially responsible conventions. One of the
tools used in the planning process is a Green
Meeting Checklist that displays the convention
centre’s capabilities for hosting green events.
TCL would benefit from a designated an
individual or a team of sustainability
coordinators who focus on assisting clients
with their Green convention requests.
Additionally, TCL can present clients with a
Green Meeting Convention Checklist that
outlines the sustainable options TCL offers.
See the Capstone Catering group’s report
“Sustainable Practices” for an example of a
Green Meeting Checklist.
G R E E N E V E N T O P T I O N S
537
attendees
locally sourced
food
3040 lbs.
recycled waste
19,848 kwh
green energy
45%

!19
In consideration of this upcoming transition, it is important to note that CSR is an industry norm. In order for TCL to remain
competitive in the convention centre industry, they will need to further develop their CSR practices.
The following four recommendations were developed based on recurring themes discovered in our report:
Recommendation 1: Form an Executive Committee to Manage CSR:
Our team has found that leading convention centres have
an executive committee for managing CSR. Most
committees are composed of one or more
representatives from each of the different branches of the
organization. This diversity in representation allows for
department speciﬁc CSR targets to be measured by the
appropriate divisions and to then be brought back to the
committee to report on as a whole. We recommend that
TCL form such a committee for CSR to allow for the
adoption and monitoring of new CSR initiatives as they
relate to each individual branch and to identify
department speciﬁc goals. An executive CSR committee
will create internal leadership for managing CSR
practices within TCL.This is important for creating
consistent and reliable management of the entire
company’s CSR initiatives.
Recommendation 2: Adopt a CSR Monitoring Framework
We recommend that TCL adopt a CSR monitoring
framework to consistently monitor and track CSR
indicators relevant to their operations. We suggest that a
reporting framework such as GRI or ISO 26000 be
adopted as they are increasingly being implemented
across the industry. Having a CSR monitoring framework
will allow TCL to produce marketing and sales materials
that communicate their positive impact on the
surrounding community as well as their commitment to
sustainable business practices. A monitoring framework
would also allow TCL to create measurable goals to work
towards achieving as they grow their operations.
Oversight for this framework could be provided by the
executive committee.
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S

!20
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S
Recommendation 3: Establish a Coherent Online Presence
Currently, TCL operates three distinct websites, each with
distinct branding. We recommend that moving forward, TCL
look to create consistent branding across all online
platforms. Consistent branding will ensure that users
recognize the connection between the Halifax Convention
Centre, World Trade and Convention Centre, and TCL. Since
all three websites contain different information all pertaining
to the convention centre, we recommend increasing the
connectivity between these websites to improve web user
experience. Discrepancies among the different operating
websites can potentially hinder the ability of TCL’s
stakeholders to access necessary information.
We also recommend that TCL creates a designated CSR
section on the Halifax Convention Centre Website. This
section may include a CSR Statement, the CSR initiatives
that TCL is undertaking, pro-bono events to assist local
groups, and improvements in indicators monitored by the
reporting framework. Additionally, the section could feature
members of the Executive Committee for CSR as well as any
community partners. Having a designated section for CSR
on your organization's website is significant as
environmental awareness becomes increasingly more
important to prospective clients. Showcasing the CSR
initiatives implemented by TCL will illustrate the company’s
commitment and transparency to CSR.
Recommendation 4: Further Develop Partnerships for CSR
TCL has already begun to form several partnerships with
local businesses and community groups. We recommend
that TCL look to these groups and others to expand their
partnerships for CSR. At the CMA Conference, TCL
displaced emissions through the procurement of
renewable energy through Bullfrog Power. We believe
TCL should continue to expand these types of
relationships and pursue others, such as partnerships
with local food banks. Partnerships with online learning
communities can train staff and the executive committee
in detailed CSR programs. It is important that TCL
continues to expand their community partnerships for
CSR because this will create further opportunities for
clients who wish to host a green event.
The time is now for TCL to embrace CSR. Our team
strongly believes that these four recommendations will
improve TCL’s position in relation to the ten CSR areas
outlined in this report. Based on our research of other
leading convention centres, we believe the adoption of
these recommendations is imperative for TCL to remain
competitive in the convention centre industry.

!21
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
We recognize that this project would not have been
possible without our dedicated contacts at TCL.
Specifically, we would like to thank Greg Smith, Suzanne
Fougere, Erin Esiyok-Prime, Katie Ryan, and Chef
Christophe Luzeux. We would also like to thank
Dalhousie University’s College of Sustainability for
providing our team with the opportunity to work
alongside TCL. Specifically, we would like to thank the
instructors of the Capstone class: Georgia Klein, Debra
Ross, Peter Mushkat, and Cameron Christensen.
On behalf of the Champions of Sustainability, we hope
you find our work beneficial to your company’s
operations. Our team strongly believes that TCL has the
ability to accomplish the recommendations provided in
this report. TCL has the opportunity to become a leading
convention centre on the national level in terms of
sustainability and corporate social responsibility. In an era
of growing concern about climate change and social
responsibility, it is imperative that businesses like TCL
take the lead.
G L O S S A R Y
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - An accountability
framework for corporate businesses created to meet
socially responsible targets for operations.
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) – A framework that enables
corporations to account for and communicate their
sustainable and socially responsible practices.
Green - A term used to describe companies that adopt
principles, policies and practices that improve the quality
of life for their customers, employees, communities, and
the planet.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) –
A worldwide group for the creation of uniform business
practices to ensure simple interaction between
corporations and businesses.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) – A rating
system for green building and building practices.

!22
C U R R E N T P A R T N E R S H I P S
Health Services and Advocacy
• AKOMA Children’s Centre
• IWK
• Leukemia & Lymphoma NS
Chapter
• North end Direction 180
• Colchester East Hants
Health Centre
• NS Fire Fighters Burn
Treatment
• Canadian Breast Cancer
Foundation
• AIDS Coalition of NS
• Make- A- Wish Atlantic
Provinces
• Kidney Foundation of
Academic Institutions
•Dalhousie University
•University of King’s College
•Westmount Elementary
School
•Eastern Shore High School
•Atlantic Memorial Terrance
Bay School
•Citadel High School
•Ellenvale Junior High
•Ecole Beaubassin
•Cole Harbour High School
•Portland Estates
Elementary
•Bedford South School
•Halifax Christian Academy
•Shatford Memorial School
•Gorsebrook Jr High PTA
•Bridgeway Academy
Local Leagues
• Cole Harbour Atom B
Team
• Sackville Minor Hockey
• Spryﬁeld Attach Jr. C
Hockey Club
• U14B Harbour City Lakers
• DWMHA Peewee AAA
• Tasa Ducks Minor Hockey
Association
• Cole Harbour Midget
Bruins Hockey Team
• Mic Mac AAC Rowing Club
• Dartmouth Skating Club
• Halifax City Soccer Club
• Shearwater Blueﬁns Swim
General Community
Engagement
• Edwards House
• Brockwell House
• 4- H Youth Program
• Scottish Rite Charitable
Foundation of Canada
• Learning Centres for
Children – Halifax
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Project WELL Society
• Adsum House
• Homebridge Youth Society
• Rockingham Refugee
Support Group
• Habitat for Humanity
• Navy League of Canada
Religious Institutions
• St. Augustine’s Anglican
Church
• St. Luke’s Anglican Church
• St. Patrick’s Church
Restoration Society
Financial Institutions
• TD Canada Trust
Other
• Good Bones Dog Rescue
• Cool Dog Rescue
• CTV News

!23
R E F E R E N C E S
1. Halifax Regional Municipality, The Halifax Convention Centre Project, 2016. http://www.halifax.ca/ConventionCentre/
HalifaxConventionCentreFrequentlyAskedQuestions.php
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. ibid.
5. Halifax Regional Municipality, The Halifax Convention Centre Project
6. Santa-Barbara, J, Sustainable Business Practices, 2016. http://www.sustainablescale.org/AttractiveSolutions/
SustainableBusinessPractices.aspx
7. Bullfrog Power, Homepage, (n.d) accessed March 12. http://www.bullfrogpower.com/
8. Green Venue Report, The State of Convention
9. ibid.
10. ibid.
11. ibid.
12. https://www.wm.com/index.jsp
14. UL, ECOLOGO Product Certification, 2016. http://industries.ul.com/environment/certiﬁcationvalidation-marks/
ecologo-product-certiﬁcation
15. Green Seal, About Green Seal, 2016. http://www.greenseal.org/AboutGreenSeal.aspx
16. Green Venue Report, The State of Convention & Exhibition Centre Sustainability, 2015, http://
www.internationalcentre.com/site_Files/Content/Media/News/2015GreenVenueReport.pdfAppendix
17. Cooper, K, Sustainability Training, (n.d.) accessed March 18. http://www.sustainabilitylearningcentre.com/
sustainabilitytraining
18. ibid.
19. Green Meeting Industry Council, Best Practices, (n.d.)
20. Trade Centre Limited, Trade Centre Limited Annual Report 2014-2015, 2015. http://www.tradecentrelimited.com/en/
home/abouttcl/corporatepolicies/annualreports/current.aspx
21. Halifax Regional Municipality, The Halifax Convention Centre Project

TCL CSR:Transition Plan

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (20)

Ähnlich wie TCL CSR:Transition Plan

Ähnlich wie TCL CSR:Transition Plan (20)

TCL CSR:Transition Plan