A coalition of Canadian companies including Maple Leaf Foods, CN, and Celestica announced the launch of a series of collective Paris-aligned climate action commitments, and a call on other companies to join the initiative. The companies stated that the new sustainability commitment is in direct response to Canadians’ belief that corporations have a responsibility to make positive environmental change.

The coalition’s new commitments include four strategic actions, including reducing carbon emissions, setting science-based emissions reduction targets, resource stewardship – ensuring products and services are responsibly sourced, manufactured and distributed, and sustainability reporting. Each of the companies are already members of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and actively disclose their environmental data through the CDP.

Michael McCain, President and CEO at Maple Leaf Foods, said:

“In 2019, Maple Leaf Foods became the World’s First Major Carbon Neutral Food Company and is the only food company in Canada to adopt science-based emissions reduction targets that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. If we can do it, others can too. We are proud to be a leader in sustainability and urge Canadian organizations to join us in our ambitious goal and take meaningful action to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and nurture a Better Planet for all.”

JJ Ruest, President and Chief Executive Officer of CN, said:

“We are proud to serve North Americans every day and recognize the responsibility we have to act in the interests of generations to come. As a historic nation building company and a modern trade enabler, we are motivated to ensure an environmentally sustainable future for all Canadians by offering sustainable transportation solutions to our customers and supply chain partners. We are committed to playing a key role in the transition to a low carbon economy.”

Rob Mionis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Celestica, said:

“For the past 10 years, sustainability has been integrated into everything we do and we firmly believe that our goals cannot be met by one person, or one organization alone, but through the power of many. Collaboration is at the core of our sustainability strategy and we are proud to unite with these ambitious Canadian companies to take a stand against climate change and encourage others to join us in our sustainability commitment.”

Alberto Carrillo Pineda, Steering Committee member of the Science Based Targets initiative, added:

“We applaud these Canadian companies for their leadership in sustainability and their drive to encourage other organizations to ensure a healthy future for people and the planet. We champion SBTi-approved targets as a way for companies to take ambitious climate action and develop a clearly defined pathway to successfully reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with what climate science tells us is required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. We believe that business has a vital role to play in building the resilient, zero-emissions economy we urgently need and science-based emissions reduction targets, in tandem with the other commitments in this letter are essential to realizing this future.”