Corporate social responsibility
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Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance
At Genetec, we’re committed to making a positive impact on the environment, our workforce, and the community through our dedication to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives.
Environmental initiatives
Energy conservation
GenetecTM strives to reduce its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why our Montreal headquarters offices are equipped with LED lighting, opaque solar blankets, and anti-UV film. Here are a few examples of how we aim to be energy-efficient:
- In the spring of 2021, we inaugurated a vegetable garden with greens and herbs that go into preparing daily meals for employees.
- Some of our AutoVu™ fleet of vehicles are plug-in hybrid. The audio-video equipment has integrated timers so that they can turn off when not in use to save power.
- Within our offices, we’ve virtualized many of our servers. Special attention has also been paid to data storage management and air circulation in the server rooms to save energy.
- For every new employee welcomed into our Paris team, we take a deliberate step towards environmental sustainability by planting a tree. We’re currently working with our local teams worldwide to discuss more initiatives.
Recycling
Our recycling efforts include small electronic devices, computer equipment, paper, and cardboard. Employees can quickly deposit these items in designated containers near the reception area. In our Bistro, we encourage employees to recycle reusable containers. At Genetec events, we don’t provide single-use plastic bottles. In 2022, we branded our own aluminum-based, reusable water bottles to avoid plastic waste when handing out water. Soon, we'll be adding composting to our recycling initiatives.
We provide recycling bins for batteries, ink cartridges, and toner cartridges throughout our facilities. In each case, we carefully place recycling bins where they will be used the most. We also recycle other materials such as metal, wooden pallets, and furniture. Genetec is committed to meeting the requirements of the European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2014. These regulations require companies to finance the takeback of WEEE resulting from the production of electrical and electronic equipment. This helps us ensure that WEEE is reused or recycled safely.
Get more details on our WEEE certification
Sustainability
We prioritize high-quality office furniture that will remain in use for years, avoiding waste generated from the disposal of lower-quality supplies. Our selection includes Knoll furniture, renowned for its exceptional quality and eco-friendly composition. Knoll ergonomic desks and chairs are made from environmentally conscious materials.
Review the results of our April 2024 survey to find out what sustainability efforts the physical security is focused on.
Food waste prevention
As a global company, we often host events in Montreal, where we welcome our employees from all over for training, conferences, team-building activities, etc. An important consideration has been to significantly reduce food wastage. Our Bistro teams already follow a philosophy of maximizing the use of food to prepare nutritious meals. Any remaining portions are repurposed as takeaway meals. To align with this commitment, we collaborate with a catering partner who donates surplus event food to charitable organizations in Montreal.
Environmental partnerships
We have established partnerships with suppliers who share our values and maintain robust environmental policies. These extend to both our hardware and software partners, such as Axis Communications, HID, and Mercury.
Our ecosystem of partners prioritizing sustainability enables us to deliver cutting-edge products and services and contribute to a more eco-friendly and sustainable future for our industry.
Supply chain
As part of our commitment to sustainable practices, we use eco-friendly corn-based foam packaging to ship our AutoVu™ SharpV automatic license plate recognition cameras. Also, the packaging of our SharpZ3 system and Synergis CloudLink-G2 are 100% carton-based. AutoVu products are manufactured in Canada, and Synergis CloudLink is manufactured in the USA.
Software developers integrate energy-efficient principles into their DevOps lifecycle. By embracing coding techniques that demand less energy for code processing, we deliver cutting-edge solutions to our customers and minimize our environmental impact.
Social responsibility initiatives
Employment
At Genetec, we prioritize a fair and inclusive environment where diversity is embraced and respected. We do not discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other reason prohibited by law in providing employment opportunities and benefits. Our hiring process is guided by a commitment to selecting the most qualified individuals for each role while adhering to all local hiring laws.
We have also put in place a strict Workplace Harassment Policy to foster a respectful workplace through the prevention and prompt resolution of any form of harassment, sexual or otherwise.
Employee well-being
Our dedication to employee well-being is a top priority at Genetec. We have implemented comprehensive programs to support employees’ mental, physical, and financial health.
Get insights on global initiatives promoting good health and well-being: United Nations Goal 3
Mental health
Mental health is very important, which is why we make sure to provide as much assistance as possible. We created our Mental Wellness intranet page, where employees can find recordings on topics from coping with change to stress management, self-care, suicide awareness, and more. Employees can access Viva Insights, a productivity and wellness tool that provides guided meditations, relaxation music, and breathing exercises.
In celebration of the annual World Mental Health Day, employees are invited to partake in a week’s worth of conferences, workshops, additional yoga classes, breathing technique classes, and more. Employees learn different de-stressing techniques, how to improve sleep, cope with change, fight burnout, and more.
A health and wellness hub
We care about the mental and physical well-being of our teams. Our onsite gym offers 24/7 access to training equipment. Amenities include showers as well as gender-neutral and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms.
In our Montreal headquarters, employees can take group fitness classes, join sports teams, get personlized training plans, and take part in challenges. We've even got lunchtime gym classes to keep our teams energized. Plus a library of fitness videos for at-home workouts.
Onsite kinesiologists
An onsite kinesiologist offers classes, assessments and private training sessions throughout the year at our Montreal headquarters. Group offerings include classes like yoga, pilates, conscious breathing, boot camp, weightlifting, cardio boxing, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. Our kinesiologist also provides private training sessions, physical health assessments, ergonomic assessments, training plans, and health and nutrition tips to those who are interested.
Health challenges
Our health challenges aim to inspire employees to adopt healthier habits and make conscious efforts to become more active. We organized multiple challenges, including a cooking competition promoting nutritious homemade meals, a "KMs of wellness" challenge encouraging physical activities for team-based point accumulation and equipment rewards, and a recent circuit challenge designed by our in-house kinesiologists.
Mentorship programs
We are dedicated to fostering professional growth and development through impactful initiatives. We work closely with schools in our community to recruit interns and guide emerging talents through our internship program. Some notable projects over the past year include in-person technical conferences and workshops, sponsored competitions and hackathons, and subsidized student committees. We also prioritize employee development through continuous training at leading universities. The Genetec Leadership Program reinforces our commitment to nurturing leadership skills by helping our management learn valuable skills they can apply daily. Women are encouraged to join the Women in Technology program, which promotes diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.
Commitment to principles
Genetec has taken measures to ensure that we consistently operate and manage our business with the highest standards of social and ethical conduct. We are committed to practices that create and maintain safeguards against modern slavery, including forced labour and child labour. We are equally committed to working with and encouraging our suppliers as they uphold the principles that we as an organization abide by, including ensuring that those involved in our business and supply chains are treated with respect and dignity.
We expect each of our business partners and suppliers to share our commitment to respect human rights and equality of opportunity in the workplace. We expect each such organization to reflect this in their own business, including in their employment practices and supply chains, to achieve compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Onsite kinesiologists
We have at least one onsite kinesiologist who offers many wellness options for employees at our Montreal headquarters. Employees can sign up for classes throughout the year, such as yoga, pilates, conscious breathing, boot camp, weightlifting, cardio boxing, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. Our kinesiologist also provides physical health assessments, ergonomic assessments, private training sessions, training plans, and health and nutrition tips to those interested.
Financial literacy courses
Genetec employees are offered financial education via webinars throughout the year to promote financial literacy and ask questions about our various program offerings. We also provide personalized one-on-one consultations with educational advisors to offer employees a tailored approach to financial planning, ensuring they are equipped to secure their future.
Donations
At Genetec, we actively support numerous non-profit organizations, preferring a quiet impact over grand gestures. Employees are encouraged to contribute to causes dear to them whenever feasible. Genetec supports local as well as key global crises where we will match employee donations.
Governance
Supplier Code of Conduct
We hold our suppliers to the highest ethical standards and values. We request that all suppliers acknowledge and sign our Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure partnerships are built on integrity and responsible practices. By aligning with our Supplier Code of Conduct, our suppliers demonstrate their dedication to maintaining the same level of integrity and accountability that we deeply value at Genetec.
Selecting trustworthy vendors
We prioritize partnerships with vendors who share our dedication to robust cybersecurity and stringent data privacy practices. This approach ensures that every aspect of our offerings reflects our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information and creating secure environments for our clients and their stakeholders.
Genetec Code of Business Conduct
Our commitment to ethical conduct and responsible behavior extends to every facet of our operations, including our employees. To ensure a harmonious work environment built on integrity, we require all our employees to acknowledge and adhere to our Genetec Code of Business Conduct. This guide outlines the standards of behavior that we expect in our day-to-day activities and interactions, both within the company and beyond. It reflects our dedication to upholding ethical practices, legal compliance, and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. By requiring our employees to acknowledge and abide by this code, we create a shared commitment to transparency, fairness, and a workplace culture rooted in the values that define Genetec.
Governance
ISO 27001
Safeguarding data with the highest level of expertise and care is core to our business. All Genetec employees undergo training to ensure compliance with the International Information Security Standard, ISO 27001. This ensures that our team is equipped to protect sensitive data and uphold our customer’s trust.
We also take pride in delivering secure, privacy-respecting solutions that exceed industry standards. Our ISO 27001-certified offerings include innovative features designed to prioritize data privacy. These include:
Data protection measures
We prioritize transparency, accountability, and responsible decision-making across all operations. Genetec solutions are built with Privacy by Design. We have developed cutting-edge tools, such as KiwiVision Privacy Protector, that automatically anonymizes images of people so clients can continue to survey surveillance footage while respecting privacy. It’s the only solution that has received the European Privacy Seal certification for its ability to protect the identity of individuals within video surveillance recordings.
Doing the right thing, for the right reasons
Our ESG initiatives are about doing the right thing for the planet, our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. For more information about us, read up on our mission and values, trust and cybersecurity approach, and technology vision.
Please reach out to [email protected] for inquiries.