BBA’s social impact plan reflects our culture and our commitment to serve as a catalyst for change—for our planet, for our people and for future generations. The following three pillars guide our philanthropic investments on a local and national scale and with Indigenous communities whose values and formative approaches we share, especially that of reconciliation:
BBA's social impact plan supports our culture and mission. We aim to serve as a catalyst for change for our planet, our people and future generations. These are the three pillars that guide our initiatives:
By investing in the resilience of our ecosystems, we help preserve our natural resources and improve our living environments to leave a better planet for future generations.
By encouraging diversity within our teams and fostering an inclusive work environment, we stimulate creativity. This is a valuable asset when it comes to finding sustainable solutions that benefit everyone.
By supporting education, we're helping shape responsible citizens who are aware of their environment and. r equipped with the skills they need to transform our society for the better.
To ensure that all our teams can contribute to BBA's commitment, our social impact plan is applied across all areas of the business: corporate, regional and employees
Toward Net Zero plan
BBA wants to serve as an exemplary corporate citizen and actively participate in the fight against climate change. The firm committed to implementing a series of initiatives by 2030 to reduce its emissions and help limit global warming to 1.5oC. To learn more, read BBA’s Toward Net Zero plan.
Long-term partner with Tree Canada
Our firm decided to go one step further in the fight against climate change by also committing to compensating for all its past greenhouse gas emissions since its founding in 1980. To meet this ambitious target, it entered into a long-term partnership with Tree Canada, a non-profit organization responsible for a national greening program aimed at restoring and reforesting our forests.
Annual giving campaign to support Tree Canada
To help our employees actively participate in our Toward Net Zero plan and make a significant impact, BBA’s annual giving campaign has been adapted to direct all our donations to a single beneficiary organization: Tree Canada. A new tree is planted in Canada for every $5 donated. Thanks to our people's generosity, over 33,000 trees have been planted in the last five years.
Sponsoring the ACEC-Canada Breton Award (previously Tree For Life) since 2018
By sponsoring the annual Breton Award, presented to a consulting engineering firm that has excelled in environmental stewardship, BBA demonstrates its commitment to recognizing the contribution engineering makes in developing a sustainable society. This initiative supports our vision of innovation and going beyond engineering.
Partner of the first-known urban agrivoltaic system in Québec—an Université de Sherbrooke initiative
This major project is designed to develop the first urban agrivoltaic system by incorporating photovoltaic energy production and integrated plant crops on the same surface on residential, commercial or institutional rooftops in urban areas. The initiative is also intended to promote energy and food self-sufficiency through agrivoltaics, microgrids and green roofs.
Partnership agreement with Artemis Project
BBA signed a multi-year supply agreement with Artemis Project, an organization that aims to accelerate business outcomes for women entrepreneurs in the mining and metals industry. As the only Canadian consulting engineering firm to have signed an exclusive agreement with the organization, BBA and its clients benefit from cutting-edge ideas and expertise that Artemis members have to offer. The partnership has been in effect since January 2022 and demonstrates BBA's commitment to improving gender diversity in the supply chain as well as its recognition of the significant value women bring to the field.
Support for the Osmosis Network
Established in 2021, BBA's Osmosis Network is an internal group that aims to create synergy, advance women’s talent and stimulate conversations around gender diversity. In addition to its goal of enhancing diversity-related initiatives at BBA, the Osmosis Network wants to raise employee awareness of various topics and stimulate discussion through networking activities. The topics include mental workload and work performance; women and site work; work-life balance, etc.
Financing educational projects
During the 2022/2023 academic year, BBA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee provided financial support to the UBC Wastenauts, a design team at the University of British Columbia that aims to create a zero-waste future through a circular economy and sustainable development. BBA’s funding helped the team present at three educational outreach events in the Vancouver community and implement six engineering design projects in sustainable development.
Pursuing common goals with Indigenous communities
Well aware of how our work impacts local communities, we’ve signed various agreements and formed partnerships with them. To us, the true meaning of partnerships is listening to what communities have to say and aligning our values with theirs. By deepening our understanding and insight from knowledge keepers and elders, we can incorporate what we learn into our daily practices. As such, as part of the reconciliation process, we want to ensure that Indigenous communities are actively involved in everything we do.
Partnership with Indspire to invest in First Nations, Inuit and Métis education
BBA has pledged a total donation of $110,000 to the Indigenous charity Indspire as part of its Building Brighter Futures program. The money will help financially support a group of Indigenous students throughout their post-graduate studies. Like our partner, we believe that helping Indigenous students reach their full potential will benefit their communities and the rest of Canada.
Academic scholarships and educational activities initiated across Canada
Since its founding, BBA has launched, supported, joined and financed numerous educational initiatives. Fully invested in preparing the next generation, BBA continues to be involved in various educational institutions across the country. Here are a few examples:
Each of our 18 offices across Canada has an additional budget earmarked to support local organizations whose mission is aligned with our social impact pillars: the environment, diversity and education. This initiative is designed to give our employees the opportunity to experience our corporate values first hand and to see the positive impact their efforts have on their communities. Allocating financial resources directly to our regional offices nurtures our teams' sense of belonging and responsibility and establishes our presence at the heart of the communities we serve.
Pillar of commitment: Environment
Grame’s mission is to build resilient communities in a healthy and sustainable environment by working with communities, organizations and governments.
Pillars of commitment: Diversity and Environment
The NCCT’s mission is to offer the Indigenous community in Toronto a variety of programs and services that support their spiritual, emotional, physical and mental well-being.
The Toronto Wildlife Centre’s mission is to provide medical care and rehabilitation to wild animals that citizens bring in.
Pillar of commitment: Environment
The TSES’s mission is to enhance salmonid species within our regional watershed, act as a contractor to other similar agencies and enlarge the local employment base through these projects.
Pillar of commitment: Education
The CBAL’s mission is to offer free literacy programs and services to people of all ages to help them develop the essential skills needed to create strong, resilient and prosperous communities.
Pillar of commitment: Education
The IRC Montérégie’s mission is to encourage young people and adults to stay in school and succeed in education by working with local players to promote best practices.
Pillar of commitment: Diversity
The mission of WISE Sudbury is to encourage young women to envision a career in science, engineering, trades and technology and to provide a support network for those who are working in these fields.
Pillar of commitment: Diversity
The Comptoir alimentaire Nishk’s mission is to fight impoverishment and food insecurity in the Uashat mak Mani-utenam community by building on the values of sharing and solidarity.
The annual giving campaign is a tradition at BBA that we value highly because it embodies two distinct values of our culture: Eco-mindfulness and putting people first. By giving all our donations to Tree Canada, we’re helping create a greener world while also contributing to the well-being of our communities, which is closely tied to sustainable development.
Every year, our employees are impressively generous, and BBA celebrates this by doubling every dollar donated! Over the past five years, we've raised more than $165,000 in this spirit of solidarity for the planet and our future generations.
At the end of 2022, a year marked by unprecedented social and economic challenges, BBA made several donations to organizations that fight food insecurity, help the homeless and support social inclusion and solidarity. In all, BBA donated $50,000 to 14 active organizations across the country in communities where BBA operates.
In the carrousel below, you'll find a detailed list of the organizations in each region that have received one of our donations.
Photo: Presentation of BBA's cheque to Willie's Place, a respite centre with a high level of acceptability for men and women who are homeless, vulnerable and experiencing social, family and community breakdown in the Val-d'Or region (QC).
Additional donations to local organizations
•MoissonMontréal
•AccueilBonneau
•Le Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal
•St-Michael’s Mission
•Le Graind'Sel
•Comptoiralimentairede Sept-Îles (CASI)
•Willie’s Place
•The Salvation Army in Newfoundland & Labrador
• Edmonton's Food Bank
• The Mustard Seed
• Calgary Food Bank
• Covenant House Vancouver
• Greater Vancouver Food Bank
•Eva's: provides shelter, transitional housing, and health and well-being programming to help youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Toronto.
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