(WATERLOO REGION, ON) April 25, 2014 – Hundreds of sustainability leaders came together in
Waterloo Region last night to celebrate the achievements they’re making in improving the
environmental sustainability of their organizations at Sustainable Waterloo Region’s 5th Annual
Evening of Recognition.
Close to 500 people representing local government, business, academia, and not-for-profit joined
Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR), a not-for-profit advancing the environmental sustainability of
organizations across Waterloo Region through collaboration, in celebration of the release of its 2013
report. The report celebrates the individual and collective commitments, accomplishments, and
leadership of SWR program members across Waterloo Region.
The report reveals that Waterloo Region’s innovative and collaborative spirit spreads beyond the
tech sector and into environmental sustainability. All across the region, more organizations than ever
are embedding sustainability into their operations.
Highlights of the report:
• Since its inception in 2009, membership in SWR’s flagship program, the Regional Carbon
Initiative (RCI), has grown 620 per cent to 63 members throughout Waterloo Region.
• To date, RCI members are estimated to have reduced 29,990 tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions, which is the equivalent of removing 7,073 cars from the road.
• All four municipal governments, the City of Cambridge, the City of Kitchener, the City of
Waterloo, and the Region of Waterloo, voted unanimously to support a regional greenhouse
gas (GHG) reduction target of more than 850,000 tonnes against business as usual.
Province-wide change
The leadership being demonstrated by the business community in Waterloo Region has sparked
interest and action from municipalities across the province who are now working to replicate the
RCI’s successes in their own communities with the help of a new not-for profit organization called
Sustainability CoLab. Inspired by the success of the RCI, Sustainability CoLab provides direct support and a proven approach for member organizations to launch and grow target-based sustainability programs for businesses. Sustainability CoLab officially launched in January 2014 and is currently working with five communities across the province.
Download the report
These and many other exciting developments are available in greater detail in Sustainable Waterloo
Region’s 2013 report, available at www.sustainablewaterlooregion.ca
Quotes
“When considering the growing sustainability momentum in the region, the boost to their brand, the
interest from their employees, and the overall cost savings, leaders are finding that making a public
GHG reduction target is a good business decision.”
Tova Davidson, Executive Director, Sustainable Waterloo Region
About Sustainable Waterloo Region
Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) is a not-for-profit that advances the environmental sustainability
of organizations across Waterloo Region through collaboration. SWR’s flagship program is the
Regional Carbon Initiative (RCI), which facilitates voluntary target-setting and reductions of
greenhouse gas emissions by local organizations. For a list of all RCI members, please visit
www.sustainablewaterlooregion.ca/members
About the Regional Carbon Initiative
The Regional Carbon Initiative (RCI) is Sustainable Waterloo Region’s flagship program that helps
local organizations advance the sustainability of their operations through greenhouse gas (GHG)
emission reductions. RCI membership enables organizations to make GHG reduction commitments,
collaborate with area leaders in environmental sustainability, and learn how to implement cost-effective reduction projects.