What CCC’s Code for Exporters means for Canadian businesses
As the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) executes against a new Environmental, Social, and Governance (EGS) Strategy, it has developed a new Code for Exporters to clearly articulate the expectations CCC has of the Canadian businesses using our programs and services.
The Code outlines CCC’s expectations with respect labour and human rights, health and safety, environmental protection, transparent and responsible supply chains, and compliance with laws including those prohibiting bribery and corruption.
Why did we create the Code for Exporters?
As a federal Crown corporation, CCC is committed to promoting responsible business conduct (RBC) and practices. We help Canadian companies selling to foreign governments understand what RBC requires and ensure it is at the core of their operations abroad. We are also committed to ensuring that our own organization operates in a socially, ethically and environmentally responsible manner.
CCC created the Code for Exporters as part of capturing and augmenting the practices that we have been encouraging our customers to adopt with respect to Responsible Business. For those Canadian businesses who have worked with CCC before, none of the content of the Code will be surprising. It simply codifies the expectations our customers have been meeting as they work with us around the world. For those who have not yet worked with CCC, this Code is an excellent resource on the performance standards that companies should be striving towards.
“Integrating ESG principles into operations not only makes a company more resilient by mitigating risks, but it can also help attract investment and increase brand value.”
How the Code will impact CCC customers
As of April 1, 2023, when working with CCC, Canadian suppliers will have clear practices to adhere to with respect to the way they operate their business. This is not an unusual practice as supplier Codes of Conduct are increasingly common in the private sector and with Crown Corporations in Canada.
The code will also be available as a model for suppliers to adopt into their own governance practices. Supplier Codes can be an effective way of communicating the values and principles that are important to your business. If businesses can say that they are a “CCC certified” supplier, then this simply adds to their value proposition when searching for buyers of their products and services.
How the Code relates to our ESG strategy
CCC continues to uphold and promote the highest standards of environmental, social and governance in delivering on its international trade mandate. We are committed to protecting the environment, conducting business with integrity and respecting human rights, in alignment with the international commitments Canada has made, in particular to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building off our Responsible Business Conduct framework
Part of the ESG strategy includes CCC’s Responsible Business Conduct Framework which sets out our commitment to ensuring we, and the companies we work with, operate in an environmentally, socially and ethically responsible manner in Canada and abroad.
Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) is about companies ensuring economic, social and environmental sustainability when they do business. At its core, RBC ensures Canadian companies respect human rights, operate with integrity and abide by applicable laws in Canada and foreign countries, as well as international standards. But committing to RBC is more than just about following laws. It is about acting responsibly, ethically and sustainably because it is the right thing to do.
Responsible Business Conduct is important for any company of any size in any sector. It helps ensure businesses are making positive contributions in the communities where they operate. It also enables businesses to assess areas of risk to reduce negative impacts and address issues if they do occur.
From a business perspective, demonstrating responsible and ethical business practices can also boost a company’s bottom line by helping to avoid legal costs arising from violations. It can also improve a company’s reputation internationally, in turn helping to attract skilled employees, strengthen consumer loyalty and increase market share.
You can learn more about our ESG Strategy and RBC framework in our latest Annual Report.
Overall, the CCC Code for Exporters will add additional structure to our responsible business practices and provide a framework for customers to follow in our collective goal to improve how our businesses operate.
This post was last updated on March 8, 2023.
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