Month: September 2023

Originally published in the 2022 FedEx Cares Report

Improving quality, reliability, and safety in the Brazilian bus systems

In preparation for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, and amidst rapid population growth, Brazil invested in a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). BRT is fast and efficient, but its rapid growth led to disparate models with little time for learning and sharing experiences among them. To create a more organized network, several Brazilian cities turned to the World Resources Institute (WRI) and FedEx. For the past 10 years, we’ve infused the same principles that keep our FedEx transportation network running smoothly into bus systems in Brazil. Our unique Quality Driven Management (QDM) approach has led to improved quality of the customer experience, operational and safety improvements, identification of best practices, and an ongoing platform for knowledge sharing and professional development. Our Fellowship program trains WRI staff on QDM and Fellows bring this knowledge to bus systems across the country. Today, this work supports 30 Brazilian bus transit agencies and private operations and drives environmental, social and economic impact.

The collaboration with FedEx over the past ten years has continued to deliver value for WRI and the bus transit agencies and private operations we support. We greatly appreciate the company’s willingness to share their resources and best practices to improve transportation in our most congested cities. In the end, less people in cars resu lts i n less cars on t he road, reducing th e amount of time commuters (and delivery drivers) must waste in traffic.

Cristina Albuquerque 
Urban Mobility Director for WRI

Sparking cleaner, greener, and smarter mobility

The Sustainable Cities Climate Impact Challenge launched in 2022 to identify innovative projects that decarbonize transport and promote electric mobility throughout Europe. FedEx teamed up with EIT Climate-KIC to select community-based projects that could most benefit from $50,000 – $75,000 (USD) grants to implement local transport decarbonization initiatives.

Selected for their innovative approaches, strong city government integration, and scalability, the winning projects from Hackney (UK), Espoo (Finland), Olot (Spain), and Karasu (Turkey) each present unique approaches to accelerate the transition towards active, shared, and electric mobility. The projects focus particularly on cycling, with initiatives such as expanding cargo bike usage, increasing cycling uptake, installing secure cycling storage, and creating safe travel corridors.

Adopting ambitious mobility measures locally can have significant health and economic benefits, which can help make the case for regional, na – tional, and EU-wide action. These pilot projects, supported with charitable funding from FedEx, will hopefully demonstrate how engaged com – munities can pave the way towards change.

Thomas Osdoba 
Director of Net Zero Cities and Senior Advisor on Cities for EIT Climate-KIC

Read more

Originally published in Enbridge’s 2022 Sustainability Report

Our people are our most valuable asset, and our ability to bridge to a cleaner energy future is highly dependent on them. We aim to effectively engage, develop, retain and reward our employees, and promote their well-being to fulfill our purpose and achieve our goals—from delivering our two-pronged business strategy to demonstrating sustainability leadership.

What we stand for. Our most important common ground is the work we do together—and how and why we do it. We engage our employees around these three core elements:

Vision 
To be the leading energy delivery company in North America

Purpose 
We fuel people’s quality of life

Values 
Safety, Integrity, Respect, Inclusion

Well-being. We’re committed to supporting our employees’ wellbeing. This practice reinforces the effectiveness and resilience of our workforce while improving life for employees as well as their families and communities. We take a proactive and holistic approach, focusing on all elements of well-being: physical (including personal safety), mental, financial and social. As part of employees’ total compensation package, they have access to a range of benefits and resources, including an employee and family assistance program that provides confidential counseling and other services.

Flexibility. In 2022, we enhanced our existing Alternative Work Arrangements program to offer employees greater flexibility in where and when they work. Based on role suitability, employees can work from home up to two days per week, work a compressed workweek or vary their daily schedule. By listening closely to employees, we learned our FlexWork program is a meaningful way for employees to maximize their most precious resource—time.

Listening and engagement. Hearing from our employees and responding to their insights and concerns are priorities for Enbridge. Although direct engagement with their managers and leaders is the most important point of connection, we use many other tools to stay connected, including regular engagement surveys, pulse surveys, allcompany forums, company-hosted social media (Yammer), executive coffee chats and email newsletters and updates. This year we fielded our first inclusion survey (see page 48); distinct from our usual engagement surveys, the voluntary inclusion survey invited employees to share their experiences of Enbridge as an employer, and steps we could take to further promote inclusion and belonging.

Learning and career development. We proudly invest in helping our employees learn new skills and develop their abilities so they can advance in their work and responsibilities. We provide training through courses and seminars, educational assistance programs, leadership development opportunities and mentoring. Employees establish Individual Development Plans (IDP) that guide them toward achieving their professional goals and developing their interests. We reward high achievers with developmental opportunities tailored to their specific career paths.

Policies. Key policies underpinning our talent strategies, practices and human rights include our Statement on Business Conduct, our Equal Employment Opportunity, Anti-Discrimination and Affirmative Action Policy, our Sustainability Policy and our Respectful Workplace, Harassment and Violence Policy.

Learn more 
Management approach: People practices

Read more