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2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy 

The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provides a balanced view of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to make decision-making related to sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, the Military Grievances External Review Committee (Commitee) supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in this Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This DSDS establishes three new departmental actions and performance indicators that each support the achievement of a SDG and a FSDS implementation strategy. 

The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out seven (7) principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These basic principles have been considered and incorporated in the Committee’s DSDS.

In order to promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, this departmental strategy integrates efforts to advance the implementation of Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The strategy also now captures SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS to inform the development of the Canada’s Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. 

The Military Grievances External Review Committee’s Sustainable Development Vision

The Committee is an administrative tribunal with quasi-judicial powers, independent from the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). It was established in March 2000 under the 1998 amendments to the National Defence Act (NDA).

The Committee’s mandate is to review military grievances referred to it pursuant to s. 29 of the NDA and provide findings and recommendations to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the CAF member who submitted the grievance. Its mission is to provide an independent and impartial review of every military grievance and to strengthen confidence in, and add to the fairness of, the CAF grievance process.

The Committee fully supports the principles of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations SDGs, and Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy. Committed to doing what it can to advance the principles of sustainable development and greening government objectives, the Committee is cognizant it is a micro-organization and is limited in how it can contribute. However, the Committee is committed to proactively doing what it can. Activities range from increasing awareness and mandating key training related to procurement and Indigenous cultural competency to greening our micro-organization’s office space and business practices/processes to awarding federal contracts to Indigenous peoples.

Listening to Canadians

As required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, the Committee has taken into account comments on the draft 2022-2026 FSDS made during the public consultation held from March 11 to July 9, 2022.  During the public consultation, more than 700 comments were received from a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, businesses, and individual Canadians in different age groups and of various backgrounds. The draft FSDS was also shared with the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for their review and comment.

What we heard

While feedback received during public consultations do not apply to the mandate or work of the Committee, we have identified the sustainable development priorities that could be adopted and put into action. Specifically, the Committee will support recognizing Indigenous rights and knowledge, as well as the need for consultations and collaboration with Indigenous peoples. The Committee will strengthen information and requirements on green procurement and implementing net-zero emissions procurement, thereby incentivizing companies’ voluntary engagement in the race to net zero emissions. The Committee will support educating its employees on climate change impacts and adaptation measures in order to enable transitioning to more climate friendly practices.

What we did

The Committee took the above-mentioned key priorities and issues into consideration in this DSDS. Training in green procurement and Indigenous culture competency have been identified as targets because of Canadians’ response to the FSDS and the 17 principles. Greening the Committee’s office space and business processes has been a long-standing priority at the Committee and will continue to guide its decision-making in the future. With a pending office move in the near future, the Committee is reducing its footprint, sharing a space with other federal organizations and opting for a green, net-zero emissions building. Finally, the Committee can show its support for ‘SDG 10: Reduced inequalities’ by setting a target to award contracts to Indigenous peoples moving forward.

Please find more information on the FSDS public consultation and its results in the FSDS Consultation Report.

Military Grievances External Review Committee’s Commitments

Goal 10 : Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action on inequality

FSDS Context
This goal's focus on taking action on inequality and advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities draws inspiration from SDG Global Indicator Framework targets:

Social, economic, and environmental inequalities persist in Canada. These inequalities disproportionately affect people with multiple intersecting identity factors such as gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, faith community, Indigeneity, disability, sexual orientation, and low socioeconomic status.

Target theme
Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities.

Target
Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Implementation strategy
Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Actt

Departmental action 
Ensure all Committee employees complete cultural competency training on advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and/or training on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (Program: Internal Services)

Performance indicatior
Percentage of staff who have completed mandatory and/or optional Indigenous cultural competency training. Some examples of courses include:

Starting point
Percentage of staff trained [0% in 2023-24]

Target
50% by March 31, 2025, 75% by March 31, 2026, 100 by March 31, 2027

*Mandatory

How the departmental action contributes to the FDSD goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Public servants are in a unique position to help build respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This action encourages Committee employees to increase their cultural competency skills and awareness of issues related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada, and their knowledge of the United Nations Declaration. This action contributes to the development of necessary cultural competency knowledge and skills to implement the United Nations Declaration.

Relevant targets or ambitions
GIF Target - 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.

Initiatives advancing Canada’s implementation of SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities

The following initiatives demonstrate how Committee programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above. 

Planned initiatives

In the spirit of economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the Government of Canada has established a mandatory minimum target of at least 5% of the value of federal contracts to be awarded to businesses owned and led by Indigenous peoples.

As per the established schedule prescribed by Indigenous Services Canada, the Committee is part of the Phase 3, where it is required to meet the mandatory minimum target of 5% of its total contracts to Indigenous businesses annually by 2024-2025.

Although the Committee is not required to meet the 5% for another two years, the organization is committed to helping the Indigenous community and has already adjusted its internal processes and procurement plan. Targets have been set within the organization at 3%, 4% and 5% for fiscal year 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 respectively.

Relevant targets or ambitions
GIF Target - 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.

Goal 12: Reduce waste and transition to zero-emmission vehicles

FSDS context
This Goal's focus on reducing waste and transitioning to zero-emission vehicles directly supports SDG Global Indicator Framework targets:

By transitioning to a cleaner and more circular economy that prioritizes reducing consumption and waste generation, reusing the resources already extracted, and finding processes and technologies that take a holistic systems-based approach to minimizing waste throughout the economy, we can help reduce negative impacts on the environment. Doing this also improves resilience to resource shortages, rising or volatile prices, and supply chain interruptions.

Target
The Government of Canada’s procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)

Implementation strategy
Strengthen green procurement criteria

Departmental action
Ensure all procurement and materiel management specialists at the Committee are trained in green procurement (such as, the Canada School of Public Service’s course Indigenous Considerations in Procurement or an equivalent) within one year of being identified. (Program: Internal Services)

Performance Indicator
Percentage of procurement and materiel management specialists trained in green procurement within one year of being identified

Starting point
In 2023-24, 0% of procurement and materiel management specialists trained in green procurement

Target
100% of procurement officers and material management specialists receive training with one year of being identified

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs
Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services they deliver, and their supply chains.

Relevant targets or ambitions

Initiatives advancing Canada’s implementation of SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

The following initiatives demonstrate how Committee programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above. 

Planned initiatives
Promote sustainable development training internally to staff in order to increase awareness and understanding of the Government of Canada’s objectives related to sustainable development and greening governmentt.

Invite one guest per year to speak to environmental initiatives and progress within the wider Government of Canada context (i.e., what other organizations are doing, etc.).

Optional training

Invited guests
Given the Committee has all-staff meeting once a month, it would be ideal and opportune to invite guest speakers on the various topics related to sustainable development at least once per year.

Relevant targets or ambitions

Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS context
Taking action on climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants and building resilience directly supports SDG Global Indicator Framework targets:

The effects of human-caused climate change are being felt across our country. Canadians are seeing more extreme temperatures and precipitation as well as more frequent and severe wildfires, heatwaves, droughts and flooding. Canada is warming at two times the global rate, and this rate is even greater in the Canadian Arctic. Meanwhile, rising sea levels, along with less-visible effects such as increased acidity and reduced levels of oxygen in the oceans, are damaging ecosystems and industries such as fisheries.

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal “Take action on climate change and its impacts” but not a specific FSDS target 

Implementaion strategy
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations

Departmental action
Secure office space in a green building for the upcoming 2028 office move (Program: Internal Services)

Performance indicator
Secure a Government-owned office space (net-zero carbon, climate-resilient building where low-carbon and climate resilience are a priority)

Starting point
Currently located in a building whose green standards are not up to par with Government of Canada vision and in an office space too large for the organization’s needs

Target
Select green office space with significantly reduced office footprint and in a shared space for 2028

Relevant targets or ambitions
GIF target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

Section 5 : Integrating Sustainable Development

The Committee is a micro administrative tribunal that reviews grievances referred to it by the Canadian Armed Forces. Its ability to address the vast majority of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda is limited. However, through education, green procurement and green processes, and advancing reconciliation, the Committee can participate. The organization is fully committed and fully supports the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. Every contribution, however small, makes a difference.

The Committee will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets and contribute in any way it can to the Government of Canada’s sustainable development vision.

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