Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010

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• Operating context
• What we will do
  • Goal 1: Reduce the effects of our operations on land, air, and water
  • Goal 2: Demonstrate sustainable service delivery of tax and benefit programs
  • Goal 3: All employees apply sustainable development practices in their jobs
  • Goal 4: Use modern systems that support and maintain sustainable development
• Performance measurement
• Implementation

Operating context

This strategy must respond to changes in the operating environment and in the world around us, such as an expanding economy, increasing workload, evolving government priorities, and budget reductions. While these factors are challenging, they still present opportunities for us to deepen innovation, while embracing change. It is within this context that the Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 will unfold, using innovation, technology, and communications as drivers for change.

What we will do

This strategy commits the CRA to staying the course and deepening its commitment to integrating sustainable development principles into its operations and business decisions. It sets a course of action to further reduce the environmental impacts from the CRA's vast operations, and to demonstrate how the CRA is a socially responsible organization.

The strategy is a four-part interconnected agenda that continues to focus on our internal operations, service delivery to the public, our employees, and the use of modern management systems. These four goals are supported by nine objectives and 16 targets. The goals and objectives are long-term and will overlap into future strategies. The targets represent the work that we will complete during the three years of the strategy. Annual activities are necessary to achieving these targets and are outlined in the CRA Sustainable Development Action Plan[Footnote 6]. Ultimately, our aim is to seamlessly integrate sustainable development targets and activities into the CRA's business lines where they will become business as usual. When we arrive at this stage, sustainable development will truly be a part of our corporate culture.

Sustainable development results

Goal 1: Reduce the effects of our operations on land, air, and water

The purpose of this goal is to reduce the effects of our operations on the natural environment. We will achieve this goal through use of best practices in environmental management, innovation, and continual improvement.

During the last strategy, we managed this goal mainly through our Environmental Management System. As part of this system, we used Environmental Management Programs (EMPs) to support our sustainable development agenda, and to implement action plans and best practices for managing fleet, solid waste, procurement, paper, and outside emissions from employee travel. We also used the EMPs to comply with halocarbon and hazardous waste legislation. Due to our size, the greening of our operations is a significant undertaking, yet important to achieving a sustainable environmental footprint.

In this strategy, we have used our performance measurement capacity to inform our future plans and set aggressive targets to reduce the effects of our operations on the environment. We will expand our solid waste program by diverting solid waste from landfill by an average of 70%, in priority facilities that represent approximately 75% of CRA employees[Footnote 7]; expand our green procurement program to cover more products and services in order to achieve a green procurement expenditure rate of 20%[Footnote 8]; reduce our use of multi-purpose office paper by 22% per employee set against a 2004-2005 baseline year[Footnote 9]; and reduce fleet emissions by 15% based on 2004-2005 levels[Footnote 10]. We will establish a baseline for employee business travel and implement a national sustainable business travel program. We will also promote best practices for energy conservation in the buildings that we occupy, and reduce the use of hazardous materials.

Objective 1.1 Reduce waste and ensure efficient use of resources

Target 1.1.1
The CRA will expand its waste management program by diverting solid waste from landfill by an average of 70%, in priority facilities that represent approximately 75% of CRA employees (FTE) by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Average diversion rates that include reduction and reuse totals at participating facilities

Data collection method: Waste audits

Target 1.1.2
Expand the green procurement program to achieve the following results:

• By March 31, 2008, green products account for 10% of total product spending
• By March 31, 2009, green products account for 15% of total product spending
• By March 31, 2010, green products account for 20% of total product spending.

Performance measure: Annual percentage of green products purchased by dollar value compared to annual total dollar value spent on products

Data collection method: Reports from online ordering system; review and assessment of contracts issued and orders issued against contracts

Target 1.1.3
By March 31, 2010, reduce the paper burden by simplifying internal processes and leveraging information technology, resulting in a reduction of multi-purpose office paper by 22% per employee (full-time equivalent), based on the baseline year 2004-2005.

Performance measure: Percentage reduction in multi-purpose office paper purchased per employee (full-time equivalent)

Data collection method: Paper purchase reports; program implementation reports for the Agency-wide Information Classification Scheme

Target 1.1.4
The CRA processes approximately 97,000 employee travel claims per year. The CRA will implement sustainable business travel practices to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, such as greenhouse gases (GHG), from employee business travel, by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Percentage emissions reduction from business travel; percentage increase in use of modes of sustainable business travel

Data collection method: Corporate Administrative System

Target 1.1.5
Contribute to cleaner air by reducing by 15%, from 2004-2005 levels, emissions (GHG) per kilometre travelled by the CRA fleet, by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Annual average GHG emissions per kilometre travelled by the CRA fleet

Data collection method: Reports from fleet management database system

Target 1.1.6
The CRA will implement energy reduction programs at priority CRA facilities, by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Number of priority facilities with energy reduction programs; energy reduction targets and measurement system in place for each priority facility

Data collection method: Public Works and Government Services Canada's energy program

Objective 1.2 Comply with environmental legislation and regulations

Target 1.2.1
Reduce the use and prevent the release of hazardous materials, including halocarbons, into the environment by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Percentage reduction in use of hazardous materials, such as batteries and halocarbons; number and amount of releases of halocarbons

Data collection method: Compliance assessments; purchase reports

Goal 2: Demonstrate sustainable service delivery of tax and benefit programs

The purpose of this goal is to demonstrate that the CRA administers tax and benefit programs in an efficient and environmentally responsible way, while contributing to the economic and social well-being of Canadians, businesses, and clients.

During the last strategy, we developed a program for sustainable business travel for internal auditors[Footnote 11]. We developed sustainability criteria to influence negotiations with partners. We also informed the public about our commitment to sustainable development through our Web site, and we demonstrated this commitment by increasing electronic services and reducing the paper burden on taxpayers.

In this strategy we will demonstrate more fully the environmental efficiencies for, and the economic and social contributions of, our service delivery to the public. We will continue to simplify the tax-filing process and services to benefit recipients by increasing outreach and reducing the paper burden. We will influence partnerships with sustainability criteria. Finally, we will improve communications to promote public awareness of the CRA's commitment to sustainable development.

Objective 2.1 Enable efficient and innovative program delivery

Target 2.1.1
By March 31, 2010, continue to simplify the tax filing process by increasing electronic services, and reducing the paper burden on individuals, businesses, and charities.

Performance measure: Percentage increase in publications available in e-format; new e-services available in 'My account'; new e-services available in 'My business account'; increased take-up rate of individual and business returns filed electronically; estimated reduction in paper use due to new e-service initiatives

Data collection method: CRA Annual Forecast Reports; CRA Annual Report; branch annual reports

Target 2.1.2 By March 31, 2010, simplify services to benefit recipients by increasing public outreach, e-services, and reducing the paper burden to ensure eligible families and individuals receive timely and correct benefit payments.

Performance measure: Client satisfaction levels; increased take-up rate of benefit recipients

Data collection method: CRA Annual Forecast Reports; CRA Annual Report

Objective 2.2 Enhance partnerships to support shared sustainable development objectives

Target 2.2.1 When engaging in partnerships with other government departments and organizations to pursue our business objectives of administering tax and benefit programs and protecting Canada's revenue base, we will pursue efficient and environmentally responsible service delivery, and economic prosperity and access to social services for broader segments of society by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Percentage of negotiations, discussions, and decision-making with partners that applied sustainability criteria; efficiencies gained by implementing the Service Delivery Strategy; type of efficiencies the CRA offers to clients and partners in its service delivery; total number of returns and total number of electronic returns completed by Community Volunteer Income Tax Program volunteers

Data collection method: Agency 2010 reports; branch performance reports on sustainable development; CRA Annual Report; annual federal/provincial reports

Objective 2.3 Communicate our sustainable development commitment to the public

Target 2.3.1 Communicate the CRA's commitment to sustainable development to Canadians and achieve a minimum 45% of the public surveyed that perceive the CRA to be committed to sustainable development, by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Percentage of public who perceive the CRA as being committed to sustainable development

Data collection method: CRA public opinion survey

Goal 3: All employees apply sustainable development practices in their jobs

The purpose of this goal is to get employees to practice sustainable development in the workplace, and to secure leadership and support from middle and senior management.

During the last strategy, we helped employees learn about sustainable development by re-developing our national SD Web site, holding annual national and local events (e.g., Earth Day), issuing national and local messages to employees, conducting presentations and awareness sessions, and recognizing employee contributions to sustainable development in the workplace and in their communities. We also strengthened our SD Network through quarterly meetings and by providing various tools and support [Footnote 12].

We secured leadership and support from managers by integrating sustainable development into the learning program for new management/gestion (MG) managers and training all new MGs. We exceeded our targets for including commitments to sustainable development in executive cadre (EC) and MG performance contracts. We also created an SD Steering Committee with SD Champions at the Assistant Commissioner level, to guide the implementation of the strategy and to provide direction on various issues.

In this strategy, we will continue with many of our current activities, since sustaining management support and educating a workforce of approximately 40,000 is a huge commitment. We will more clearly define how new and current employees can practice sustainable development in their jobs. We will increase the level of commitment from management to reach 90% of EC and MG managers committing to sustainable development in their performance agreements. We will improve our communications so that 95% of employees have some awareness of sustainable development, and we will launch an employee commuting program.

Objective 3.1 Demonstrate leadership and commitment to sustainable development

Target 3.1.1
By March 2010, CRA leaders will demonstrate their support for sustainable development in the workplace by committing to sustainable development responsibilities in their performance agreements: 90% for ECs; and 90% for MGs and equivalents.

Performance measure: Percentage of EC and MG performance agreements that include a sustainable development clause; percentage of MGs with sustainable development in their performance agreements and percentage that met the commitment; percentage of annual branch/regional Sustainable Development Action Plan commitments completed

Data collection method: Annual branch /regional reports on sustainable development; reports from MG program and EC program

Objective 3.2 Raise the level of employee involvement and support for sustainable development

Target 3.2.1
By March 31, 2010, we will educate our large workforce to achieve 95% of employees who indicate they have some awareness of the CRA's effort to reduce its environmental footprint and demonstrate sustainable service delivery.

Performance measure: Percentage of employees who are aware of the CRA's sustainable development program

Data collection method: Employee awareness survey

Target 3.2.2
Contribute to cleaner air and employee well-being by developing and implementing an employee commuting program at priority facilities in major urban areas by March 31, 2010.

Performance measure: Number of priority facilities where the employee commuting program was implemented; percentage of employees who commute; percentage increase in use of commuting alternatives; percentage reduction in emissions (GHG) and/or percentage increase in sustainable modes of travel

Data collection method: Employee commuting survey

Goal 4: Use modern systems that support and maintain sustainable development

This goal has two purposes. Firstly, we will strengthen the framework for managing sustainable development to properly plan, implement, measure, report, and improve on the program. Secondly, we will more deeply assess the economic, social, and environmental opportunities across all programs to develop a sustainable development report card.

During the last strategy, we improved our performance measurement framework and the Web-based Performance Reporting Tool for the SD Network. We developed and began implementing sustainability criteria into new and existing programs, policies, and plans. We improved the Environmental Management System (EMS) and updated the CRA's environment and sustainable development policies. We also developed the framework for the Sustainable Development Innovation Fund, which is a source of funding for employee projects that demonstrate environmental and economic efficiency[Footnote 13].

In this strategy, we will strengthen our management framework by further improving the SD Network, assessing the effectiveness of the EMS, strengthening the environmental management programs, and improving the planning, reporting, and data management systems for the sustainable development strategy. We will also take on the challenge of developing a report card that will demonstrate how the CRA contributes to sustainable development in all of its business lines, and will inform future business decisions.

Objective 4.1 Monitor, measure, and report on our sustainable development progress

Target 4.1.1
By March 31, 2010, enable sustainable development to be integrated into the core business of the CRA by strengthening the sustainable development framework: SD Network, SD Champions, EMS, and SD planning, reporting, and data management systems.

Performance measure: SD Network's level of satisfaction with the services provided by the SD Division; improvements to the SD Strategy and EMS data management systems; percentage complete and results of annual EMS targets; renewal of national Performance Reporting (PR) Tool; number of elements implemented from the performance measurement strategy for sustainable development; renewed three-year commitment from SD Champions; favourable review of the SD Strategy by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD)

Data collection method: PR Tool; annual Performance Report on Sustainable Development; annual EMS Report; annual action plan for sustainable development; EMS internal review; minutes from the SD Steering Committee meetings; annual reports of the CESD

Objective 4.2 Assess the economic, social, and environmental effects of our programs, policies and plans

Target 4.2.1
By March 31, 2010, develop a Sustainable Development Report Card (economic, social and environmental indicators) that will demonstrate the CRA's contribution to, and progress towards, sustainable development.

Performance measure: Economic, social, and environmental indicators for the CRA; Sustainable Development Report Card published in the CRA Annual Report

Data collection method: CRA Annual Report; CRA Corporate Business Plan; Corporate Administrative System reports; PR Tool

Performance measurement

"Better measurement is key to continuous learning and better reporting."

- Office of the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development, June 21, 2006

A detailed framework for performance measurement supports this strategy and extends the work done in previous strategies. We recognize that properly measuring and reporting on the results of our efforts is critical. Without relevant performance measurement data, and the means to collect it, we cannot assess our progress or make efficient use of our resources.

Our overall approach to performance measurement and reporting follows the guidance provided by the Treasury Board Secretariat for results-based management and accountability. We have also conducted much research to develop an Index of Sustainable Development Progress. The Index is a customized approach to measuring and tracking the real results of our actions, and we plan to apply this results-based system to our 2007-2010 strategy and national action plan.

In our last strategy, we strengthened our performance measurement by ensuring that all targets had performance indicators, measures, timelines, and data collection methods. We also ensured that all activities that supported the targets had timelines, outputs, and accountability structures.

We improved our green procurement measurement by introducing a Web-based rapid order purchasing system. This system more reliably measured our paper consumption, and enabled us to analyze green product purchasing to a greater extent than in the past.

We developed a methodology to measure baseline data of employee business and commuter travel. We also mapped a path forward for electronic publishing and electronic filing of tax returns, which will move us from establishing a baseline to optimizing our use of information technology and minimizing impacts on the environment.

We strengthened our measurement of solid and hazardous waste by conducting a survey that provided us with data to identify priority facilities. With waste reduction initiatives now in place at all priority facilities, we plan to conduct waste audits in 2007 to measure the outcome of our efforts.

We have incorporated our lessons learned on performance measurement and reporting into this strategy. We further strengthened the logic chain that describes our targets, activities, outputs and outcomes, and our ability to measure each link in the chain. We have established better performance indicators and examined what outcomes arise from the level of inputs. The ratio of outcomes to inputs will be important in assessing the value of our initiatives.

Another key lesson learned was the importance of integrating sustainable development into existing systems, such as CRA data sources, processes, reports, and policies. Integration avoids duplication of work, decreases costs, and increases the profile of sustainable development, thus helping us achieve our long-term outcome of making sustainable development part of the corporate culture.

We have improved our framework for reporting on our sustainable development progress. We will continue to prepare quarterly reports to ensure our commitments remain on track, and to integrate our performance on sustainable development into the corporate quarterly reporting cycle. However, past experience shows that not all data is available on a quarterly basis. For example, data on outcomes may only be available on an annual basis. To adapt to challenges with data availability, we will adopt a flexible approach to reporting. Quarterly reports will mainly be used to highlight progress on activities and outputs; reporting on outcomes will be subject to data availability.

To inform Canadians and our employees of the results of our efforts to pursue sustainable development, we will continue to produce annual performance reports. We will ensure that future reports focus on the outcomes of our efforts. These reports will be available on the CRA's Web site.

In this strategy, the CRA has committed to supporting the Government of Canada's goals for the fourth round of sustainable development strategies. These goals are to pursue environmental quality: clean water, clean air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable development management; and sustainable communities: use of natural resources, and governance. Where the CRA contributes to these federal goals, we will report on these shared commitments through our annual report to Parliament and the annual Performance Report on Sustainable Development. Following the principles of continuous improvement, we are moving forward to strengthen how we measure and report on our progress on the journey toward sustainable development. We will use this information to better inform our practitioners, our management, Parliament, and Canadians as we implement our strategy over the next three years.

Implementation

This strategy describes what the CRA is committing to do for sustainable development over the next three years. We will put this strategy into action by implementing the annual activities in the national Sustainable Development Action Plan 2007-2010, which is supported by branch and regional action plans and the Environmental Management Programs. By staying focused on these work plans, we will be able to meet our planned results for this strategy, and move closer to achieving our long-term outcomes for sustainable development.

In addition to the work plans, the success of the strategy depends on certain commitments being in place. Firstly, we must sustain leadership from all levels of management. Secondly, we need a motivated national SD Network to implement the work plans. Thirdly, we need to maintain a strong centre of expertise in the Sustainable Development Division at Headquarters. Lastly, we need to assign appropriate resources to ensure sufficient staffing and funding for projects within the sustainable development program.

Our implementation approach will be to continually educate, support, and inspire employees to take action on sustainable development in their jobs. We will pursue creative and effective communications. We will develop simple and effective tools, such as guidelines to integrate sustainable development practices into the business of the CRA. We will also deepen our consultations with branches to determine the exact role and fit of sustainable development in their operations and programs. This work will include looking for opportunities to integrate sustainable development into systems and processes of the CRA. Simply stated, when sustainable development is part of these systems, it should become part of the normal planning process.

As directed by the Sustainable Development Policy, the Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 will be implemented with cooperation from all CRA employees. The primary groups responsible for advising on or implementing the activities in the action plan are the SD Steering Committee and SD Champions, SD Division, SD Network, SD committees, and the national Environmental Management System Committee. Also, the Board of Management will be monitoring the implementation of the strategy.

The CRA's branches and regions have a key role in implementing the strategy. Branches can affect change at the corporate level by integrating sustainable development into their functional areas of responsibility. The regions are important because they comprise the majority of the CRA population and deliver CRA programs directly to Canadians.

Partnerships with other government departments are important to the success of the strategy. These partnerships help to reduce duplication of effort from within government, provide an opportunity to learn and share best practices, and ensure that our sustainable development strategy and action plans reflect the priorities of the Government of Canada.

For more information on our action plan for 2007-2010, visit our Web page at: www.cra.gc.ca/sds.

Footnotes

[Footnote 6]

The Sustainable Development Action Plan contains detailed information on targets, activities, performance measures, and accountabilities. For more information on the plan, visit our Web page at: www.cra.gc.ca/sds

[Footnote 7]

As of 2005-2006, our waste diversion rate was 60% and our waste reduction programs reached approximately 50% of employees. These percentage numbers are pending final audit results due in 2007.

[Footnote 8]

As of 2005-2006, our green procurement rate was 5%.

[Footnote 9]

In the 2004-2007 SD Strategy, the CRA committed to reducing its paper use by 2% per employee against baseline year 2001-2002. Due to an improved methodology, the paper consumption baseline was changed to 2004-2005 for the new strategy. Since adopting this new baseline year, the CRA has already reduced its paper use by 11%. Also, the CRA must set a much larger reduction target (22%) to reduce its paper use past its original commitment in the 2004-2007 strategy.

[Footnote 10]

The 2004-2007 SD Strategy did not contain a percentage reduction target for fleet emissions.

[Footnote 11]

Sustainable business travel has been moved to Goal 1, since it is more closely linked with reducing the environmental impact from operations.

[Footnote 12]

The commitment to strengthen the SD Network has been moved to Goal 4, target 4.1.1.

[Footnote 13]

In the 2004-2007 SD Strategy, the commitment to explore the establishment of an SD Innovation Fund was in Goal 3, as target 3.2.1.

[Footnote 14]

In the 2004-2007 SD Strategy, the commitment to strengthen the SD Network was in Goal 3, as target 3.2.1.

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