2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

Executive summary
Section 1: Introduction to the 2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Section 2: Commitments for SSC
Section 3: Integrating Sustainable Development

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2024-2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report (Shared Services Canada)
Cat. No. P115-17E-PDF
ISSN: 2818-7512

Publié aussi en français sous le titre :

Rapport sur la Stratégie ministérielle de développement durable de 2024 à 2025 (Services partagés Canada)
Cat. No. P115-17F-PDF
ISSN: 2818-7520

Executive summary

The Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS) presented the vision and goals for sustainable development at Shared Services Canada (SSC) from 2023 to 2027. It brought together:

the implementation strategies that SSC is using to achieve these goals
the actions that support these implementation strategies
the performance indicators that measure their success

SSC’s vision is to support environmental, social and economic sustainable development through operating and modernizing Government of Canada (GC) Information Technology (IT) infrastructure. This vision reflects the GC’s sustainable development priorities and aligns with SSC’s mandate to provide modern, secure and reliable IT services to GC organizations. It also aligns with SSC’s strategic priorities, such as digital modernization, service excellence, and enterprise IT transformation.

This annual Report presents SSC’s accomplishments in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year to achieve its sustainable development vision.

SSC provides network connectivity services and cyber security, data centres and other hosting services, and digital communications services to enable the public service to effectively deliver services to Canadians. Its mandate as an internal service provider, however, limits its direct impacts outside of the GC.

In its operations, SSC supports 3 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

SDG 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality
SDG 12: Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles
SDG 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC made progress towards these goals in multiple areas. For example, the Department:

supported Indigenous employees through recruitment and mentorship programs and promoted cultural competency training to all employees
helped public servants with disabilities to access systems, programs, information, computers, and computer resources through the Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) Program
reduced waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with mobile devices by allocating 97,000 softphones across the GC
diverted electronic waste (e-waste) from landfills through reuse, sale, donation and recycling
continued to integrate environmental considerations into procurement
continued to implement a Strategic Fleet Greening Plan and worked to reduce the environmental impact of its vehicles
closed 25 legacy data centres and migrated the workloads to more efficient and sustainable hosting solutions
examined its climate-related risks and continued to take measures to address them
engaged employees and partners on environmental sustainability

SSC will continue to work towards achieving the commitments made in the DSDS and will report its progress annually to show how SSC delivers digital services while contributing to a more sustainable future for Canada.

Section 1: Introduction to the 2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

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 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, SSC supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in SSC’s 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This Report provides an update on progress related to SSC’s DSDS in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.

The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out 7 principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These principles have been considered and incorporated in SSC’s DSDS and 2024 to 2025 DSDS Report.

To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, SSC’s departmental strategy reports on Canada’s progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and advancing the SDGs, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The Report also now captures progress on SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS.

Section 2: Commitments for SSC

Commitments for SSC are: 10 - Reduced inequalities, 12 - Responsible consumption and production, and 13 - Climate action.

Goal 10
Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality

FSDS Context

SSC is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and taking action to reduce inequality. SSC’s scope of engagement with this goal is limited because of its specific mandate to deliver digital services to other government organizations. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to support this goal in its roles as an employer and as a service provider.

As an employer, SSC strives to make all employees, including members from all diversity communities, feel valued, supported, and empowered.

As a service provider, SSC integrates diversity, equity and inclusion, and Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) considerations into the planning, design, and reporting of its programs and the services delivered. This enables SSC to both promote equity and to better deliver on its mandate.

Reconciliation

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC supported Indigenous employees through various initiatives. The Department:

maintained representation above its estimated workforce availability
supported and participated in the Government of Canada IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples, with recognition that completing the program meets the IT qualification's minimum education requirement, and facilitated participation in the new IT Professionals Development Program
offered Indigenous Career Navigators and career development programs like Mentorship Plus and Aspiring Leaders to support, mentor, and help advance professional growth and career progression
supported the advancement of reconciliation through executive performance commitments and associated performance measures

These continued initiatives seek to provide meaningful employment and equitable opportunities for Indigenous employees within SSC. SSC also supported reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through employee learning with training on Indigenous history and cultural competency in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #57. Examples of the courses include: Taking Steps Towards Indigenous Reconciliation, Reflecting Cultural Bias: Indigenous Perspectives, and Cultural Competency: Indigenous Perspectives.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to leverage its purchasing power to support Indigenous businesses and achieve the mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target by:

optimizing procurement strategies for Indigenous business participation, such as using procurement vehicles with exclusive Indigenous streams and unbundling requirements by commodity or region
supporting the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business by setting aside contracts for Indigenous businesses
including Indigenous Participation Plans in solicitations to encourage bidders to create opportunities for Indigenous Peoples in sectors with limited Indigenous business capacity

Accessibility

The GC aims to be the most inclusive public service in the world by creating barrier-free workplaces where everyone can fully participate. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC’s Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) Program continued to provide a wide range of adaptations, alternate approaches, tools, training, services, resources, and adaptive computer technologies for public service employees with disabilities. As SSC continues to hire and promote equitably, demand for AAACT’s services continues to increase. AAACT tests and tracks accessible workplace technologies throughout the GC and engages with vendors to provide advice and support to resolve accessibility issues identified in digital tools. AAACT also provides expert guidance and training on procuring accessible Information Communication Technology solutions for GC departments and agencies.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, internal engagement for review of the accessibility of processes and device compliance was ongoing, including for Enterprise Mobile Device Management features and functionality. SSC has implemented employee-centric accessibility resources and tools in both official languages to enhance virtual communications. Accessibility features have also been built in vendor engagement events and meetings.

SSC is collaborating with Public Services and Procurement Canada to make accessibility modifications to SSC workplaces and to provide advice on accessibility for the GCWorkplace initiatives. As an employer and a service provider, SSC continues to support its Accessibility Plans, aligned with the Accessible Canada Act and GC Digital Standards.

Supporting employees

SSC continues to promote and implement initiatives and activities to support the mental health, well-being, and career development of employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences and to help prevent psychological harm in the workplace. SSC also conducts regular workplace risk assessments and provides proactive training on harassment and violence prevention to support a healthy workplace.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC’s Mental Health Program:

delivered ongoing mental health training to employees and managers
consulted with diversity networks to launch a new “Inclusion and mental health” page on the departmental intranet to provide diverse employees with resources that meet their needs
developed the 2025-2028 Departmental Psychological Health and Safety Action Plan to implement effective solutions to promote mental health and help prevent psychological harm in the workplace

SSC offers career development programs that are open to all SSC employees, depending on group and level, reducing possible inequalities. These include both entry level programs and leadership development programs like the Aspiring Leaders program, which aims to train and prepare employees to assume positions of leadership. SSC also launched the IT Professionals Development Program in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year to support career development and strengthen technical skills. Additionally, SSC’s Digital Enterprise Skilling Program introduced a Women In STEM Technical Foundations Cohort to support the under-represented group of women in IT.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to incorporate and implement tools to mitigate biases and barriers in its development programs. The Department has integrated the role of Inclusion Stewards into performance and talent review processes to foster a culture of equity and reduce bias. SSC also supports diverse, accessible, respectful and inclusive workplaces through the integration of Character-Based Leadership into the Department’s culture.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC supported six employee diversity networks:

the Indigenous Circle
the Black Employees Network
the Pride Network
the Visible Minorities Network, which includes the Jewish Employees Network
the Persons with Disabilities Network
the Women’s Network

SSC has a Diversity Council with a renewed mandate. It serves as the primary body for meaningful consultation and advice on SSC initiatives that require an equity, diversity, inclusion and accessible lens and it enables an organizational culture of inclusion. It also learns from and supports the employee diversity networks such as the Indigenous Circle. For example, in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year the Diversity Council hosted the Indigenous Circle to share the achievements of the Indigenous IT Apprenticeship Program and Indigenous Career Navigators, encouraging members to participate in the program and undertake additional training to enable culturally aware support of Indigenous employees. The Indigenous co-chairs and co-champions are permanent members of the Council.

Addressing inequality

SSC is working towards achieving adequate representation from all equity-seeking groups. These efforts include a particular focus on gender diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). SSC’s Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2022-2025 seeks to obtain targeted results for employment equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. By actively applying the plan, SSC can proactively address barriers and promote equal employment opportunities to Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and members of visible minority groups.

SSC is working to embed employment equity, diversity and inclusion (EEDI) into all levels of planning and day-to-day work through three commitments:

Normalizing conversations and addressing racism, discrimination and harmful behaviours
Reflecting diversity throughout SSC
Fostering greater inclusion

Although employment equity recruitment targets were not met in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year due to the current financial climate, SSC participated in four job fairs, targeting employment-equity seeking groups, and consolidated interested candidates to the Talent Acquisition Database for potential future hires.

SSC supports equality by promoting cultural competency training, with guides and tools promoted through newsletters, events, and the department's intranet. Although the Canada School of Public Service “Introduction to GBA Plus” course was not mandatory in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, it and other courses were completed by many SSC employees. SSC’s executive performance commitments and associated performance measures also include commitments to combat hate towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and make meaningful and significant progress on shared Public Service-wide directions, including the forward direction of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service; Many Voices One Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation; and the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC completed a comprehensive Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) review of its Programs to consider the human impacts of its services and gather recommendations to reduce inequalities.

SSC is committed to the responsible adoption of emerging technologies. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC prepared a Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guiding Principles guide for decision-making and problem-solving through the development, deployment, and use of responsible AI systems promoting trustworthy AI at SSC. These principles align with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Directive on Automated Decision-Making and are consistent with international standards. SSC’s AI program conducts ongoing evaluations of its models to identify any emergence of gender, racial or other social biases and look for improvements.

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	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act	Support equitable recruitment and promotion of Indigenous employees at SSC. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator (1): Percentage of SSC employees who are Indigenous. Starting point: Representation of Indigenous employees within SSC as of April 1, 2023, is 2.77%. Target: 3.37% by end of FY 2026-2027 Performance indicator (2): Percentage of promotion of Indigenous employees within SSC. Starting point: Percentage of promotion rates for all SSC employees in 2021-22 was 10.8 %. Percentage of promotion rates for Indigenous employees for 2021-22 was 10.2%. Target: The percentage of Indigenous employees promoted each year is equal or above the percentage of SSC’s population promoted in that year.	Aligned with SSC’s 3-year Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Action Plan 2022-2025: establish Targeted Recruitment strategy identify employees for the Mentorship Plus programs to support the career progression and development of Indigenous employees within SSC. lead the implementation of Public Service Employment Act amendments at SSC. These changes are aimed at identifying and removing barriers in the staffing process. Equity in Promotions and Advancement: review and update promotion and advancement policies and practices to ensure equitable opportunities for Indigenous employees. By implementing this strategy, SSC can take significant steps towards advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by respecting and upholding their rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.	Indicator result (1): 3.2% Indicator result (2): 6.07% Notes (2): This rate exceeds the SSC promotion rate of 5.47%, meeting the target.
Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act	Conduct voluntary set-asides for Indigenous businesses under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses for various procurement related to professional services, and for workplace technology devices and maintenance and support services. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: Percentage of the total value of SSC-funded contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses. Starting point: 6% (2021-2022)^{Footnote 1} Target: 5% annually	By supporting Indigenous businesses, through the awarding of federal contracts, SSC can contribute to the economic, health and social rights of Indigenous Peoples (First Nation, Inuit and Métis) as outlined in articles 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This indicator is aligned with SSC’s support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan.	Indicator result: 9.8%

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

Support equitable recruitment and promotion of Indigenous employees at SSC.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator (1): Percentage of SSC employees who are Indigenous.

Starting point: Representation of Indigenous employees within SSC as of April 1, 2023, is 2.77%.

Target: 3.37% by end of FY 2026-2027

Performance indicator (2): Percentage of promotion of Indigenous employees within SSC.

Starting point: Percentage of promotion rates for all SSC employees in 2021-22 was 10.8 %. Percentage of promotion rates for Indigenous employees for 2021-22 was 10.2%.

Target: The percentage of Indigenous employees promoted each year is equal or above the percentage of SSC’s population promoted in that year.

Aligned with SSC’s 3-year Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Action Plan 2022-2025:

establish Targeted Recruitment strategy
identify employees for the Mentorship Plus programs to support the career progression and development of Indigenous employees within SSC.
lead the implementation of Public Service Employment Act amendments at SSC. These changes are aimed at identifying and removing barriers in the staffing process.

Equity in Promotions and Advancement:

review and update promotion and advancement policies and practices to ensure equitable opportunities for Indigenous employees.

By implementing this strategy, SSC can take significant steps towards advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by respecting and upholding their rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Indicator result (1): 3.2%

Indicator result (2): 6.07%

Notes (2): This rate exceeds the SSC promotion rate of 5.47%, meeting the target.

Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

Conduct voluntary set-asides for Indigenous businesses under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses for various procurement related to professional services, and for workplace technology devices and maintenance and support services.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator: Percentage of the total value of SSC-funded contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Starting point: 6% (2021-2022)^{Footnote 1}

Target: 5% annually

By supporting Indigenous businesses, through the awarding of federal contracts, SSC can contribute to the economic, health and social rights of Indigenous Peoples (First Nation, Inuit and Métis) as outlined in articles 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This indicator is aligned with SSC’s support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan.

Indicator result: 9.8%

Target theme

Taking action on inequality

Target

Each year, the federal public service meets or surpasses the workforce availability for women, Indigenous persons, persons with a disability, and members of a visible minority.

Implementation strategy	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Foster diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the federal public service	Perform improvements to SSC workspaces to meet accessibility standards so that employees have barrier-free access to office spaces. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC workspaces needing accessibility modifications, which have been modified. Starting point: 0% (2022-2023) Target: 100% by 2025-2026	As per its engagement through the Departmental Accessibility Plan, SSC workspaces which have been recently modernized are already meeting the Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) standards on accessibility, focusing on the pathway from the main entrance of the building to its suites. Accessibility audits are being conducted by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), pointing out necessary improvements to meet relevant accessibility standards. The Accommodation team will work with landlords to complete the required work in SSC’s long-term assets. Each long-term asset will be an independent project. The goal will be to modify, when feasible, the accessibility audit’s findings with the collaboration of the landlord. A total of 18 buildings are currently being audited. By identifying and removing barriers in its main long-term buildings, SSC will increase the accessibility of its built environment to create a more inclusive and barrier-free physical work environment. This will enable a more accessible public service and contribute to reducing inequality.	Indicator result: 11% Notes: In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued work to complete the action plans identified in the assessments of the 18 buildings by the end of 2025-2026. Each long-term asset will be an independent project. The goal will be to modify the buildings, when feasible, according to the accessibility audit’s findings with the collaboration of the landlord.
Support Accessibility and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities	Support the integration of public servants with disabilities, injuries, and ergonomic requirements who require access to systems, programs, information, computers and computer resources into GC workplaces. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator (1): Number of client needs assessments and training sessions provided. Starting point: 389 per year Target: 428 per year Performance indicator (2): Percentage of tested internal solutions that meet accessibility standards. Starting point: TBD Target: 25% Performance indicator (3): Number of devices or software provided to public servants through the lending library. Starting point: 554 per year Target: 609 per year	Accessibility, Accommodations and Adaptive Computer Technology Program (AAACT) services and solutions help the public service to serve all Canadians, including those with disabilities. AAACT’s expertise in accessible digital content ensures GC products and services are available to everyone. For public servants with disabilities or injuries, AAACT offers a wide range of adaptive computer technologies, tools, training, services and resources. Our programs and support help users explore, experiment, and learn about adaptive solutions and collaborative workplaces. We create individual work plans that allow public servants to work collaboratively in a safe, accessible and productive environment. Accommodation is vital for the full integration and participation of people with disabilities into the workplace. By enabling the accommodations and increasing accessibility for persons with disabilities, it creates opportunities for meaningful employment.	Indicator result (1): 636 Indicator result (2): 89% Notes (2): After accessibility testing and mitigation, 17 out of 19 tested systems met an acceptable level of accessibility as deemed by senior management, based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards. Indicator result (3): 1034

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Foster diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the federal public service

Perform improvements to SSC workspaces to meet accessibility standards so that employees have barrier-free access to office spaces.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC workspaces needing accessibility modifications, which have been modified.

Starting point: 0% (2022-2023)

Target: 100% by 2025-2026

As per its engagement through the Departmental Accessibility Plan, SSC workspaces which have been recently modernized are already meeting the Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) standards on accessibility, focusing on the pathway from the main entrance of the building to its suites.

Accessibility audits are being conducted by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), pointing out necessary improvements to meet relevant accessibility standards. The Accommodation team will work with landlords to complete the required work in SSC’s long-term assets. Each long-term asset will be an independent project. The goal will be to modify, when feasible, the accessibility audit’s findings with the collaboration of the landlord. A total of 18 buildings are currently being audited.

By identifying and removing barriers in its main long-term buildings, SSC will increase the accessibility of its built environment to create a more inclusive and barrier-free physical work environment. This will enable a more accessible public service and contribute to reducing inequality.

Indicator result: 11%

Notes: In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued work to complete the action plans identified in the assessments of the 18 buildings by the end of 2025-2026. Each long-term asset will be an independent project. The goal will be to modify the buildings, when feasible, according to the accessibility audit’s findings with the collaboration of the landlord.

Support Accessibility and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities

Support the integration of public servants with disabilities, injuries, and ergonomic requirements who require access to systems, programs, information, computers and computer resources into GC workplaces.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator (1): Number of client needs assessments and training sessions provided.

Starting point: 389 per year

Target: 428 per year

Performance indicator (2):

Percentage of tested internal solutions that meet accessibility standards.

Starting point: TBD

Target: 25%

Performance indicator (3): Number of devices or software provided to public servants through the lending library.

Starting point: 554 per year

Target: 609 per year

Accessibility, Accommodations and Adaptive Computer Technology Program (AAACT) services and solutions help the public service to serve all Canadians, including those with disabilities. AAACT’s expertise in accessible digital content ensures GC products and services are available to everyone.

For public servants with disabilities or injuries, AAACT offers a wide range of adaptive computer technologies, tools, training, services and resources. Our programs and support help users explore, experiment, and learn about adaptive solutions and collaborative workplaces. We create individual work plans that allow public servants to work collaboratively in a safe, accessible and productive environment.

Accommodation is vital for the full integration and participation of people with disabilities into the workplace. By enabling the accommodations and increasing accessibility for persons with disabilities, it creates opportunities for meaningful employment.

Indicator result (1): 636

Indicator result (2): 89%

Notes (2): After accessibility testing and mitigation, 17 out of 19 tested systems met an acceptable level of accessibility as deemed by senior management, based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.

Indicator result (3): 1034

Goal 12
Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

FSDS context

SSC’s operations are complex and many stakeholders, including vendors and other government organizations, affect its ability to reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles. Other government organizations make decisions that affect what technology they adopt, consume, and dispose of. SSC shares responsibility and collaborates with strategic partners to reduce waste through sustainable procurement, use, and disposal.

Green procurement

SSC is responsible for purchasing IT for the rest of the GC. SSC:

follows the requirements of the Policy on Green Procurement and the Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction Targets
uses a mandatory Procurement Summary and Risk Assessment form that requires SSC contracting authorities to document environmental considerations for all procurements
works with its cloud providers to proactively disclose GHG emissions for cloud contracts and leverages agile procurement in its creation of new cloud services procurement vehicles to further stimulate sustainable measures, such as disclosure of GHG emissions, amongst the industry
prioritizes the procurement of sustainable goods and services, considering ecolabels such as the Global Electronics Council’s (GEC) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)
has procurement governance committees which review opportunities to advance sustainable development through procurement and oversee all large procurements
continues to work with strategic partners to strengthen procurement guidelines, aligned with the Greening Government Strategy

SSC is including or enhancing environmental criteria in the renewal or creation of shared procurement instruments, such as standing offers and supply arrangements. As a common service provider, SSC supports other government departments in meeting their sustainability goals by greening shared procurement instruments open to other departments. SSC supports the updated Greening Government Strategy goal of identifying departmental categories of procurement with the highest environmental impact and developing criteria with a focus on carbon emissions to reduce the negative impacts of these commodities by 2026.

In 2025, SSC received GEC’s EPEAT Purchaser Award for the 11^th year in a row, which recognizes excellence in the procurement of sustainable technology.

Procurement activities are vital to how SSC delivers services and it will continue to leverage these relationships to incentivize sustainability in the IT sector. By integrating environmental considerations into the procurement process, SSC can ensure its vendors are meeting the GC’s standards on environmental sustainability. SSC will continue to build on its work in green procurement in order to procure effective and cost-efficient technology that also reduces the negative impact to the environment.

Waste diversion

SSC is working to reduce waste across the lifecycle of its digital infrastructure, from procurement to responsible consumption, reuse, repair, and recycling.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to deploy the softphone service, a software solution that allows users to make phone calls using the internet, with approximately 97,000 softphone accounts deployed across key partners. This reduces waste associated with new desk phones and mobile devices. SSC also supports responsible consumption and waste reduction through a robust break-fix program that focuses on speaking directly with end users to repair telecommunications devices rather than issuing new devices.

SSC is working with partners to incorporate sustainability across the lifecycle of GC IT infrastructure. When possible, SSC reduces consumption by repairing, restoring and reusing devices like laptops, monitors, and mobile devices. When devices have reached the end of their useful life in the GC, SSC diverts the e-waste from landfills through initiatives like the Computers for Schools Plus Program. This program provides computers and other digital devices to assist schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, and eligible low-income Canadians.

SSC also supports waste reduction through partnerships in the industry. Through the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) Program, SSC worked with vendors to prototype and test solutions that reduce e-waste and plastic packaging, including challenges focused on e-waste, solar panel recycling and testing of pre-commercial sustainable packaging innovations. End-of-life IT equipment, which cannot be donated or reused by other government departments, is resold, recycled or, as a last resort, processed at a reputable e-waste facility. SSC is also currently working to update and streamline its materiel management processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

Fleet

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to implement its Strategic Fleet Greening Plan to support sustainable fleet management and its transition to a 100% zero-emission vehicle fleet by 2030.

SSC also used several strategies to reduce waste and GHG emissions from its fleet. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, the Department:

purchased 13 new zero-emission vehicles
worked to support sustainable and efficient vehicle usage following newly established minimum use parameters
collaborated with stakeholders to support charging infrastructure availability

Target theme

Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption

Target

By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 75% by weight of non-hazardous operational waste (All Ministers)

Implementation strategy	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Maximize diversion of waste from landfills	Deploy the MS Softphone Initiative across the GC. This initiative is in production phase. Program: Telecommunications	Performance indicator: Percentage of legacy telephony lines replaced by Microsoft Teams Softphone Starting point: TBD in 2025-2026. Target: TBD as this is a new initiative.	Softphone is a software that will allow users to make internal and external calls through their device (i.e., laptop, tablet, and desktop). The telephony software will be enabled through MS Teams. The MS Softphone initiative will decrease materiel and electricity consumption by reducing standalone telecommunication systems across the enterprise. As the softphone service utilizes existing infrastructure and technology, this will reduce product and delivery waste. The MS Softphone initiative will also support other sustainability goals and targets. It will decrease the need for mobile devices, reducing demand for rare natural materials. It will contribute to reduced infrastructure and electricity requirements in buildings and cut down on GHG emissions from travel previously needed to support the legacy telephony lines. FY 2023-24 –1) Enable Softphone service to permit SSC partners to integrate with their M365 tenants. 2) Collaborate with SSC partners to complete their telephony consumption forecasts aiming at eliminating or modernizing their legacy telephony over a 3-year period. Targets will be established after deployment.	Indicator result: N/A Notes: As of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC has implemented approximately 97,000 softphones across the GC. SSC is accelerating progress in the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, and will deploy softphone across the GC by December 31, 2025. Partners will be responsible to meet mobile and fixed line reduction targets.
Maximize diversion of waste from landfills	Take part in the Mobile Device Disposal Strategy. The strategy considers both sustainability and secure data storage in the two-phase approach. The phase one process includes cleaning, repairing, restoring, testing, and reusing or reselling devices, when possible, to provide SSC with a credit for future operations. Phase two provides all SSC’s partner organization three options for mobile devices repurposing: reuse recent and usable devices that have been returned to SSC provide unused devices to Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) wipe devices and send them to Electronic Products Recycling Association for recycling Program: Telecommunications	Performance indicator (1): Percentage of mobile devices reused within the GC because of the mobile device disposal strategy Starting point: 5% (2023-2024) Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs Performance indicator (2): Percentage of total mobile devices recycled through the mobile device disposal strategy Starting point: 83% (2023-2024) Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs Performance indicator (3): Percentage of mobile devices donated to Computers for Schools Plus through the mobile device disposal strategy Starting point: 12% (2023-2024) Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs	The initiative reduces waste by refurbishing, donating, or recycling returned phones. Shipping waste, and other negative environmental impacts due to transport are lowered by purchasing mobile devices in bulk twice-a-year. SSC is also exploring changing the replacement timelines of mobile devices by extending the timelines by one year.	Indicator result (1): 13% Indicator result (2): 68% Indicator result (3): 14% Notes: The remaining 5% of mobile devices that are not reused, recycled, or donated represent those destroyed and/or reported as stolen/lost.
Maximize diversion of waste from landfills	Maximize the use of every workplace technology device provided by Workplace Technology Services* (WTS) by prioritizing in-stock equipment rather than deploying new supplies. * As of FY 2023-2024 WTS provides shared IT Asset Management services exclusively to SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada. Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator: Percentage of lifecycle a workplace technology device is in use, on average Starting point: 63% (2023-2024) Target: TBD	The initiative reduces waste by maximizing the lifecycle of workplace technology devices and, therefore, minimizing the demand for new devices.	Indicator result: 65% Notes: 65% of workplace devices are spent in use based on a 4-year evergreen cycle.
Maximize diversion of waste from landfills	Continue to seek ways to refurbish, repurpose, and effectively reuse the material in an environmentally sustainable manner, prior to divestiture. Reduce the environmental impact of waste from SSC’s operations through waste diversion. Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC owned end user IT equipment (including laptops, tablets and desktops) diverted from becoming waste through established mechanisms: selling, reusing or ethical recycling (EPRA) as well through possible future e-waste initiatives. Starting point: 75% Target: 100%	By favouring greener ways of divestiture, such as recycling or e-waste initiatives, SSC is minimizing the amount of waste going to landfills.	Indicator result: 100% Notes: 100% of SSC end user IT equipment is either sold, reused, or recycled ethically through the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA). Materiel Management has established mechanisms ranging from re-use within SSC, re-use within GC, donation, public sale through GC Surplus, and finally ethical recycling. The remains of e-media being destroyed for security reasons is also subject to donation to ethical partners.

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Maximize diversion of waste from landfills

Deploy the MS Softphone Initiative across the GC.

This initiative is in production phase.

Program: Telecommunications

Performance indicator: Percentage of legacy telephony lines replaced by Microsoft Teams Softphone

Starting point: TBD in 2025-2026.

Target: TBD as this is a new initiative.

Softphone is a software that will allow users to make internal and external calls through their device (i.e., laptop, tablet, and desktop). The telephony software will be enabled through MS Teams.

The MS Softphone initiative will decrease materiel and electricity consumption by reducing standalone telecommunication systems across the enterprise. As the softphone service utilizes existing infrastructure and technology, this will reduce product and delivery waste.

The MS Softphone initiative will also support other sustainability goals and targets. It will decrease the need for mobile devices, reducing demand for rare natural materials. It will contribute to reduced infrastructure and electricity requirements in buildings and cut down on GHG emissions from travel previously needed to support the legacy telephony lines.

FY 2023-24 –1) Enable Softphone service to permit SSC partners to integrate with their M365 tenants. 2) Collaborate with SSC partners to complete their telephony consumption forecasts aiming at eliminating or modernizing their legacy telephony over a 3-year period. Targets will be established after deployment.

Indicator result: N/A

Notes: As of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC has implemented approximately 97,000 softphones across the GC.

SSC is accelerating progress in the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, and will deploy softphone across the GC by December 31, 2025. Partners will be responsible to meet mobile and fixed line reduction targets.

Maximize diversion of waste from landfills

Take part in the Mobile Device Disposal Strategy. The strategy considers both sustainability and secure data storage in the two-phase approach. The phase one process includes cleaning, repairing, restoring, testing, and reusing or reselling devices, when possible, to provide SSC with a credit for future operations. Phase two provides all SSC’s partner organization three options for mobile devices repurposing:

reuse recent and usable devices that have been returned to SSC
provide unused devices to Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+)
wipe devices and send them to Electronic Products Recycling Association for recycling

Program: Telecommunications

Performance indicator (1): Percentage of mobile devices reused within the GC because of the mobile device disposal strategy

Starting point: 5% (2023-2024)

Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs

Performance indicator (2): Percentage of total mobile devices recycled through the mobile device disposal strategy

Starting point: 83% (2023-2024)

Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs

Performance indicator (3): Percentage of mobile devices donated to Computers for Schools Plus through the mobile device disposal strategy

Starting point: 12% (2023-2024)

Target: N/A – changes based on operational needs

The initiative reduces waste by refurbishing, donating, or recycling returned phones. Shipping waste, and other negative environmental impacts due to transport are lowered by purchasing mobile devices in bulk twice-a-year. SSC is also exploring changing the replacement timelines of mobile devices by extending the timelines by one year.

Indicator result (1): 13%

Indicator result (2): 68%

Indicator result (3): 14%

Notes: The remaining 5% of mobile devices that are not reused, recycled, or donated represent those destroyed and/or reported as stolen/lost.

Maximize diversion of waste from landfills

Maximize the use of every workplace technology device provided by Workplace Technology Services* (WTS) by prioritizing in-stock equipment rather than deploying new supplies.

* As of FY 2023-2024 WTS provides shared IT Asset Management services exclusively to SSC and Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator: Percentage of lifecycle a workplace technology device is in use, on average

Starting point: 63% (2023-2024)

Target: TBD

The initiative reduces waste by maximizing the lifecycle of workplace technology devices and, therefore, minimizing the demand for new devices.

Indicator result: 65%

Notes: 65% of workplace devices are spent in use based on a 4-year evergreen cycle.

Maximize diversion of waste from landfills

Continue to seek ways to refurbish, repurpose, and effectively reuse the material in an environmentally sustainable manner, prior to divestiture. Reduce the environmental impact of waste from SSC’s operations through waste diversion.

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC owned end user IT equipment (including laptops, tablets and desktops) diverted from becoming waste through established mechanisms: selling, reusing or ethical recycling (EPRA) as well through possible future e-waste initiatives.

Starting point: 75%

Target: 100%

By favouring greener ways of divestiture, such as recycling or e-waste initiatives, SSC is minimizing the amount of waste going to landfills.

Indicator result: 100%

Notes: 100% of SSC end user IT equipment is either sold, reused, or recycled ethically through the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA). Materiel Management has established mechanisms ranging from re-use within SSC, re-use within GC, donation, public sale through GC Surplus, and finally ethical recycling. The remains of e-media being destroyed for security reasons is also subject to donation to ethical partners.

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	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Strengthen green procurement criteria	Further integrate environmental requirements in decision-making processes and governance structures, through a phased adoption of environmental criteria in procurement vehicles. SSC will further incorporate globally recognized ecolabels in its procurement, such as the Global Electronic Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC procurement vehicles that include environmental criteria Starting point: 33% of SSC’s procurement vehicles include environmental criteria as of 2022 to 2023. Target: 40%	The inclusion of Green language in service offerings and service authorizations allows for environmental criteria that support the SDGs on clean water, clean energy, waste reduction and climate action. The inclusion of green procurement language, be it for ecolabels such as Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), or for GHG reduction targets for vendors, directly supports the Greening Government Strategy and the Policy on Green Procurement’s requirements that procurements include criteria that address environmental benefits.	Indicator result: 34% Notes: SSC has included environmental criteria in 11 of its 32 standing offers and supply arrangements, and is working to include new or enhanced criteria during procurement vehicle refreshes and implementation of new methods of supply.
Strengthen green procurement criteria	Encourage suppliers to participate in initiatives (e.g., Science-Based Target initiatives) to reduce GHG emissions. Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance Indicator (1): Percentage of procurement expenditure to suppliers participating in initiatives to reduce GHG emissions. Starting point: 28% by value of SSC-funded contracts are with suppliers that have already set a target to reduce their GHG emissions Target: N/A Performance indicator (2): Percentage of procurement expenditure to suppliers who have net-zero commitments Starting point: 52.7% by value of SSC-Funded contracts are with suppliers who have net-zero commitments Target: N/A	SSC encourages suppliers to adopt Science-Based Target Initiatives which align to the UN SDGs, the Paris Climate Accords, or other sustainability goals.	Indicator result (1): 52.99% (by value) Indicator result (2): 35.81% (by value)
Strengthen green procurement criteria	Incentivize vendors to proactively disclose and reduce GHG emissions. Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator: Percentage of procurements over $25 million, including taxes, subject to the Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction Targets, that incentivized suppliers to measure and disclose their GHG emissions or adopt a science-based target to reduce GHG emissions Starting point: 100% (2023-2024) Target: 100%	SSC supports new green procurement standard – the Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction targets by adopting its mechanisms and by tracking the percentage of procurements that meet the thresholds and apply the requirements outlined in the standard.	Indicator result: 100% Notes: SSC applied the Standard to 100% of contracts valued over $25 million for which the procurement was initiated and the contract was awarded in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.
Transform the federal light-duty fleet	Strive to lower GHG emissions from Fleet and prioritize the purchase of zero-emission and hybrid vehicles when it is operationally feasible to do so. SSC will continue to right size its fleet. Underutilized vehicles will be disposed of or relocated to accommodate new requirements when possible. Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator (1): Percentage of zero-emission or hybrid fleet vehicles in SSC’s fleet. Starting point: 6% (2022-2023) Target: 15% (2025-2026) Performance indicator (2): Percentage of annual zero-emission vehicle acquisition out of all fleet acquisitions that year. Starting point: 27% (2022-2023) Target: 100% (starting 2024-2025) Performance indicator (3): Total GHG emissions in kilotons of carbon equivalent (kt CO2 eq) emitted by SSC's fleet vehicles. Starting point: 0.68 kt CO2 eq (2019-2020) Target: A reduction of 40% by 2025-2026, followed by a 10% additional reduction each 5 years starting in 2025-2026.	Detailed usage data will be captured and analyzed to help drive business decisions to transition to a greener fleet. SSC’s transition to a greener fleet will help achieve the Mobility and Fleets goals in the Greening Government Strategy and reduce the environmental impacts of its fleet-related operations nationally.	Indicator result (1): 18% Notes (1): 9% of active vehicles in the SSC fleet are hybrid and 9% are zero-emission vehicles Indicator result (2): 100% Indicator result (3): 0.264 kt CO₂e Notes (3): This is a reduction of 61% from SSC’s baseline of 0.677 in 2019-2020.

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Strengthen green procurement criteria

Further integrate environmental requirements in decision-making processes and governance structures, through a phased adoption of environmental criteria in procurement vehicles.

SSC will further incorporate globally recognized ecolabels in its procurement, such as the Global Electronic Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator: Percentage of SSC procurement vehicles that include environmental criteria

Starting point: 33% of SSC’s procurement vehicles include environmental criteria as of 2022 to 2023.

Target: 40%

The inclusion of Green language in service offerings and service authorizations allows for environmental criteria that support the SDGs on clean water, clean energy, waste reduction and climate action. The inclusion of green procurement language, be it for ecolabels such as Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), or for GHG reduction targets for vendors, directly supports the Greening Government Strategy and the Policy on Green Procurement’s requirements that procurements include criteria that address environmental benefits.

Indicator result: 34%

Notes: SSC has included environmental criteria in 11 of its 32 standing offers and supply arrangements, and is working to include new or enhanced criteria during procurement vehicle refreshes and implementation of new methods of supply.

Strengthen green procurement criteria

Encourage suppliers to participate in initiatives (e.g., Science-Based Target initiatives) to reduce GHG emissions.

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance Indicator (1): Percentage of procurement expenditure to suppliers participating in initiatives to reduce GHG emissions.

Starting point: 28% by value of SSC-funded contracts are with suppliers that have already set a target to reduce their GHG emissions

Target: N/A

Performance indicator (2): Percentage of procurement expenditure to suppliers who have net-zero commitments

Starting point:

52.7% by value of SSC-Funded contracts are with suppliers who have net-zero commitments

Target: N/A

SSC encourages suppliers to adopt Science-Based Target Initiatives which align to the UN SDGs, the Paris Climate Accords, or other sustainability goals.

Indicator result (1): 52.99% (by value)

Indicator result (2): 35.81% (by value)

Strengthen green procurement criteria

Incentivize vendors to proactively disclose and reduce GHG emissions.

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator: Percentage of procurements over $25 million, including taxes, subject to the Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction Targets, that incentivized suppliers to measure and disclose their GHG emissions or adopt a science-based target to reduce GHG emissions

Starting point: 100% (2023-2024)

Target: 100%

SSC supports new green procurement standard – the Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction targets by adopting its mechanisms and by tracking the percentage of procurements that meet the thresholds and apply the requirements outlined in the standard.

Indicator result: 100%

Notes: SSC applied the Standard to 100% of contracts valued over $25 million for which the procurement was initiated and the contract was awarded in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.

Transform the federal light-duty fleet

Strive to lower GHG emissions from Fleet and prioritize the purchase of zero-emission and hybrid vehicles when it is operationally feasible to do so.

SSC will continue to right size its fleet. Underutilized vehicles will be disposed of or relocated to accommodate new requirements when possible.

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator (1): Percentage of zero-emission or hybrid fleet vehicles in SSC’s fleet.

Starting point: 6% (2022-2023)

Target: 15% (2025-2026)

Performance indicator (2): Percentage of annual zero-emission vehicle acquisition out of all fleet acquisitions that year.

Starting point: 27% (2022-2023)

Target: 100% (starting 2024-2025)

Performance indicator (3): Total GHG emissions in kilotons of carbon equivalent (kt CO2 eq) emitted by SSC's fleet vehicles.

Starting point: 0.68 kt CO2 eq (2019-2020)

Target: A reduction of 40% by 2025-2026, followed by a 10% additional reduction each 5 years starting in 2025-2026.

Detailed usage data will be captured and analyzed to help drive business decisions to transition to a greener fleet.

SSC’s transition to a greener fleet will help achieve the Mobility and Fleets goals in the Greening Government Strategy and reduce the environmental impacts of its fleet-related operations nationally.

Indicator result (1): 18%

Notes (1): 9% of active vehicles in the SSC fleet are hybrid and 9% are zero-emission vehicles

Indicator result (2): 100%

Indicator result (3): 0.264 kt CO₂e

Notes (3): This is a reduction of 61% from SSC’s baseline of 0.677 in 2019-2020.

Goal 13
Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS context

SSC operates in a complex environment, supporting GC organizations and using both GC-owned and third-party vendor infrastructure, hardware, and software. Collaboration is essential to enable SSC to take action on climate change and its impacts. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to work with its partners to green its operations, while taking action on climate change.

Data centres

SSC is closing older, less efficient legacy hosting infrastructure sites and updating and migrating the applications and data from these sites to more modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly hosting environments. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC closed 25 legacy data centres. This reduces the overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions attributed to GC IT operations. The consolidation effort, while challenging to quantify precisely, contributes to more efficient and sustainable hosting infrastructure.

Prior to SSC’s creation, the legacy data centres were typically housed inside a PSPC-leased or owned building and each department was responsible for the upkeep of the IT infrastructure and their applications’ health and safeguarding the associated data. As a result, the GHG emissions stemming from those data centres are undistinguishable from those of the buildings overall. SSC currently reports on 2 data centres while PSPC reports on the GHG emissions for most other buildings.

SSC’s enterprise data centres (EDCs) are at least LEED© Silver certified or equivalent. They are designed to be modern, efficient and resilient – including the reduction of water and power use. However, SSC does not have a way of measuring the net improvements to the environment, since we cannot isolate and measure the legacy hosting infrastructure sites’ emissions. SSC predicts that migrating from legacy to EDCs may:

increase the GHG emissions for the data centres that SSC reports on
decrease the GHG outputs from buildings across the GC, thereby reducing the overall GHG footprint

When moving workloads from legacy data centres to more modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly hosting environments, there is opportunity to reduce the technical debt of the infrastructure that support these Partner applications. SSC supports this by providing the IT infrastructure needed for application modernization and hosting efficiency. For example, virtualization means that fewer physical devices are needed to host applications, which usually reduces their environmental impact by occupying less space and using less energy.

Enabling hybrid and regional work

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to provide digital programs and services that enabled greening efforts across the GC. Secure Remote Access (SRA) services continue to allow public servants to connect securely to the GC network from across Canada. This provides an opportunity to reduce emissions from commuting. SSC is also transitioning to deliver SRA in a way that enables more scalable, identity-aware access, to ensure long-term sustainability and alignment with enterprise-wide security modernization goals.

Another way SSC supported remote and hybrid work is by expanding remote collaboration tools. SSC has onboarded departments and agencies to M365 and offers guidance on consumption so that they can take advantage of Microsoft Teams and the other collaboration features of these technologies. This gives employees the tools they need to collaborate from anywhere and at any time in Canada as operationally feasible.

Vendor commitments

SSC actively supports the Government of Canada’s sustainability goals through its cloud service strategy. All current GC-approved cloud service providers under SSC’s Cloud Framework Agreements have demonstrated clear commitments to sustainability.

SSC also integrates green procurement requirements into its cloud procurement contracts, ensuring that environmental considerations are central to service delivery. This includes commitments to energy-efficient infrastructure, reducing carbon footprint, and transparent sustainability reporting. These measures support the transition to a more sustainable IT ecosystem.

Climate resilience

SSC is working to combat climate change and to be resilient against its effects. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to examine its financial and operational risks related to climate change impacts and integrated considerations of climate risk into its branch business planning processes. SSC is aware that the frequency and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing. The Department has implicitly considered climate resilience in its day-to-day operations to address the risks that climate change impacts, such as flooding, fires and extreme heat, pose to IT infrastructure.

SSC also supports resilience in other government departments. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC performed IT continuity exercises with partners and created plans to enable more robust service delivery in the event of climate-related incidents. SSC’s operations also face risk related to the physical impacts of climate change on its vendors, manufacturing locations and supply chains. To manage this risk, SSC is engaging in forward planning and working with partners to modernize GC IT.

Engagement

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC also promoted sustainability to employees, partners and Canadians. This included a “Tomorrow Matters” greening communications campaign, an intranet site with information and resources for employees, and good news stories on SSC initiatives that support both sustainability and service excellence.

Target theme

Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience

Target

The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)

Implementation strategy	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings	Maintain a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© Silver certification or equivalent^{Footnote 2} for all new and existing SSC enterprise data centres and will include a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© silver for all new major construction projects for existing enterprise data centres. Program: Data Centre IT Operations	Performance indicator: Percentage of enterprise data centres with a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent Starting point: 100% (2022-2023) Target: 100% annually	LEED© is a green building certification program. The achievement of a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent demonstrates modernization and increased efficiency in the EDCs. These EDCs, predicted to be more environmentally sustainable than the legacy data centres, support the reduction of GHG emissions and the greening of the GC’s operations.	Indicator result: 100% Notes: All the EDCs have at least LEED© silver certification or equivalent; three EDCs have LEED© Gold certification.
Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings	Use clean energy in SSC-owned data centres, including by working with Public Services and Procurement Canada to purchase renewable energy certificates to compensate for the high-carbon portion of the electricity grid. Program: Data Centre IT Operations	Performance indicator: Percentage of primary source clean electricity used in SSC-owned data centre locations Starting point: In 2019 to 2020, 90.81% of electricity used in SSC owned data centres was classified as clean. Target: 100% clean electricity use by 2025, including through the purchase of renewable energy certificates	The use of clean electricity reduces GHG emissions and encourages the provision of clean electricity.	Indicator result: 86.7% Notes: This result is based on the electricity grid. SSC plans to work with PSPC to purchase renewable energy certificates in future years to compensate for the high-carbon portion of the electricity grid.
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	Limit and report on GHG emissions in SSC’s data centres. SSC is responsible for reporting on 2 data centres, (one legacy and one EDC). SSC will continue to report on its GHG emissions stemming from hosting services. Program: Data Centre IT Operations	Performance indicator: Total GHG emissions from SSC’s 2 data centres in tons of CO2 equivalent Starting point: 721 tCO2e (2022-23) Target: TBD	SSC is committed to tracking the GHG emissions stemming from its operations as well as from service offerings. It is expected that the total GHG emissions SSC reports on will increase over time as new applications and data are hosted at its enterprise data centres. This, however, is a result of legacy data centre closures. SSC estimates that moving applications and data to EDCs is more efficient than continuing to host the applications in legacy data centres. At this time, SSC has chosen not to establish a target as it would like to first establish a trend. Although SSC’s data centres cannot be net zero at this time, efficient operation and tracking will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions overall.	Indicator result: 1383.6 tCO₂e Notes: The increase in GHG emissions is primarily from the EDC facility, which will consume more electricity over time as more IT devices are added as part of SSC’s mandate to close aging data centres across Canada. It is estimated that migration from legacy to EDCs will improve efficiency and reduce overall GHG emissions from GC data centres. Note that emissions for most GC data centres are in the reporting scope of other government departments and are not reported by SSC to avoid double counting the total GC emissions.
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	Decommission and replace aging, less efficient data centre infrastructure managed by SSC with more efficient enterprise data centres (Data Centre Consolidation). Program: Data Centre IT Operations	Performance indicator: Number of legacy data centres closed. Starting point: 440 out of 720 legacy data centres have been closed to date - (61%). In FY 2022-23, SSC closed a total of 52 small and medium legacy data centres. Target: 22 for fiscal year 2024-2025	SSC will shrink the aggregate government-wide requirement on computer resources by leveraging modern facilities either in GC enterprise data centres or provided by public cloud service providers, enabling efficiencies. Closing and migrating data centres to more efficient enterprise data centres is estimated to improve data centre energy efficiency and reduce the GC’s GHG emissions for hosting services overall.	Indicator result: 25
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	Provide secure and reliable remote access services to enable government employees to work from outside the workplace. Program: Security	Performance indicator: Percentage of time the Secure Remote Access services are available Starting point: 100% (2022-2023 result) Target: 99.9%	Through the provision of available secure remote access services, SSC enables GC employees to participate in the hybrid work model by working from home as directed and as operationally feasible. Hybrid work reduces greenhouse gas emissions from employee commuting and presence in the workplace and contributes to greening the government’s operations.	Indicator result: 100%
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	Mobilize and engage SSC employees to support environmental sustainability. Program: Internal Services (Communications)	Performance indicator: Number of times SSC annually engages SSC employees via communiques, contests, lock screen, etc. on separate environmental issues, announcements or initiatives Starting point: 0 (2022-2023) Target: 8	Employee engagement will help to create a sustainable workplace, which is part of greening SSC’s overall operations.	Indicator result: 16 Notes: SSC engaged employees on environmental issues through blog posts, newsletter articles and good news stories. SSC also engaged non-employees through Canada.ca articles and social media posts.

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings

Maintain a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© Silver certification or equivalent^{Footnote 2} for all new and existing SSC enterprise data centres and will include a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© silver for all new major construction projects for existing enterprise data centres.

Program: Data Centre IT Operations

Performance indicator: Percentage of enterprise data centres with a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent

Starting point: 100% (2022-2023)

Target: 100% annually

LEED© is a green building certification program. The achievement of a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent demonstrates modernization and increased efficiency in the EDCs. These EDCs, predicted to be more environmentally sustainable than the legacy data centres, support the reduction of GHG emissions and the greening of the GC’s operations.

Indicator result: 100%

Notes: All the EDCs have at least LEED© silver certification or equivalent; three EDCs have LEED© Gold certification.

Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings

Use clean energy in SSC-owned data centres, including by working with Public Services and Procurement Canada to purchase renewable energy certificates to compensate for the high-carbon portion of the electricity grid.

Program: Data Centre IT Operations

Performance indicator: Percentage of primary source clean electricity used in SSC-owned data centre locations

Starting point: In 2019 to 2020, 90.81% of electricity used in SSC owned data centres was classified as clean.

Target: 100% clean electricity use by 2025, including through the purchase of renewable energy certificates

The use of clean electricity reduces GHG emissions and encourages the provision of clean electricity.

Indicator result: 86.7%

Notes: This result is based on the electricity grid. SSC plans to work with PSPC to purchase renewable energy certificates in future years to compensate for the high-carbon portion of the electricity grid.

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

Limit and report on GHG emissions in SSC’s data centres. SSC is responsible for reporting on 2 data centres, (one legacy and one EDC). SSC will continue to report on its GHG emissions stemming from hosting services.

Program: Data Centre IT Operations

Performance indicator: Total GHG emissions from SSC’s 2 data centres in tons of CO2 equivalent

Starting point: 721 tCO2e (2022-23)

Target: TBD

SSC is committed to tracking the GHG emissions stemming from its operations as well as from service offerings. It is expected that the total GHG emissions SSC reports on will increase over time as new applications and data are hosted at its enterprise data centres. This, however, is a result of legacy data centre closures. SSC estimates that moving applications and data to EDCs is more efficient than continuing to host the applications in legacy data centres. At this time, SSC has chosen not to establish a target as it would like to first establish a trend.

Although SSC’s data centres cannot be net zero at this time, efficient operation and tracking will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions overall.

Indicator result: 1383.6 tCO₂e

Notes: The increase in GHG emissions is primarily from the EDC facility, which will consume more electricity over time as more IT devices are added as part of SSC’s mandate to close aging data centres across Canada. It is estimated that migration from legacy to EDCs will improve efficiency and reduce overall GHG emissions from GC data centres.

Note that emissions for most GC data centres are in the reporting scope of other government departments and are not reported by SSC to avoid double counting the total GC emissions.

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

Decommission and replace aging, less efficient data centre infrastructure managed by SSC with more efficient enterprise data centres (Data Centre Consolidation).

Program: Data Centre IT Operations

Performance indicator: Number of legacy data centres closed.

Starting point: 440 out of 720 legacy data centres have been closed to date - (61%).

In FY 2022-23, SSC closed a total of 52 small and medium legacy data centres.

Target: 22 for fiscal year 2024-2025

SSC will shrink the aggregate government-wide requirement on computer resources by leveraging modern facilities either in GC enterprise data centres or provided by public cloud service providers, enabling efficiencies.

Closing and migrating data centres to more efficient enterprise data centres is estimated to improve data centre energy efficiency and reduce the GC’s GHG emissions for hosting services overall.

Indicator result: 25

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

Provide secure and reliable remote access services to enable government employees to work from outside the workplace.

Program: Security

Performance indicator: Percentage of time the Secure Remote Access services are available

Starting point: 100% (2022-2023 result)

Target: 99.9%

Through the provision of available secure remote access services, SSC enables GC employees to participate in the hybrid work model by working from home as directed and as operationally feasible. Hybrid work reduces greenhouse gas emissions from employee commuting and presence in the workplace and contributes to greening the government’s operations.

Indicator result: 100%

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

Mobilize and engage SSC employees to support environmental sustainability.

Program: Internal Services (Communications)

Performance indicator: Number of times SSC annually engages SSC employees via communiques, contests, lock screen, etc. on separate environmental issues, announcements or initiatives

Starting point: 0 (2022-2023)

Target: 8

Employee engagement will help to create a sustainable workplace, which is part of greening SSC’s overall operations.

Indicator result: 16

Notes: SSC engaged employees on environmental issues through blog posts, newsletter articles and good news stories. SSC also engaged non-employees through Canada.ca articles and social media posts.

Target

The Government of Canada will transition to climate resilient operations by 2050 (All Ministers)

Implementation strategy	Departmental action	Performance indicator starting point target	How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs	Results achieved
Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations	Maintain a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© Silver certification or equivalent^{Footnote 3} for all new and existing SSC enterprise data centres and will include a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© silver for all new major construction projects for existing enterprise data centres. Program: Data Centre IT Operations	Performance indicator: Percentage of enterprise data centres with a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent Starting point: 100% Target: 100%	LEED© is a green building certification program. The achievement of a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent demonstrates modernization and increased efficiency in the EDCs. These EDCs, predicted to be more environmentally sustainable than the legacy data centres, support the reduction of GHG emissions and the greening of the GC’s operations.	Indicator result: 100% Notes: All the EDCs have at least LEED© silver certification or equivalent; three EDCs have LEED© Gold certification.
Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations	Assess and mitigate risks posed by climate change to SSC’s assets, services and operations Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery	Performance indicator: Percentage of critical service business continuity plans that include climate change risk assessments Starting point: 0% (2023-2024) Target: 100%	The assessment and mitigation of risks posed by climate change to SSC’s assets, services and operations will enable SSC to effectively take action on climate change and its impacts.	Indicator result: 0% Notes: SSC’s business continuity plans include an All-Hazards approach and are adaptable to any type of incident. SSC will integrate climate change as a risk factor and incorporate it into an All-Hazards approach within Business Continuity Planning, including risk assessments, exercises and testing, employee awareness and training.

Implementation strategy

Departmental action

Performance indicator starting point target

How the Departmental Action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

Results achieved

Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations

Maintain a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© Silver certification or equivalent^{Footnote 3} for all new and existing SSC enterprise data centres and will include a minimum mandatory requirement for LEED© silver for all new major construction projects for existing enterprise data centres.

Program: Data Centre IT Operations

Performance indicator: Percentage of enterprise data centres with a minimum of LEED© silver certification or equivalent

Starting point: 100%

Target: 100%

Indicator result: 100%

Notes: All the EDCs have at least LEED© silver certification or equivalent; three EDCs have LEED© Gold certification.

Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations

Assess and mitigate risks posed by climate change to SSC’s assets, services and operations

Program: Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Performance indicator: Percentage of critical service business continuity plans that include climate change risk assessments

Starting point: 0% (2023-2024)

Target: 100%

The assessment and mitigation of risks posed by climate change to SSC’s assets, services and operations will enable SSC to effectively take action on climate change and its impacts.

Indicator result: 0%

Notes: SSC’s business continuity plans include an All-Hazards approach and are adaptable to any type of incident. SSC will integrate climate change as a risk factor and incorporate it into an All-Hazards approach within Business Continuity Planning, including risk assessments, exercises and testing, employee awareness and training.

Section 3: Integrating sustainable development

SSC will continue to ensure that its decision-making processes include consideration of DSDS goals and targets. One way to do this is through a Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA) process. An SEEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.

Statements on the results of SSC’s assessments are made public when an initiative has undergone a detailed SEEA and when the results of the SEEA can be shared. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC published zero statements because its mandate as an internal service provider limits its impacts outside the GC. The purpose of the public statement, when possible and appropriate, is to demonstrate that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets, of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision-making. In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC strengthened its internal SEEA process to identify and mitigate the environmental impacts of its operations.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, SSC continued to work towards integrating considerations for environmental sustainable development throughout its planning and decision-making by:

revamping the service review process to include sustainable development assessment for SSC services with related implications
considering both positive and negative environmental impacts in the assessment of proposed projects wherever possible
including greening, accessibility, and Gender-based Analysis Plus plans and considerations in all branch business plans
working with partners and vendors to promote sustainable development goals in areas of shared responsibility

SSC is committed to implementing 3 SDGs: advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and taking action to reduce inequality, reducing waste and transitioning to zero-emission vehicles, and taking action on climate change and its impacts. SSC will continue to support sustainable development throughout its operations to have a positive impact on Canada and the world.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

When the mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target was initiated, Shared Services Canada (SSC) was identified as a phase 1 department/agency responsible to meet or exceed the 5% target by fiscal year 2022/2023. In response to mandated target, SSC provided guidance and awareness of tools such as voluntary set-asides, mandatory set-asides, Indigenous benefit plans, etc. to ensure that SSC as an organization met and exceeded the 5% goal for the mandatory phase1 slated for FY 22-23. After receiving our fiscal year 21-22 results for our Indigenous procurement target, SSC obtained over 6%. That is why 6% has been identified as SSC’s official starting point for the percentage of the total value of SSC-funded contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

"or equivalent” refers to a LEED© Silver equal or superior criteria to allow for equal or superior criteria to be met through different certifications.

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

"or equivalent” refers to a LEED© Silver equal or superior criteria to allow for equal or superior criteria to be met through different certifications.

Return to footnote 3 referrer

Page details

2025-11-18

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2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

Table of contents

Executive summary

Section 1: Introduction to the 2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

Section 2: Commitments for SSC

Goal 10
Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality

FSDS Context

Reconciliation

Accessibility

Supporting employees

Addressing inequality

Target theme

Target

Target theme

Target

Goal 12
Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

FSDS context

Green procurement

Waste diversion

Fleet

Target theme

Target

Target

Goal 13
Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS context

Data centres

Enabling hybrid and regional work

Vendor commitments

Climate resilience

Engagement

Target theme

Target

Target

Section 3: Integrating sustainable development

Page details

2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

Executive summary

Section 1: Introduction to the 2024 to 2025 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report

Section 2: Commitments for SSC

Goal 10Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality

FSDS Context

Reconciliation

Accessibility

Supporting employees

Addressing inequality

Target theme

Target

Target theme

Target

Goal 12Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

FSDS context

Green procurement

Waste diversion

Fleet

Target theme

Target

Target

Goal 13Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS context

Data centres

Enabling hybrid and regional work

Vendor commitments

Climate resilience

Engagement

Target theme

Target

Target

Section 3: Integrating sustainable development

Page details

Goal 10
Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality

Goal 12
Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

Goal 13
Take action on climate change and its impacts