Sustainable Development Initiative
Brookfield Renewable Power is an active partner in the communities in which we operate and have development projects. Since 2004, Brookfield Renewable Power has contributed to 30 local projects across our operations representing a total of almost $4 million. In addition to environmental and community benefits, the program strengthens our ties with local stakeholders, including Aboriginal communities.
In 2004, as part of the company’s Environmental Policy implementation, we established a Sustainable Development Projects Recognition Initiative, which is an internal tool to provide operating units with additional financial resources to support local multi-stakeholder projects that are above and beyond mandatory or regulatory requirements.
Each project submission is evaluated on priority areas that are linked to Brookfield Renewable Power’s Environmental Policy. They are:
- Mitigation and restoration of impacts from our operations
- Environmental conservation and preservation
- Support of river/watershed committees/users
- Support of economic development of communities
- Education/Research
These projects not only demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development, but also serve to strengthen our ties to local stakeholders in the communities in which we operate.
EcologoM Program
EcoLogoM is North America’s largest, most respected environmental standard and certification mark, gaining recognition increasingly worldwide. EcoLogoM provides customers – public, corporate and consumer – with assurance that the products and services bearing the logo meet stringent standards of environmental leadership. Brookfield Renewable Power has 22 hydroelectric facilities in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Louisiana that meet the strict standards of the EcologoM Program.
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Low Impact Hydropower Institute Certification
The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the impacts of hydropower generation through the certification of hydropower projects that have avoided or reduced their environmental impacts pursuant to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s criteria. 43 hydro facilities owned by Brookfield Renewable Power in New York State have LIHI certification.
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ISO Accreditation
ISO 14001 specifies requirements for an environmental management system to enable an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and information about significant environmental aspects. It applies to those environmental aspects that the organization identifies as those which it can control and those which it can influence. Brookfield Renewable Power’s Lièvre Operations in western Quebec is certified ISO 14001. This signifies that we have achieved a standardized set of environmental management tools to comply with laws and minimize the impact of our operations on the environment.
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Brookfield Renewable Power Commits to the Canadian Electricity Association’s Sustainable Electricity Program
Brookfield Renewable Power is a member of the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) and is an active participant in the Sustainable Electricity program. Launched February 19, 2009, Sustainable Electricity is an industry-wide sustainability initiative developed and implemented by CEA and its utility members. Sustainable Electricity is our response to the challenge of creating a sustainable tomorrow. The program, implemented under the strategic guidance of the CEA Board of Directors, addresses the three components of sustainability – environment, society, and the economy – enables the electricity industry to take a holistic approach to managing its impacts and securing a collective energy future.
CEA and its members place a high value on sustainable development, and as such, participation in this program is a condition of CEA membership. Through Sustainable Electricity, CEA members, including Brookfield Renewable Power, have made a commitment to continually improve their overall sustainable development performance, and report to stakeholders in a timely and transparent manner.
Sustainable Electricity is comprised of the following four elements:
- CEA utilities must commit to the Policy for Sustainable Development – Corporate Responsibility
- CEA utilities must report annually on environmental, social, and economic performance indicators
- The program will be guided by an external Public Advisory Panel
- Each utility must undergo independent external verification as part of its commitment to the program
Through the Sustainable Electricity program, CEA member companies will pursue practices and innovative business strategies to meet the needs of members, Aboriginal peoples, stakeholders, and the communities in which they operate, while ensuring that they enhance the legacy they leave behind for future generations. Brookfield Renewable Power is committed to becoming a leading “Sustainable Electricity” company.
For more information on the program, and to view the 2008 Annual Report, please visit: www.SustainableElectricity.ca