New RBC and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Report Urges
Environmental Sustainability for Canadian Manufacturers
TORONTO, November 24, 2010 — Manufacturers
in Canada need to seize the opportunity to redesign their
businesses now in order to remain globally competitive according
to a new report by RBC and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
(CME).
Launched today at CME Ontario's 2010 Sustainable Manufacturing
Summit, the joint report, SHIFTING MARKETS, SHIFTING MINDSETS:
Creating Value Through Cleaner & Greener Manufacturing,
highlights the top environmental sustainability issues facing
Canadian manufacturers and how they can capitalize on the
business opportunities emerging in the new greener economy.
Manufacturers in Canada are among the largest consumers of
energy in the country. However, a recent CME Ontario survey
found that most manufacturers had implemented less than 42
per cent of applicable, known technical best practices for
energy management.
"This report is a 'call to action' for Canadian manufacturers,"
said Jayson Myers, president & CEO, CME. "It's time
manufacturers recognized the strategic importance of environmental
sustainability to the future of their business and to the
viability of the manufacturing sector in Canada at large."
Key findings from the report include:
- As stakeholders press for cleaner, greener products and
services, environmental sustainability has moved from a
compliance issue to a critical strategic planning issue
for manufacturers.
- The top six environmental sustainability issues that manufacturing
CEOs need to be aware of are:
- Air emissions - reducing the risk
- Supply chains - leveraging systems for sustainability
- Solid and liquid waste - towards "material parsimony"
- Energy - efficiency and beyond
- Climate change - planning to adapt and prosper
- Water - hidden dependencies and opportunities
"Canadian manufacturing is an essential part of the
solution as we transition to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive
future and RBC is committed to helping businesses navigate
the 'new normal' of environmental sustainability," said
Andrea Bolger, head, Business Financial Services. "Through
this report, we hope to bring attention to the fact that focusing
on environmental sustainability and working to reduce our
environmental footprint makes good business sense."
The key to thriving in the emerging green economy is to understand
the risks and opportunities that environmental sustainability
presents to the manufacturing industry. The report is designed
to help businesses develop a strategic plan that incorporates
environmental impact into every business decision.
SHIFTING MARKETS, SHIFTING MINDSETS: Creating Value Through
Cleaner & Greener Manufacturing will be available
on: RBC Commercial Advice Centre at www.rbc.com/business-advice
and through CME at www.cme-mec.ca
or www.joincme-mec.ca/ on November 24, 2010.
To register for the CME Ontario's 2010 Sustainable Manufacturing
Summit webcast, please visit www.gowebcasting.com/2124.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries
operate under the master brand name RBC. We are Canada's largest
bank as measured by assets and market capitalization, and
among the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization.
We are one of North America's leading diversified financial
services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking,
wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment
banking and transaction processing services on a global basis.
We employ approximately 78,000 full- and part-time employees
who serve close to 18 million personal, business, public sector
and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S.
and 51 other countries. For more information, please visit
rbc.com.
ABOUT CME
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is Canada's largest
trade and industry association and has been the voice of Canadian
manufacturers since 1871. CME represents more than 10,000
leading companies from all sectors of manufacturing and exporting
activity across Canada - 85 per cent of which are small- and
medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Our mandate is to promote
the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and the success
of Canada's goods and services exporters in markets around
the world. To learn more, please visit www.cme-mec.ca
or www.joincme-mec.ca/
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Media Contacts:
Margie McNeil, RBC, 905-606-1425, margie.mcneil@rbc.com
Jeff Brownlee, CME, 613-238-8888 ext.4233,
jeff.brownlee@cme-mec.ca
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