LASALLE, QC, Oct. 22, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - GDI Integrated Facility Services Inc. (TSX: GDI) (the "Company" or "GDI") is pleased to announce that its inaugural Environmental Social Governance ("ESG") report which includes GDI's key ESG focus areas, objectives and drivers was released on October 22, 2021.
During 2020 GDI created an ESG committee comprised of a diverse group of its business unit leaders which performed an in-depth assessment of GDI's ESG positioning. The ESG committee reviewed hundreds of topics and considered input received from employees, customers, vendors, and investors in order to choose the key focus areas that are most impactful to GDI's business and stakeholders. GDI's 2021 ESG report identifies the Company's five key ESG areas of focus and provides objectives and targets to enhance its performance within these areas of focus. GDI's five key areas of focus are: Health & Safety; Corporate Ethics & Responsibility; Environmental Stewardship & Partnerships; Culture; and, Governance. GDI's ESG initiatives will continually be monitored, reviewed, and refined as GDI and the business landscape evolve.
"With corporate responsibility in mind, we formed our ESG committee with a focus on formalizing and structuring the GDI's Environmental, Social, and Governance efforts, demonstrating that ESG is already a part of our DNA and is infused in much of what we do," said Claude Bigras, President & CEO of GDI. "In conjunction with our financial performance, this report outlines our progress and continued commitment towards our people, the planet, and ultimately the impact that our business has on society."
GDI conducted baseline assessments for each ESG focus area and created three-to-five-year action plans with KPI's and related targets and began to implement these action plans during 2020. The report highlights evidence that a commitment to ESG is already a part of GDI's DNA as well as its ongoing strategic growth plans. To-date, GDI has performed the following initiatives:
- Proactively developed policies and procedures to successfully combat the COVID-19 pandemic, providing guidance to the industry and protecting essential workers and the general public;
- Positioned safety as a priority, which resulted in GDI's TRIR ranking better than its industry standards;
- Planted 12,500 trees in 2021 as part of its carbon sequestration initiative, offsetting C02 emission equivalent to 85,065 gallons of gasoline consumed over a 10-year period
Included in the 2021 report is GDI's Environmental Impact Reduction Strategy ("EIRS"), which focuses on carbon sequestration activities such as investment in environmental impact-reducing-innovation to create a carbon neutral approach to business operations and planning; a number of the great charitable activities the Company undertook in the last year; as well as information which demonstrates GDI's commitment to good governance.
This report captures the initiatives GDI's ESG committee has already put into place and going forward will help the Company to identify ways to improve as a leader in the facility services industry. In the coming years, GDI will continue to develop, refine, monitor, and adjust its ESG strategies to meet its stakeholder needs.
ABOUT GDI
GDI is a leading commercial facility services provider which offers a range of services in Canada and the United States to owners and managers of a variety of facility types including office buildings, hotels, shopping centres, industrial facilities, healthcare establishments, distribution facilities, airports and other transportation facilities. GDI's commercial facility services capabilities include commercial janitorial, installation, maintenance and repair of HVAC-R, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as other complementary services such as damage restoration and janitorial products manufacturing and distribution. GDI's subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: GDI). Additional information on GDI can be found on its website at www.gdi.com.
CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to GDI's future outlook and anticipated events, business, operations, financial performance, financial condition or results and, in some cases, can be identified by terminology such as "may"; "will"; "should"; "expect"; "plan"; "anticipate"; "believe"; "intend"; "estimate"; "predict"; "potential"; "continue"; "foresee"; "confident"; "ensure" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In particular, statements regarding GDI's and Ainsworth's future operating results and economic performance and its objectives and strategies, and the anticipated benefits of the BP acquisition are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including expected growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities, which GDI believes are reasonable as of the current date. While management considers these assumptions to be reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. It is impossible for GDI to predict with certainty the impact that the current economic uncertainties may have on future results. The matters addressed in these statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, the risk that the existing and acquired business will not be integrated successfully, the risk that cost savings and synergies expected to result from the acquisition may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, disruption from the acquisition making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers and the effect of general economic conditions. Therefore, future events and results may vary significantly from what management currently foresees. The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While management may elect to, the Company is under no obligation and does not undertake to update or alter this information at any particular time, except as may be required by law.
SOURCE GDI Integrated Facility Services Inc.
Investor, analyst and media : GDI Integrated Facility Services Inc., David Hinchey, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Telephone: 514-368-8690 ext. 282
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