Sustainability Profile: greengate garden centre

1. What is your company's brand promise, vision or statement of values, and how does it relate to sustainability?
greengate garden centre gives you inspiration and ideas to create your perfect garden. Gardening can be a puzzling endeavor, so we offer customers years of first hand information on gardening to help you choose and nurture the right greenery for your space. Understanding local growing conditions, plant varieties and environmental impact is how we help Calgarians nurture a beautiful and healthy environment.
2. How are your products or services environmentally and socially sustainable?
At greengate we sell everything you need to create your perfect garden. Whether that's air detoxifying trees, indigenous shrubs, compostable plant pots or organic fertilizer and lawn care products – we offer gardening products and advice that help build communities and support individual expression. A healthy, non toxic garden invites birds and other wildlife, supporting biodiversity and creating its own ecosystem.

We don't sell granular weed and feed because it does not remain in the intended area, running into our sewers and polluting our rivers. Although we do offer some conventional herbicides, we educate and encourage customers to choose environmentally friendly products as much as possible.
3. How does your company give preference to suppliers who create positive social and environmental benefits either through their products and services or through their community partnerships?
We buy our annuals and perennials from Alberta growers and buy environmentally friendly products wherever possible. In 2008 we are buying some of our plants in biodegradable plant pots to help reduce the use of plastic containers. Our plant trays are made from recycled cardboard.
4. How does your business minimize the environmental impact of its operations?
• Waste reduction: We encourage customers to compost as a means of diverting organic waste from our landfills while improving the health of their gardens. In 2008 we are piloting the use of compostable plant holders to reduce our use of plastic containers. We donate plants that have not sold instead of putting them in the landfill, and we recycle our dirt.
• Recycling: We recycle all of the cardboard and paper we use in our back office and in the store. Our pallets are also recycled and turned into mulch. Plant trays are made from recycled cardboard and are recycled at the end of their useful life. We also recycle our plant pots and offer a take-back program for customers’ plant pots so that they can be recycled.
• Energy efficiency: Our greenhouse has been designed to optimize plant health and air flow with a retractable roof. Obviously, this is not energy efficient, so we buy 100% wind power from ENMAX to minimize the impact of our electricity usage.
• Paper products and administrative supplies: We use recycled paper in the back office and in our GardenSense Magazine. All of our commercial printing is done using vegetable-based inks.
• Transportation and staff commuting: our store is along the LRT line and we encourage employees to take public transportation to work as much as possible.
5. How does your business demonstrate ethical business conduct?
We use third party accounting procedures and have a formal policy, which all employees are trained on, to deal with complaints.
6. What strategic community partnerships does your company have in place?
• We are members of the Calgary Horticultural Society and have donated $85,000 in the past five years. We offer members a 12% discount off their purchases at greengate and 2% cash back.
• We're proud to be green so we support Greenmax and Greenclub. Receive a 15% discount on annuals and 10% off everything else in the store (excluding collectibles) when you show your Greenclub card!
• We are an annual sponsor of the Calgary Homeless Foundation.
• We are a proud member of REAP Business Association.
7. What policy or guidelines exist to support charitable contributions?
We do not have a formal policy regarding charitable contributions; we approach them on a per need basis. Each year we give generously to a wide variety of organizations, choosing to support gardening endeavours wherever possible.
8. How many people do you employ locally?
We have 40 permanent staff and hire 125 seasonal staff each spring.
9. In what ways does your business demonstrate its commitment to employee health and safety?
Our annual employee training program covers emergency fire and theft procedures, safe lifting and customer service. We require that all employees work with a buddy to ensure that everyone is part of a safe work environment. Our employee policies clearly state that safety is our first priority. Everyone is trained accordingly.
10. In what ways does your business demonstrate its commitment to employee development and job satisfaction?
All of our staff training is paid. We also offer medical benefits and match RRSP contributions.
11. How does your business support employees to lead balanced lives and be active participants in their communities?
We encourage our employees not to work overtime to support their need to maintain balance and nurture personal relationships.