At Alinea, we understand the urgent need to take concrete steps to safeguard the environment and protect our shared future. On Earth Day 2021, we are proud to announce our SME Climate Commitment through the SME Climate Hub.

Earth Day does not typically draw world leaders together for two full days, but this year, U.S. President Joe Biden will do just that as he convenes the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate. It is a bold statement that the U.S. is back in the fight against climate change.

Both ambitions and expectations are high. Countries have stepped away from the international climate stage before, and come back. This time though, things are different.

Earth Day 2021 is not just pulling heads of state together, uniquely businesses are driving concrete commitments on climate action. More than 2,000 companies are pledging to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – at the latest – through the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. To achieve this, companies are committing to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions as much and as fast as possible. They will ensure that what they cannot eliminate will be pulled out of the atmosphere through projects like tree planting and the restoration of wetlands and soil.

The SME Climate Hub is an opportunity to make an internationally-recognized climate commitment.

At Alinea, we are stepping up our own ambitions. Through the projects we implement around the world, we are collaborating and innovating on climate action.

In agriculture, we are examining how to launch the sector on a pathway to green growth by reflecting an integrated landscape approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation. We are also thinking about how to finance climate work by engaging with partners to identify new avenues to unlock climate finance for those who need it most. We are ensuring our actions respect the rights and roles of women and Indigenous peoples and facilitate their effective participation.

In celebration of Earth Day 2021, Alinea is proud to announce our SME Climate Commitment through the SME Climate Hub, which provides small- and medium-sized businesses across all sectors around the world with an opportunity to make an internationally-recognized climate commitment aligned with the latest climate science and recognized by the Race to Zero campaign. Through the SME Climate Commitment, we are embarking on a pathway to reducing emissions as a company and through the projects we implement around the world.

Alinea’s SME Climate Commitment

At Alinea, we understand the urgent need to take steps to safeguard the environment and protect our shared future. Climate action is an increasing part of our corporate culture, business practices and project activities.

We strive to continue to strengthen our environmental performance reporting and build upon our established commitment to environmental safeguarding around the world, which is why we are proud to share we are charting our course to becoming a net zero business by signing on to the SME Climate Commitment:

Recognising that climate change poses a threat to the economy, nature and society-at-large, our company commits to take action immediately in order to:

Halve our greenhouse gas emissions before 2030

Achieve net zero emissions before 2050

Disclose our progress on a yearly basis

In doing so, we are proud to be recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, and join governments, businesses, cities, regions, and universities around the world with the same mission.

Our immediate next step is to move from climate commitment to climate action, which we will undertake by measuring and estimating our current greenhouse gas emissions; setting short- and medium-term targets for emission reductions in line with our SME Climate Commitment; developing a plan to achieve our emission reduction targets; and starting to take concrete action to reduce our key emission sources.

We are proud to join business leaders in this important commitment to our shared future, and look forward to reporting on our progress in a year’s time.

Robert Francis

President & CEO, Alinea International

alinea’s whistleblower policy

1.1 Purpose

The following Whistleblower Policy has been established to provide guidance to Alinea International employees and sub-contractors on how to deal with known or suspected improper conduct within the organization. The objectives of this Policy are to:

Create awareness of the Policy and available whistleblower protections
Act as a reference guide to potential whistleblowers wishing to make a disclosure
Define the structure of the whistleblower system, including reporting and investigation procedures, whistleblower protections, and confidentiality, among others
Improve the communication and transparency in the processes associated with whistleblowing and assure protection against derogatory consequences, namely reprisals and detrimental action
Complement the current communication channels between employees, sub-contractors and immediate managers, and hierarchical channels flowing to the President and Senior Management team
Provide guidance to all parties involved in either whistleblowing or whistleblower protection.

1.2 Scope

Alinea requires all employees and sub-contractors to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. All employees and sub-contractors of Alinea are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations of Canada and the countries where we operate. Any allegations of known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources will be dealt with in accordance with this Policy, and reasonable steps will be taken to protect those who come forward with allegations. Alinea’s Whistleblower Policy covers both internal and external whistleblowing, and establishes the controls and procedures for dealing with allegations of malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is intended to encourage employees and sub-contractors to report known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources and to enable Alinea’s Senior Management team to address and correct inappropriate action. It is the responsibility of all Board of Directors’ members, the Senior Management team, employees and sub-contractors to report concerns about known or suspected malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is applicable to all employees and sub-contractors of Alinea International.

1.3 Reporting Procedures

Alinea recognizes the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices and supports the making of disclosures that reveal improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. Our internal controls and operating procedures are intended to detect and prevent malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. As detailed in Alinea’s Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals, employees and sub-contractors are encouraged to share complaints and/or concerns regarding ethical or legal violations with their immediate managers. If the employee or sub-contractor is not comfortable speaking with their immediate manager or is not satisfied with the response, they are encouraged to speak with the Gatineau or Calgary Office Managers, the Vice Presidents or, as required, the Chief Financial Officer. All members of the Senior Management team are required to report complaints and/or concerns about suspected ethical or legal violations in writing to Alinea’s Ethics Committee who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints and/or concerns. In the event that the complaint and/or concern is about the President, it should be raised by the employee or sub-contractor to their immediate manager or the Ethics Committee who will determine how the investigation will proceed. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective measures will be taken if warranted by the investigation. Alinea’s Ethics Committee is responsible for acknowledging receipt of the suspected violation and notifying the whistleblower of the outcome of the investigation. Anyone filing a written complaint concerning suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Personal grievances or complaints related to employment are not covered under Alinea’s Whistleblowing Policy. For cases such as this, employees and sub-contractors are advised to first refer to Alineas Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals when considering a disclosure under the Whistleblowing Policy. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.

1.4 Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality is crucial to ensure reprisals are not made against the whistleblower. Alinea is committed to safeguarding the identity of the whistleblower and to protecting the whistleblower against detrimental action taken in reprisal for allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring whistleblowers are protected from direct and indirect detrimental action, and that the culture of the workplace is supportive of suspected allegations being made. Any employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.

1.5 Review

Alinea is committed to implementing ‘best practice’ policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources (as defined by this Policy) and the management and protection of whistleblowers making allegation(s). This Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it meets the objectives of relevant legislation and remains effective for Alinea, and may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors at any time. For allegations of fraud, securities law, or human rights concerns, or when you are not satisfied or uncomfortable with following the Company’s open door policy, individuals should contact the Company’s Ethics Committee directly.

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Alinea joins businesses around the world in the internationally-recognized SME Climate Commitment