Sustainable Development Action Plan for 2007-2010

Introduction

This document, the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) Sustainable Development (SD) Action Plan 2007-2010, outlines the main activities that the CRA has committed to undertake to advance its Sustainable Development Strategy. It sets out a course of action towards reducing the impacts of our operations and service delivery on the environment; leveraging sustainable development to enhance business objectives and efficiencies; and demonstrating how the CRA contributes to the economic and/or social well-being of Canadians, businesses, clients and partners.

The Plan has four goals that focus on our internal operations, service delivery to the public, our employees, and modern sustainable development management systems. These goals are supported by 16 targets that represent the areas of greatest impact for sustainable development at the CRA. The targets are supported by 65 activities, each of which have a detailed work plan and are reviewed annually and updated, where necessary. Activities marked with an asterisk directly support the sustainable development priorities of the Government of Canada.

Some of the activities in the Plan carry forward the work from previous plans (ex. diverting waste from landfill), while others introduce new areas for exploration (ex. SD Report Card). For addition information on the logic chain of how our activities will lead us to achieve our long-term outcomes, see Appendix 1.

By 2010, we will have achieved systematic management of the effects of our operations on the environment. We will have been more efficient in our use of resources. We will have leveraged the principles and practices of sustainable development, innovation, and information technology to increase efficiency and enhance tax and benefit services delivered to the public. We will have sustained leadership from employees and management, and continued to educate and motivate a workforce that is skilled in practicing sustainable development in their jobs. Finally, we will have strengthened our framework and reporting systems for sustainable development and developed a Sustainable Development Report Card, which will have economic, social, and environmental indicators spanning all CRA business lines.

Annual adjustments are made to this Sustainable Development Action Plan to reflect organizational changes, and shifting priorities.

Accountability and Reporting

Sustainable development is everyone's responsibility. Successful implementation of this national Plan will require the commitment and involvement of all CRA managers and employees. The Board of Management will be monitoring the implementation of the action plan, and we will require guidance from our senior executives, leadership from our middle managers, and action and involvement from our employees.

To implement the plan, we have identified Offices of Primary Interest (OPI), Offices of Collaborating Interest (OCI), and partners. The OPI's are responsible for taking the lead in implementing the activity and are fully accountable for its completion. The OCI's and partners are accountable for providing support to the OPI to complete the activity.

The primary groups responsible for advising on, implementing, or reporting on activities in the Plan are:

• Sustainable Development Steering Committee (SDSC) and Sustainable Development (SD) Champions: The role of the SDSC is to guide the work of the Sustainable Development (SD) Division, report to the Agency Management Committee on progress with the SD Strategy, and to exert influence on senior executives to make the CRA's internal operations and service delivery more efficient, sustainable, and environmentally responsible. The members of the SDSC are the two SD Champions at the Assistant Commissioner-level, the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner of the Finance and Administration Branch, the Director General of the Strategic Management and Program Support Directorate, and staff of the SD Division. Of the two SD Champions, one has a role to provide advice on internal operations, while the other advises on external service delivery. As spokespersons for sustainable development across the CRA, the SD Champions are responsible for communicating our sustainable development values to employees, the public and our partners. Through their leadership and advice, they will move us closer to making sustainable development part of our corporate culture and business decisions.
  
  
• Sustainable Development (SD) Division: This is a dedicated group of employees in Headquarters situated within the Strategic Management and Program Support Directorate of the Finance and Administration Branch. The Division is responsible for consulting on and updating the CRA's Sustainable Development Strategy, at least every three years; and for updating and implementing annually the national Sustainable Development Action Plan. The Division also consolidates CRA-wide performance on sustainable development for quarterly and annual reports to employees, Agency Management Committee, Board of Management, and Parliament. It responds to internal audit enquiries and requests from the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. It also leads sustainable development communications, learning, and events; provides expertise and advice to employee requests for information; and provides leadership and technical support to the SD Network.
  
  
• Sustainable Development (SD) Network: Each branch and region of the CRA prepares a sustainable development action plan that directly supports the national Plan. To implement these plans, each branch and region has appointed an SD Representative and SD Coordinator. These two positions are the main vehicle for communicating with employees, and in understanding unique branch and regional challenges and opportunities for sustainable development. The SD Representatives are selected from within the management cadre and are responsible for coordinating the planning, reporting, and approvals of sustainable development plans within their area of responsibility. The SD Coordinator supports the SD Representative by coordinating the implementation of the activities of the branch/regional action plan. Most branches and regions have sustainable development committees, and, in some cases, sub-committees to support their work.
  
  
• National Environmental Management System (EMS) Committee: The mandate of this committee is to assist with planning, approving, and implementing activities that reduce the effects of our operations on the environment (Goal 1). The committee consists of representatives from each directorate within the Finance and Administration Branch in Headquarters, each region, and select branches in Headquarters. The committee and its sub-committees are under the direction of the National EMS Coordinator within the SD Division.
  
  
• Branches: The branches are the key to integrating sustainable development into the CRA's business decisions. By integrating sustainable development into their functional areas of responsibility, branches can affect change at the corporate level. All Assistant Commissioners have signed this Plan, and are accountable for their commitments in the plan. They are also accountable for developing an annual branch plan that supports this national Plan. Under the direction of their SD Coordinator, branches are responsible for promoting awareness on sustainable development to their employees, and for implementing, measuring, and reporting on their sustainable development commitments in a quarterly report for submission to the SD Division.
  
  
• Regions: Our regions comprise the bulk of the CRA's employee population and deliver CRA programs directly to Canadians. All regional Assistant Commissioners have signed this Plan, and are accountable for their commitments in the plan. They are also accountable for developing an annual regional plan that supports this national Plan. Under the direction of their SD Coordinator, regional offices define specific roles for promoting awareness to employees at the local level, and implementing, measuring, and reporting on their sustainable development commitments in a quarterly report for submission to the SD Division.
  
  
• Partnerships: The SD Division and the SD Network liaise with other government departments (OGDs) and organizations through various national, regional and local working groups. These partnerships help to reduce duplication of effort, learn about best practices, and ensure that our strategy and action plans reflect the priorities of the Government of Canada. We also rely on partners, such as our facilities service provider, to advance specific targets in our strategy.
  
  
• Management: Management at all levels, including the Board of Management, are responsible for providing support and direction for planning and implementing sustainable development activities at the CRA.
  
  
• Employees: Sustainable development is a shared responsibility throughout the CRA. All employees are responsible for being aware of the principles of sustainable development, and for applying these principles in their work.

Date modified:

2008-08-08