Performance Report on Sustainable Development April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009

3.0 SD Strategy Results

This section provides highlights of the results achieved in 2008-2009 against the implementation of the:

• National SD Action Plan activities and targets; and
• Environmental Management Programs (EMPs).

Details on results achieved against activities and targets during the period can be found in Appendices B and C, while Appendix D provides details on EMP results.

3.1 Goal 1: "Reduce the effects of our operations on land, air and water"

Goal 1 of the National SD Action Plan is focused on managing the Agency's environmental impacts from operations. During the period, we used the research and baselines established in 2007-2008 to implement initiatives, as follows:

Solid Waste

In order to reduce the amount of solid waste that is sent to landfill from CRA facilities, the Agency increased employee access to recycling by expanding the No Waste program in CRA facilities. The No Waste program was implemented/ formalized in an additional 18 selected facilities, with 84% of employees now having access to the program. This exceeds the March 2010 target of 75%. The Agency also advanced work to conduct the triennial audit of selected facilities in 2009-2010. The results of the audits will establish updated waste diversion rates for the CRA.

Green Procurement

The CRA included environmental specifications all five strategic sourcing contracts issued during the period. These contracts covered purchases of paper, toner cartridges, translation services, non T-1 tax envelopes, and general office supplies - totalling over $100 million.

Total spending on green products was 6.2% of total CRA product spending. This fell short of the 15% target for 2008-2009. The proportion of green purchases fluctuates annually depending on the type of products required by the CRA, and the availability of feasible green product alternatives.

Figure 1 shows that total Agency spending on green products was $17.8 million in 2008-2009 - an increase of 26% over the previous period.

Figure 1: CRA Total Spending on Green Products

Although there has been an almost consistent increase in CRA total spending on green products, Figure 2 shows that the proportionate value of green product purchases has fluctuated over the years.

Figure 2: Green Product Purchases as a Percentage of Total CRA Product Purchases

Notwithstanding, the rising trend in the Agency's spending on green products is expected to continue as environmental specifications are included in more strategic sourcing contracts.

Multi-purpose Office Paper

By reducing the amount of paper used in delivering CRA services and operations, the Agency can conserve natural resources; as well as realize costs savings. Internally, employees on average used 336 fewer sheets of paper for printing and photocopying vis-à-vis 2007-2008. Figure 3 shows that in 2008-2009, each CRA employee used an average 5,385 sheets of office paper in their job.This represents a 26% reduction in multi-purpose office paper use per employee vis-à-vis the baseline year of 2004-2005. This surpasses the March 2010 target of a 22% decrease. This result was supported by the increased use of electronic-forms - a total of 20 internal branch and regional forms were converted to electronic-forms for online use.

Figure 3: Multi-purpose Office Paper Consumption

In providing services to taxpayers and clients, the CRA saved an estimated 557 million sheets of paper through the electronic filing of Individual (T1) tax returns in 2008-2009. We piloted an online approach to processing Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests. With approximately 5% of all 2008-2009 ATIP requests made using the new electronic process, the CRA saved an estimated 100,000 sheets of paper, printer cartridge and supply costs; and about 119 employee hours by not having to stamp, scan or print paper documents. The potential savings from Agency-wide implementation is significant.

CRA Business Travel

The Agency continued data analysis to establish a baseline for CRA business travel, prior to promoting sustainable business travel options to employees. Due to resource constraints, the baseline was not completed as planned. However, we finalized a Sustainable Business Travel (SBT) course and drafted an implementation plan to guide promotion of the course to employees. The course includes information on smart driving and sustainable transportation alternatives. Work will continue to complete the business travel baseline in 2009-2010.

Fleet

To reduce GHG emissions from its fleet of vehicles and to support the CRA's fleet policy, the Agency purchased five alternative fuel (ATF) capable vehicles. This increased the percentage of hybrids and ATF capable vehicles in the CRA fleet to a high of 43%, up from 39% in the previous period. Figure 4 shows theAgency's fleet profile as of March 31, 2009 [Footnote 5].

The Agency finalized the draft CRA Fleet Manager's Handbook, and CRA Fleet Directives and Procedures. Both the policy instruments and handbook promote the use of Ethanol-10 fuel in CRA fleet vehicles, where feasible.

Figure 4: CRA Fleet Profile for 2008-2009

Energy Conservation

As a tenant entity, the CRA seeks to conserve energy by reducing the plug-load from energy-powered equipment such as computers, printers, photocopiers, and task lighting. In order to assess energy conservation opportunities, the Agency selected six facilities within which to baseline plug-load patterns. Inventories of plug load patterns were completed in five of the facilities, with the remaining facility scheduled to complete its inventory in 2009-2010. Analysis of the inventories along with the reports will be finalized in the next fiscal period.

3.1.1 Conclusion - Goal 1

Of the seven targets being pursued in Goal 1, one target was met and exceeded and ahead of schedule (employee use of office paper), while the other targets are in progress. Over time, the CRA has significantly increased its capacity to report on environmental metrics. This capacity will be expanded, as we finalize baselines and implement additional environmental initiatives.

3.2 Goal 2: "Demonstrate sustainable service of tax and benefit programs"

Paper Savings

The electronic filing of Individual (T1) tax returns was 53% in the 2008 tax year - an increase of about 3%. In demonstrating the environmental benefits that accrue from electronic services delivery, it is estimated that between 1990 and 2008, an estimated 4.6 billion sheets of paper were saved using the CRA EFILE and NETFILE services for Individual (T1) tax returns. Figure 5 shows the trend in use of electronic services for filing Individual (T1) tax returns.

Figure 5: Trends in Individual (T1) Electronic Tax Filing (1990-2008)

SD Integration and Communication

Partnership Agreements: We advanced the inclusion of sustainable development provisions in new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Letters of Intent (LOIs). Of the 23 MOUs and LOIs issued during the period, 16 or 70% included SD provisions. They related mainly to using technology to realize efficiencies. Work will continue to strengthen the application of the criteria.

Benefit Recipients: The Agency also increased the provision of electronic services to benefit recipients such as direct deposits for benefit payments, automated benefit applications, benefit online application service, and online calculators. SD messages were ;included in the set of corporate messages as part of the Agency's brand promise to Canadians. The messages are intended for use in the Agency's communications and outreach materials.

3.2.1 Conclusion - Goal 2

Appreciable progress was made to realize the four targets that support Goal 2. Chief among the targets were simplifying the tax and benefits services, and communicating our SD commitment to the public. With a mandate that affect millions of Canadians, the SD program will continue to influence CRA programs and operations towards sustainable service delivery.

3.3 Goal 3: "All employees apply sustainable development in their jobs"

SD in Performance Agreements

During the period, 97% of the CRA executive cadre (EC) included SD commitments in their performance agreements, surpassing the March 2010 target of 90%. Within the management/gestion (MG) group, 71% of members included SD measurement criteria in their performance expectations. This is a substantive increase from 43% in 2007-2008. Promotion will continue in the next period to achieve the 90% target for both groups in 2009-2010.

SD Learning

To further engage our MG group, we delivered SD training to a total of 380 managers at 20 sessions of the MG Learning Program (MGLP). We also included SD content and incorporated green meeting protocols in a number of MG forums. SD information was also provided to participants in the EC learning sessions.

SD Engagement

National SD Events: The CRA continued to lever the three national SD events of Earth Day, Environment Week and Waste Reduction Week to increase employee understanding and application of SD considerations on the job. CRA branches and regions hosted local events to support the national themes. In addition to SD events, the Agency formalized SD orientation information for integration into local orientation packages. About 80% of branches and regions reported that SD information has been included in their local orientation packages.

Figure 6 shows SD awareness among CRA employees. The next SD awareness survey for CRA employees will be conducted in 2010-2011.

The Sustainable Development Innovation Fund (SDIF): The Fund received 32 project proposals and awarded $37,000 to implement five employee-driven projects. They are:

1. Actual Greening of a Virtual Team Human Resources Branch (HQ): Approximately 75 Competency Consultants work throughout the Agency—they each process an average of 22 Portfolios of Competencies (PoCs) per year. The project changed the transmitting, validating and storing procedures, making them completely electronic. There is a potential saving of 56,250 sheets of paper, in addition to process efficiency gains.

2. ATIP Electronic Request Processing - Public Affairs Branch (HQ) : The Public Affairs Branch IT team designed and implemented a Web-based electronic tasking tracker and drop-off box to access, view and submit Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests and source documents. The SDIF helped to fund the conversion of the ATIP process to an electronic imaging system that made processing largely paperless. With approximately 5% of all 2008-2009 ATIP requests made using the electronic process, the CRA saved about 100,000 sheets of paper; and approximately 119 employee hours by not having to stamp, scan or print paper documents.

3. Information Cards on Recycling - Sudbury Tax Services Office (Ontario Region):The Sudbury Tax Services Office is one of the first corporate entity to take part in the City of Sudbury's Organics Collection program. Due to high seasonal turnover in employees and frequent visitors, the waste diversion program can be misunderstood and/or neglected by patrons. This project introduced bilingual information cards and other information materials that helped to highlight the use of the waste diversion program, and guide patrons to available signage and resources.

4. Bicycles, an Alternative!- Regina Tax Services Office (Prairie Region): At a Regina Tax Service Office, employees frequently travel between two buildings that are less than one kilometre apart. This project provided bicycles as an alternative to fleet vehicles.

5 . Electronic-Format Bank Directory - Montérégie-Rive-Sud Tax Services Office (Quebec Region): In their daily operations, Recovery Officers refer to a directory of banking institutions—a large, phonebook-like publication in three volumes that is updated four times per year. This project consisted of converting the directory of banking institutions to a user-friendly electronic format. The electronic version is updated quarterly, and made available throughout the CRA. Agency-wide, approximately 51,500 sheets of paper and $33,600 is saved annually through the project.

The assessment of the Fund showed that adjustments to the administration of the SDIF were required to enhance the quality of project proposals and minimize implementation delays. Specifically, applicants would be:

• granted more time to prepare their project proposals;
• provided with templates to guide well-developed proposals; including soliciting stakeholder authorization in principle, prior to submission;
• required to actively engage their management in the development of the proposal; and
• engage their local SD coordinator earlier in the process.

These modifications will be applied to the next call for SDIF proposals in 2009-2010.

3.3.1 Conclusion - Goal 3

We have advanced on all three targets that support Goal 3. Management continued to show strong support for SD within CRA. This was matched by high levels of employee awareness of SD at the CRA. We recognize that greater awareness does not always translate into action, so we will use the next period to enhance our SD tools and target employee groups with SD information that is specific to their job.

3.4 Goal 4: "Use modern systems that support and maintain sustainable development"

SD Network

Support: The capacity of the SD Network to carry out its functions directly impacts CRA SD results. As such, continual support is provided to the Network. During the period, the SD Division held quarterly meetings, delivered orientation and awareness sessions, visited local SD committees, released semi-annual SD Network report cards, and provided SD committee guidelines and best practices.

Service satisfaction: The SD Network reported an augmented approval rating of 82% (4.1 out of 5) vis-à-vis support services offered to them by the SD Division. This compares to 78% (3.9 out of 5) in the previous period. Table 1 outlines the ratings received by the SD Division in the six areas that were surveyed, as well as the change between the current and previous fiscal periods. The satisfaction levels increased in four of the six areas surveyed, with no change in two areas.

Table 1: SD Network Rating of SD Division Services in 2008-2009

Sustainability Criteria

The SD program continued efforts to include social, economic and environmental considerations into CRA policy instruments. Through the SD Network, we promoted the sustainability criteria that were released on CRA Intranet in the previous period. We also continued liaisons to include SD in the CRA corporate policy suite and policy instruments - examples include the CRA Learning Policy, the CRA Accommodations Strategy and the CRA Fleet Directive.

SD Program Management

Reporting: To increase the efficiency of the CRA SD performance reporting process, we released the second-generation online Performance Reporting (PR) Tool in the last half of the fiscal period. The online Tool represents a single repository for SD performance information, and provides ongoing reporting opportunity to the SD Network. The initial feedback from the SD Network was positive, and there was an overall increase in the timely submission of quarterly reports by the SD Network. Work to enhance the user-friendliness and capabilities of the application will continue in 2009-2010.

Environmental Management Program (EMP): We implemented our EMPs and reported performance to the National EMS Committee at regularly scheduled meetings - see Appendix D for details. Implementation progress for the 2008-2009 EMP was as follows:

1. Met - 71% or 65 of the 92 targets
2. Mostly met [Footnote 6] - 10% or 9 targets
3. Not met - 20% or 18 targets
4. Dropped - 2 targets

We also drafted new targets for the nine EMPs that will be implemented in 2009-2010.

SD Enquiries: In meeting its service standard of responding to enquiries from CRA employees within 5 working days; the SD Division responded to 98% of enquires (60 of 61) within 1.5 days.

3.4.1 Conclusion - Goal 4

We progressed on the two targets that support Goal 4. The activities to engage our SD Network facilitated the sharing of best practices. The successful launch of the PR Tool enabled timely input and retrieval of SD information by both the Network and the SD Division. The anticipated progress on the SD Report Card did not materialize due to competing priorities, and new operating context resulting from the new Federal Sustainable Development Act. However, the move towards greater integration of SD into departmental planning and reporting processes at the federal level opens opportunities that support the advancing of this target in the coming period.

3.5 Overall SD Strategy Performance for 2008-2009

During 2008-2009, we completed 88% of the scheduled work for year-two of the national SD Action Plan, and met 71% of the targets of the EMPs. We met and exceeded the target to reduce employee use of office paper a year ahead of schedule. On the other hand, we missed the target to achieve green product purchases of 15% of total CRA product spending by March 2009. We anticipate continued efficiencies in office paper use; as well as gains in the total value of green product purchases, given the continued greening of strategic sourcing contracts.

While shifting directions and competing priorities has delayed some results; we conclude that good progress was made by the CRA at the end of year-two, towards achieving the commitments of SD Strategy 2007-2010. In cases where activities were incomplete, they will be carried forward for completion in 2009-2010.

3.6 Next Steps for 2009-2010

For 2009-2010, the SD Program will seek to complete all targets of SD Strategy 2007-2010. This last year of implementing the current SD strategy will also require preparatory work by the CRA to align to the requirements of the new Federal Sustainable Development Act (2008). The Agency will also determine how to address the transition period between the end of SD Strategy 2007-2010 and the start of the next CRA SD Strategy 2011-2014.

Date modified:

2010-04-12