Corporate Sustainability

• Our new strategy will help leverage our supply chain in support of collective sustainability goals. Sustainable procurement integrates social and environmental priorities – alongside financial considerations – into the selection of goods, services, suppliers, and the management of contracts.

• We have continually decreased our fleet Criteria Air Contaminant (CAC) emissions per boarded passenger over the past five years. By retiring older diesel buses and replacing them with cleaner technologies we have reduced our CAC emissions by 65 per cent since 2016.

• TransLink's head office is located in a LEED-certified building, meaning that it utilizes best-in-class building practices to minimize our environmental footprint, save money and resources, create a positive impact on the health of occupants, and promote renewable, clean energy.

• BCRTC’s five-year environmental management plan and CMBC’s Environmental Management System guide informed decision-making and effective risk management.

• We continue to implement water treatment and conservation measures at our facilities, including state-of-the-art ultra-filtration treatment plants, bus wash water recycling systems, safe wastewater discharge systems, and 50 per cent reductions in bus washing in summer to align with the region’s water conservation efforts.

• Our waste and recycling programs aim to reduce our consumption of natural resources, prevent pollution, and minimize landfill space. Initiatives include waste audits and collection and recycling of various wastes, such as operator bus seats.

Commitments

We’re accountable to the public for ensuring we remain financially viable and make economical use of our revenue sources. The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act (SCBCTA Act) requires TransLink to develop an investment plan that identifies planned transportation services, initiatives, and major capital investments for the next 10 years.

Progress

Through sustainable financial management, we create the stability needed for successful long-term planning:

• TransLink demonstrates its responsibility and accountability as a public-sector organization by tracking progress in our measures, assessing and mitigating risk, and reporting performance.

• We have a diversification of revenue sources to help us weather any changes to the economy and to give us the capacity to deliver stable and predictable transportation services.

• To manage and mitigate financial risks, we have developed Financial Risk and Debt Management Policies. These are reviewed annually by TransLink’s Finance & Audit Committee to ensure alignment with changing market conditions, technology, evolving regulatory standards, and best practices.

• With our name and stable credit ratings, TransLink is currently the only transportation agency in Canada to issue bonds directly through the Canadian debt capital markets as a way of raising financing. TransLink is the first transit agency in Canada to issue green bonds, which are used to finance the current expansion of our system. Green bonds give investors the opportunity to invest their money in green and low-carbon projects – for example, battery-electric buses.

• TransLink developed a Green Bond Framework to set out the guidelines for the issuance of green bonds.

• TransLink is currently implementing a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system to better monitor and manage financial resources and physical assets.

Commitments

As a responsible member of the community, we’re committed to:

• Working with our stakeholders and community partners to foster the livability, sustainability, and resilience of our region and provide leadership for developing and enhancing our transportation system.

• Conducting transparent, inclusive, and respectful consultations with our stakeholders and the public to obtain meaningful input into TransLink activities.

• Encouraging and recognizing the efforts of employees, subsidiaries, service contractors, and partners for their sustainability practices and innovations.

• As an employer, we’ll provide a safe and healthy workplace and cultivate an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment.

Progress

• To address the transportation challenges of our region, the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation adopted Transport 2050 and the 10-Year Priorities to keep our region moving over the next decade.

• TransLink has worked diligently to develop a full, inclusive public consultation approach to its plans and projects, which is outlined in our Principles for Public Consultation and Engagement.

• Our Supplier Code of Conduct strongly encourages suppliers to demonstrate sustainability, leadership, and innovation, while promoting best practices and continuous improvement throughout their operations.

• As beacons for our community, our employees support many organizations throughout the year on a continuous or one-time basis.

• We’re working on gathering data on our employees’ sentiments around equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work environment to get a better understanding of where we stand and what we can focus on in the future.

• We provide all employees with Respectful Workplace Training and offer health and wellness programs and initiatives.