Issues of the day
At Groupe AGÉCO, our team has an in-depth understanding of the current issues businesses are facing. This allows us to support you in integrating the best business practices.
Here are a few examples of the topics we address on a daily basis.
Climate change
We measure carbon footprints and develop science-based strategies to combat and adapt to climate change.
Sustainable agri-food practices
We develop tools and strategies specifically adapted to your challenges and the agri-food sector.
Sustainable infrastructure and buildings
We analyze, reduce, and communicate environmental impacts related to infrastructure and buildings.
Product eco-designing and circular economy
We help you make informed decisions with product eco-design and the circular economy in mind.
Responsible sourcing
We take ethical, environmental, and social issues into account to build responsible supply chains.
Biodiversity and natural resources
We help manage your company’s impacts to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
Social impacts
We measure and evaluate how products and organizations affect individuals and communities.
Our achievements
What motivates us? Accompanying our clients in their efforts to become better corporate citizens, from measuring their impacts to implementing concrete actions.
Here are some examples of our recent achievements.
Metro
Since 2011, Groupe AGÉCO has supported retailer Metro with several mandates including helping the company define its strategies and improve its corporate responsibility practices.
This business relationship has enabled us to provide support in the creation of several framework documents for Metro, such as their:
Cascades
Since 2015, our team has been supporting Cascades, a Quebec leader in sustainable development, with various projects related to the quantification and communication of environmental impacts.
Some of the services we have provided include:
- Life cycle assessment for various packaging and hygiene products
- Inventory of the company’s scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Tools to calculate the environmental benefits of Cascades products
- Case studies for Éco Entreprises Québec
Consortium Project
In collaboration with Bâtiment durable Québec (previously Canada Green Building Council – Quebec), the Espace québécois de concertation sur les pratiques d’approvisionnement responsable (ECPAR) and several other professionals in the sector, Groupe AGÉCO has developed a guide to optimize the planning and management of construction sites.
This guide aims to equip the construction sector with the means to make profound and sustainable changes in the way things are done, by focusing on the benefits of a circular economy. This tool is intended for the various stakeholders who manage construction sites.
Réseau Environnement
Our water infrastructure, including drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and treatment plants, play a key role in the economic and social development of our regions. The breakdowns associated with these infrastructures have a significant impact on our daily activities.
At the request of Réseau Environnement, AGÉCO Group has developed a methodology to estimate the return on investment for water infrastructure in Quebec and to demonstrate the economic benefits associated with them. This exercise, which had never been performed before, was intended to support public authorities in their investment decisions.
The study estimated that for every dollar invested in upgrading our water infrastructure, the company receives $1.72 in avoided costs and other benefits related to improving the condition of our water infrastructure. The findings of the study were reported in La Presse.
AgriShield
Groupe AGÉCO, in collaboration with Farm Management Canada, contributed to the development of AgriShield®, the first Canadian platform for agricultural business risk management. This platform supports farmers in their analysis of six major risk categories: human resources, finance, markets, operational management, operating environment, and production.
Through this platform, producers are also equipped with the means to develop and implement an action plan to mitigate the main risks associated with their business.
Équiterre and the Greenbelt Foundation
Healthy soil increases farms’ resilience to climatic hazards by promoting more efficient nutrient and water management. Soil health is a complex and crucial issue for farmers, particularly in regards to climate resilience and food security of all.
In 2020, Groupe AGÉCO conducted a detailed review of agricultural best practices in soil health for Équiterre and the Greenbelt Foundation. This was accompanied by a review of Canadian and international agri-environmental programs to encourage the adoption of these practices. This state-of-the-art report provides a foundation for redesigning policies and programs related to agriculture and climate change in Canada, with a focus on improving soil health.
Based on the literature, the recommendations suggest that federal and provincial policies be redesigned to better reflect field knowledge, best practices, and the key factors influencing the adoption of these practices.
