VZCZCXRO4340
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1134/01 1642109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 132109Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5885
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EEB/EPPD NSMITH-NISSLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON BEXP EINV ETRD ELAB KSEP SENV AMGT
SUBJECT: TURNING THE GREAT WHITE NORTH GREEN: GE CANADA'S 
NOMINATION FOR SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE 
 
REF: STATE 47222 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: General Electric (GE) Canada is a model of 
corporate excellence.  While GE Canada's performance in all 
eight criteria for the Secretary's Award for Corporate 
Excellence (ACE) is impressive, GE Canada's work in 
environmental stewardship, corporate citizenship, and legal 
compliance is particularly noteworthy and makes GE Canada a 
strong candidate for the ACE in the multinational category. 
End Summary. 
 
GE Canada - An Environmental Leader 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Two years ago, GE launched "Ecomagination" - a 
worldwide campaign designed to use ecologically sound 
products and services to drive business growth.  The 
following examples show how GE Canada is helping to meet GE's 
global targets to grow R&D in cleaner technologies: 
 - GE Motors in Peterborough, Ontario produces high 
performance traction motors for the GE Evolution series 
locomotives.  Compared to locomotives built 20 years ago, 
many of which are still in use, these engines produce 83% 
fewer particulates and 60% fewer nitrogen oxide emissions, 
while delivering higher fuel efficiency and as much as 10% 
lower lifecycle costs to customers.  Canada's CN and CP Rail 
both use GE's environmentally advanced locomotives. 
 - The Halton, Ontario Landfill Gas Project produces 17,000 
MWh/year from methane gas and reduces greenhouse gas 
emissions.  This project is made possible by using 2 GE 
Jenbacher engines. 
 - GE Energy Financial Services is investing C$112 million in 
the construction of a run-of-river hydroelectric project in 
British Columbia.  The project will help ensure that British 
Columbia continues to generate at least 90% of its energy 
from clean or renewable sources, will produce enough 
electricity annually to power an estimate 75,000 houses and 
will avoid the production of more than 455,000 metric tons of 
greenhouse gas emissions. 
 - GE is installing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental 
Design (LEED) certified Zenon membrane system to treat 
waste-water at the Olympic Broadcast building in Vancouver. 
Water treated by this membrane system will be recycled for 
re-use. 
 
¶3. (U) In short, GE is showing that responsible environmental 
stewardship is not just good for the planet but also good for 
the bottom line.  GE Canada Executives frequently speak on 
advancing responsible environmental management and business 
practices in leading Canadian public policy discussions such 
as sessions organized by the CD Howe Institute, the Prime 
Minister's Roundtable on the Environment and Economy, and the 
Canadian Council of Chief Executives. 
 
GE Canada - A Model for Compliance 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) In the "Financial Times" annual World's Most Respected 
Companies List, GE is ranked first for Corporate Governance. 
All GE employees read and sign GE's "Spirit and the Letter" 
internal governance document, which covers expectations for 
integrity, code of conduct, personal commitment, business 
policies and procedures, how to raise concerns, penalties for 
violations, working with customers and suppliers, government 
business, competing globally, and applicable laws.  The 
internal governance document is supported by on-line training. 
 
GE Canada - Solid Corporate Citizenship 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) In addition to investing more than $50 million 
annually in philanthropic initiatives around the world, GE 
also encourages employees to volunteer their time for 
charitable causes.  For example: 
Qcharitable causes.  For example: 
 - GE Canada is a cornerstone partner with Actua - a Canadian 
organization that offers science and technology programs to 
225,000 young people each year through camp and in-school 
learning.  Targeted groups include inner city children and 
young women, and 10,000 of the youth reached are aboriginal. 
 - GE Canada Mississauga won the United Way's Outstanding 
Corporate Campaign Award in 2006 for its participation in 
raising funds for the United Way. 
 - GE Canada's Day of Empowerment supports women's shelters 
in Peel, Ontario providing instruction for women who are 
victims of abuse on applying for jobs, managing finances, 
fitness, nutrition, and health. 
 
Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap 
 
 
OTTAWA 00001134  002 OF 002 
 
 
WILKINS