By Annette Verschuren President, The Home Depot <strong>Canada</strong> By Paul Ostrander CEO, Holcim <strong>Canada</strong> Inc. The Need <strong>for</strong> a 360 º Approach to Af<strong>for</strong>dable Housing Growing up in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, I was relatively insulated from the realities of <strong>Canada</strong>’s af<strong>for</strong>dable-housing crisis until I moved to Toronto in the mid-1980s. A cross Toronto, in 2009, 71,000 families were on the waiting list <strong>for</strong> subsidized housing. And looking at <strong>Canada</strong>’s numbers, an estimated 1.3 million families are in need of af<strong>for</strong>dable housing right now. A number of public, private and non-governmental organizations are hard at work to provide Canadians with homes that meet their needs. But we must move faster. And our solution must be more holistic, taking the entire picture into account: environment, community connection, volunteerism, education, corporate social responsibility, employee engagement and more. Since 1996, The Home Depot <strong>Canada</strong> has provided tens of thousands of skilled, volunteer labour hours, and more than $20 million in cash and in-kind donations to <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>’s (HFHC) housing projects across the country. Through our experience, we have found <strong>Habitat</strong>’s program does more than build homes; it empowers families and builds a sense of community. It gives families a hand up rather than a hand out. Now, The Home Depot <strong>Canada</strong> and its foundation are making a long-term, three-year commitment of $12 million in cash and in-kind donations to support sustainable community development with HFHC. We’ll achieve this through a new program HFHC is launching in 2011 with our support; the 360 Built Smart Partnership, which will: • help families in need access and succeed with homeownership; • reduce <strong>Habitat</strong>’s environmental footprint by funding more environmentally sound building practices; • rally communities and volunteers in <strong>Habitat</strong>’s work; and • more strategically engage public and private partners in af<strong>for</strong>dable housing solutions. The Home Depot <strong>Canada</strong> and its foundation are making this contribution in recognition that an investment in af<strong>for</strong>dable housing is more than an act of charity; it is a strategic investment in our society. Research has proven that af<strong>for</strong>dable housing improves the health of children and adults, helps children achieve better grades, keeps family units stronger and improves an individual’s job prospects. As Canadian businesses, we can all help provide af<strong>for</strong>dable housing by getting involved and contributing to organizations like HFHC. This article originally appeared in a <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> special in<strong>for</strong>mation feature in The Globe and Mail newspaper on Oct 4, 2010. Produced by RandallAnthony Communications Inc. Reprinted with permission. The 360 Built Smart Partnership Program is an exciting new program that will launch in the spring of 2011 that plans to trans<strong>for</strong>m the face of communities across the country. Through the program, we will demonstrate that an investment in af<strong>for</strong>dable housing provides tremendous economic returns to society in the areas of better educational, economic, and health opportunities <strong>for</strong> families at risk. The results – healthier families and communities, and ultimately a more productive nation. Invest in the 360 Built Smart Partnership, and become a leader in the field of sustainable communities. By doing so, you will not only help families in need access af<strong>for</strong>dable housing, but you will also make a lasting impact on the communities where you live and work. For more in<strong>for</strong>mation on the 360 Built Smart Partnership, please call (416) 644-0988 x353, or visit habitat.ca. Long-term corporate investment Creates Change, Builds Communities In an age where Corporate Social Responsibility is an expected business practice, rather than a rarity, it is important <strong>for</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>’s businesses to look more closely at what it means to “give” in this environment. No longer does corporate giving involve an arm’s-length financial donation that gets logged in the books as another transaction and nothing more. Today, companies are creating partnerships that have a multi-layered benefit that extends beyond the handing over of money. Take Holcim <strong>Canada</strong>’s strategic, longterm partnership with <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> (HFHC) as an example – a partnership that began in 2003. Not only does our partnership allow Holcim to achieve our own business objectives in areas such as employee engagement, environmental stewardship and community investment, it also places hardworking families into homes of their own. More recently, Holcim joined the HFHC 360 Built Smart Partnership (launching 2011), making a three-year pledge of significant monetary and in-kind material donations to be put toward the building of sustainable communities across the country. Our employees will be actively engaged in hands-on volunteer work to further define what a sustainable community looks like by putting hammers to nails and carpets on floors. This definition of a sustainable community certainly includes environmental considerations such as energy efficiency, green material use and reduced carbon emissions, but it extends far beyond that. Our vision of a sustainable community is one where children in stable homes get better grades and have fewer health problems, adults have better future prospects and higher self-esteem, and our company’s employees connect with the communities in which we are located through meaningful volunteerism. Holcim <strong>Canada</strong>’s relationship with HFHC has raised our profile in local communities, establishing a deeper relationship between our company and the people we do business with every day. As well, this type of longterm, multi-year, strategic partnership will also lead to brand recognition, employee retention and help with recruitment. Holcim has paid a lot of attention to improving environmental per<strong>for</strong>mance and community relations in recent years, and our involvement with the HFHC 360 Built Smart Partnership will allow us to continue to do that as we go <strong>for</strong>ward. We are a visible leader in our industry; Holcim is one of <strong>Canada</strong>’s largest producers and suppliers of products and services <strong>for</strong> the construction industry, employing 3,500 Canadians and serving customers across the country. But we choose not to stop there. Our leadership extends into commitment to sustainable building, the environment and community, and empowering working families towards homeownership. This article originally appeared in a <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> special in<strong>for</strong>mation feature in The Globe and Mail newspaper on Oct 4, 2010. Produced by RandallAnthony Communications Inc. Reprinted with permission. 6 The <strong>Habitat</strong> spirit Fall/Winter 2010 To donate, to advocate or participate visit www.habitat.ca 7