CHALK RIVER, Ontario, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, is pleased to announce the release of its 2023-2024 Sustainability Report, a comprehensive document that tracks the company’s journey towards more sustainable operations. First published in 2021, the report is produced on an annual basis by CNL, and provides insight into its ongoing efforts to incorporate sustainability into the operation of all of the sites it manages on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).
CNL is committed to protecting the environment and doing its part to mitigate climate change, and has established targets related to environmental performance, including carbon emissions, energy efficiency, biodiversity and waste management. CNL is also deeply committed to nurturing a healthy work environment for all staff and contractors, and to pursuing meaningful engagement with local and Indigenous communities. The Sustainability Report details CNL’s efforts to expand economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses and local organizations from the communities around our operating sites. Working towards these goals, CNL realized meaningful improvements within many key areas, all of which are tracked in this latest edition of its Sustainability Report.
“This year, CNL once again realized many accomplishments – both big, and small – which are important to the future of our company, to the health and well-being of the people and communities that we are proud to serve, and to the prosperity that we all want for this country,” commented Jack Craig, CNL’s President and CEO. “That progress also extends to our program of work. The future we are collectively working towards – a country with a clean environment, a vibrant and dynamic economy, and a healthy and secure population – requires the pursuit of technological innovation and scientific progress. And it has become increasingly clear that we simply cannot realize this future without the contributions of nuclear science and technology.”
“It is no secret, the positive impact of nuclear science and technology on the world around us,” commented Fred Dermarkar, AECL’s President and CEO. “The work that CNL does, dealing with decommissioning, legacy waste, and exciting new nuclear science and technology, has a significant positive impact on our environment and the health and wellbeing of Canadians. But what we do is as important as how we do it – which is why I’m so pleased to see CNL’s Sustainability Report. For AECL, working towards sustainability, finding efficiencies and greener ways of doing things, is critically important. This report shows how CNL is working to meet the expectations of government and Canadians of leadership in this field, and I look forward to even more success in the years to come.”
In the coming fiscal year, CNL will stand up an official Sustainability Office to guide, coordinate and champion sustainability across the company. Guided by CNL’s Vision 2030 corporate strategy, the Sustainability Office will work closely alongside all CNL departments, AECL and stakeholders to ensure that sustainability is considered and integrated into all areas of its operations, policies and future plans.
“As a world-class research organization, I believe CNL is in a strong position to demonstrate leadership in environmental, social and governance practices, and to facilitate the transition to a net-zero economy by helping to shape the future of clean energy,” commented Dilhari Fernando, CNL’s new Chief Sustainability Strategy Officer (CSSO). “As outlined in this report, we have taken concrete steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, protect nature and biodiversity, keep our employees safe and position them for success, and engage more meaningfully with Indigenous Peoples and our other stakeholders. This unwavering commitment to sustainability has helped to establish a solid foundation that we look forward to building on in the years ahead.”
Among the many highlights identified in the report this year, CNL has:
- Achieved emissions reduction of 51% from 2005 levels at the Chalk River Laboratories site, bringing the campus closer to being carbon neutral by 2040.
- Diverted approximately 77 per cent (231 tonnes) of CNL’s operational waste and approximately 83 per cent (9,130 tonnes) of construction and demolition waste from landfills, exceeding its 2023 annual targets.
- Celebrated the opening of the Science Collaboration Centre at Chalk River Laboratories, a newly constructed office and collaboration complex that has received multiple awards for sustainable design, including the use of Canadian mass timber, and water and energy efficient features.
- Signed two long-term agreements with Indigenous communities, contributing to a total of 33 agreements that formalize our commitment to mutual respect, collaboration, and economic opportunities with neighbouring First Nations.
- Operated for 2.6 million consecutive hours in 2023 without a lost-time injury.
- Appointed a new Chief Sustainability Strategy Officer to develop its ESG strategy, oversee ESG integration and enhance collaboration across CNL and with rightsholders and stakeholders on ESG issues.
- Entered into new academic partnerships with universities to advance research priorities, share resources and better develop future industry professionals, bringing the total number of academic partnerships to seven.
- Donated $187,000 towards 41 charities and organizations that contribute to the health and well-being of its local communities, including children’s charities, violence prevention centres, local food banks, and sports clubs. These donations were made by CNL employees, with funding provided by the Canadian National Energy Alliance (CNEA).
- CNL employees also dug deep into their own pockets to contribute to those in need this year, raising over $85,000 through our annual United Way campaign for the less fortunate, and a record-breaking $67,000 through the annual Black Bears hockey tournament, which was also donated to local causes, including local hospital foundations and the Robbie Dean Centre.
If you’d like to learn more about CNL, or view the company’s 2023-2024 Sustainability Report, please visit www.cnl.ca.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
CNL Contact:
Philip Kompass
Director, Corporate Communications
1-866-886-2325
media@cnl.ca
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/35a62d11-40db-4391-9c33-1239cc3e947b
