Corporate responsibility

About us / Corporate responsibility

Our commitment

We started out as two guys in a small office working on some contracts. As our success grew, so did the number of employees. As our competencies grew, so did the number of committed customers and partners. As our contacts grew, so did our sphere of influence around the world. We are all dedicated to solving challenging manufacturing problems – wherever they are.

When you bring a group of people together, the group develops a personality. We are kind and caring, responsible and trustworthy, intelligent and motivated. That’s why we have customers who return to work with us, time and time again.

We care about…

…our employees.

Hiring the best person for the job is very important to us. It has helped us create a culturally diverse group with competencies in many languages and cultures. We come from all over the world.

Creating career paths that everyone can understand, that meet our business needs, and respond to our depth of experience is a challenge that we should always be thinking about. When people see the path to the future clearly, and can make their own choices about how to pursue it, they are engaged.

Continuous learning is crucial in our business. New tools, new technologies, new customer and partner business spaces – there is so much to learn. Supporting our employees’ needs for learning and skills improvement keeps us sharp.

Communication is key in all our relationships. We create repeatable processes and documentation so we can communicate how PEER Group works to our new employees. We create supportive relationships and strong work friendships because together, we’re stronger.

…health and safety.

PEER Group complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. A safe and healthy workplace is important to us. Commitment to Health and Safety forms an integral part of our everyday activities and we are dedicated to the continuing objective of reducing the risk of injury throughout our operations. To ensure a safe environment exists for all employees and visitors, managers and staff work together to take every reasonable safety precaution.

We have a dedicated Health and Safety team that performs regular workplace audits. All PEER Group employees have completed the Government of Ontario’s 4-step Worker Health and Safety Awareness training. All PEER Group managers have completed the Government of Ontario’s 5-step Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness Training.

…labour and human rights.

PEER Group complies with the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. We are an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, ability, and performance. We welcome inquiries from everyone and value diversity in our workplace. PEER Group hires and attracts talent regardless of race, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or sexual orientation.

If an individual requires accommodation in completing the application process, they are encouraged to email hr@peergroup.com or call HR at 519-749-9554. If an individual is contacted regarding a position, we encourage them to advise HR of any accommodation measures they may require during our interview process. We address all confidential matters with respect.

For more information, see our accessibility statement.

…supplier diversity.

We have a barrier-free attitude toward providing equal opportunity for diverse suppliers in our supply chain. PEER Group abides by the Canadian Human Rights Act and we welcome contact and proposals from suppliers owned and operated by persons of any age, race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status and persons with disabilities.

…ethics and morality.

PEER Group encourages moral principles that govern appropriate individual and group behavior. Our employees are expected to demonstrate ethical behavior within our office, at all customer sites, and during all engagements with other employees and all outside parties.

To provide feedback on a PEER Group ethics violation, or to request more details, see our ethics reporting page.

…the environment.

We strive to step lightly on the earth – leaving only a whisper of our passing. That means continuously listening for new ideas about saving energy and decreasing our carbon footprint. From bike racks to energy-saving equipment, recycling, and reusable dishware, we all make daily choices that make a difference.

For more information about our environmental policies, see our sustainability statement.

…helping others.

PEER Group is filled with enthusiastic givers. Our Giving Committee finds interesting ways for us to support the local community and meaningful causes. Sometimes, the need is within and we rally around one of us who is having a tough time battling disease, or dealing with a life change.

For more details about our local support initiatives, see our community involvement page.

…customer success.

We come to each customer engagement determined to provide the skills and support that will help our customer reach their goals. We work hard to earn their trust, go above and beyond so we can earn their respect and deliver innovative results with praiseworthy quality.

Executive accountability commitment

I am personally committed to ensuring that PEER Group always conducts business and treats others in an appropriate way, as indicated in our Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) support letter. PEER Group is committed to transparency in reporting our corporate responsibility policies and I welcome your feedback on our performance.

Mike Kropp, President & CEO
PEER Group

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) accessibility statement and multi-year plan

The PEER Group Inc. (PEER Group) is committed to excellence in providing accessible customer service to all customers, office visitors, and employees – including people with disabilities. We believe that it is important for people of all abilities to have an equal opportunity to access the services they require with independence and dignity, with assistive devices and policies integrated into the service standard. We provide training to current and new employees to ensure that all employees understand and can implement accessibility standards. We keep our employees with disabilities safe by providing personal emergency response plans and information when required or requested.

Assistive devices

PEER Group ensures that our staff members are trained on various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our services.

Support persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Service animals

PEER Group welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

Accessible emergency information

If an emergency causes our offices to close temporarily, PEER Group will use a variety of means to notify employees and expected visitors that the office is closed, and will make best efforts to ensure that all parties (including those who require accessibility accommodations) can receive the information. Notifications might include:

• Text messages.
• A written notice on our website that could be read with an assistive device.
• A verbal message on our answering machine.

Training

PEER Group will provide training to employees and other staff members on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees.

PEER Group will take the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the necessary training:

• Post our Accessibility Policy on our external website and intranet.
• Ensure all current and new employees have received the Accessibility Policy and training guide.
• Provide training as part of our onboarding program.
• Post training material on our intranet.

Information and communications

PEER Group asks all visitors to our offices how we can best assist them. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities by consulting with the person who requires accommodation to determine their information and communication needs. We communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take their disability into account.

PEER Group has taken the following steps to make sure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request:

• List feedback process in Accessibility Policy.
• Encourage people with feedback to contact the Human Resources team at HR@peergroup.com, 519-749-9554.

Before January 1, 2016, PEER Group took steps to ensure all publicly available information can be made accessible and provided in different ways (e.g., large print, read aloud, etc.) on request.

PEER Group took steps on our external website in an effort to ensure its content and design conformed with AODA WCAG 2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2021.

PEER Group will continue to:

• Review new website content and designs to ensure external websites are up to date with WCAG 2.0., Level AA compliance standards.
• Make any amendments as necessary.
• Strive to meet as many WCAG 2.0, Level AA compliance standards as possible in external websites.

Employment

PEER Group is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We take the following steps to notify the public and our employees that, when requested, we will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired:

• Update individual online job opportunities with our commitment to accessibility.
• Notify recruitment teams that upon request, we will make accommodations for public and employees with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired.

PEER Group creates and executes individual accommodation plans and return-to-work plans for employees that have been absent due to a disability.

To prevent and remove other identified accessibility barriers, PEER Group provides an open forum for reporting any accessibility barriers and accommodation.

Contact us to learn more

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact the Human Resources team at:

519-749-9554
hr@peergroup.com

Accessible formats of this document are available free of charge upon request.

Sustainability

As a knowledge-based software company, PEER Group doesn’t produce any Scope 1 emissions or consume large quantities of energy. We also work closely with our employees, office facilitators, and suppliers to mitigate our Scope 2 emissions.

Our building

Our global headquarters is located in turn-of-the-century factory in Kitchener, Ontario. In 1999, the building was retrofitted into office space with PEER Group being the first tenant. The building owner and tenants work together to reduce the building’s environmental footprint. In 2011, we achieved BOMA BEST certification – a program designed to assess environmental performance and management of existing buildings. Surpassing expectations, the building achieved level 3 certification in the first year!

Transportation

Both Kitchener and Toronto offices are within walking distance to local bus and train services. Additionally, our Kitchener office is equipped with indoor bicycle racks for those who cycle to work.

PEER Group uses air travel when it makes sense. If multiple people travel by air at the same time, we attempt to arrange ride sharing to and from the airport.

To minimize travel, we use virtual communication technology with our clients for presentations, meetings, and remote support. Being able to reach across the globe without leaving our office has a big impact on our carbon footprint.

Recycling

One of our biggest ongoing achievements is maintaining our diversion rate (recycling and reuse) at 80%, from a starting point of 67%. To ensure we maintain this rate, employees are encouraged to recycle using bins located at each workstation and in common areas. Used equipment, such as computer monitors and furniture, is offered to employees first and then recycled. We also recycle 100% of our e-waste and batteries through local facilities.

Shredding bins are located throughout our offices so we can safeguard our confidential information while still recycling.

PEER Group provides reusable plates, glasses, and cutlery in our lunch room and we encourage employees to bring in a set of personal dishes.

To reduce the use of plastic water bottles, we offer hot and cold filtered water in each kitchen area.

What else?

• Office lights are turned off at the end of each day and during weekends
• Washroom lights are activated via motion detectors
• Computers and peripherals automatically enter energy savings mode after short periods of inactivity
• Outdated computer equipment is regularly replaced with smart, energy efficient upgrades
• Printers are configured for duplex printing to save paper
• Office appliances are purchased with energy efficiency in mind
• Coffee is kept warm using thermal encasing instead of burners
• Offices are outfitted with large windows to reduce the use of artificial lighting
• Our HVAC system automatically lowers usage settings outside of office hours
• Toilets are low-flow to conserve water
• Watering for landscaping is minimized by using timers and planting drought resistant local species