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About IPC Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
Investment Planning Counsel has a long-standing commitment to the principles of corporate social responsibility. We conduct our business in a manner that respects the long-term financial, economic, environmental and social interests of the communities in which we operate. This commitment is demonstrated through the activities of our company:
- Investment Planning Counsel is committed to supporting various communities, both locally and nationally, in the areas where it operates. The firm practices a culture of “Giving Back to Society” through numerous large as well as small local and national charities, events and organizations through our Advisor and employee volunteering programs.
- On a corporate scale, Investment Planning Counsel Advisors and head-office employees undertake fund raising initiatives for hospice and palliative care services through the Healing Cycle Foundation. This annual event typically draws wide support and commitment of our Advisors and employees across the board. As a result, we were recognized by the Healing Cycle Foundation as one its largest corporate supporters for the past 4 consecutive years.
- In 2011, Investment Planning Counsel awarded the second annual Steve Meehan Award for Community Service to Ken Vanderlaan. Ken was recognized by his peers in the Advisor community for his tireless efforts in fund raising for an organization known as The Carpenteros. The Carpenteros helps needy communities in Latin America, particularly in Honduras and El Salvador, become economically self sufficient through the support of local community credit unions. Ken’s contributions to the community, which go beyond his fund raising efforts, have inspired many of his peers to follow in his footsteps. The Steve Meehan Award for Community Service was created in honour of Investment Planning Counsel’s co-founder and former CEO, himself an avid volunteer, fund raiser and an inspiration to our Advisors and employees.
- Investment Planning Counsel has in place a Spirit Committee, a group comprised entirely of employee volunteers who spearhead the firm’s charitable giving initiatives. The committee coordinates fundraising activities, promotes and encourages employee volunteering, and reviews requests for all donations throughout the year. Through the Spirit Committee’s fund raising efforts, we support organizations such as the Salvation Army, Food Banks Canada and Cancer Research. In addition, the firm matches 100% of all funds raised by our employees for the charities that we support.
- From a community education perspective, Investment Planning Counsel is a major supporter of Junior Achievement of Canada, the largest not-for-profit youth education organization in Canada. Through Junior Achievement, our Advisors and employees volunteer their time and energy to provide financial literacy education to the youth in our communities.
- We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint through ‘green’ initiatives that aim to reduce the amount of paper we consume each year through continuous improvement objective. Investment Planning Counsel’s ‘Go Green Committee’ has already implemented initiatives such as an e-Delivery solution for client statements and segregated funds statement as well as an implementation of a document management solution to facilitate the electronic storage of regulatory head office files.
- We support our employees in their professional development through various training and skill development programs. This includes tuition assistance, leadership development and employee skill development programs. We also provide various training and support programs to our Advisors to deliver effective financial advice. In addition, on an on-going basis, we provide opportunities for students to gain work experience, which encourages their skill development and future employment potential, and to receive financial compensation for their efforts.