Innergex – Sustainable development report 2014

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

At Innergex, we are very proud of our commitment to produce renewable energy exclusively. We have come to know that sustainable development isn’t just about what we do, but also about how we do it. Our success has been founded on developing good projects, which for us means projects that are accepted by the local community, respectful of the environment, and economically viable both for us and for the electric utilities we service – in other words, projects that strike a balance between social, environmental, and economic considerations. Over the years, management has intuitively applied these principles of sustainability in building the Company, based on our long-term mindset.

In doing this, Innergex has made social acceptability the cornerstone of its development strategy. We have demonstrated leadership and innovation in building lasting relations, sharing the economic benefits of our projects and forming partnerships with local communities and First Nations, often creating industry standards for others to follow.

At the same time, Innergex has made environmental sustainability the backbone of its development strategy. Recognizing that any economic activity has an impact on the environment, we believe that all reasonable measures can and should be taken to avoid or minimize this impact. Independent power producers must abide by strict federal and provincial regulations designed to protect the environment, from project conception to site operation and restoration. In this area, too, we have demonstrated leadership and innovation in meeting, and sometimes exceeding, the strictest environmental standards.

It is only fitting, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, to acknowledge that our success is deeply rooted in the principles of sustainability and that the course we originally set remains just as relevant today – if not more so. We reaffirm our mission to increase our production of renewable energy by developing and operating high-quality facilities while respecting the environment and balancing the best interests of the host communities, our partners, and our shareholders. In conducting our business, we strive to achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental considerations and we commit ourselves to planning, deciding, managing and operating through the lens of sustainable development. We recognize that this is a continuous improvement process, and we are especially pleased to publish our first sustainable development report as an important means of demonstrating our transparency and accountability to our partners and stakeholders. It is also a means by which we invite them to continue our dialogue.

Michel Letellier, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Innergex