In the Community
A Culture of Community - How We Make It Matter
Community involvement is something we're passionate about at HP Advanced Solutions and it has become ingrained in our culture. We are one of Canada's top 100 employers for 2014, not only for the way we treat our people, but also for the way our people treat the community. Thanks to employee volunteer efforts, we received an A rating from for community involvement.
HPAS employees stand together at the 2014 Global Volunteer Day, taking place at Welland Legacy Park Orchard.
In 2014, our employees donated over 1,000 hours to our charitable and community projects. With a combination of events, campaigns, and year-round fundraisers we continue to raise money for a variety of charitable causes. Our four employee-driven committees provide employees with further opportunity to engage with and help one another while bringing awareness to important causes. Some of our larger volunteer initiatives include:
In its 17th year, the annual Charity Golf Classic tournament has raised almost $580,000 to fund equipment for infants requiring care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Victoria General Hospital. The annual tournament, organized by HP Advanced Solutions volunteers, takes place at the Royal Colwood Golf Club and raises funds for the Victoria Hospital to purchase everything from vital signs monitors to fetal heart monitors.
Since HP Advanced Solutions was formed, the company and its employees have participated in annual United Way of Greater Victoria Workplace Campaigns and won awards in virtually every category including First Time Campaign Spirit Award in 2005, the prestigious Triple Crown Award in 2007, and most recently the 2014 Spirit Award for Labour/Management Relationship. Since their initial campaign in 2005, HPAS has raised almost one million dollars for the community!
Social & Charity Committee
This committee organizes various events that promote an interactive culture among staff as well as providing opportunities for staff to connect to their community. Every Jeans day, 50/50 draw and staff barbecue goes towards supporting a variety of non-profit organizations. The members work together to promote the social environment of the workplace which strengthens company culture. In 2014, HPAS supported various local non-profit organizations, including:
- BC Cancer Foundation
- BC Children's Hospital Foundation
- BC SPCA
- Canadian Red Cross Society
- Habitat for Humanity Victoria
- Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
- MS Society of BC
- Our Place Society
- Parkinson Society of BC
- Plan Canada
- Victoria Brain Injury Society
Health and Wellness Committee
Healthy mind and body - built by you!
Health and happiness go hand in hand. The Health and Wellness Committee is a group of volunteers who are committed to raising awareness and leading initiatives to promote physical fitness, healthy habits, and balanced behaviors.
The committee has led a number of exciting events, such as the annual Health and Wellness Fair, curling night, step counting challenges, acupuncture information sessions, and mental fitness lunch ‘n’ learns. Some annual events, led in partnership with the Social & Charity Committee, include the Easter Seals 24-hour Relay for the Kids and the Co-ed Volleyball Tournament. The committee also sponsors employee barbecues, serving up delicious food that is from local, healthy, and sustainable sources. Money raised from events like the Health & Wellness BBQ goes towards future activities and prizes for HPAS employees. It's a reinvestment in employee health!
The Health and Wellness Committee is committed to enriching the lives of HPAS employees by providing education and activities to staff regarding all things health and wellness.
The Sustainability Committee
The Sustainability Committee is a fun group that looks for innovative ways to make HPAS a greener place. Their goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of staff at work and at home.
The committee initiated the composting kitchen scrap collection service, and 100% recycled paper in all the photocopiers and printers company-wide. Every three months the committee hosts ‘Hard to Recycle’ day where employees are encouraged to bring their Styrofoam, batteries, soft plastic, and more to work. They also take on the bottle collection responsibility - it's a sticky business! Profits from the bottle collection go towards supporting sustainability initiatives within the company – making the Sustainability Committee self-sustaining! Team members organize and participate in many environmental annual events, Beach Clean Up day, Earth Hour, Earth Day, National Sweater Day (turn down the heat!), we love to encourage participation with games and prizes!
The club also finds ways to educate the staff about environmental matters. Did you know that if recycling is contaminated with garbage it could force the whole bag to be thrown in the trash? The Sustainability Committee urges you double check on your next visit to the recycling bin, and in the process, help make HPAS a greener place.
Rewards and Recognition Committee
The Rewards and Recognition Committee meets every November to decide who best represents each HPAS Employee Recognition Award. The committee consists of employees from across HP Advanced Solutions to ensure that each area of the company is equally represented. They are responsible for determining the champions of HPAS culture and celebrating those individuals.