FCL recognized for its charitable giving
November 15, 2023
For the seventh consecutive year, FCL has been recognized with a Caring Company designation from Imagine Canada. FCL donated more than $8.4 million in the 2022 fiscal year.
Imagine Canada, a national charity advocacy organization, recognizes national leaders in community engagement and corporate giving, for companies that donate an annual minimum of one per cent of their pre-tax profit to non-profit and charitable organizations.
“Co-op is embedded in the fabric of the communities we have the privilege of serving across Western Canada,” said Pam Skotnitksy, Vice-President Strategy. “We’re extremely proud to give back to the people of those communities, and thank Imagine Canada for their recognition of our continued commitment to do so.”
The FCL donation total does not include the local giving that happens through Co-ops across Western Canada—that is over and above the $8.4 million.
How do we give back?
The $8.4 million in donations makes its way to communities across Western Canada through several programs and channels. Here are some notable highlights from 2022:
Community Spaces
2022 marked the eighth year of Community Spaces, a program that supports projects to protect, beautify and improve spaces in local communities. In 2022, $1 million was shared across 13 projects that included playgrounds, rinks, sport courts, a swimming pool, community farms and community centres. Community Spaces applications will open again in February 2024, so stay tuned!
Community Investment Fund
Directed by employee-led communities in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, Community Investment Fund (CIF) funds support registered non-profit and charitable organizations that matter to our team members. In 2022, one of the notable organizations that received CIF support was Make-A-Wish.
Community Builders
Outside of work hours, FCL team members are often busy volunteering with organizations that are important to them. The Community Builders Program recognizes employees who dedicate themselves to building their communities through volunteerism, with donations made to the registered non-profits or charitable organizations with whom FCL team members volunteer.
Co-op Helps
Supporting local Co-ops and their charitable work, Co-op Helps is a disaster relief and community response program that provides timely support for local Co-ops to activate if and when an immediate need for support arises. It is a centralized program with financial support from FCL, with localized activation and engagement in partnership with Co-ops across Western Canada.
In-kind Donations
In 2022, FCL’s four distribution centres donated more than $3.4 million (693,580 kg) of food to local foodbanks or similar organizations. This total includes food that is completely safe and usable, but cannot be sold to local Co-ops due to approaching sell-by dates, packaging changes or other reasons.
United Way
Every year, FCL runs an employee fundraising campaign for the United Way, with dollars raised matched by FCL to double the impact of the team member giving in their communities. In 2022, we hit an impressive lifetime milestone of $3 million total raised by employees and matched by FCL.
Commodity Programs
Investing in Co-op communities takes on tangible forms through our commodity programs, including Fuel Good Day, Communities in Full Colour and Community Building Assistance Program for independent fuel sites. FCL financially supports Fuel Good Day, an initiative driven by local Co-ops and their customers. In 2022, $650,000 was raised across the CRS from this one-day event.
Co-operative Development and Education Programs
In 2022, FCL provided funding support across a number of co-operative development and education programs, including Co-operatives First, Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, Co-op Education Program and more. Providing this support strengthens the cooperative model across education and business.