Green Cities, Healthy Planet - Evergreen

Green Cities, Healthy PlanetStrategic Plan2013-20171 | Evergreen strategic plan

Our Strategic PrioritiesOver the next five years, Evergreen will build on a solid platform of community basedprogramming and unprecedented success in a one-of-a-kind adaptive reuse project.Evergreen is poised to play an expanded rolein a suite of issues focused on natural systemsand green cities—transportation, water, waste,energy, housing, food. We will leverage therelationships and experience of our core programswith Evergreen Brick Works.The following interdependent strategic prioritieswill guide our work over the coming years.Together, they present a compelling strategythat will position Evergreen to make a greatercontribution to our natural environment and tothe greening of Canada’s and the world’s cities.1. Establish Evergreen Brick Works as a centre forgreen cities2. Engage, support and enable an expandingnetwork of action to green cities3. Ensure Evergreen is a resilient,sustainable organization“A Green City”Green cities are those whose design andmanagement are inspired and informed bynatural systems—air, water, soil—where allcitizens have access to nature and whoseeconomy is founded on innovation in concertwith nature. Green cities are resilient cities,and thus will be best able to adapt to thedisruptive social, economic and technicalconsequences of climate change.Tom Arban7 | Evergreen strategic plan

1. Establish Evergreen Brick Worksas a centre for green citiesAn adaptive-reuse project located in the heart of Toronto’s ravine system,Evergreen Brick Works’ unparalleled natural, geological and industrial heritageoffers the ideal context in which to showcase, demonstrate and encouragebehavioural change, while convening and inspiring diverse communities to cometogether to create greener cities.Evergreen Brick Works has two symbioticfunctions:1. An environmental community centre and locallandmark, and as a creative and dynamic space forinvolving a range of visitors in a broad suite ofexperiential programming.2. An important node in the growing green citymovement showcasing innovation, sharing bestpractices and convening global thought leaders.We will:• Support the transition to a green economy:By testing ideas and showcasing innovations thatpromote and support the transition to a greenerurban future. This unique “Living Lab” will feature siteperformance monitoring, real-time demonstrationsof the site’s green design features and showcasesustainability innovations online and on site.Concurrently, our youth green job employmenttraining programs will develop skills and confidenceamong youth that help them gain meaningfulemployment in the emerging green economy.• Foster sustainable behavioural change:Inspire behavioural change by offering a strong suiteof accessible experiential programs, for educationand engagement. These include a public Expo seriesfocused on transportation, urban ecology, sustainablefood systems, green design and green employment.We will connect the importance of place-basededucation with global action by interpreting theecological, industrial and geological significance ofthe Evergreen Brick Works’ site in tandem with futuretrends in sustainable city building.• Encourage innovation through social enterprise:Through our “Leadership, Innovation andSustainability Forums,” by commissioning greeneconomy research, and through our year-roundprogram of provocative speakers from around theworld, we will inspire innovative policy, enablepartnerships and support progressive projects locallyand globally. We will share our lessons learnedthrough the planning and design of EvergreenBrick Works to support other organizations seekingto undertake complex green design developmentprojects, and we will position Evergreen Brick Worksas a showcase for innovation in social enterprise,enabling a new way of conducting business andinspiring social entrepreneurs.8 | Evergreen strategic plan

All Together Now• Improve community and individual health:Even small amounts of nature in our livesimproves health and wellness, reducing stress andstrengthening community ties. We will addressgrowing rates of inactivity by delivering programsthat promote physical activity such as gardening,tree planting, walking and cycling. We will addressthe increasing challenges of growing rates ofobesity, particularly among children, throughprograms focused on food growing, preparing local,sustainably grown and harvested foods, farmers’markets and large-scale food events.• Inspire action: Providing Canadians withinformation that is inspiring and compelling andthat builds knowledge that leads to action. We willuse a variety of media—print, electronic, social,web-based—and ensure the translation of our workinto both official languages, as well as languagesthat represent our cultural diversity, to broaden ourreach and engagement of Canadians.Since 1991, Evergreen has been working to buildand enhance the connections between peopleand nature, empowering Canadians to take ahands-on approach to their neighbourhoods.Envisioning a sustainable society where individualslive in harmony with their local environment,Evergreen has engaged communities, schools andgroups across Canada, creating partnerships andresources that help to restore nature. By offeringexpert assistance, funding and grants, our NativePlant Database, teacher guides and lesson plans,Evergreen has enabled and inspired a generation ofurban nature lovers.Motivated by the idea that the health of Canada’scities depends on our ability to sustain greenspaces, we have worked through our networkof regional offices and associates to create andprotect green space in Canada’s urban centres.Together, we have turned vacant lots intocommunity gardens, naturalized open spaces,created habitat, protected urban greenbelts andmade our cities healthier places to live.11 | Evergreen strategic plan

3. Ensure Evergreen is a resilient,sustainable organizationThe last several years for Evergreen have seen tremendous organizational growthwith the introduction of a large-scale social enterprise, and new programs andservices. To continue to grow and strengthen our ability to green Canadian cities, wewill support the talents of our staff and volunteers, develop operating and businessplans that integrate our social enterprises with our core fundraising activities andwe will make strategic investments in our operations.We will:• Ensure financial sustainability: With the openingof Evergreen Brick Works, we must integrate andrefine our operations into one robust businessmodel that reflects multiple programs, businesses,and operating units working efficiently as oneorganization. We must complete the EvergreenBrick Works capital campaign, build our fundraisingcapacity and ensure that Evergreen Brick Worksoperates as a financially self-sustaining socialenterprise that supports our mission-driven programs.We will spend responsibly and identify efficienciesthat improve our financial bottom line.• Nurture and support the talent of our staff andvolunteers: Staff that are engaged, motivated andfeel valued are a vital part of Evergreen’s cultureand success. We will continue to create an openorganizational culture that encourages ideas, problemsolving and debate and that supports positive andrespectful relationships. We will strengthen existingleadership capabilities and build future organizationalleaders, enhance the skills of our managers, provideprofessional development opportunities and provideclear and effective HR policies and procedures. Wewill also maintain an open culture of listening toand learning from our volunteers. Through effectiverecruitment, training and recognition opportunities,we will recognize and value the unique contributionsthat volunteers make across the organization.• Promote a healthy, safe and inclusive workenvironment: We will create an inclusive organizationthat uses innovative approaches to recruit and retainstaff, Board and volunteers that reflect the diversecommunities we serve. We recognize that diversityof our internal and external community will provideinsights that inform our work and will make us astronger organization. We will develop policies,procedures and programs that promote the healthand well-being of our employees and volunteers, andwe are committed to providing a safe and healthyworkplace, and operating Evergreen Brick Works tothe highest standards of public safety.• Build effective and environmentally soundinfrastructure: We will invest in our informationtechnology systems to create an integrated platformthat supports multiple business units, improvesoperational efficiencies and enhances communication.Evergreen will demonstrate and promoteenvironmental responsibility through all aspects ofour operations, from internal office infrastructure,to our transportation strategies and the ongoingmaintenance of Evergreen Brick Works as a greencampus.12 | Evergreen strategic plan

EVERGREEN’S STRATEGY MAPEvergreen’s strategy map illustrates the relationships between our strategic prioritiesand objectives, which collectively help us achieve our mission and vision.Aspiring to andinspired by our visionGREEN CITIES, HEALTHY PLANETThat help to achieveour missionINSPIRING ACTION TO GREEN CITIESESTABLISH EVERGREEN BRICK WORKSAS A CENTRE FOR GREEN CITIESENGAGE, SUPPORT AND ENABLE AN EXPANDINGNETWORK OF ACTION TO GREEN CITIESTo deliver effectiveprograms and servicesin collaborationwith diverse partnersSupport the transition to a green economyFoster sustainable behavioural changeLaunch the “Green City Innovation Network”Deliver innovativecommunity-basedprogrammingBuild strategicpartnerships that supportinclusive programmingEncourage innovation through social enterpriseImprove communityand environmentalhealthInspire actionENSURE EVERGREEN IS A RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONFINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITYHEALTHY, SAFE ANDINCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTEFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLYRESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTUREEnabled and supportedthrough our peopleand effective systemsIntegrate operations intoone business modelComplete EBW capital campaignand diversify revenue baseOperate EBW as a financiallyself-sustaining facilityEfficient and effectivefinancial managementCreate an inclusive organizationthat reflects diversityPromote health and well-beingof employees and volunteersProvide a safe and healthyworkplace at EBWInvest in informationtechnology to create anintegrated platformDemonstrate and promoteenvironmental responsibilityNURTURE AND SUPPORT THE TALENTS OF OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERSStrengthen leadershipacross the organizationDevelop skills and improveproject managementEffective HRpolicies and proceduresRecognize the uniquecontributions of ourvolunteersOur work is groundedin our valuesCOLLABORATION INNOVATION ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS APPROACH

Head OfficeEvergreen Brick Works550 Bayview Ave, Suite 300Toronto, Ontario M4W 3X8T: 416-596-1495info@evergreen.caCall tollfree: 1-888-426-3138BC Office233–35 West 5th AveVancouver, British Columbia V5Y 1H4T: 604-689-0766infobc@evergreen.caevergreen.caCover Photos: Michelle Laporte, Jan R. Schwarz, Bill Wilson, Tom Arban, Shadi Edarehchi, Michelle Scrivener