Winnipeg, MB – Qualico’s commitment to Corporate Responsibility (CR) has been integral to the organization since its founding by Dr. David and Katherine Friesen, who championed integrity, accountability, and community support. Each generation of leaders who have followed has strengthened these values, making corporate responsibility a vibrant part of Qualico’s strategy and culture over the past 75 years.

“From the beginning, the idea of responsibility wasn’t an add-on to our business, but a part of how we operate,” said Katie Doerksen, Director, Communications & Corporate Responsibility. “That principle hasn’t changed; it continues to guide how we think about our role beyond the business itself. Those roots matter. They have built credibility and trust in Qualico.”

Anchored in this long-standing commitment, Qualico has taken deliberate steps to evolve its CR framework to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly diverse organization which operates across multiple verticals and regions.

Framing an evolved CR approach

In 2025, Qualico conducted a comprehensive review of its existing strategy to evaluate how its efforts were working in practice and to identify opportunities for greater internal alignment.

Through this work, the team took elements of traditional sustainability and CR frameworks which focus on social, governance, and environmental efforts, and reshaped them to fit Qualico’s distinct needs, ensuring the approach offers a clear structure while allowing flexibility across its diverse regions and verticals.

As a result, this refinement led to the creation of the three new pillars of Qualico’s CR framework: Building Sustainably, Community Connection, and Responsible Management.

Each pillar is anchored by clear areas of focus that reflect corporate priorities and local business needs. These priorities range from waste reduction and energy‑efficiency improvements to diversity and inclusion, employee well‑being, and other initiatives that strengthen responsible practices across the company.

Refining Areas of Giving

Another key change was refining the company’s former Impact Areas into Areas of Giving. Previously, Qualico used Impact Areas to guide both philanthropic contributions and operational best practices. While the method provided helpful structure, this approach sometimes forced initiatives into rigid categories that didn’t fully capture their intent or impact.

“The refined framework provides clear direction, while the Areas of Giving serve as a guide for our corporate giving. This clearer path will help inform Qualico’s philanthropic efforts in a way that reflects both its values and the needs of the regions it serves,” Katie explained.

Empowering Regional Leadership

Qualico’s updated CR approach continues to place trust in regional teams to lead initiatives that best reflect their local communities. While the overall strategy is set at the corporate level, meaningful impact is driven by the insight and leadership of Regional Vice Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and employees.

To support this autonomy, Qualico updated its corporate giving policy with clear annual targets while still allowing regions the flexibility to determine how best to achieve them.

Corporate Responsibility in Action

Signature programs such as Acts of Kindness and the Volunteer Day initiative—which has set a goal to collectively achieve 7,500 volunteer hours in celebration of Qualico’s 75th anniversary—underscore Qualico’s commitment to community impact. These initiatives help strengthen a culture of giving and ensure employees play an active role in driving positive changes.

Another strong example of CR in action comes from the Human Resources team under the Responsible Management pillar. Two recent, notable include the rollout of enhanced employee benefits and the introduction of a parental‑leave top‑up program. These are significant wins for employees and strong demonstrations of CR principles are actively being put into practice across the company.

Building our future

Qualico’s approach to Corporate Responsibility remains rooted in collaboration. Teams across regions and business verticals continue to share and adopt best practices to reflect local needs and operational realities. With a clearer framework, stronger alignment, and empowered teams, Qualico is advancing its CR commitments in a way that is both consistent and deeply connected to the communities it serves.

To learn more about Qualico’s Corporate Responsibility framework and read inspiring impact stories from across our communities, visit our website.