Global Reporting Initiative

Society Performance Indicators

Degree of compliance with GRI reporting elements

entièrement couvert Reporting element fully covered partiellement couvert Reporting element partially covered non couvert Reporting element not covered
Human rights
GRI no. Reporting elements References and notes
Management approach

Aspects

  • Goals and performance
  • Policy
  • Organizational responsibility
  • Training and awareness
  • Monitoring and follow-up

Goals and performance

Policy

Training and awareness

Monitoring and follow-up
Investment and procurement practices
partially covered HR1 Percentage and total number of significant investment agreements that include human rights clauses or that have undergone human rights screening. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
partially covered HR2 Percentage of significant suppliers and contractors that have undergone screening on human rights and actions taken. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
partially covered HR3 Total hours of employee training on policies and procedures concerning aspects of human rights that are relevant to operations, including the percentage of employees trained. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations and asks its employees to abide by a code of conduct that emphasizes respect for people, as well as for their social and religious convictions. The company also provides employee training on the policy against harassment in the workplace.
Non-discrimination
fully covered HR4 Total number of incidents of discrimination and actions taken.
Freedom of association and collective bargaining
fully covered HR5 Operations identified in which the right to exercise freedom of association or collective bargaining may be at significant risk, and actions taken to support these rights. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
Child labor
partially covered HR6 Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of child labor, and measures taken to contribute to the elimination of child labor. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
Forced and compulsory labor
partially covered HR7 Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor, and measures taken to contribute to the elimination of forced or compulsory labor. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
Security practices
partially covered HR8 Percentage of security personnel trained in the organization's policies or procedures concerning aspects of human rights that are relevant to operations. Hydro-Québec trains its security employees on matters including the company's Code of Ethics.
Indigenous rights
partially covered HR9 Total number of incidents of violations involving rights of indigenous people and actions taken. Hydro-Québec has entered into a number of agreements with Aboriginal communities in order to incorporate their needs as citizens, partners and customers into development projects.
Labor practices and decent work
GRI no. Reporting elements References and notes
Management approaches

Aspects

  • Goals and performance
  • Policy
  • Organizational responsibility
  • Training and awareness
  • Monitoring and follow-up

Goals and performance

Policy

Organizational responsibility

The most senior position with operational responsibilities in the area of human resources is that of General Manager – Human Resources, reporting to the Executive Vice President – Human Resources and Shared Services.

Training and awareness

Monitoring and follow-up
Employment
fully covered LA1 Total workforce by employment type, employment contract, and region.
partially covered LA2 Total number and rate of employee turnover by age group, gender, and region.
partially covered LA3 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees, by major operations.
Labor/Management relations
fully covered LA4 Percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.
partially covered LA5 Minimum notice period(s) regarding significant operational changes, including whether it is specified in collective agreements. Minimum notice periods for layoffs are specified in collective agreements.
Occupational health and safety
fully covered LA6 Percentage of total workforce represented in formal joint management-worker health and safety committees that help monitor and advise on occupational health and safety programs. Hydro-Québec has 140 joint health and safety committees, in which union officers work with management to ensure a healthy, safe work environment for employees. Operating at local, regional and provincial levels, these committees represent the six main unions in the company.
partially covered LA7 Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and total number of work-related fatalities by region. Hydro-Québec records and reports occupational accidents and diseases in accordance with the standards in force in Québec.
partially covered LA8 Education, training, counseling, prevention, and risk-control programs in place to assist workforce members, their families, or community members regarding serious diseases. Hydro-Québec offers its employees an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help them resolve in a timely and effective manner a wide range of issues that may affect the quality of their personal and professional lives.
partially covered LA9 Health and safety topics covered in formal agreements with trade unions.

Since 1983, Hydro-Québec has complied with ILO occupational health and safety recommendations and conventions.

Hydro-Québec also complies with the laws and regulations in force in Québec and applies the concept of due diligence to occupational health and safety.

Joint health and safety committees have been set up to deal with any issues that arise.
Training and education
partially covered LA10 Average hours of training per year per employee by employee category.
partially covered LA11 Programs for skills management and lifelong learning that support the continued employability of employees and assist them in managing career endings.
fully covered LA12 Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews. Management and professional employees receive performance appraisals and enjoy career development programs. These two employment categories account for some 15% of company employees.
Diversity and equal opportunity
partially covered LA13 Composition of governance bodies and breakdown of employees per category according to gender, age group, minority group membership, and other indicators of diversity.
partially covered LA14 Ratio of basic salary of men to women by employee category. Hydro-Québec complies with the Pay Equity Act and aims for compensation equity for its employees.
Society
GRI no. Reporting elements References and notes
Management approaches

Aspects

  • Goals and performance
  • Policy
  • Organizational responsibility
  • Training and awareness
  • Monitoring and follow-up

Policy

  • Our Policies (Our Social Role and Our Corporate Governance)

Organizational responsibility

The most senior position with operational responsibilities in the area of community relations is that of General Manager – Strategic Planning and Governmental Relations, reporting to the Executive Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Secretary General.

The most senior position with operational responsibilities in the area of corporate governance is that of General Manager – Environment and Corporate Affairs, reporting to the Executive Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Secretary General.

Training and awareness

Monitoring and follow-up
Community
fully covered SO1 Nature, scope, and effectiveness of any programs and practices that assess and manage the impacts of operations on communities, including entering, operating, and exiting.
Corruption
partially covered SO2 Percentage and total number of business units analyzed for risks related to corruption. Hydro-Québec applies the best governance practices, in particular by complying with the Act respecting the governance of state-owned enterprises, a code of ethics for company directors, executives and controllers, and an employee code of conduct.
partially covered SO3 Percentage of employees trained in organization's anticorruption policies and procedures. Hydro-Québec applies the best governance practices, in particular by complying with the Act respecting the governance of state-owned enterprises, a code of ethics for company directors, executives and controllers, and an employee code of conduct.
partially covered SO4 Actions taken in response to incidents of corruption. Hydro-Québec applies the best governance practices, in particular by complying with the Act respecting the governance of state-owned enterprises, a code of ethics for company directors, executives and controllers, and an employee code of conduct.
Public policy
fully covered SO5 Public policy positions and participation in public policy development and lobbying. Hydro-Québec lobbies public authorities on major issues affecting the company. For instance, Hydro-Québec promotes recognition of hydroelectricity as a GHG-reducing energy source in a tradable emissions credit system as proposed in the Kyoto Protocol.
fully covered SO6 Total value of financial and in-kind contributions to political parties, politicians, and related institutions by country. Hydro-Québec is a government-owned corporation and the Government of Québec is the sole shareholder. As such, it does not contribute to political parties.
Anti-competitive behavior
fully covered SO7 Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, antitrust, and monopoly practices and their outcomes. Hydro-Québec is a government-owned corporation, governed by a specific act and the Régie de l'énergie, an independent regulatory board.
Compliance
fully covered SO8 Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with laws and regulations. In 2008, Hydro-Québec had no significant fines or non-monetary sanctions imposed for non-compliance with laws and regulations.
Product responsibility
GRI no. Reporting elements References and notes
Management approach

Aspects

  • Goals and performance
  • Policy
  • Organizational responsibility
  • Training and awareness
  • Monitoring and follow-up

Goals and performance

Policy

Organizational responsibility

A number of divisions share operational responsibility in the area of public health and safety, and product responsibility, including Direction principale – Sécurité industrielle (Industrial Safety) and Direction principale – Communications.

Training and awareness
Customer health and safety
partially covered PR1 Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement, and percentage of significant products and services categories subject to such procedures.
partially covered PR2 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning the health and safety impacts of products and services during their life cycle, by type of outcomes. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
Product and service labeling
partially covered PR3 Type of product and service information required by procedures, and percentage of significant products and services subject to such information requirements. Being a company that provides services, Hydro-Québec uses means other than labeling, such as advertising campaigns and public reports, to inform consumers of the impacts of electric power generation and use.
partially covered PR4 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning product and service information and labeling, by type of outcomes. Hydro-Québec complies with applicable laws and regulations.
fully covered PR5 Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction.
Marketing communications
partially covered PR6 Programs for adherence to laws, standards, and voluntary codes related to marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Hydro-Québec complies with the guidelines of Advertising Standards Canada (ASC). If ASC deems an advertisement unacceptable, the company follows its recommendations.
fully covered PR7 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, by type of outcomes. ASC has received no complaints about Hydro-Québec in the past four years.
Customer privacy
partially covered PR8 Total number of substantiated complaints regarding breaches of customer privacy and losses of customer data.

Hydro-Québec complies with the requirements of the Commission d'accès à l'information (CAI), which administers the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information. The aim of the CAI is to ensure maximum protection of personal information held by public bodies.

In 2008, there were no substantiated complaints against Hydro-Québec concerning breaches of employee or customer privacy or losses of personal data.
Compliance
not covered PR9 Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with laws and regulations concerning the provision and use of products and services. Hydro-Québec does not release any information regarding this indicator, since it considers such information to be confidential.

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