The Well Toronto, Ontario
EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP
For over two decades, EllisDon has utilized the employee ownership structure to invest in its employees. Our people drive our success, and as proud owners, our employees have benefited more from sharing the company’s accomplishments. This is our EllisDon, and we want everyone who is committed to the long-term success to become a shareholder.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EllisDon continues to be governed by an independent Board of Directors, to whom the CEO and the senior management team report. The Board is comprised of eleven experienced leaders from across Canada with backgrounds in various sectors. The governance and leadership of our world-class Board enables EllisDon to achieve our strategic goals. Dianne L. Watts was announced as the Board's tenth member in July 2024. Watts is a seasoned executive, respected community advocate, and former Mayor of Surrey, British Columbia. Melissa Chee was recently announced as the Board's eleventh member in January 2025. Chee brings over 25 years of experience as a visionary tech executive, entrepreneur, and business leader who has created global companies and transformative technologies. More information about EllisDon's Board of Directors can be found on the EllisDon website.
We are dedicated to creating lasting positive change in our industry, community, and environment.
EllisDon is a Purpose-driven company that is committed to making a positive impact on our employees, our communities, and our planet. We believe that by aligning our employees’ goals with the goals and needs of society as a whole, we can help build a great future for everyone. We recognize the vital role we play as business leaders, and we're committed to taking immediate and measurable action. Our Board of Directors is accountable for ensuring that we achieve our targets, and we're dedicated to transparency and mutual accountability in everything we do. We believe that working collaboratively and openly with every person at EllisDon – and equally with our clients and suppliers - will allow us to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and safety-focused industry. We're proud of our team's hard work and dedication, and we're committed to supporting them on their journey toward a Net Zero carbon and safety-first industry. We know that there's always more work to be done, and we are dedicating ourselves to that journey.
Geoff Smith Chair of the EllisDon Board of Directors
OPERATIONALIZING ESG
As a value-driven company, EllisDon seeks to have a positive impact on our employees and our environment. ESG themes are covered and operationalized through various areas within the company to ensure our organizational resilience is enhanced by the alignment of our goals with society’s. The prime contributors are the following teams: Sustainable Building Solutions, Inclusive Diversity, Socio-Economic Development and Indigenous Relations, People and Culture, Quality Assurance, and Health, Safety, and Environment. The team’s Executive Sponsors meet monthly and report to the Board of Directors quarterly and relevant ESG topics are consistently included in these meetings. The President and CEO and Board of Directors have ultimate oversight over the strategies developed, with the President and CEO having direct input into the ESG strategies and policies.
BUSINESS ETHICS
Guided by our core values, EllisDon has fostered a culture dedicated to upholding the highest professional and ethical standards across all levels of the organization. Our policies, mandatory compliance training, and enforcement procedures ensure all personnel act ethically and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. We are committed to conducting its business in compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations in Canada and in all other countries in which we perform work or transact business. Our policy sets forth guidelines, practices, and minimum standards with which all employees must comply, and our designated compliance officer is responsible for investigating any potential violations. Employees may also anonymously report any potential violations of the policy or any applicable laws to the EllisDon Compliance Line. Should any employee be unsatisfied with any response from the Compliance Officer, the employee may report any perceived violations to the Chair of the EllisDon Audit Committee. We take our commitment to creating a more ethical and accountable industry seriously. we recognize forced labour and child labour are global challenges impacting millions of people and children worldwide, and that the effects are devastating on those impacted. Due to the complexity involved in operating in the construction and infrastructure sector, we have taken a proactive approach in strengthening our ability to identify potential areas of risk in our supply chains and reduce such risks as they arrive. We have adopted a robust framework to minimize the occurrence of exploitation throughout our supply chains, to promote open communication, and to abide by our regulatory obligations.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
At EllisDon, quality is about taking the right steps to build it right the first time, and quality is the way we get there. This is supported by a collection of tools and processes assisting us in understanding the requirements, assessing risk, developing mitigation strategies, and the application of our collective knowledge, experience, and lessons learned. This is the foundation of our Quality Program, and it’s a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. Delivering quality work means more durable infrastructure, efficient and effective use of materials, achieving expected building performance, and minimizing rework.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
EllisDon has a well-established Quality Management System (QMS) based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle – a universally adopted management framework focusing on continuous improvement. Our QMS has been developed to incorporate industry-leading best practices and address the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, which is the international standard for quality management.
KEY PILLARS OF ELLISDON’S QUALITY PROGRAM
The pillars were established as part of a five-year plan to redevelop EllisDon's Quality Program. These pillars provide a necessary framework for our program initiatives and align them with our goal of creating a strong culture, developing a fully integrated program across the business, and a program largely driven by data and technology. The Quality team develops programs, processes, and initiatives under these key pillars to move us closer to achieving our goals. Quality Initiation Meetings are held before the start of every new project.
CURRENT QUALITY INITIATIVES
ELLISDON’S KNOWLEDGE HUB
EllisDon remains committed to excellence through its proactive quality management approach, demonstrated by the KnowlEDge Hub – a technical training platform available to all employees. With over 150 on-demand courses covering essential topics like concrete, building envelope systems, mechanical and electrical installations, and flooring, the KnowlEDge Hub provides our workforce with vital knowledge precisely when they need it. This initiative not only enhances quality, it also effectively mitigates risks across our projects.
WINTER PLANNING
Preparing each of our unique project sites for the winter season is a highly complex task. With proper planning, we can save energy, reduce our environmental impact, improve safety, and prevent costly quality issues. EllisDon’s Quality team worked with our operational leaders to develop a Winter Planning Toolkit complete with best practices and templates, while also facilitating a winter planning training session in each area.
WATER DAMAGE PREVENTION
Water is one of the most impactful and most common causes of damage on our project sites today. It can occur at any time on a project; from groundwater, surface water, rain, snow, condensation, or from building systems and equipment. To help address this risk, EllisDon’s Quality Program now includes the development of project-specific water damage prevention plans (WDPPs) with a focus on the following:
- To recognize attributes of the project that present the risk of water damage.
- To outline project specific measures that prevent the occurrence of water damage.
- To identify areas or locations of equipment and materials susceptible to water damage.
- To enable everyone to respond swiftly and appropriately if a water damage event occurs.
By providing a structured approach based on our collective knowledge and experience, EllisDon continues to greatly reduce the risk of water damage on our projects.
Please direct questions to:
Jolene McLaughlin | Vice President, Climate & Sustainability | jmclaughlin@ellisdon.com.