Christie Digital picks up a couple awards for being great employer

Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc. of Kitchener, Ontario, picked up two awards by the editors of Mediacorp Canada Inc., a Toronto based publishing firm. Christie was named one of Canada’s Best Employers for New Canadians for 2010 one of Canada’s Greenest Employers by the publication.

“We are committed to hiring the brightest and the best, regardless of country of origin, education or experience,” said Karen Hiltz, Human Resources Manager, Christie Canada. “We’re thrilled to have many new Canadians in our organization.”

Among the initiatives Christie is involved with is the Waterloo Region Immigration Employment Network (WRIEN), an organization dedicated to improving employment opportunities for new Canadians in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Through its programs, WRIEN continues to foster an environment where the experience and skills of foreign trained professionals are valued in the community.

Christie Canada has also hired New Canadian employees via the Working Centre, a non-profit community organization and employment search center that provides resume and employment counseling, as well as guidance to maximize job search strategies.

The environmental initiatives Christie has undertaken include:

• Successfully registering two manufacturing plants to the internationally recognized environmental standard, ISO 14001.
• Introducing energy-efficient stand-by modes for many of its new projector models, and it is developing next generation solid state LED illumination technology with no consumable parts to replace.
• Expanding the recycling program to include organics (food waste). Twelve new organic/recycling/waste stations were distributed throughout the Canadian facility. Each location provides source separation for organics, paper, glass, metal, plastic, and true waste.
• Reduction of electrical consumption by 13 percent within the first year by removing over 1000 fluorescent bulbs from office areas and the conversion of warehouse space to more efficient lighting technologies.
• Introducing a natural gas conservation program to recycle heat from the manufacturing process to heat the facility during fall, winter and spring months.
• Achieving an impressive 82 percent waste diversion rate (determined through ongoing monitoring and monthly reporting of program results).
• An e-waste recycling program to ensure that all of its electronic waste is diverted from landfill and is recycled and disposed of properly – and even accepting batteries and compact fluorescent light bulbs from employee homes.