Desjardins Group has announced a new partnership with the David Suzuki Foundation to raise public awareness of sustainable development.

The agreement, which is part of Desjardins Group’s sustainable development policy, involves financial support for various activities. It includes support for the launch of the French version of Doing Business in a New Climate — a how-to guide developed by the David Suzuki Foundation, which aims to help businesses in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The guide is now available, free of charge, on the websites of both Desjardins and the Foundation.

Other partnership projects will be developed to complement to Desjardins Group’s existing actions in the field of sustainable development. Already a partner in The Climate Project Canada through its subsidiary Desjardins General Insurance Group, the company has engaged in various activities to reduce environmental damage caused by its activities.

Pauline D’Amboise, secretary general and vice-president of cooperative support at Desjardins Group, said the new partnership with the David Suzuki Foundation confirms Desjardins’ commitment to continue advancing in the field of sustainable development.

“This agreement is part of our sustainable development policy, adopted in 2005, that has given birth to a number of different initiatives,” D’Amboise said.

She noted that in 2009, Desjardins launched a new line of socially responsible investment funds, SocieTerra Portfolios.

Karel Mayrand, director of David Suzuki Foundation Québec, said that Desjardins and the Foundation share common values.

“The David Suzuki Foundation intends to enter into partnership agreements with organizations that show a true commitment towards sustainable development and that want to accelerate the implementation of a sustainable economy,” Mayrand said. “By joining forces with Desjardins to launch the guide Business in a New Climate, we are giving a tool to businesses that would like to take concrete action against climate change.”