At EQS, we are committed to our core values of safety, integrity, inclusion, and respect and supporting our communities, including the diverse expertise and talent within those communities. We work with suppliers that represent our communities and trust us to be a good member of those communities. By attracting and retaining a diverse pool of qualified suppliers, strengthening diverse suppliers in proximity to where EQS conducts business, demonstrating partnership with supplier diversity councils, and reporting on the measures that matter, we will achieve our objective of creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse supply chain.

 

EQS defines a “Diverse Supplier” as a business that provides materials, goods, and/or services to EQS (including contractors, subcontractors, vendors, and consultants) and is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned, managed, and controlled by a diverse person or group with Canadian or US citizenship, and certified by a nationally, or regionally-recognized third party as one or more of the following classifications:

 

• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) 

—Asian 

—Subcontinent Asian 

—Asian-Pacific 

—Black/African American 

—Hispanic/Latinx 

—Indigenous 

 

• Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) 

• LGBTQ Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) 

• Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) 

• Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) 

• Small Business (As defined by Industry Canada) 

 

Key principles 

 

We advocate for attracting and retaining a diverse pool of qualified suppliers and uphold the following key principles: 

 

• We recognize that a strong, diverse supplier community is essential to economic vitality, and we actively seek opportunities to conduct business with a competitive, diverse set of suppliers.

 

• We support policies and practices that promote fairness and inclusion. Our Supplier Diversity Program is part of our overall Diversity & Inclusion efforts as defined in our corporate objectives. 

 

• We encourage diverse suppliers to identify themselves to EQS and seek certification from a nationally- or regionally recognized third-party agency because certification authenticates diversity attributes, driving credibility.

 

• We foster collaborative supplier relationships designed to strengthen our communities and the diverse-owned businesses within it. Our Program will reflect the communities where we operate. 

 

• We support diversity at multiple levels within our supply chain. We expect our suppliers to work cooperatively with diverse suppliers that EQS identifies and to develop and utilize diverse suppliers of their own while performing work on our behalf. 

 

• We expect our suppliers to report their Tier 2 supplier diversity program’s established performance to help us mutually understand progress and opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 

• We report on our Supplier Diversity Program performance with integrity and transparency. 

 

This commitment is a shared responsibility involving EQS and its affiliates, employees and contractors, and we will conduct business in a manner that reflects the above principles. EQS will provide ongoing leadership and resources to ensure the effective implementation of the above principles, including the development of implementation strategies and specific action plans. EQS commits to periodically reviewing this policy to ensure it remains relevant and meets changing expectations.