Sustainable Development Goals
Steel Peak Climbing and Ninja has made the decision to commit to contributing business practices and activities that respond to the Sustainable Development Goals as issued by the United Nations. The following is a list of the 17 goals outlined by the UN, and how we plan to commit practices that best meet those goals. Our sustainable development practices have been approved by the United Nations and the City of Vaughan Economic Development Department.
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1. No Poverty
In addressing this goal, we commit to providing discounts to families of three or more as well as students and siblings. We also commit to making regular donations to charities who support this particular goal. We also ensure that all required equipment to participate in our facility is available to rent at an affordable price. We also provide donations to local families who may not be able to afford our services and facilities.
2. Zero Hunger
Our company makes regular donations to local Food Banks to reduce the amount of people suffering from hunger in our community.
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3. Good Health and Well-Being
In times of a pandemic or epidemic, we commit to following all government guidelines and restrictions for the protection of our staff and customers. All our customers sign an agreement that they are not under the influence of alcohol or any drug that impairs their sense of judgement prior to their experience at our facility. We also aim for inclusivity of all people by making provisions for those with limited accessibility.
4. Quality Education
We provide quality education courses in mobility and body awareness. We also provide courses for youth to prepare and train them for national rock-climbing and ninja warrior competitions. For our young participants, we ensure that school comes first and we structure training and practice schedules to accommodate their studies.
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5. Gender Equality
Our hiring practice affords full opportunities to women. Currently, we have a staff of 7 women and 9 men. As a corporate policy, we provide equal opportunities for both men and women in all our employment areas: leadership, route setting, customer service, and instructors.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
In addition to providing a drinking fountain dispensing clean drinking water free of charge for our staff and customers, we also provide bottled water at a reduced price of $1.00 for those who prefer this method of delivery. We also provide access to clean and sanitary showers and washrooms on site for all staff and customers.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
Our commitment to becoming carbon neutral includes using sunlight for illumination during daytime hours of operation. We also use a high-volume, low-energy fan to reduce our energy consumption. As well, we have a program in place to support those members of our community who live in their vans and park in our parking lot. We allow them access to our electricity and water.
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8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
We aim to build our community’s economic growth through a partnership with Richmond Hill’s YMCA that offers a youth employment program. We provide training and education in the areas of resume creation and WHMIS certification. WHMIS stands for the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and is Canada's national hazard communication standard. For our staff and customers, we have safety programs in place that include ladder use training, harness equipment use, and how to mitigate the risk of falls. We also have monthly inspections from health and safety representatives. Lastly, we have a willingness to address flexible work hours to better serve the family and mental wellness needs of our employees.
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9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Our company is committed to innovative ways of developing environmentally-friendly new approaches to safe physical activities and provide this information on our subscription-free website. We also provide free WIFI access to all staff and customers at our facility. We have also provide an app for mobile devices that is free of charge and provides information, training, and education related to rock climbing at our facility.
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10. Reduced Inequalities
We commit to raising the awareness of those suffering from social inequalities by providing anti-bullying and harassment workshops that address these issues. We are committed to providing fair pay and have a zero tolerance policy in place for racial discrimination. We encourage our staff to visit shelters and attend seminars to learn more about the current state of social inequalities in our community. We also consider where and how our hiring is done to ensure refugees have equal consideration in our hiring process.
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11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Our company is committed to cultural integration among our staff to better serve the multicultural composition of our customers and our community. Our commitment to air quality includes providing fresh air in our facility and the regular replacement of filters for our air circulation systems. While we do not have green space within our facility, we provide campers access to green space at a nearby park.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
We practice responsible consumption and production through the regular disposal and recycling of waste products. We do this with our on-site recycling bins. We have a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle policy currently in place. We limit our consumption of paper through two-sided printing with an aim to go paperless altogether.
13. Climate Action
We commit to supporting climate action groups such as the UNFCCC and its Youth Climate Report programs through social media subscriptions and website links and information postings. When our budget allows for it, we make donations to climate-related NGOs to support their research, knowledge mobilization, and activism.
14. Life Below Water
We also commit to zero plastic use and provide only reusable coffee cups in our café. We also offer a chalk refill program where climbers can refill their liquid chalk bottles at a discount instead of purchasing a new plastic bottle each time.
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15. Life on Land
We commit to recycling all waste products and use only environmentally-friendly materials. We reduce our use of paper through double-sided printing and we are committed to moving most of our paperwork to paper-free digital platforms. We also regularly recycle all our electronic waste.
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16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
We support community law enforcement programs and institutions and have our own anti-bullying educational program in place for our staff and customers.
17. Partnerships for the Goals
We are committed to partnering with companies who share our commitment to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. One such partnership is with the local YMCA in providing education and training to the youth in our community