Alain Lemaire, the greenest CEO of Canada.

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For Alain Lemaire, Co-founder of Cascades, 2013 has without a doubt been a highly emotional year. Most significantly, he handed over the reins to Mario Plourde, who assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer on May 9. After 10 years at the head of the company, having followed in the footsteps of his brothers Bernard and Laurent, Alain decided it was time to make room for the younger generation, while continuing to serve as Executive Chairman of the Board. This year has also been particularly charged with emotion because of the numerous awards and honours bestowed on this Québec pioneer of sustainable development.

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Canada’s Greenest Chief Executive 

On June 6, 2013, Alain was named Greenest CEO in Canada by Corporate Knights, an organization specialized in the promotion of good corporate practices in terms of social responsibility. This prestigious award, given for the first time, was presented at the Corporate Knight’s 12^th annual gala. The gala also announced and paid tribute to Canada’s 50 best corporate citizens.

The jury unanimously chose Alain as winner of the award! The jury was made up of leaders from Canada’s five most recognized environmental organizations: Équiterre, the David Suzuki Foundation, World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Pembina Institute. According to Toby Heaps, President of Corporate Knights, “the jury recognized in Alain Lemaire a man who has a number of environmental achievements to his credit. Among these, are the ongoing concern to prioritize recycled fibres over virgin wood fibres as a raw material; the development of strategic partnerships to offer Cascades’ expertise, namely in energy efficiency and in the management of waste materials; and the continued willingness to improve the company’s results with regard to water and energy consumption.”

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Québec’s Green CEO Award

This year, Lemaire brothers Bernard, Laurent and Alain also received a Green CEO Hommage award presented at the Green CEO Awards ceremony organized by Les Affaires and Trebora Conseil.

The mission of the Green CEO awards is to shine a spotlight on the initiative and exemplary contribution of business leaders in promoting sustainable development in their business practices. The judges also confer a Green CEO Hommage award on a well-known leader for lifetime achievement. Since the brothers work closely together, the judges named all three as recipients of the award this year!

It is interesting to note that Alain also won the Green CEO Hommage award in 2012, for his contribution to the business community and for his environmental values.

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A “Phares” award for social responsibility

Under Alain’s leadership, Cascades won the “Phares” award as part of a contest organized by the magazine Les Affaires and Korn/Ferry International. The contest honours sound governance in regard to social responsibility.

For the past 11 years, the event has honoured companies and boards of directors who stand apart for ethical practices and excellence in corporate governance. This year, the judges decided to look at corporate governance specifically in regard to social responsibility. Cascades beat out the competition, capturing first prize in the “Corporate” category.

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Prix d’excellence pâtes et papiers

Recently, the Quebec Forest Industry Council (QFIC) conferred the “prix d’excellence pâtes et papiers” on Alain for his contribution to the Québec forest industry, specifically within the pulp and paper industry.

These numerous distinctions point to a general consensus: Alain Lemaire is recognized by industry members, the business community and environmental organizations, and it is quite safe to say that he is truly “green by nature!”

These well-deserved honours are the pride and joy of all Cascaders.

Bravo, Alain!

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Cascades Moulded Pulp received the Havi Global Supplier of the Year Award at the HGS gala for having ensured the supply of McDonald's four-cup trays.

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Imagine that you’re driving your car, with four hot cups of coffee beside you. The server carefully put the cups in a beverage carrier made of moulded pulp, which has done the job so far. You just hope it’ll survive any surprises you may encounter along the way! This scenario may seem ordinary enough, but it often ends up causing a mess, or worse, injuries. McDonald’s Restaurants placed the drink-spilling problem on their list of top ten issues to be resolved in 2010, and turned to its suppliers for help. The time for innovation had come!

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1, 2, 3, innovate!

McDonald’s proposal was clear: the supplier presenting the most reliable solution would obtain the major part of the production contract. Cascaders at our Cascades Moulded Pulp plant in Rockingham, North Carolina quickly set to work. Their goal was to design a drink carrier that was more stable and solid than before, and would provide better protection for beverages. Their efforts produced an innovative new design with unique features: Ultrafit™.

McDonald’s was delighted! The new product turned out to be everything they were hoping for. Cascades was chosen as the chain’s main supplier of drink carriers, with the remainder of the contract issued under license to another company.

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Let’s work together, it’s an emergency!

Summer 2012: one of our plants that manufactures UltraFit™ parts ran into trouble producing the specified volume. At the same time, our competitor was also facing production problems. McDonald’s consulted Cascades Moulded Pulp, hoping to find some way to resolve the impasse involving its supply chain.

The Rockingham plant immediately agreed to step in and ensure the supply, working in close collaboration with Havi Global Solution (HGS), McDonald’s packaging intermediary. To achieve this, Cascades Moulded Pulp temporarily set aside most of its cellular packaging production, diverting those clients elsewhere. The Rockingham team managed to meet McDonald’s supply needs without problems.

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The reward

Fall 2012: Cascades Moulded Pulp received the Havi Global Supplier of the Year Award at the HGS gala for having ensured the supply of McDonald’s drink carriers in a time of exceptional circumstances.

Next, it was McDonald’s turn to recognize the team’s efforts, after HGS proposed Cascades to McDonald’s as candidates for an award. Our company won the prestigious System First Award which recognizes a supplier who stands out for its remarkable efforts in special circumstances.

We are so proud of the work accomplished by Paul Landry, Plant Manager at Cascades Moulded Pulp, and all the Cascaders involved in this adventure.

Let us know about your experiences where innovation and team work led you to surpass your limits!

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The ARISTA Provincial Competition recognizes, encourages and promotes the success and excellence of young business people in Québec.

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On Wednesday, May 29, 2013, in front of an audience of more than 400 business leaders, the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal (JCCM) announced the seven winners of the 36^th edition of the ARISTA Provincial Competition.

Marc-André Dépin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norampac, served as Honorary President for the event. The ARISTA Provincial Competition recognizes, encourages and promotes the success and excellence of young business people in Québec aged 18 to 40, including executives, entrepreneurs, professionals and self-employed workers.

We are proud to support the young generation of entrepreneurs in Québec. We played an active role in organizing the event as a sponsor, and created decorative elements for the evening, all made from cardboard!

The winners of the contest all stand out for their innovative spirits, determination and passion. These young business people represent the Québec of tomorrow—what an impressive group of committed young entrepreneurs this province has! Of special interest to us was the competition category dedicated to young socially responsible leaders.

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Recyc-Mattresses

The 2013 winner in this category is Eric Castro, President and co-owner of Recyc-Mattresses Inc. For the past ten years, Eric Castro has been hard at work in the business of waste management and recycling, making a name for himself across North America and Europe. His company now operates seven plants that specialize in recycling used mattresses, box springs and futons. These bulky objects are taken apart and the raw materials are recovered and sold to various businesses where they are given a second life. This unique process presents a genuine alternative to sending them to landfill. Since 2007, three million used mattresses and box springs have been recycled in Canada alone. Castro’s pride in his work is clear, as he announces that 95% of the materials that enter his plants are recycled.

Recyc-Mattresses is the first Québec-based company to achieve profitability in the business of recycling mattresses. Thanks to investments in research and development and the creation of equipment designed specifically for their unique recycling process, Castro and his team were able to forge partnerships with a number of mattress manufacturers and retailers, as well as numerous municipalities, hotels and hospitals.

Since its creation, Recyc-Mattresses has been partners with the retail store Dormez-vous, which runs a recovery program for old mattresses that has diverted tens of thousands of mattresses from landfill every year. Castro recognizes the immense potential for recovery in Québec, Canada and the United States. Unfortunately, not all municipalities are willing to put in as much effort as others when it comes to making positive change for the environment. But Recyc-Mattresses is in full swing, and wants to achieve even more. Castro would like to see laws passed to regulate mattress disposal, as the situation in the dumps is a real disaster: mattresses are bulky and take up a lot of room, yet relatively lightweight and cheap to bury.

He would also like for the price of recycling a mattress to be set at the same amount it currently costs to send it to a landfill site. Based on the company’s growth so far, and Castro’s incredible energy and passion when he speaks of his plans, it’s safe to bet that Recyc-Mattresses will continue to thrive across North America!

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"Je suis vert" cascades contest provides environmental projects.

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Organized in collaboration with the Environment Report on the TV show Salut Bonjour!, the “Je suis vert Cascades” contest provides environmental projects with a little extra push to get things rolling. What’s the prize? One of eight prizes of $5 000 in cascades products for your fundraising campaign!

Contest ends June 19. Seven winners have already been selected. Here are some of the projects chosen:

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4 000 stuffed animals for 4 000 smiles

Manon Jobin, aka “the dream merchant,” collects used stuffed animals and passes them on to new and appreciative owners during her travels. What’s her goal? To collect 4 000 stuffed animals for 4 000 smiles.

To follow Manon on her adventures, visit her Facebook page:

View the 4 000 stuffed animals for 4 000 smiles report.

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Raccoon Skis

Sébastien Moquin and Jonathan Bourgeois have been passionate skiers since they were kids, but they never dreamed that one day they would be pioneers in the world of skiing. The first alpine ski manufacturers in Québec, they are integrating sustainable development practices and their love for nature and their region by producing skis made from Québec maple wood. In addition to hiring locally, Raccoon Skis is affiliated with Tree Canada, an organization that plants one maple tree in Québec for every pair of skis sold.

View the Raccoon Skis report.

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Christmas at Collège de Champigny

For the past 12 years, Collège de Champigny has been celebrating Christmas differently. Every year, more than 650 students and teachers, each dressed as Santa Claus, parade through the streets of L’Ancienne-Lorette collecting non-perishable foods, toys and donations for local community organizations.

View the Christmas at Collège de Champigny report.

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Project “Change de chaise”

Change de chaise is a humanitarian project that has been involved in sponsoring a young Haitian boy named Githo for the past three years. To help out the boy and his school, students and staff at Joseph-François-Perrault secondary school collect and repair old chairs which are then sold. All profits are sent to young Githo and his classmates!

View the “Change de chaise” report.

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Are you working on an environmental project that needs financing? Only a few days left to register! To participate or for more information, visit us at www.jesuisvertcascades.com.

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Cascades® Antibacterial paper towel

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Since its appearance in 2010 in Canada and 2012 in the United States, the Cascades® Antibacterial paper towel has aroused the curiosity and admiration of many. Does it really destroy bacteria? It’s not often that we see such innovative technology in a simple paper product. From the Stevie Awards in Abu Dhabi, to the Environmental Leader Technology Reviews in the United States, this innovation has won prestigious honours.

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Last week, a team from Cascades attended the Edison Awards Ceremony in Chicago, since the Cascades Antibacterial was nominated in the Cleaning Solutions category, and returned home with a gold medal! Again? Yes, but this time, looking at the list of winners, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Cascades has joined the big shots in the world of creation and innovation.

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Here are just a few of this year’s winning creations: the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the AT&T remote app, the new 3M LED light bulb, Liquid Robotics’ marine robot for ocean observation, the hybrid excavator by Caterpillar Inc., and Cascades Antibacterial, of course! But wait, that’s not all! The Edison Awards, named in honour of famous inventor Thomas Edison, are bestowed by an international judging panel of more than 3 000 business executives, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medicine. They are one of the highest accolades a company can receive for successful innovation.

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This honour, along with those already received, has a significant impact on Cascades. The company has been innovating for almost 50 years, and it is thanks to this ongoing innovation that Cascades has grown from a small family business into a multinational public corporation. Our current offer of value added products has allowed us to share the podium with the likes of Boeing and 3M, and represents what we have become: leaders in innovation.

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For more information on the Edison Awards and a list of the winners, visit www.edisonawards.com.

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Employees in the plant

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In 2007, we launched BEN, a project designed to share and promote the six core values of Cascades’ corporate culture with all our employees. Six years later, most of the Norampac plants have taken part in the project, and the few remaining ones will complete it over the course of 2013. To date, over 4 000 employees have gained a deeper knowledge of the company’s values, and have been able to create a new dynamic in their teams!

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Project outline

The project consists of four stages:

1 – Survey: The first step is to survey the employees at the plant to evaluate their satisfaction in regard to each of the six values, as they are experienced at the plant.

2- BEN workshop: as part of a multidisciplinary team of 12 people, each employee participates in a two-day interactive multimedia training session.

3- BIP: teams are formed to participate in a Kaizen event to find solutions to problems identified in the survey and during the workshop.

4- Post-BEN survey: every two years, employees answer a survey to help us stay abreast of the progress made since the project’s inception.

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A project that makes a difference

The key to BEN Project’s success is, without a doubt, employee participation. The plants with the highest success rates are those that have taken advantage of this opportunity to establish effective methods of communication with employees that help identify problem areas and allow for collaborative problem-solving. The comments we have received over the years indicate that the project has had a positive effect on the attitudes of many employees, who are now more open to change. The BEN Project has helped our senior employees adapt the company’s values to their new reality, and has initiated new employees into our unique corporate culture.

The results from the post-BEN survey carried out in the Norampac plants also point to a significant increase in employee satisfaction regarding the manner in which the values are experienced on a daily basis. Now that almost all of the workshops have been completed, our hope is that the project will live on through our employees and their actions. They have access to all kinds of tools to help them make improvements to their work environment. It’s up to them to take the initiatives that will bring about positive change.

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Our values – Respect, autonomy, teamwork, communication, initiative, adaptability

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Testimony from the Management Team at Norampac – Calgary 

“Here in Calgary, the BEN Project has been a very positive experience. The project gave us an opportunity to communicate in a context where everyone felt comfortable and on equal footing. Managers, supervisors and employees got to know each other better, and we realized that we really aren’t that different. We all have objectives, dreams and families. We all want to be appreciated and we want to have a goal in life. We also realized that we’re all Cascades employees and that we share the same values. The only difference is that we hold different positions within the company but, really, we have a lot in common. We all have a mortgage and kids, and we’re all working in the same direction because we want to make a difference. The BEN Project helped the Norampac – Calgary plant become a better organization,” said direction’s team.

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Cascades Tissue Group Employees

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This Saturday, April 27, Cascades will hold its 1st job fair in Kingsey Falls. Yes, a job fair devoted entirely to employment opportunities at Cascades! You may be asking yourself just how many people from the village, with a population of 2 050, work at Cascades? Well, Cascades employs more than 1 400 people in 13 units in Kingsey Falls.

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Why choose Cascades?

Over the past 49 years, Cascades has kept its “human touch,” and has always remained true to its values! Communication, respect, teamwork, initiative, autonomy, and adaptability are the values that guide Cascaders every day. These are also the values that have allowed Cascades to carve out a niche as a top employer.

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Remuneration and competitive benefits

Flexible employee benefits, a profit-sharing program and equitable pay: these are the HR practices behind the company’s numerous awards!

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Work environment

Who said work had to be boring? Cascades employees carry out their work in a friendly atmosphere. Organized social activities are commonplace, as you might expect where a spirit of camaraderie reigns.

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Kingsey Falls, Cascades’ Head Office

Cascades has remained true to its birthplace, a small village in Québec where you just can’t beat the quaity of life: Kingsey Falls. In the midst of a remarkable landscape, you’ll find friendly people, a vibrant socio-cultural life and fun, year-round sporting activities.

We have specific needs in the following fields: administration, computer science, engineering, trades, production and transportation.

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Here are some of the positions currently available:

- Civil Technician
- Project Manager, mechanical and electrical
- Programmer
- Industrial designer
- Long distance truck driver – United States
- Local truck drivers
- Heavy vehicle mechanic
- Labourer
- Production Supervisor
- Customer service representative
- Controller
Find out more…

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If you have a high school diploma, a technical diploma or bachelor’s degree, come meet us!

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Date: 2013, April 27

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Address: Municipal Hall

7, Tardif  Street

Kingsey Falls, Qc

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To find out more about employment opportunities at Cascades, visit our career section!

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Joseph Boachie, Nuno Filipe, Gene Rocha, Joe Zenga and Wendy Cerilli

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Certain Cascades employees stand out for their social involvement, either at work or in the community. They get involved with a social cause that really matters to them, and their dedication is admirable! We recently spoke about three of our Socio-Heroes, Joseph Boachie, Johanne Fournier and Cheryl Hicks, who are involved in their respective communities in Canada and the United States. These employees take on all kinds of challenges, sometimes on their own, and sometimes as a group, as did Gene Rocha, Team Leader at Norampac. Gene organized a team of five of his colleagues from the Mississauga plant and from Norampac’s head office in St-Bruno to run with him in support of Autism Speaks Canada. Even though these employees are not officially Socio-Heroes, they certainly deserve some recognition as part of this month’s Featured Cascader!

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Together for autism

The group participated in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in support of Autism Speaks Canada, an organization Gene is very familiar with, since his son has autism. Together, the team raised over $5000! The dedicated team of Cascaders included Joe Zenga, Wendy Cerilli, Joseph Boachie (our Socio-Hero from English Canada), Nuno Filipe, Guy Roy and Gene Rocha.

Gene and his colleagues, all sports enthusiasts, were proud to represent Norampac and Cascades at the event. It was a wonderful example of their sense of belonging to the company and the team spirit they have developed as co-workers!

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Some facts on autism

• Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that affects 1 in 88 children.
• In 2013, more children will be diagnosed with autism than AIDS, juvenile diabetes and cancer combined.
• Autism Speaks Canada is committed to improving the future for those affected by autism by funding research, family services, awareness initiatives and advocacy programs.

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A special moment

This sports event was all the more significant for Cascader Gene Rocha. “As a proud father of a son who has autism, it was a tremendous honour to run through the streets of Toronto with the Autism Speaks Canada logo on my chest, the Norampac and Cascades logos on my sleeve and my son’s name on my back. It was even a greater honour to do it with my Norampac – Mississauga family,” he added.

Gene Rocha joined the team at Norampac in 2000. Since his son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2006, Gene has been heavily involved in raising funds and awareness for Autism Speaks Canada. He has participated in six Walk Now for Autism Speaks events and run two marathons. During the past six years, his team “Logan’s Mission,” made up of family members, has raised over $25 000! Join us in applauding Gene for his great determination!

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Eve Routhier, alpine skier

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In an earlier blog, we talked about a tradition that Cascades holds dear heart: supporting our surrounding communities. The Lemaire brothers are remarkably generous. Cascades helps to support young athletes from Québec in various sports disciplines such as canoe-kayak, cycling and skiing, just to name a few! Eve Routhier, native of Sherbrooke, is getting a boost from us that will allow her to pursue her dreams in alpine skiing.

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Excellence Sportive’s Support

Eve is a member of the organization Excellence Sportive Sherbrooke (ESS), that provides support and structure to athletes in the region as they pursue a career in sports. ESS recently came up with a new initiative, a mentor program called Parrains de l’Excellence. The project partners athletes with business leaders, who support the athletes as they meet the challenges that await any high performance athlete. Eve has Laurent Lemaire, co-founder of Cascades, for a mentor. Laurent, an alpine ski amateur himself, generously accepted the partnership. “When you compare business people with athletes, you see a lot of similarities. I’ve met all three Lemaire brothers and we share a strong belief in ourselves, our projects and in the path we must follow,” said Eve Routhier.  At Cascades, communication and teamwork are two of our core values, and this partnership is a good example of putting our values into action!

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The initiative has resulted in partnerships from the business sector for 30 athletes.  According to Stephan Cabana, President of Parrains de l’Excellence, entrepreneurs recognize themselves in these young athletes, who must fight to succeed much like they did as they started out in business.

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Bernard, Laurent and Alain Lemaire with Mario Plourde.

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On May 9, 2013, Alain Lemaire will hand over the position of President and Chief Executive Officer to Mario Plourde, now Chief Operating Officer. What a historic moment for the company! We’d like to take a few moments to help you get acquainted with this man who, over the next few years, will rise to meet many challenges!

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Portrait of a seasoned Cascader

A native of Danville, Mario Plourde’s childhood was surprisingly similar to that of the Lemaire brothers. He began his career in the paper industry collecting old papers and other recyclable waste. As a student, Mario took advantage of his breaks and holidays to get involved in the company. In 1985, after completing a bachelor’s degree in business administration (major in finance) at the Université du Québec à Montréal, he joined Cascades. We can safely say that Laurent Lemaire made a wise decision when he hired this young graduate!

Since his arrival at Cascades in 1985, Mario Plourde has occupied various positions including Controller, Plant Manager and General Manager. In 1997, he was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of the Specialty Products Group, and was President of this group from 2000 to 2010.

In 2011, the Lemaire brothers announced the appointment of Mario Plourde to the position of Chief Operating Officer of Cascades. His main task: nothing less than running the company’s entire operations!

Beyond his professional responsibilities, he is also very involved in the community. He is active in Centraide’s and the Fondation Charles-Bruneau’s fundraising campaigns. He is also part of the Groupe Conseil at UQAM.

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The Lemaire brothers: irreplaceable

As Mario so aptly put it during the press conference, “You can succeed the Lemaire brothers, but you can’t replace them.” Mario Plourde demonstrated much pride and appreciation for his mentors during the historic event, which took place March 26, the same day as Cascades’ 49th anniversary.

Of course, Alain Lemaire and his older brothers will remain active within the company; our new President will be ably assisted! Alain Lemaire will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and provide support to Mario in his daily activities. He will also put his technical skills to use in the various groups. Bernard and Laurent will also remain active, continuing to serve on the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and participating in the company’s strategic planning.

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March 26 – etched in our minds forever

Emotions were running high as the Lemaire brothers handed over the reins to Mario Plourde. It was obvious that they have complete trust in their protégé. Laurent Lemaire even joked that because there were only three brothers in the family, they decided to adopt another one. So Mario Plourde is, in a sense, the fourth Lemaire brother!

There is no doubt that Mario will keep the Lemaires’ management philosophy alive, having been immersed in their values for the past 28 years. Despite challenging times in the paper industry, our new leader assures us that he will do everything in his power to build an increasingly efficient business. At 51 years old, Mario Plourde is embarking on a great professional adventure, with many challenges ahead. We extend our congratulations and wish him much success in his new position!

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