Taking action in support of our vital natural resource sector

Did you know that when it comes to environmental, social and governance (ESG) "investor" criteria, that Canada places 1st among the world’s top 10 oil exporters not just once, or twice, but every time?

It doesn’t matter what index or ranking you look at, Canada is number one on the list. And these aren’t just any rankings from your local newspaper either, but from well-reputed institutions and organizations across the globe who are among the best at what they do.

A few of these ESG rankings and their respective creators:

> Sustainable Development Report – Sustainable Development Solutions Network

> Rule of Law Index - World Justice Project

> Corruption Perceptions Index – Transparency International

> Democracy Index – Economist Intelligence Unit

> Women, Peace, and Security Index – Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security

See more indexes at HowCanadaRanks.com

What is ESG Anyways?

ESG is a set of standards for a company’s operations related to environmental, social and corporate governance factors which are evaluated by a socially-conscious investor to determine what the best investment(s) would be. A short description of each:

> Environment: how environmentally friendly and responsible a company is

> Social: how employees, suppliers, customers and the public where it operates are treated

> Governance: how a company’s leadership operates including executive pay, as well as other factors such as audits and rights of shareholders

It's no secret that Canadian oil and gas companies are world-leaders when it comes to performing well in environmental, social and governance criteria.

Heads Up HSBC... Canada's an ESG Leader

So then why is it that HSBC chose to single out Canada’s oil sands despite there being higher GHG intensive fields in Alaska, California, Nigeria, and other parts of the world, then becoming a major investor in Saudi Arabia instead - a country that ranks quite low on the following rankings? Odd, isn't it?

• HSBC to stop financing most new coal plants, oil sands, arctic drilling
• HSBC becomes majority shareholder of Saudi subsidiary

If ESG factors are increasingly important for investors across the world, then why is Canada's energy industry being targeted? It’s a good question to ask, and a fair one to be given an answer for.

We could go on and on about Canadian oil and gas companies and their exemplary performance when it comes to ESG criteria. In the meantime, see some of those accomplishments here:

• Oil Sands Producers and the Environment: 15 Infographics

Here’s how Canada ranks compared to the world’s top 10 oil exporters on major indexes related to environmental, social and governance criteria for investors:

ESG in Canada: 12 Infographics

Best Countries 2019

Corruption Perceptions Index 2018

Environmental Performance Index 2018

Global Responsibility Index 2019

Rule of Law Index 2019

Democracy Index 2018

Global Peace Index 2019

Happiest Countries 2019

Social Progress Index 2019

Press Freedom Index 2019

Women, Peace, and Security Index 2018

World's Most Reputable Countries 2018

Canada is a World Leader in ESG

Bottom line is that Canada is a world leader when it comes to environmental, social and governance criteria used by investors all over the world.

With continued investment into environmental performance such as GHG reductions and energy efficiency, Canada's oil and gas industry is setting an example not only for the world's top 10 oil exporters, but most others around the world as well.

When will investors start recognizing Canada for its exemplary performance in the ESG criteria? Now is the time.