Horizon Holdings Inc. Ranks First in Canada for Sustainability

Horizon Holdings Inc., the parent company of Horizon Utilities Corporation and Horizon Energy Solutions Inc. has been ranked first in a 2016 national corporate responsibility listing published by Corporate Knights magazine. The list highlights public and privately held Canadian corporations that are top sustainability performers, have with revenues under $2 billion, and fewer than 2,000 employees.

Horizon Holdings made the list for its third consecutive year, topping a total of 107 organizations. The ranking assesses entities on their environmental, social and governance performance based on objective and transparent metrics. Other electrical industry companies appearing on the list include London Hydro (14th) and EPCOR Utilities (38th).

“What many medium-sized companies are beginning to realize,” writes Corporate Knights in its coverage, “is that sustainability is not an expensive luxury only available to the largest companies, but an integral part of staying competitive in today’s marketplace. This view is best exemplified by Horizon Utilities, the top company in this year’s Future 40 ranking.”

Neil Freeman, VP, Business Development and Corporate Relations at Horizon, explains that “many people have asked me over the years why we spend more money on sustainability measures. And my response is that we spend less than you. Measurement gives us increased mileage on what we do spend.” “It is a tremendous honour to have our culture of performance measurement recognized for its national leadership in corporate responsibility by Corporate Knights,” says Max Cananzi, President and CEO, Horizon Holdings. “Just being on this list in an age when all companies are seeking to tackle climate impacts proves our ongoing commitment to sustainable development is being noticed — being number one across Canada is truly a reason to celebrate.”

“Future 40 companies represent Canada’s finest up-and-coming companies working toward a sustainable future increasingly desired by employees and customers,” says Toby Heaps, CEO of Corporate Knights. “Reporting data transparently isn’t just the future of sustainable business — it’s the future of business.”

The data underlying Future 40s ranking use 12 key performance indicators in the areas of resource, financial and employee management. Practicing sustainable development is essential to Horizon Holdings’ success as a provider of electricity and innovative energy solutions that is delivering value to customers and shareholders. The organization is committed to protecting and promoting the health, safety, environment and well-being of our employees and contractors, and the communities in which it operates.

Horizon Holdings Inc. is the parent company of Horizon Utilities Corporation, its principal operating subsidiary, a regulated local electricity distributor, and Horizon Energy Solutions Inc., its competitive services company. Horizon Utilities Corporation provides electricity and related utility services to 244,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Hamilton and St. Catharines, ON. Horizon Energy Solutions Inc. develops solar photovoltaic generation renewable energy projects and provides metering services to commercial clients and local distribution companies, conservation and demand management services for other utilities, and streetlight maintenance for municipalities.

See the list of top 40 companies: www.corporateknights.com/reports/2016-future-40/2016-future-40-results-14593142/.