CALGARY, AB (Nov 29, 2018) – In conjunction with the 2nd Annual ECO Impact Awards, ECO Canada introduced a new award to recognize employers that support environmental work within Canada and make a positive contribution to not only the environment but to Canada’s green economy. The 2018 Impact Awards were held on November 7 in Toronto and ECO Canada is pleased to announce that the winner of the inaugural Employer Impact Award is AET Group Inc.

“We were very excited to offer an award category recognizing the excellent environmental employers across Canada. With this being the first year, the nominations were exceptional and several organizations showed outstanding commitment to the environmental professionals working for them” says ECO Canada President & CEO Kevin Nilsen.

 “As the winner of this category, no one proved worthier than AET in how they value their team members and show dedication to employee development. They deserve a big congratulations for their all-around impact on the sector and the communities they serve”.

AET was selected as the winner by an esteemed judging panel comprised of senior professionals representing industry, consulting, government and academia. From a field of outstanding environmental employers, they were chosen for their sustainable programs and employee development.

“Being the recipient of ECO Canada’s Top Employer award is truly an honour and a testament to the amazing employees we have on our team. A business is only as good as the people that work for that company, and our people are extremely dedicated, hardworking and have a passion for sustainability” says Scott Freiburger, Managing Director at AET Group Inc.

From all the nominations received, AET’s stood out for community-minded projects like their flood mitigation program, formed in partnership with the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, that helps homeowners reduce their risk of basement flooding. AET Flood Assessors provide homeowners with practical actions to manage flood risks and reduce the structural and content damage that may otherwise cost tens of thousands to repair.

This innovative program is now available in the Greater Toronto Area, Burlington, Brantford, Clarington, Hamilton, Oakville, Waterloo Region, and Saskatoon.

The judging panel was equally impressed with the sustainability initiatives of the award recipient, most notably that they offer sustainable transportation incentives for employees, their commitment to becoming carbon neutral, and their implementation of a green fleet resulting in a reduction of 7.5 Metric Tons of C02e per year.

On top of these forward-thinking environmental policies, registering their head office with the Green Building Council Zero Carbon Building Standard for existing buildings and pursuing B Corporation certification truly demonstrate their dedication to sustainability.

According to Scott Freiburger, “companies want to do business with companies that practice sustainability.  As a sustainable company, it’s what we live and breathe every day through our operations and corporate culture. We look forward to continuing to showcase our passion for the environment and make a difference both locally and globally.”

ECO Canada thanks everyone who took the time to submit a nomination for the inaugural Employer Impact Award and hopes to open employer nominations for next year’s awards in spring 2019. More information on the awards is available online at

Written by Ailsa Popilian