TORONTO, July 18,
2022 /CNW/ - Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc.
("Sleep Country" or the "Company") (TSX: ZZZ), Canada's leading specialty sleep retailer,
today released its inaugural ESG report. The report
highlights the Company's commitment to being a purpose-driven,
sustainable business focused on helping people enhance their
overall health and wellbeing, driving positive social change and
protecting the planet.
"We believe ESG is inextricably linked to our purpose of
transforming lives by awakening Canadians to the power of sleep and
improving the wellbeing for all. While this is our first
report, the underpinnings of our ESG strategy have been in place
for decades and reflect our Company's beliefs and what
differentiates us as Canada's
leading sleep partner," said Stewart
Schaefer, President and CEO, Sleep Country.
"We're incredibly proud of what we've accomplished – the
enhancements we've made to our customers' experience; product and
channel innovations; our work towards creating an equitable,
diverse, and inclusive work environment; our recycling and donation
program; and our ongoing commitment to transparency, governing
responsibly and ethically. We are fully committed to
executing our ESG strategy – to providing safe, high quality
sustainable sleep solutions to help protect our planet while
building an equitable and fair world," said Craig De Pratto, Chief Financial Officer, Sleep
Country.
Key highlights of the Company's 2021 ESG Report – across its
four key pillars Sleep Well, People Well, Earth Well and Govern
Well – include:
Sleep Well: With a goal of being Canada's leading sleep partner and gateway to
the world's best sustainable sleep solutions through product
quality, innovation and a powerful sleep ecosystem, Sleep Country
introduced new and innovative products, improved its customer
experience and championed sleep as an essential pillar of
wellbeing. A new supplier code of conduct was implemented in
2021 that focuses on the working and labour conditions of
suppliers, their factories, and subcontractors to keep our partners
accountable to proper treatment of workers and to socially
responsible manufacturing processes.
People Well: Recruiting and retaining the most
talented people, developing their skills and empowering them to be
successful is at the core of the Company's associate value
proposition. Through focus groups, ideas and feedback from
its associates, the Company developed its Equity, Diversity,
Inclusion and Belonging ("EDI&B") strategy committed to
building an inclusive, respectful, and diverse workplace. A
community of caring and giving back to communities where it
operates and creating a safe environment that fosters a culture of
wellbeing.
Earth Well: Sleep Country is focused on
decarbonizing its operations and creating a climate resilient
business for the future in alignment with the Company's goal of
becoming net zero by 2040. Working with its suppliers and
strategic partners to encourage the use of sustainable materials,
the Company reported that 91% of the mattresses and foundations it
sells contain sustainable materials. In 2021, Sleep Country
diverted over 165,000 mattresses and foundations from landfills
which resulted in more than 80% of materials being recovered.
Govern Well: The Company strives to meet the highest
standards of ethics, compliance, and integrity, while promoting a
culture of sustainability, awareness and engagement. In 2021, Sleep
Country began integrating its ESG values into its codes of Conduct
– 100% of its associates, suppliers and partners signed off on the
updated codes.
To view Sleep Country's 2021 ESG Report, please visit
https://ir.sleepcountry.ca/download/SCC_2021_ESG_REPORT
About Sleep Country
Sleep Country is Canada's
leading specialty sleep retailer with a national retail store
network and multiple robust eCommerce platforms. The Company
has 287 corporate-owned stores and
20 warehouses across Canada and operates under retail banners:
"Sleep Country Canada", with omnichannel operations in Canada excluding Québec; "Dormez-vous" with
omnichannel operations in Québec; "Endy", Canada's leading direct-to-consumer online
sleep solutions retailer; and recently acquired "Hush", one of
Canada's fastest-growing digital
retailers. Sleep Country is a purpose-led organization dedicated to
transforming lives by awakening Canadians to the power of sleep and
is committed to building a company culture of inclusion and
diversity where differences are embraced and valued. The Company
meaningfully and positively supports its environment and the
communities where it operates through its comprehensive mattress
and foundation recycling program that keeps mattresses out of
landfills, as well as its bed donation program that contributes new
and gently used mattresses and foundations to Canadian charities to
help families and children in need get a good night's sleep.
For more information about Sleep Country, please visit
www.sleepcountry.ca.
SOURCE Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc. Investor Relations