Key Community Investment Partnerships
Key Community Investment Partnerships
Corporately and around the world, Vermilion focuses our strategic approach on long-term investments that make a measurable and significant difference for our communities. Wherever possible, our partnerships go beyond funding to include staff time and other support for the organizations. This is reflected in the partnership matrix that we have developed that provides a consistent framework to assess potential projects. The matrix also includes alignment with one or more of our key pillars, sound organizational governance, long-term impact, benefits to stakeholders, potential for multi-sector collaboration, volunteering opportunities, capacity building potential, and measurability.
Here are some of our key flagship partnerships
Global
Global Emergency Responder Program
Nothing is more important to Vermilion than the safety of our staff, our contractors and our communities. The Global Emergency Responder Program supports this commitment by investing in emergency response organizations that serve the communities where we work and live. Our donations help fund equipmentand other high-priority needs for these non-profit and charitable organizations, which are dedicated to keeping our communities and our people safe.
Global Environmental Stewardship Program
As an energy company, we have a responsibility to the wider community to support the health of our environments – it’s why we selected Environmental Stewardship as one of four funding areas within Ways of Caring, our community investment program. It’s also why we chose that pillar to establish Vermilion’s second global community investment program. Through this program, our donations will help protect the ecosystems and biodiversity that are important to the communities around our operational areas.
Canada
Vermilion Energy Family Centre at Wood’s Homes in Calgary, Canada
In June 2015, Wood’s Homes opened the doors of the Vermilion Energy Family Centre and their Whole Family Treatment Program, following a $1 million investment in 2013. This intensive, short-term program serves families from across Canada who are struggling with complex issues including mental illness, crisis management, parenting strategies and child development. It offers a home-away-from-home where the entire family can receive mental health treatment at the same time and under the same roof.
Here, Wood’s Homes focuses on the five primary areas of family interaction: developing child well-being, increasing family safety, enhancing home environment, strengthening parenting capabilities and improving family interactions. Each family member is professionally assessed and receives individualized treatment during their stay of either five days or over a weekend. Wood’s Homes also provides support post-treatment to help maintain goals and to help families incorporate newfound strategies into their everyday life.
Pre-COVID, in 2019, 29 families – over 109 family members – received the help they needed through the program offered at the Vermilion Energy Family Centre. Of family members surveyed after treatment, 94% said that they experienced a decrease in the need and use of additional mental health services and engagement as a family with Children’s Services, a major goal of the program. Most families shared that they now have a better understanding of child development and well-being and felt that the family relationships had improved, and many families shared that they had a better knowledge of community services and how to access them to better support their family.
We are proud of the groundbreaking role that the Vermilion Energy Family Centre is helping to play in delivering family-centred treatment.
In 2021, we continued to engage through Days of Caring, and our three-year commitment to the LEAD program, an employment training program that provides vulnerable youth with the opportunity to gain valuable skills that will assist them in both their work and home life
Aura Program & Camp fYrefly, supporting LGBT Youth
Respect is one of our core values. We actively support the right of all those who work with us to have a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation. Extending this spirit of respect to our community investment partnerships is important to us, and we were pleased to make a three-year funding commitment to support the Aura Program and Camp fYrefly in the important work they do in our communities.
Camp fYrefly provided both in-person camps and online experiences in 2021, delivering workshops and activities that balanced different types of programs, from art to health to education, and prioritizing community building and relationships to ensure campers could be supported. Aura’s housing support program during COVID-19 also required many adjustments, focused on providing safe environments and a sense of belonging for the young people it serves.
Aura is a Trellis (Boys & Girls Club) program that provides support and housing to youth aged 14 to 24 who identify as LGBT+ and are currently experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. Camp fYrefly is a summer camp and leadership retreat designed to help LGBT+ youth grappling with finding their true identity build confidence and resilience.
Calgary Zoo
The Vermilion Energy Empty Backpack Program aligns with two of our community investment priority areas: homelessness & poverty and environmental stewardship. Through hands-on activities and up close and personal encounters with animals, the Calgary Zoo is connecting audiences of all ages with nature and inspiring actions for wildlife conservation.
2021 Update
Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, Vermilion increased our financial commitment, delivering more programs and increasing the number of classes that can be welcomed to the zoo and its conservation-oriented education program. We continued this support through 2020-2021 as the Calgary Zoo adapted to the pandemic by offering virtual programming for schools such as Penguin Virtual Safaris and other enrichment and special program videos.
STARS Air Ambulance (Global Emergency Responder Program Partner)
Every day, STARS takes care of some of the sickest and most critically-injured patients in Western Canada. This translates to thousands of people every year who rely on STARS to get them to hospitals safely, where they can access the advanced care they need. STARS is already an operational partner for our Canada business unit, as their dispatch centre manages our Emergency Call Centre.
Vermilion began a partnership with the Calgary Zoo for the 2014/2015 school year, providing a donation to support the Vermilion Energy Empty Backpack Program. Through this program we are helping to ensure that learning opportunities which are so vital to a well-rounded education and critical to our future are available to all Calgary’s school children, regardless of financial or family circumstance.
United Way of Calgary and Area
We believe that for a city to be great, it has to be great for everyone. At the same time, no single organization can tackle systemic issues such as poverty, school completion and isolation in the community alone.
That’s why Vermilion has been contributing to United Way since 1996 and organizing an annual United Way workplace campaign since 1998. United Way recognized our efforts with a 2020 Community Impact Workplace Excellence Award.
2021 Update:
Since 1996, Vermilion has contributed nearly $4.4 million to support local non-profit organizations and social programs through the United Way.
Our 2021 campaign was a mix of virtual and in-person activities, and raised over $180K, with staff participating through pledging, events and contests. We are proud of this achievement’s impact on the community. This donation will provide more than 65 Calgarians access to basic needs, including food and shelter, ensure more than 45 children and youth are empowered and successfully transition to adulthood, or connect more than 130 Calgarians to necessary resources to support their wellbeing.
United Way brings together all areas of community – business, government, academia, school boards and others – to address social issues at the root cause and to develop long-term strategies to solve them.
Charles W. Berard Undergraduate Scholarship
Vermilion set up the Charles W. Berard Undergraduate Scholarship in Natural Resources and Environmental Law in 2009 to pay tribute to the life, work and memory of Charlie Berard, a dear friend to many at Vermilion, and our corporate secretary from 1997-2009.
Each year, a scholarship of approximately $5,000 is awarded to a continuing undergraduate student entering third year in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary with a demonstrated interest in Natural Resources & Environmental Law. A key part of the criteria is a candidate who best demonstrates leadership and support to the community, and alignment to Vermilion’s core values of Excellence, Trust, Respect and Responsibility.
Australia
St. Bart's House in Perth
Since 2009, Vermilion has supported St. Bartholomew’s House in Perth, an organization that helps people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness achieve positive life outcomes. It offers a variety of crisis and transitional programs to help people build the connections, skills and confidence to live productive, independent lives in the community and break the cycle of homelessness. Through St. Bart’s, Vermilion’s funding invests in essential facilities and services that will help transform the lives of some of the city’s most vulnerable people. Our contributions support the Lime Street social housing facility and a social inclusion officer for older women at the Kensington Street Accommodation Service, who coordinates activities and outings that positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of the residents. Vermilion staff have also organized Days of Caring at St. Bart’s since 2012, including a gardening day, social events such as a mini-Olympics, care home renovations, garden landscaping, and two camp events for those living in Community Supported Residential units.
2021 Update:
In 2021, we celebrated 12 years of partnership. We are proud to have helped St. Bart’s provide a wraparound service for vulnerable populations in Western Australia.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is one of the world’s largest aeromedical organizations. With a “waiting room” of 7.69 million square kilometres, this organization made contact with over 283,000 patients last year and flew over 26 million km. RFDS operates throughout Australia, so it’s a great match for both our Perth-based staff and our platform staff who come from locations throughout the country. RFDS also backs up our industry medical response organization, and as a remote area provider, supports our staff both at work and at play.
Primarily a volunteer-operated organization, the Karaakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre’s aim is to conserve threatened and endangered black cockatoos. Vermilion’s support will aid in annual cockatoo counts, repairing cages and supporting revegetation projects.
Central & Eastern Europe
Croatian Mine Action Centre & Hungary Ambulance (Global Emergency Responder Program Partner)
Primarily a volunteer-operated organization, the Karaakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre’s aim is to conserve threatened and endangered black cockatoos. Vermilion’s support will aid in annual cockatoo counts, repairing cages and supporting revegetation projects.
Scouts Association of Croatia (Global Environmental Stewardship Program Partner)
Following devastating fires in Dalmatia, the Scouts Association has undertaken the largest volunteer reforestation action in Croatia, planting over 20,000 seedlings to date. Vermilion is proud to be able to support the return of life back to these wildfire areas.
Playgrounds in Vukovar-Srijem County
Following the Ceric and Berak gas discoveries in Croatia in 2019, staff in CEE noticed that two nearby community playground areas could use a helping hand. We offered the communities support to restore them, and are very happy with the brightly coloured, imaginative results for local children!
France
La Protection Civile Essone et Seine-et-Marne (Global Emergency Responder Program Partner)
Our partnership with Civil Protection associations has allowed the purchase of four Automated External Defibrillators in Essone and has supported the purchase of an ambulance in Seine-et-Marne. These associations are an important part of our communities, as they provide volunteer first aid teams for a wide range of community gatherings such as music festivals and sporting events, along with critical emergency operations after natural disasters.
Chantier Ecole (Global Environmental Stewardship Program Partner)
By supporting the reintegration of unemployed individuals back into the labour market, organizations involved in this network provide valuable labour resources for projects that focus on protecting the environment and restoring local heritage. This flagship partnership will provide support to organizations in many areas where we operate.
Secours Populaire
This non-profit organization’s aim is to fight against poverty and exclusion. It provides emergency aid to those who are homeless, including food and clothing, housing and referral to additional support. Vermilion has supported the Parentis location by helping to finance a shower facility for the homeless and storage facilities for donated clothing that the agency sells to help raise funds.
Germany
Refugee Camp Wassmannsdorf
Our funding and volunteer time have supported annual events at this refugee camp in Schönefeld, including the Summer Festival and Christmas party. We received a warm welcome from the residents, including children, and enjoyed partnering with other organizations from around the community.
Fire Brigades (Global Emergency Responder Program Partner)
In Germany, similarly we have identified local fire brigades – front line rescue organizations that would support our operations. Our funding has made it possible for them to purchase essential equipment.
Ireland
Skills @ Work Programme
As an active member of the Schools’ Business Partnership, Vermilion and other local businesses aim to positively impact educational inclusion in Ireland. Each year Vermilion hosts local second-level students at the Bellanaboy Gas terminal in Mayo, The program provides students with exposure to a “day in the life” of different disciplines working at Vermilion and discussions on a range of career options.
Netherlands
Flagship Partners in The Netherlands
In 2017 we established a flagship partnership between JINC and Vermilion. As a non-profit organization, JINC believes that every child deserves a fair chance in the labour market; it helps young people aged 8 to 16 years through vocational orientation in the workplace and learning (social) skills. Vermilion’s funding was used to open the first JINC branch in Leeuwarden, making Vermilion a founding partner there. We are also contributing through the efforts and knowledge of our staff.
2021 Update:
Vermilion continues to support our flagship partnership established in 2019 with Stichting Present. Connecting organizations and volunteers with individuals who live in poverty, social isolation or have a disability, Stitchting Present helps communities flourish. In 2019 Vermilion staff volunteered on 4 community projects as part of their Day of Caring.
Vermilion began supporting the Dutch Heart Foundation in 2020, in its bid to provide help within six minutes of someone’s cardiac arrest. Our support has provided for five Automated External Defibrillation (AED) packages for communities including Sonnega, Wolvega, Burgum, Eernewoude and Koostertille
Birdwatch Wolyega/ Blesdijke (Global Environmental Stewardship Program Partner)
More than half of the Netherlands consists of agricultural land. Many bird species use these grasslands to breed, feed or rest. The Netherlands hosts a significant portion of the world population of a diverse group of meadow birds. The populations of these birds are now listed as protected species to prevent extinction. Our donation to the Birdwatch of Wolvega/ Blesdijke will support the perseverance of these birds in our local communities via 15 ‘drainage pumps,’ that in the area can borrow to drain specific parts of their land to attract the birds to a safe breeding spot. The placement of the pumps occurred around the breeding season in April 2021, with the Birdwatch monitoring bird activities closely.
United States
Weston County Fire Protection District
The Weston County Fire Protection District, a local community volunteer fire department, is close to our operations in Wyoming, and relies heavily on donors to ensure their firefighters have the necessary training, trucks and protective equipment to safely respond to fires. In addition to three fire stations, the District places wildland engines at strategic rural locations to provide quicker responses to wildfires.