Beam signing ceremony builds excitement for hub focused on sustainability and employee well-being

GUELPH, ON, June 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Rob Wesseling, Co-operators President and CEO, was joined by Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie for a beam-signing ceremony today to commemorate the early stages of construction of the company's new headquarters on Cooper Drive in the city's south end.

The 226,000 sq. ft state-of-the-art building is designed to reflect Co-operators commitment to environmental sustainability and the health and wellness of our Guelph-based employees who will work there when it opens in 2024.

Co-operators is targeting LEED Gold, WELL Platinum and Zero Carbon Design certifications – an impressive trio of achievements signifying that the building is designed to reduce carbon emissions, save water, conserve energy, reduce waste and improve employees' quality of life by providing optimal conditions for health, comfort and productivity – such as quality air and natural light.

"Our new home, with its unique features and amenities, truly aligns with our co-operative values and our commitment to fostering the health and well-being of both our employees and the environment that we depend on," said Wesseling. "The combination of certifications we're targeting is a rare achievement for commercial buildings in Canada, and we're extremely proud to be able to create such an exciting and innovative space right here in Guelph."

During the ceremony, Wesseling and Mayor Guthrie signed one of the 1,600 steel beams being used in the construction of the building along with Don Gordon, President of Cooper Construction, members of Co-operators senior leadership and staff and representatives from partner agencies involved in the project.

"Co-operators has a proud and vibrant history in the city of Guelph, and we are thrilled to have the company remain rooted in this community as they consolidate their Guelph office locations in one building here at 101 Cooper Drive," said Mayor Guthrie.

Plans for the building were finalized before the pandemic, and while the overall footprint of the building is as originally planned, design adjustments were made to reflect the collective shift to more hybrid work. These include adding more areas specifically designed to support collaboration, innovation and social connection.

The site, accessible by public transit and bicycle trails, will feature rooftop solar power generation, outdoor activity areas and fully landscaped nature trail system, covered bicycle storage, and electric car charging stations.

About Co-operators
Co-operators is a leading Canadian financial services co-operative, offering multi-line insurance and investment products, services, and personalized advice to help Canadians build their financial strength and security. The company has more than $61.5 billion in assets under administration. Co-operators has been providing trusted guidance to Canadians for the past 76 years. The organization is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. Achieving carbon neutral equivalency in 2020, the organization is committed to net-zero emissions in its operations and investments by 2040, and 2050, respectively. Co-operators is also ranked as a Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizen in Canada and is listed among the Best Employers in Canada by Kincentric. For more information, please visit: www.cooperators.ca. 

SOURCE The Co-operators Group Limited