Chosen as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers and Financial Post's Ten Best Companies to Work For for 2010:
By Richard Yerema and Rachel Caballero, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 2, 2009)
Some of the reasons why MEC was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2010:
an industry leader that provides parental leave top-up benefits for employees who are new mothers, fathers and adoptive parents (to 75% of salary for 11 weeks)
supports employees' ongoing career development by subsidizing courses at outside institutions (to 100% of fees), in addition to their existing in-house and online training programs
head office employees can stay healthy with on-site yoga classes, shower facilities for bicycle commuters, and a private nap room for breaks during the day
has grown from six members in 1971 to over three million today, becoming the largest retail co-operative in Canada and the recognized leader in its market with online and retail store locations serving (and inspiring) outdoor enthusiasts across the country
offers a variety of financial benefits, including a matching RSP plan, referral bonuses, dividend bonuses, and a unique loan program for items such as personal computers, boats, or bicycles
Employer Background
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) is a specialized co-op retailer of gear for wilderness and self-propelled recreation activities, with retail stores located in major cities across Canada.
Established in Vancouver in 1971 (by climbing enthusiasts who really just wanted affordable and high quality climbing gear), the consumer-held co-operative has grown to nearly 3 million members, most of whom are Canadian residents. MEC offers almost 20,000 product lines from a wide range of outdoor brands, in addition to their own in-house MEC brand of products. Today, the familiar MEC logo can be found ascending mountain sides, hiking along grueling portages, paddling across remote lakes, along ocean shorlines, and winding through city streets across the country and around the world. The co-operative sells merchandise through 12 retail locations across Canada as well as through its eagerly anticipated seasonal catalogues and well-developed bilingual online store.
Industry:Sporting Goods Stores. Established: 1971. Major Canadian Hiring Locations: Vancouver BC, North Vancouver BC, Victoria BC, Edmonton AB, Calgary AB, Winnipeg MB, Toronto ON, Burlington ON, Ottawa ON, Montréal QC, Québec QC, Halifax NS. Revenues: $247 million. Full-Time Employees in Canada: 582. Full-Time at this location: 190. Part-Time employees in Canada: 212. New jobs created in Canada last year: 59. Voluntary employee turnover last year: 7%. Longest serving employee: 31 years. Workforce engaged on a contract basis: 15%. Number of applications received at this location last year: 1,659. Percentage of employees who are women: 46%. Of managers: 47%. Average age of all employees: 42.
Rating: APhysical Workplace
MEC's physical workplace is rated as above-average. The head office is housed in a refurbished auto parts warehouse that was constructed with reclaimed construction materials, energy-efficient appliances and systems, low VOC paints and natural wool carpets. Across its many retail locations, MEC is recognized for leading the way in incorporating many environmentally sensitive features into its stores, including location (access to public transit) to monitored secure parking for bicycles, green roofs and reclaimed and recyled building materials. The MEC head office is located a short walk to a Skytran station, Granville Village and only five minutes to the Athletes Village for the 2010 Olympics. Inside, the head office features employee lounge (with comfortable seating); daily lunch delivery service; free coffee and tea; outdoor patio with lounge chairs and barbeques; climbing wall; nap room; secure bicycle parking; shower facilities; bike room with tools and repair station; and a "gear box" that contains outdoor equipment that employees can sign-out for free, from high-end kayaks and canoes to sleeping bags and snowshoes.
Rating: B+Work Atmosphere & Communications
MEC's work atmosphere is rated as very good. Employees at their head office enjoy business casual dress; casual dress daily; can listen to music while working; can bring pets to work when needed. Employees enjoy an annual year-end party, a CEO-initiated celebration, summer barbecues and opportunities to join with their like-minded colleagues for after-work bike rides and company running teams. MEC keeps employees up-to-date through a company newsletter.
Rating: AFinancial Benefits & Compensation
MEC's financial benefits are rated as above-average. To keep salaries competitive the company participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months. Individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months. MEC also provides signing bonuses for some employees; new employee referral bonuses (to $5,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; year-end bonuses (to $21,425); matching RSP contributions (up to 4% of salary); a no-interest bike and boat loan program (loans available for up to $3000); personal computer loan program; and an incentive compensation program.
Rating: B+Health & Family-Friendly Benefits
MEC's health and family benefits are rated as very good. The co-operative has separate (but similar) health benefits plans for its part-time, manager and unionized employees. Their health benefits plans are managed by SunLife Financial, RBC Insurance and AXA Insurance. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 75% of the premiums. Employees who work 30 hours per week receive coverage. The waiting period for new employees is 90 days. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; eyecare ($250 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. MEC's family-friendly benefits include; maternity top-up payments (to 75% of salary for 11 weeks); parental leave top-up for new fathers (to 75% of salary for 11 weeks); parental leave top-up for adoptive parents (to 75% of salary for 11 weeks). Additional family-friendly benefits include; flexible working hours; telecommuting; shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); compressed work week; earned days off (EDO) program.
Rating: B+Vacation & Personal Time-Off
MEC's vacation and personal time-off are rated as very good. New employees receive 3 weeks of vacation allowance after their first year. Vacation increases after 5 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 6 weeks of vacation each year. Employees receive 12 paid sick days every year. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence.
Rating: B+Employee Engagement
MEC's employee engagement program is rated as very good. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months. Managers receive training in how to conduct effective performance reviews. Performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work. As part of the review process employees can provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance. MEC recognizes exceptional performance with a prosperity bonus program (for managers only). MEC hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 24 months).
Rating: ATraining & Skills Development
MEC's training and skills development program is rated as above-average. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of non-related tuition). MEC also supports employees' ongoing career development with subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house training programs; online training programs. In a unique training intiative, employees receive bonuses (up to $250) for completing training sessions in a variety of outdoor activities, including paddling, cycling, climbing and backpacking.
Rating: A+Community Involvement
MEC's community involvement program is rated as exceptional. Every year, the co-operative supports a variety of charitable organizations at the local and national levels. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. Employees receive paid time off to volunteer with their favourite charitable organizations. Employees also receive 2 paid days off to volunteer. Last year, employees donated over 190 hours volunteering with charitable projects. Approximately 107 charitable and community organizations were supported last year. MEC's overall community involment programs are aligned to its employees (and members) core values, with wilderness conservation a defining element in its community support initiatives. The co-op has provided financial assistance to grassroot conservation initiatives for over 20 years, donating 1% of its total revenue to numerous local, regional and national iniitatives every year (there are too many to mention). Recently, MEC joined with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society to establish "The Big Wild". Established in 2008, the new national organization is dedicated to promoting and preserving Canada's wild spaces, with the ambitious starting goal of protecting at least 50% of all Canada's public lands and waters.
A longstanding environmental leader, MEC also has established ambitious goals through its formal "Sustainability Agenda" that is being implemented across the country through national and regional programs. As part of this program, the co-operative and its employees are working towards: reducing material and harmfull substances footprint (to zero); reducing its energy, water and carbon footprint; improving the human condition for workers in supplier factories (MEC recently published the names and locations of overseas factories that manufacture its products); increasing the culture of outdoor recreation and activity in Canada; increasing the conservation of ecology of recreational spaces in Canada; and accelerating the systemic change towards environmental and economically sustainability in the wider marketplace.
