SAS Institute Canada, Inc.

SAS Canada's physical workplace is rated as exceptional. SAS Institute's head office is located just east of the city's downtown business district. The company's new $30 million head office is one of Canada's first office buildings to achieve the building industry's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification. The 110,000 square foot building was constructed using 55% recycled building materials, uses 30% less energy than a conventional structure and even captures and recycles rainwater. Located on an existing streetcar line, the building features an open eighth-floor covered terrace overlooking King Street and the surrounding neighbourhood. Designed with feedback from employees, the new head office also features an onsite fitness facility (with free memberships, treadmills, stationary bikes, weights, stairmasters, rowing machines, flat-screen television, music system, shower facilities, and instructor-led fitness classes such as spinning); employee lounge (with comfortable seating, television, reading materials, puzzles); free hot and cold beverages; fully stocked kitchen areas on every floor; free snacks (including fresh fruit, soup, granola bars and breakfasts); outdoor eating area with barbeque; personal closet and individual temperature controls at each workstation; nap room; religious observance room; secure bicycle parking; free parking; streetcar access and company bus from Union Station; onsite car wash.

SAS Canada's work atmosphere is rated as exceptional. On the job, employees enjoy business casual dress; can listen to music while working; employee sports teams; organized social events. The social committee organizes several fun events each year, including a Christmas party with gifts from Santa for employees' children, a family day at the Toronto Zoo, summer barbeques on the rooftop terrace. Each January, employees from across Canada gather in Toronto for the company's unique annual meeting (called Kick-Off). Employee also participate in a number of fundraising events, including the SAS Rush Hour Relay Race, the SAS Charity Golf Tournament, and participation in the CIBC Run for the Cure. In a unique event the company recently hosted a benefit concert for the United Way that featured the Barenaked Ladies. In addition to their busy social calendar, SAS Institute captures employee feedback and helps keep employee up-to-date through a company newsletter; corporate intranet site; email suggestion box.

SAS Canada's financial benefits are rated as very good. To keep salaries competitive the company participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months. Individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months. In addition to competitive compensation, SAS Institute provides signing bonuses for some employees; new employee referral bonuses (to $8,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; year-end bonuses (to $70,000); life & disability insurance; subsidized home Internet access; RSP contribution plan (with company contribution to 5.5% of employees salary); subsidized home and auto insurance.

SAS Canada's health and family benefits are rated as above-average. SAS Institute's health plan is managed by Sun Life of Canada. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 100% of the premiums. Employees who work 20 hours per week receive coverage. The waiting period for new employees is 30 days. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; eyecare ($300 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. As part of their health plan, employees also receive a wellness allowance (to $1,100 every year) that can be used for a variety of wellness initiatives, including gym memberships and even the purchase of home fitness equipment. SAS Institute's family-friendly benefits include: maternity top-up payments (to 100% of salary for 16 weeks). Additional family friendly benefits include: flexible working hours; telecommuting; 35-hour work week (with full pay); shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); free network software and subsidized home hi-speed internet service (to 50%) for telecommuting employees.

SAS Canada'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 4 weeks of vacation each year. Employees receive 1 personal day off, as scheduled by their employer. During the Christmas to New Year's holiday break, employees receive an additional 3 days off. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence.

SAS Canada's employee engagement program is rated as very good. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months. Informal progress reviews are also held during the year. 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. Performance excellence is recognized with gift certificates, family box seat concert passes at the Air Canada Centre, Toronto FC soccer tickets, restaurant dinners and rewards points that are redeemable at the Hudson Bay Company. Top sales performers can receive the chance to rent a luxury vehicle for a limited time as well as receive company-paid vacations for two -- past destinations have included Aruba, Barbados and Antigua. SAS also celebrates is long-serving employees with monetized gift certificates, from $250 to $1,000, depending on length of service. SAS Canada sponsors its own in-house employee satisfaction survey. (Surveys are conducted every 12 months).

SAS Canada's training and skills development program is rated as very good. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). The company also provides subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house training programs; online training programs; formal mentoring program; career planning services; formal mangement training program. SAS operates internal training centres across Canada and the United States. In addition, all new sales employees complete an intensive training program at the worldwide head office in Cary, North Carolina.

SAS Canada's community involvement program is rated as exceptional. SAS Institute actively supports a variety of local and national charitable initiatives. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. Employees also receive 4 paid days off to volunteer; Approximately 35 charitable and community organizations were supported last year. Last year, the company and its employees supported the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Hospital of Sick Children, the Kids Help Phone, the Québec Society for Disabled Children, the Alberta International Band Festival, the Daily Bread Foodbank, the Movember fundraiser for Prostate Cancer, and the Alzheimer's Society, to name a few. In a couple of unique local initiatives near the head office, SAS Institute has invested $45,000 towards the restoration of the neighbourhood David Crombie Park and Parliament Field municipal parks. Most recently the company and employee volunteers began working closely with a local elementary school in support of improving literacy, numeracy, the arts and student safety.