Alcoa is one of the world’s largest producers of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities. In 2006, The Natural Step Canada partnered with Alcoa Canada to create a customized version of Sustainability 101 for employees in several Québec production plants. Since then, using a combination of our award-winning eLearning course and in-person workshops, Alcoa Canada has worked towards meeting its goal of instilling a shared definition of sustainability and a common language for sustainability planning among its staff.

In 2007, The Natural Step (TNS) co-facilitated – via videoconference – a sustainability workshop for management and supervisory staff at the ABI plant in Bécancour, Québec who had already completed the eLearning course. The following year, TNS Canada facilitated a half-day workshop for Deschambault plant managers and supervisors that combined a group presentation of the eLearning course with additional interactive activities and a brainstorming session.

These engagements demonstrate the flexibility of Sustainability 101 as a learning tool and have inspired Alcoa Canada to further extend the integration of sustainability eLearning into staff training. So far, over 100 employees have gone through this training program.