WHY WE DO IT

Our purpose

We exist to help you understand, engage and communicate

with those who matter to your success,

for a better, more sustainable world.

Our values

We pursue our purpose guided by our values:

• Empathy
• Integrity
• Objectivity
• Fairness
• Collaboration
• Trust
• and appropriate use of capital letters.

Our commitment to sustainability

We believe that economic prosperity can only be truly sustainable when it is predicated on environmental and social well-being. Through our actions and our faith in others, we hope to create a shared legacy of sustainability.

We offer clients our expertise and experience in pursuit of a vision that sees Canada earn a place on the global stage as one of the world’s best places to live, work, play and raise a family.

We are committed to helping organizations and communities earn our children’s trust and the trust of the seven generations that follow them.

Environment

Energy efficiency

In 2006 we commissioned building envelope and systems improvements that reduced our energy consumption by 33.3% over the previous year. In 2018 we purchased our first hybrid electric vehicle.

Reduce, re-use, recycle (compost)

We practice preventive maintenance on our electronic and mechanical tools and equipment and print two-sided documents when we print at all. We seek low/no-packaging options when making purchases in our quest to reduce our office waste generation. Where waste is created, we separate it into streams for community reuse and recycling to divert as much waste as possible from our local landfills.

Practices:

• We follow recommended labelling, use, storage and disposal guidelines for chemical products and electronics.
• Where possible, we purchase used office supplies and equipment or those that are made of recycled and/or sustainable materials.
• We purchase certified environmentally friendly products/services wherever possible. 
• We turn lights off when they are not needed.
• We conduct routine maintenance on heating and ventilation equipment. 
• We repair leaking pipes, hoses, fittings and faucets immediately. 
• We engage in environmentally friendly landscaping (minimal watering in the evening, no spraying, manual weeding).

Economy

As a small business, part of our success is collaborating with other small businesses to form a diverse network of expertise. Most of our contracts are executed in collaborative teams as we form partnerships with local businesses and bring global partnership expertise to Canada and Nova Scotia.

Through our affiliations with agencies outside Nova Scotia, including Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, Navigate Response, Witt O’Brien’s, and Decision Partners, we continue to bring revenue into our country and region.

Society

Occupational Health & Safety

While our business is conducted in an office environment and does not involve tradespeople, machinery, or labour, our operation complies with relevant elements of the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development’s Occupational Health and Safety Checklist for Small Business.

Social Responsibility

In an effort to bring sustainability into our business relationships, we conduct ourselves in an honest, transparent, and inclusive manner that respects and values the brilliance of all participants and their potential to both contribute and benefit.

We also encourage Dunn & Associates staff, associates, clients and suppliers to give back to their communities through contributions of time, talent and/or treasure. Employees receive time to volunteer during office hours, while corporately we donate to local and national charities and sponsor events.