- Report Profile
- Responsibility
- Report Profile
- CEO Message
- Vision & Strategy
- Governance
- Economy
- Environment
- People
- Recognition
Report Profile
Format
This report is available in html on this web site. We encourage electronic access to this document but as a courtesy to some readers, a brief, visually appealing highlights report was printed in very limited quantities. The highlights report is also available on our web site as a pdf download.
Accessibility
We have made every effort to ensure that the contents of this report are accessible to all users including people with disabilities or special needs. Our standards also enable access using a broad range of technologies (e.g. different browsers and operating systems, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, etc). BCE is among the Canadian pioneers who are applying the web content accessibility guidelines developed by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Scope
The activities discussed in this report cover the period from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005. Unless otherwise stated, data is valid as at December 31, 2005.
BCE is Canada's largest communications company. It consists of many businesses, including subsidiaries and joint ventures. Our primary focus is Bell Canada which is Canada's leading provider of wireline and wireless communication services, Internet access, data services and video services to residential and business customers. Bell Canada represents the largest component of our business. Other BCE groups include our media and satellite companies as well as BCE's corporate office.
Unless otherwise specified, the data in this report covers Bell Canada (excluding Aliant). The Bell Canada grouping generally covers our wireline and wireless communications services, Internet access, data services and DTH (Direct-to-Home) satellite television services to residential and business customers. In some cases, we were not able to collect data for very minor portions of Bell Canada. Because these minor portions of the business represent a small fraction of our overall operations, we believe the Bell Canada data is representative of our impact.
Global Reporting Initiative
We prepared this report using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. Specifically, we selected subjects on the basis of general GRI content guidelines as well as the GRI telecommunications sector supplement. Our GRI content index is provided to help readers access report content using the GRI structure and to help with comparisons to other reporting organizations. We also report on our adherence to the United Nations' Global Compact which urges participants to abide by ten major principles related to human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption initiatives.
Data Collection and Validation
For our 2005 report, we improved our data collection and validation process. Information in the report was supplied by various BCE groups. For the first time, collection and validation of all report data was centralized with our Corporate Responsibility and Environment group. (Previously, two groups were involved in data collection and validation). Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) were asked to supply and verify data, provide sources of information, as well as back-up for how information was derived.
This rigorous approach to all data collection and validation is based on a process we previously used for collecting and verifying environmental data. This process has been refined and strengthened since Bell published its first environmental report in 1991. As the company moved towards a more systematic approach to identifying and addressing environmental issues, we established reporting mechanisms to obtain yearly results. For the 2005 report, these mechanisms were also applied to socio-economic data. Our Corporate Responsibility and Environment group reviewed all of the data it collected. Some information required additional explanation or re-calculation by data suppliers. As indicated in the text, we differentiate between exact figures and approximations or estimates in our reporting.
Performance Indicators
In keeping with GRI guidelines, we have identified some key performance indicators. These are aligned with our Corporate Responsibility objectives and with feedback received from our various stakeholders. See our Key Performance Indicators and Objectives for more information. Our key performance indicators are identified in this report by means of a key symbol.
