WE ❤ VAN – A Socially Responsible Corporation
WE 
VAN’s core values, besides Excellence and Integrity, are Community Responsiveness and Environmental Accountability. We give back to the community any way we can, we support local events, and we contribute to environmental sustainability initiatives. The interests of our environment and society as a whole are top priorities for WE VAN.
Direct Philanthropic Giving
Each quarter we decide where to place our charity donations whether or not we show a profit. The following are some of the organizations that we support with either donations or the provision of free goods and products:
Covenant House provides love and hope to Vancouver's at-risk street youth. They help young people aged 16 to 24 who have fled from physical, emotional and sexual abuse; those who have been forced from their homes; and those who have aged out of foster care. Covenant House has a number of programs, including Rights of Passage, where the goal is to help and encourage youth to invest in the significant changes that will keep them off the streets for good.
"BC Children’s Hospital provides care for the most seriously ill or injured children from across British Columbia."
(From their website)
"Our mission is to be the catalyst for donors to help fulfil the needs of our community and drive forward positive, transformational changes to local health care right here in Richmond."
(From their website)
"While we continue to provide assistance to help address immediate needs associated with food insecurity in our community, we also recognize that emergency food as a stand-alone is not a long-term solution. Our goal is to build strong, connected communities through the power of food and employ principles of sustainability, education and training, and quality nutrition to achieve this goal."
(From their website)
"PALS Autism Society offers a school program for children aged 5-18 and an adult program for adults 19 and older. Our vision is to be a model learning environment that supports the needs of individuals with autism. Our mission is to provide year round scientifically validated educational programs designed to encourage individual growth and personal achievement."
(From their website)
"To save lives, to find new cures and to provide world-class care. But we are also fighting against the limits of a 70-year-old hospital where parts of the building don’t meet modern building codes. Where our most vulnerable patients are crammed into overcrowded rooms. Where our outdated spaces can’t accommodate the weight of an MRI machine. That’s where you come in. We need you on our side in the SickKids VS Limits Campaign, the biggest fundraising campaign in Canadian health-care history, to help us build a brand-new hospital."
(From their website)
"Whole Way House Society provides community building programs and tenant support services for 133 vulnerable seniors and veterans in the Downtown Eastside living at the Veterans Manor in partnership with BC Housing."
(From their website)
Environmental Sustainability Initiatives
As both individual citizens and corporate citizens—regardless of size or industry—all of us can contribute to environmental sustainability, at least incrementally, and sometimes in transformative ways. Every positive action, no matter how small, can be the first step in creating a virtuous cycle of sustainability.
WE VAN, we do our part to the best of our ability. The following are some of the ways we make a contribution.
Low Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint is the measure of an individual’s, organization’s or product’s total emissions of CDE (carbon dioxide equivalent).
WE VAN is committed to offering locally-produced food products to our customers (as much as possible) - which means B.C. and Western Canada. And we do our best to keep our carbon footprint as minimal as possible. Next year, we will be looking at “Planting a Garden” which is another way of reducing our carbon footprint.
Clayoquot CleanUp, Tofino BC - Restore the Shore
"Clayoquot CleanUp is a world leader in marine habitat restoration. Specializing in emergency spill response, accumulated debris removal, and aquaculture site deconstruction and removal our team of technical experts possess advanced training and experience that assures successful restoration of demanding marine environments."
(From their website)
Save Our Bees - Canadian Honey Council
"Bee health is a growing public concern and increasing effort is being made to find solutions to mitigate losses. All funds (100%) donated to Save our Bees are deposited in the Canadian Bee Research Fund, a registered charity that distributes funds for bee health research."
The British Columbia Honey Producers Association
"The BCHPA’s primary goal is to educate and improve the quality of beekeeping throughout the Province for all beekeepers. The association has been holding conventions throughout the Province presenting experts and scientists addressing the many aspects of beekeeping, food quality, hive health, economic impact and management of bees."
(From their website)
Future Projects
Planting a Garden
One project we are interested in initiating is to Plant a Garden. This is something we are seriously considering for Spring of 2020.
Recycling
WE LOVE VAN WATER is planning to convert our bottles to Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic (PCR) to reduce our impact on the environment in the near future.
By using post-consumer (as opposed to virgin) plastic (PCR), we reduce our carbon emissions by 1/3, nitrous oxide by ½, and water usage by 90%.
Vancouver has some of the best quality tap water in the world. We recommend drinking clean tap water whenever possible and using our product only in situations where there is no other alternative.
WE URGE YOU TO RECYCLE!
Vancouver has a return recycle rate of 75%!
Over 75% of the plastic bottles sold are returned. The bottles are power-washed, shredded, and then power-washed again. From there, the shredded material is sold to companies who pull, stretch and meld the shreds into fiber for new bottles and buckets. Recycling plastics uses about 1/3 less energy than manufacturing new plastic.