Proudly Sharing our 2024 Positive Pawprint Report
February 6, 2025
We are inspired by our colleagues and their commitment to improving the lives of our clients and beloved patients.
Across the IVC Evidensia network, colleagues around the world are focused on driving our purpose – Healthy Animals, Happy Owners, and incredible progress has been made during our 2024 fiscal year (Oct. 2023 – Sept. 2024). Our 365 practices from coast to coast have all played a role in making a difference, and we are honoured to celebrate their achievements in this year’s Positive Pawprint report.
In bringing our purpose to life, VetStrategy actively embraces three promises: our people promise to be a great place to work; our customer promise of world-class veterinary care, delivered locally; and our sustainability promise to be a force for good, embodied in our Positive Pawprint strategy.
Recently, IVC Evidensia released the fourth annual Positive Pawprint Sustainability Report which unites our shared vision to be a Force for Good. The latest Sustainability Report details our global environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) activities for the 2024 fiscal year within our three pillars: People, Patients, and Planet. Some key achievements and initiatives completed in FY24 in Canada include:
- Mental health & wellbeing: VetStrategy launched Aleks’ Promise in 2022, as a national program to address mental health, each year introducing new mental health resources and activities. In 2024, we hosted an organization-wide webinar focused on compassion fatigue and the role of self-care. We also trained 25 colleagues in Mental Health First Aid. We continue to see our colleagues supporting one another each and every day, and we thank them for their kindness and empathy.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: We launched our second call for applications for our Diversity Bursary initiative, this year supporting ten veterinary students from BIPOC communities from all five Veterinary colleges in Canada.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: VetStrategy was accredited as Rainbow Registered in 2024! This accreditation, administered by Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC), is a testament to our commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQIA community.
- Community initiatives: In December 2023, over 130 practices in the VetStrategy and Daubigny network joined forces for our three-week-long Holiday Donation Drive. Our practices and both Support Office locations collectively donated more than 27,000 lbs of food, toys, personal hygiene items, and pet products to local food banks and social service agencies. We’re looking forward to sharing the results from our 2024 campaign shortly!
- Community initiatives: In April 2024, VetStrategy and Daubigny Support Office colleagues participated in our second Give Back Days. Team members in 17 communities from coast to coast joined forces to support food banks and community meal programs. Collectively, they spent over 500 hours sorting food, packing hampers, or making a hot meal for community members in need.
- Supporting Green Initiatives: 70 practices in Ontario were retrofitted with LED technology this year, reducing not only our environmental footprint, but also energy and maintenance costs, upgrades also meant providing colleagues with improved and safer working environments.
- Reducing environmental impact of deliveries: 343 clinics transitioned to a fixed delivery schedule this year, reducing their delivery frequency from 3.53 to 2.83 weekly.
Watch this special year in review video, narrated by Chief People Officer, Paula Brar to see many practices making a difference throughout the year:
We thank all our team members for their hard work to bring the Positive Pawprint to life in our practices!