REPORT UNDER THE FIGHTING AGAINST FORCED LABOUR AND CHILD LABOUR IN SUPPLY CHAINS ACT
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
STRUCTURE, VISION, AND VALUES
Our Structure
Uniboard Canada Inc. (“Uniboard” or the “Company”) is a privately held, federally incorporated entity (BN:137921797RC0002), incorporated by way of amalgamation on September 28, 2012.
Uniboard’s head office is located at 5555 Ernest-Cormier Street, Suite 100, in Laval, Quebec, Canada.
Uniboard is a leading North American manufacturer of engineered wood products, having an installed capacity of over 660 million square feet of raw particleboard, high and medium-density fiberboard, of which over 50% is converted into value-added thermally fused laminates.
Uniboard owns and operates three (3) mills as well as a resin production plant, all of which are located in the province of Quebec. These are in Sayabec, Val-d’Or and Mont-Laurier.
Uniboard employs over 800 people in its mills and head office.
Uniboard’s products are produced in Quebec and sold to retailers, distributors and finished goods manufacturers in Canada and in the United States which cater to the kitchen cabinet, furniture, office, home renovation and construction industries.
Uniboard’s products are sold and distributed in Canada and in the United States through independent retailers. (www.uniboard.com)
Our Vision
• Promoting an industry-leading safety culture
• Reaching operational excellence in terms of quality, cost and reliability through technology and know-how
• Setting the standard in innovation of our products
• Leading the industry in sustainable development
• Providing an outstanding customer experience
• Outperforming the industry in growth
Our Values
• Health and Safety
Protecting our employees through robust health and safety policies and practices is essential to our operations. A clean, healthy and safe work environment leads to strong safety records which is good for our employees and good for our business.
• Customer Experience
Being responsive, committed and dedicated, coupled with creating customer value through innovative technologies, superior quality and outstanding service is the driving force behind our customer experience.
• Innovation
Innovation is about finding creative solutions that make a difference and inspire us to always stay one step ahead.
• Respect
Respect occupies a central place at Uniboard. It means, in our view, consideration for our employees. Respect in everyday life translates into respectful interpersonal relationships and protection of the integrity of each worker. We want to promote the development of each individual by providing them with a pleasant and favourable work environment.
• Empowerment
We support an entrepreneurial work environment that allows employees to maximize their contributions and achieve their professional goals. We respect and value collaboration and teamwork to realize opportunities that drive performance towards company objectives.
• Discipline
Our business strategy is driven by a clear set of goals and action plans which are both vigorously and consciously acted upon. Responsibility, cost control and continuous improvements are at the center of our operating philosophy.
• Environmental Stewardship
Our environmental policy is based on the sustainable use of natural resources and has been implemented with the health and well-being of our employees, customers, and community in mind. Our environmental auditing program, product certifications and world class leadership in the development of green products are hallmarks of our stewardship program.
OUR CERTIFICATIONS
Our Val-d’Or and Sayabec plants have ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Uniboard has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for chain of custody and controlled wood. This is a third-party verification. FSC certification also attests that the workers are provided with proper training, adequate safety protection and fair wages.
Our raw panel board meets Eco-certified Composite (ECC) standards. All our products meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act Toxic Substances Control Act ( EPA TSCA) Title VI and Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations (CANFER).
OUR SUPPLY CHAIN AND RISK MANAGEMENT
The purchase of raw materials for the manufacture of its products is the responsibility of the Procurement Department. This department is made up of approximately nine (9) employees allocated among the three (3) mills, one (1) resin plant and the head office.
The Procurement Department maps, on an ongoing basis, its supply chain with suppliers that have a contractual relationship with Uniboard (Tier 1 suppliers). The Department’s purchases are restricted to a pre-approved supplier list. This list is in compliance with Global Affairs Canada’s rules and sanctions. In compiling this list of suppliers, Uniboard avoids dealing with countries that are at high risk of forced or child labour. Additionally, Uniboard performs desk and public information audits on all of its Tier 1 suppliers before engaging in a business relationship and it monitors them closely during the course of the business relationship.
The Procurement Department’s purchasing policy contains several checks and balances in the form of various levels of approvals to prevent and contain errors.
For the financial year ended September 30, 2024, the majority of Uniboard’s suppliers were located in Canada and the United States.
Suppliers are required to read and comply with Uniboard’s Supplier Code of Conduct. The Supplier Code of Conduct is an integral part of Uniboard’s purchase order and is posted on Uniboard’s website. (https://www.uniboard.com/en/code-de-conduite-des-fournisseurs-de-uniboard). Going forward, it is Uniboard’s intention to further monitor suppliers by asking a random selection of suppliers to complete an online questionnaire about its labour and ethics practices.
Uniboard’s Code of Business Conduct emphasizes mutual respect, honesty and integrity. “The Company respects the personal dignity, privacy and personal rights of all individuals. We do not tolerate discrimination or other personal harassments or insults against any of our employees. The Company is honest in its dealings with others and pride itself as being a dependablepartner. These principles apply to internal cooperation as well as to behavior toward external partners.” This philosophy extends to Uniboard’s policy on electronic and social media use. The Company has a complaints mechanism in place and welcomes constructive suggestions in connection with this policy or others. The Code of Business Conduct states that a violation of the rules of this Code may lead to disciplinary measures including termination of employment.
Uniboard has Corporate Legal Counsel on staff to advise it of the requirements for compliance with laws relating to forced or child labour as well as for best practices.
The nature of this type of industry does not lend itself to violation of or exposure to forced or child labour. Consequently, the risk in our company is low and the need for further measures is similarly low.
TRAINING
Over the course of the past year, Uniboard has provided training on supply chain risk management and the provisions of The Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act to the members of the Procurement Department. This included risk of forced labour and child labour in supply chain activities. This training was mandatory.
Going forward, it is Uniboard’s intention to expand this training and to extend it to all management staff.
IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS OF FORCED LABOUR AND CHILD LABOUR EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTION
In addition to the information disclosed above, the Act requires that reporting entities disclose the following:
“(d) any measures taken to remediate any forced labour or child labour.
(e) any measures taken to remediate the loss of income to the most vulnerable families that results from any measure taken to eliminate the use of forced labour or child labour in its activities and supply chains.”
No instances of forced labour or child labour have been identified within Uniboard’s supply chains and therefore Uniboard has not been required to take any of the measures described in (d) and (e) above.
REPORT APPROVAL AND ATTESTATION
I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above.
James N. Hogg
President and Chief Executive Officer
May 27, 2025
I have the authority to bind Uniboard Canada Inc.
STRUCTURE, VISION, AND VALUES
Our Structure
Uniboard Canada Inc. (“Uniboard” or the “Company”) is a privately held, federally incorporated entity (BN:137921797RC0002), incorporated by way of amalgamation on September 28, 2012.
Uniboard’s head office is located at 5555 Ernest-Cormier Street, Suite 100, in Laval, Quebec, Canada.
Uniboard is a leading North American manufacturer of engineered wood products, having an installed capacity of over 660 million square feet of raw particleboard, high and medium-density fiberboard, of which over 50% is converted into value-added thermally fused laminates.
Uniboard owns and operates three (3) mills as well as a resin production plant, all of which are located in the province of Quebec. These are in Sayabec, Val-d’Or and Mont-Laurier.
Uniboard employs over 800 people in its mills and head office.
Uniboard’s products are produced in Quebec and sold to retailers, distributors and finished goods manufacturers in Canada and in the United States which cater to the kitchen cabinet, furniture, office, home renovation and construction industries.
Uniboard’s products are sold and distributed in Canada and in the United States through independent retailers. (www.uniboard.com)
Our Vision
• Promoting an industry-leading safety culture
• Reaching operational excellence in terms of quality, cost and reliability through technology and know-how
• Setting the standard in innovation of our products
• Leading the industry in sustainable development
• Providing an outstanding customer experience
• Outperforming the industry in growth
Our Values
• Health and Safety
Protecting our employees through robust health and safety policies and practices is essential to our operations. A clean, healthy and safe work environment leads to strong safety records which is good for our employees and good for our business.
• Customer Experience
Being responsive, committed and dedicated, coupled with creating customer value through innovative technologies, superior quality and outstanding service is the driving force behind our customer experience.
• Innovation
Innovation is about finding creative solutions that make a difference and inspire us to always stay one step ahead.
• Respect
Respect occupies a central place at Uniboard. It means, in our view, consideration for our employees. Respect in everyday life translates into respectful interpersonal relationships and protection of the integrity of each worker. We want to promote the development of each individual by providing them with a pleasant and favourable work environment.
• Empowerment
We support an entrepreneurial work environment that allows employees to maximize their contributions and achieve their professional goals. We respect and value collaboration and teamwork to realize opportunities that drive performance towards company objectives.
• Discipline
Our business strategy is driven by a clear set of goals and action plans which are both vigorously and consciously acted upon. Responsibility, cost control and continuous improvements are at the center of our operating philosophy.
• Environmental Stewardship
Our environmental policy is based on the sustainable use of natural resources and has been implemented with the health and well-being of our employees, customers, and community in mind. Our environmental auditing program, product certifications and world class leadership in the development of green products are hallmarks of our stewardship program.
OUR CERTIFICATIONS
Our Val-d’Or and Sayabec plants have ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Uniboard has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for chain of custody and controlled wood. This is a third-party verification. FSC certification also attests that the workers are provided with proper training, adequate safety protection and fair wages.
Our raw panel board meets Eco-certified Composite (ECC) standards. All our products meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act Toxic Substances Control Act ( EPA TSCA) Title VI and Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations (CANFER).
OUR SUPPLY CHAIN AND RISK MANAGEMENT
The purchase of raw materials for the manufacture of its products is the responsibility of the Procurement Department. This department is made up of approximately nine (9) employees allocated among the three (3) mills, one (1) resin plant and the head office.
The Procurement Department maps, on an ongoing basis, its supply chain with suppliers that have a contractual relationship with Uniboard (Tier 1 suppliers). The Department’s purchases are restricted to a pre-approved supplier list. This list is in compliance with Global Affairs Canada’s rules and sanctions. In compiling this list of suppliers, Uniboard avoids dealing with countries that are at high risk of forced or child labour. Additionally, Uniboard performs desk and public information audits on all of its Tier 1 suppliers before engaging in a business relationship and it monitors them closely during the course of the business relationship.
The Procurement Department’s purchasing policy contains several checks and balances in the form of various levels of approvals to prevent and contain errors.
For the financial year ended September 30, 2024, the majority of Uniboard’s suppliers were located in Canada and the United States.
Suppliers are required to read and comply with Uniboard’s Supplier Code of Conduct. The Supplier Code of Conduct is an integral part of Uniboard’s purchase order and is posted on Uniboard’s website. (https://www.uniboard.com/en/code-de-conduite-des-fournisseurs-de-uniboard). Going forward, it is Uniboard’s intention to further monitor suppliers by asking a random selection of suppliers to complete an online questionnaire about its labour and ethics practices.
Uniboard’s Code of Business Conduct emphasizes mutual respect, honesty and integrity. “The Company respects the personal dignity, privacy and personal rights of all individuals. We do not tolerate discrimination or other personal harassments or insults against any of our employees. The Company is honest in its dealings with others and pride itself as being a dependablepartner. These principles apply to internal cooperation as well as to behavior toward external partners.” This philosophy extends to Uniboard’s policy on electronic and social media use. The Company has a complaints mechanism in place and welcomes constructive suggestions in connection with this policy or others. The Code of Business Conduct states that a violation of the rules of this Code may lead to disciplinary measures including termination of employment.
Uniboard has Corporate Legal Counsel on staff to advise it of the requirements for compliance with laws relating to forced or child labour as well as for best practices.
The nature of this type of industry does not lend itself to violation of or exposure to forced or child labour. Consequently, the risk in our company is low and the need for further measures is similarly low.
TRAINING
Over the course of the past year, Uniboard has provided training on supply chain risk management and the provisions of The Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act to the members of the Procurement Department. This included risk of forced labour and child labour in supply chain activities. This training was mandatory.
Going forward, it is Uniboard’s intention to expand this training and to extend it to all management staff.
IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS OF FORCED LABOUR AND CHILD LABOUR EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTION
In addition to the information disclosed above, the Act requires that reporting entities disclose the following:
“(d) any measures taken to remediate any forced labour or child labour.
(e) any measures taken to remediate the loss of income to the most vulnerable families that results from any measure taken to eliminate the use of forced labour or child labour in its activities and supply chains.”
No instances of forced labour or child labour have been identified within Uniboard’s supply chains and therefore Uniboard has not been required to take any of the measures described in (d) and (e) above.
REPORT APPROVAL AND ATTESTATION
I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above.
James N. Hogg
President and Chief Executive Officer
May 27, 2025
I have the authority to bind Uniboard Canada Inc.
