Strategic sustainability in action—today and into the future
Sustainability powers innovation in everything we do. It is integrated in how we work, support our people, and develop solutions for our clients. It's a long-term commitment to doing business responsibly and delivering measurable impact across the communities we serve.
This annual report details our progress toward our sustainability goals, outlining our progress, accomplishments, objectives, and dedicated resources to this increasingly important aspect of doing business.
Our strategy: Driving impact with our SBTi commitment
Sustainability is foundational to our strategy, recognizing that real progress demands environmental responsibility.
We solidified this commitment in 2024 by officially registering with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), joining over 10,000 global organizations dedicated to aligning emissions reduction goals with climate science and the Paris Agreement’s objective to limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Our strategy focuses on three main pillars, predicated on the effects of evolving market shifts and the results of our materiality assessment. With these insights, we continue to advance our sustainability journey.
Our path to sustainability
Environmental
We recognize the far-reaching risks of climate change and the critical role businesses play in protecting the planet. Guided by a firm-wide commitment to sustainability, we are working to reduce our environmental impact, integrate climate considerations into our operations, and support the global transition to net zero by 2050 or sooner.
We've further streamlined our data collection for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving efficiency and data quality, and have re-calculated our carbon footprint baseline with enhanced data and methodology.
Our 2024 emissions breakdown by scope
Emissions by Mt CO2eq (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent).
To take meaningful climate action, it’s essential to understand where our emissions come from. We track our GHG emissions across three categories – Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, based on the globally recognized GHG Protocol.
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from sources we control such as natural gas.
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the energy we purchase such as electricity and steam.
Scope 3 emissions are all other indirect emissions that occur in our value chain, such as purchased goods and services, capital goods, fuel and energy-related activities, and waste generated in operations.
By measuring and analyzing our emissions by scope, we are able to identify high-impact areas and focus on reduction efforts where they matter most.
Social
We are committed to creating a workplace where our people feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. Through inclusive practices and community-focused initiatives, we aim to foster meaningful progress within our firm and across the communities we serve.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is fundamental to who we are and how we excel. Our commitment to inclusivity is woven into our culture guiding how we attract, support, and develop talent.
This year, we deepened this commitment by expanding our DEIA data collection to include race-based insights, helping us better understand representation and identify areas for enhancement.
We are dedicated to supporting the physical, mental, and financial well-being of our people at every stage of life. In 2024, we enhanced our core benefits by increasing flexibility, improving coverage options, and strengthening long-term financial supports—ensuring our people and their families have the resources they need to thrive.
We introduced a new End-of-Life Care policy, based on employee feedback, to better support caregivers, and launched a navigational hub to guide employees through maternity, parental, and adoption leave with communication, connection, and support at its core.
Mental health remains a key focus. Through our firm-paid mental health allowance, enhanced counselling services, and an expanded library of educational resources, we continue to break down barriers and empower our people to access the care they need, when they need it.
Driven by a forward-thinking strategy, our Learning & Development (L&D) team is focused on building a culture of continuous growth. Through a blend of formal, social, and experiential learning, we equip our people with the skills they need to lead, innovate, and deliver long-term value.
In 2024, we launched targeted programs to strengthen communication, advisory capabilities, and AI proficiency—ensuring our teams are prepared to meet the evolving needs of our clients and our business.
From leadership workshops like Speak with Impact to digital upskilling through Advisor of the Future and our Microsoft 365 Copilot initiative, we are investing in learning that empowers our people and shapes the future of our firm.
Our firm remains committed to fostering positive change within the communities we serve.
In 2024, we contributed more than $3 million through sponsorships and donations to causes nationwide, reflecting our core values and priorities. This represents a significant increase of more than 29% from 2023, underscoring our continuous dedication to making an impact in the communities we serve.
Across Canada, our support extends to a diverse array of national, regional, and local organizations, including not-for-profits, charities, chambers of commerce, sports programs, and various associations.
Innovation and excellence go hand in hand, shaping a future where technology and responsible business practices drive lasting positive impact. We are committed to ensuring our clients and people benefit from AI-powered efficiencies, enhanced insights, and seamless digital experiences.
In 2024, we invested more than $5.9 million in innovation initiatives, a 93% increase from the previous year, delivering over 1,750 hours of AI training and improving AI proficiency by 40%. BDO Canada also won the 2023 Microsoft Canada Partner of the Year award for our early adoption of AI and excellence in implementing client-focused digital solutions.
Today's actions, tomorrow's change
The Drive Away Hunger campaign is our largest and longest-running firm-wide social responsibility program. We’ve supported this initiative for over 15 consecutive years, and it has grown to become a uniting and inspiring program for both rural and urban offices from coast to coast.
In 2024, our people raised more than $300,000 for Drive Away Hunger and approximately $3.3 million since our first year supporting the campaign.
Governance
Strong governance is essential to operate in a way that is sustainable, meets our obligations, and adheres to our ethical role while delivering value. Our board understands the challenges of our industry and is committed to setting high standards of corporate governance.
The guiding principles that inform our decision-making process and reflect our commitment to transparency and accountability include:
Our board consists of nine partners elected by the partner group with representation from all service lines across the organization and one external independent member selected by the board.
Four sub-committees addressing critical organizational functions support our board in its mandate:
- Financial Oversight Committee
- Governance & Risk Committee
- Talent & Culture Committee
- Strategy & Execution Committee
Our firm promotes a culture of integrity and ethical behaviour through compliance with prevailing laws, independence requirements, regulations, and internal policies like our Code of Conduct.
Our Enterprise Risk Management program enables us to identify and evaluate risks that may affect our ability to meet our strategic goals. It also emphasizes addressing key risks, anticipating emerging challenges, and implementing effective mitigation strategies.
Information security is fully embedded into our organizational culture and operations. To ensure the confidentiality and protection of our clients’ and people’s data, our policies align with internationally recognized standards for information security.
Learn more about the progress behind our commitments.
The accessible version of our 2024 sustainability report is available for viewing.
See how our sustainability journey has progressed and evolved by exploring our 2023 report.
The accessible version of our 2023 report is available for viewing.